Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Meeting - July 14, 2023
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Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Meeting - July 14, 2023
The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission met on July 14, 2023, at 7:00 PM at the Ted Adcock Community Center and via Zoom. Acting Chair Margaret Gossett presided with Commissioners Hazel Joanes, David Gorn, and Rick Hernandez (teleconferencing from Santa Monica) present. Commissioner Steve Ruddock was absent. The meeting was extended by a 4-0 vote to 11:00 PM to complete the agenda. The commission considered two public hearing items: an extension of a use permit for BK Motors and a coastal development permit for a new residence at 2800 Champs Elysee Boulevard.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made on non-agenda items.
- For Item 1B (2800 Champs Elysee), multiple residents spoke against the project unless drainage issues along Pullman Ditch were resolved. John Rossi (2804 Champs Elysee) described nine flood events in two years, stating he opposed the project until the ditch problem is fixed. Beth McEnary expressed concerns about the home's visibility from Highway 1 and its design not fitting the neighborhood. Christopher Davidovich (2810 Alameda) reported $25,000 in flood damage and asked the commission to solve the ditch problem before approving more homes. Brad Steinwein (2801 Champs Elysee) criticized the design as out of character and raised questions about construction staging and drainage. Vic Fletcher (2805 Champs Elysee) cited climate change and urged the city to address storm drainage before construction. Sandy Paley (longtime resident) recounted decades of flooding and called for a halt to further bad decisions.
Discussion Items
- Item 1A: BK Motors Use Permit Extension – Senior Planner Doug Garrison presented the request to extend a 2018 use permit for a mini-storage facility using shipping containers. The original permit required a five-year review, but staff recommended deleting that condition (Option 1) or extending it (Option 2). The applicant had complied with all conditions, including removing a driveway and installing bollards. No complaints were received. Commissioner Joannes disclosed a site visit and tour with the applicant. Commissioner Gorn disclosed being a customer of BK Motors. The commission discussed the risk of ownership change and the ability to revoke the permit. A motion was made to approve Option 1 (delete the five-year review condition). The motion passed 4-0.
- Item 1B: Coastal Development Permit and Architectural Review for 2800 Champs Elysee – Senior Planner Scott Phillips presented a revised proposal for a 4,710-square-foot contemporary home and garage on a 30,300-square-foot lot. The project had been redesigned three times, reduced by 2,000 square feet, and reviewed by the Architectural Advisory Committee (AAC) twice. Key issues raised by the public and commissioners included drainage from the site into Pullman Ditch, adequacy of dry wells, design compatibility with the neighborhood, and the need for a regional drainage plan. Public Works Director Maz Bosarginia confirmed that the drainage design met the 10-year, 2-hour storm standard but would not solve the larger ditch flooding problem. The applicant, Mark Massara, noted that the site is 36 feet in elevation and runoff would be directed away from the ditch via dry wells and overflow to the south. He offered a 30-foot easement for future flood control. Commissioner Joannes raised detailed questions about dry wells, groundwater, the need for updated soils analysis, and the distinction between buffer and easement. Commissioner Gorn argued that approving the project would violate the Local Coastal Program (LCP) policies on shoreline hazards and drainage. Commissioner Hernandez expressed concern about creating a wetland from diverted water. After extensive discussion, a motion to continue the item to a date uncertain was made by Commissioner Gorn and seconded. The applicant objected, preferring a denial to appeal. The motion passed 4-0.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1A (BK Motors): Approved Resolution P-23-08, deleting the condition requiring a five-year review (Condition E10). The use permit remains in effect with all other conditions. Vote: 4-0.
- Item 1B (2800 Champs Elysee): Continued to a date uncertain by a 4-0 vote. Staff was directed to address technical questions regarding dry well sizing, soil percolation, groundwater impacts, and to consider a broader assessment of drainage in the Pullman Ditch area. The item will be rescheduled for a future meeting.
- The minutes from June 13, 2023, were not approved due to lack of a quorum (two commissioners absent from that meeting) and were tabled to the next meeting.
- The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:00 PM without reaching Item 1C (General Plan Conformance for easement acquisition) or the Director's Report.
Meeting Transcript
Oh no. Our July eleventh, twenty twenty three meeting of the Half One Bay Planning Commission. We are broadcasting this meeting live on Pacific Coast TV's website as well as local channel twenty-seven. A few brief um public comment etiquette items to review for those that would like to um have public comment in person as well as on the Zoom platform. The planning commission chair will open up the general public comment session section of the agenda. At that time, community members are welcome to speak on any items that are not listed on the agenda for this evening. And for virtual, you will raise your raise hand icon, and I will go in the order that they come in via Zoom. Please make sure that you state your name and yet you speak clearly into the microphone for the record and for our public to hear. If you're dialing from a telephone via Zoom, please push star six to raise and unraise your hand and star nine to mute and unmute yourself. After the after the meeting or after the meeting and packet was distributed, there was some correspondence that went out, and it is published on the this evening's agenda on the website, as well as was emailed to each planning commissioner and shared with them. So that we can make sure that it goes on to the live TV and our listeners can hear from there. Thank you for your patience. And I will now hand the meeting over to our acting chair Gossett to officially begin this evening's meeting. Good evening. My name is Margaret Gossett. I am the vice chair of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission. Today is July 11th. Welcome to everyone in the audience and on Zoom. I'm the acting chair for the evening. So if we could start with the Pledge of Allegiance and then we'll take roll call. Okay. So we have one of our planning commissioners is telecommuting from afar, so we want to need to go through some etiquette. So prior to our roll call, I would like to make it clear for the record of this meeting, and it should be reflected in the minutes, that at least a portion of the city commission or the planning commission meeting is conducted within government code 54953B, as the Planning Commissioner Hernandez is at, and you note it on it's noted on the agenda that he is at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel 101 Will Share Boulevard, Santa Monica in the lobby of the hotel this evening. Planning Commissioner Hernandez is participating by or via Zoom and has speaker and audio. And he's in ordinance with the Brown Act. Each teleconference location has been identified in the notice and agenda for the meeting. We've gotten notice of it and we've noticed it at that location. I would now like to do roll call. Commissioner Ruddick is absent this evening. Commissioner Johannes? Here. Commissioner Gorn. Here. Vice Chair and Acting Chair Gossett? Here. And Chair Hernandez. I am present. Okay. We have four commissioners present this evening. I would like to now request that Commissioner, Planning Commissioner and Chair Hernandez respond to the following questions. Can you hear me well? Yes. Were you able to hear the proceedings up until this this time in this moment? Yes, I was. Do you have a copy of the agenda for this meeting? I do. Is your location responsibly accessible to the public, such as any member of the public could participate in this teleconference from your location if he or she wished to do so? Yes, it is. And I can see the front desk of the Fairmont Hotel in front of me and behind me is the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel here in our thank you. Is there any member of the public with you there currently?
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