Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Meeting - August 8, 2023: CSM Education Center Use Permit Approved
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Meeting - August 8, 2023
The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission met on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at 7:00 PM at the Ted Adcock Community Center. Acting Chair Margaret Gossett presided, with Commissioners Gorn, Ruddock, and Joanes (absent) and Chair Hernandez (absent). The primary agenda item was a public hearing on a Use Permit and Parking Exception (PDP-20-036) for the College of San Mateo (CSM) Coastside Education Center at 650 Mill Street. The Commission also heard public comment on a separate matter.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mark Masara (Mirmar resident) spoke during general public comment regarding a previous project at 2800 Shams LSA. He requested the Commission's support to remove story poles that have been in place for several years, noting that the house design and footprint are no longer contested and that the poles are expensive to maintain. He asked for removal within the next few weeks.
- Jane Lewis (President of the Coastal Arts League) spoke during the public hearing on Item 1.A. She expressed concerns about insufficient parking, noting that the 2020 parking reduction did not account for a CSM extension program. She also highlighted traffic hazards at the intersection of Mill and Parissima, including a lack of stop signs and crosswalks, and suggested parallel parking and a four-way stop. She urged the Commission to address these issues.
Discussion Items
Item 1.A: College of San Mateo Coastside Education Center (650 Mill Street)
- Staff Presentation: Jill Ekas (Community Development Director) presented the project. The site is a new mixed-use building with five residential units and two ground-floor commercial spaces, approved in 2020. CSM proposes to occupy one ground-floor space for a satellite community college, accommodating up to 45 individuals (students and staff). The project requires a Use Permit and an additional Parking Exception beyond the 2020 approval. Staff recommended approval with conditions, including monitoring.
- Karen Decker (Economic and Community Vitality Manager) spoke in support, citing the Coastside Recovery Initiative's recommendation to increase access to vocational training and higher education. She noted that the college would generate weekday downtown activity and reduce vehicle trips over the hill.
- Applicant Presentation: Richard Storty (Acting President of CSM) emphasized the transformational nature of community college education and the benefits of removing transportation barriers for coastside residents. He stated that CSM serves over 65% students of color and is a Hispanic-serving institution. The college intends to invest in technology and furnishings for a state-of-the-art learning environment.
- Commission Discussion:
- Parking: Commissioners discussed the adequacy of parking. The site has 5 on-site spaces (shared with residents) and 5 off-site spaces at 655 Miramonte (deed-restricted). CSM plans to direct students to park on Church Street, which has 39 delineated spots and was found to have vacancies during a noon survey. Concerns were raised about potential spillover into Zabala Square (a nearby commercial lot). Commissioner Gorn noted that parking demand is a sign of downtown vitality.
- Hours of Operation: The applicant requested hours from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday, with Saturday limited to community events and no Sunday use. Staff had proposed 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The Commission discussed limiting Friday hours to avoid peak evening parking demand. Commissioner Ruddock noted that many students are working adults who need evening classes.
- Intersection Safety: Commissioner Gossett noted that improvements to the Mill/Parissima intersection (crosswalks, stop signs) are needed. Staff confirmed that the city engineer has initiated analysis for a four-way stop and that crosswalk upgrades are planned. The project's street improvements are required before final occupancy.
- Monitoring: Commissioner Gossett suggested a more frequent monitoring program, recommending once per semester rather than annually, to ensure parking compliance.
Key Outcomes
- Motion: Commissioner Ruddock moved to approve the resolution for the Use Permit and Parking Exception with the following amendments:
- Hours of operation: Monday through Thursday 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM; Friday ending at 6:00 PM; Saturday limited to community events 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; no Sunday operations.
- Parking: Clarify that the on-site ADA-accessible space is available to all users; direct faculty and staff to park at the off-site lot at 655 Miramonte (with overflow to Church Street if needed).
- Monitoring: A monitoring program once per semester for the first year of operation, with CSM proactively informing registered students of parking expectations.
- Second by Commissioner Gorn. Vote: 3-0 in favor (Commissioner Joanes and Chair Hernandez absent).
- Note: The decision has a 10-calendar-day appeal period.
