Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Meeting – February 21, 2024
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Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Meeting – February 21, 2024
This meeting of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission addressed two primary agenda items: an update on an emergency coastal development permit for the landfill and a proposed residential development at Creekside Court, which included a request for a setback variance. After extensive discussion, the applicant withdrew the variance request for Lot 10, and the commission approved the remainder of the project with conditions related to tree protection.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Juliette Culda, a realtor, expressed support for the Creekside project, noting its custom designs and positive contribution to the community. She also conveyed support from the Archdiocese of San Francisco and Father Jose of Our Lady of the Pillar (adjacent landowner).
- The applicant's representative thanked the commission and highlighted the project's sustainable materials and design approval from the Architectural Advisory Committee.
Discussion Items
1.A. Emergency Coastal Development Permit – Half Moon Bay Landfill
- Staff reported that an Emergency Coastal Development Permit was issued on January 24, 2024, for emergency stormwater management repairs at the landfill, including a revetment wall and drainage. Work commenced the prior day.
- Commissioners questioned the delay in addressing the damage and the accuracy of the term "structural containment" in the permit description. Staff clarified that the revetment wall protects landfill stability and coastal access.
- The commission acknowledged receipt of the update via a unanimous motion.
1.B. Creekside Residences – Coastal Development Permit, Architectural Review, and Setback Variance
- The project proposed 11 custom single-family homes (three with ADUs) and one fourplex affordable housing unit on Lot 1. A variance was requested for Lot 10 to encroach into the street-facing side setback due to the lot’s unique shape and proximity to Pilarcitos Creek.
- Staff presented the project’s history, including prior approvals by the Coastal Commission and city council. The Architectural Advisory Committee had unanimously supported the designs.
- Major concerns included:
- Setback Variance for Lot 10: Commissioners Gorn, Johannes, and Gossett expressed skepticism about the necessity of the variance, noting the lot could accommodate a smaller house. Chair Hernandez suggested options such as attaching a deed restriction to the ADU to ensure affordability, but no consensus was reached during the discussion.
- Tree Protection: Vice Chair Gossett raised safety concerns about Monterey cypress trees on the site, citing a 2016 arborist report that rated them as poor condition and recommended removal. Staff acknowledged that grading had not followed all conditions but presented a new arborist report indicating no immediate damage. A licensed arborist testified via Zoom that the trees were in fair condition.
- CEQA and LCP Compliance: Commissioner Johannes questioned whether the 2017 Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) remained valid given environmental changes. Staff and legal counsel affirmed that no material changes had occurred and the project was consistent with the MND and prior approvals.
- The applicant ultimately withdrew Lot 10 from the application, stating they would resubmit a revised design later.
Key Outcomes
- Emergency Landfill Permit: Motion to acknowledge receipt of the update passed unanimously.
- Creekside Project (minus Lot 10): Approved by a vote of 3–1 (Commissioner Gossett dissented). Conditions of approval included:
- Arborist review of the final grading plan.
- On-site monitoring by a licensed biologist or arborist during any grading near the cypress trees.
- A reassessment of root damage after grading.
- A tree maintenance plan and a 3-to-1 replacement ratio (24-inch box trees) for any removed heritage trees.
- The variance request for Lot 10 was effectively withdrawn; the applicant will bring a separate application for that lot at a future date.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Good evening. I'd like to welcome you to the City of Half Moon Bay Planning Commission meeting for February thirteenth, two thousand and twenty-four. This is an in-person hybrid meeting, and Bridget will share some of the details. Thank you. Okay, before we officially get started, I'd just like to wish everyone a good evening and welcome to the February thirteenth, twenty twenty-four planning commission meeting. A few brief um comments uh for public comment etiquette before we get started. Um in person um we'll in person and that for those that are on Zoom. The Planning Commission chair will open up general public comment section of the agenda. At that time, community members will be welcome to speak on any of the items that are not listed on this evening's agenda. For the specific items listed on the agenda, there will be a public comment opportunities during the discussion of those specific items. Three minutes will be given to those commenters. Those wanting to speak in person will be recognized. Please make sure that when you start, please speak clearly. State your name for the record so it's easily to take minutes. And if you're on the telephone only, please push star six to raise and unraise your hand and star nine to mute and unmute yourself. This evening, just remind commissioners and our staff to speak into this to the um microphone for recording purposes and for our public. Also, we did have correspondence go out this morning, and I have posted that on the agenda on the website. And commissioners have received those as well. Um this evening we did receive another uh correspondence which we've handed out to you and is also in the binder going up. Um and Scott will um explain that during his presentation as well. Um I would like to remind um I would like you to uh thank you for being patient as we do this hybrid meeting, and I'll turn it back over to Vice Chair Gossett to start the meeting officially Okay, thank you. Bridget, can you take roll call, please? We could start with the pledge, then we can all right. I would like to agents to define states earlier. Okay. Um we have Commissioner Reddick is absent this evening. Commissioner Johannes. I'm here, thanks