Director's Report
- Upcoming meetings: August 22 (Pillar Point Creek bridge repair project), September 12 (joint study session with Architectural Advisory Committee on downtown streetscape master plan).
- City Council will consider a response to a civil grand jury report on accessory dwelling units.
Planning Commission Communications
- Commissioner Ruddock requested a future agenda item for staff to report on the results of soil testing at Poplar Beach (south of the parking lot), related to erosion and the toxic landfill. Staff indicated that the city is engaged with the county and other parties on a broader environmental project.
Meeting Transcript
To the August 8th, 2023 Planning Commission meeting. We are broadcasting this meeting live on the Pacific Coast TV's website and as long along with the local Channel 7 or station, sorry. We have a few brief uh public comment etiquette. Um we do have in-person folks that would like to speak as well as we have um people in our Zoom, which I'm going to switch right now. Okay. Um the Planning Commission chair will open up the general public comment section of the agenda at the time community members are welcome to speak on any items that are not listed on this evening's agenda. For the specific items that are listed on the agenda, there will be a public comment opportunity during and discussion during those items. Three minutes will be given to those who comment. We will begin the in-person comments first, followed by the attendees on Zoom. Those wanting to speak in person, I'll recognize you by the green cards that we have here, and then the virtual uh raising of the hand um online in that order. Please make sure that when you start, please speak clearly and state your name for the record. Um if you're online, please um push star six to raise and unraise your hand and star nine to mute and unmute. Um I think if you can just plan it, we just remind our staff and commission to speak into the microphones because it's um is recording and going into our television and and so forth. Um I think that is it for now, and I'll turn it over to Chair or actually Vice Chair, acting chair uh Gossett this evening. Good evening. I'm opening the Planning Commission meeting in Half Moon Bay on Tuesday, August eighth, two thousand twenty-three. I'm Margaret Gossett, acting chair uh for Chair Hernandez, who's not available tonight. At this point, uh, we will stand to say the public uh fledge of allegiance. Okay, would you like to take roll call? Sure. Commissioner Gorn. I'm here. Commissioner Reddick. Here. And acting Chair Gossett? Here. Those absent are um Commissioner Johannes and Chair, I'm sorry, Chair Hernanis, Hernandez, and uh Commissioner Johannes are absent this evening. At this point, I'd like to open up the public hearing or for any items that are not on the agenda. Um we have one, and it's Mark Masara. You're welcome to come up with audible. Oh, it's a helps. Okay. Good evening, honorable members of the planning commission. Um Mark Masara, your humble advocate and Mirmar resident. Uh, you'll recall a few weeks ago we discussed a single family home proposed for 2800 Shams LSA, uh, a project within the Stolaski subdivision before you now for about the last seven years. Tonight, uh, we'd like to ask um for your support in removing the story polls. You'll recall neighbors have raised numerous concerns over the years about them having been destroyed by storms, wind, having to have been repeatedly reconstructed across what will soon be uh at least five separate planning commission hearings. Our request is to be able to take them down at this time and not reconstruct them for future hearings. The basis of our request is that the house design and footprint is no longer the subject of contention, is not changing. There are no view impacts or visual issues associated with the house, and they are very expensive to maintain, and a neighborhood irritation. Um that their ongoing presence uh is both unfair to neighbors as well as the applicant. As you'll recall, the story polls have been extensively photographed in the past by staff and and by ourselves, and are certified by a licensed surveyor for their accuracy. Um there's that letter. Um then last week we captured their brilliance and memorialized their outline for posterity via drone photographs. Um, and we believe that that now is sufficient. The remaining issues to be discussed as directed by you and and which for which we're in discussions with your staff are drainage and flooding issues, and they have nothing to do with the story poles, the house design or the location of the house on the lot. Simply put, the story poles are no longer needed, and we'd like your support for their removal. We've spent many tens of thousands of dollars on them now over the years, and they aren't going to exist with respect to any future hearings. Um next slide, please. Assuming you grant us this concession, I would like to remove them in the next couple of weeks and would urge uh anyone wanting one last look to go see them.
openpublica.com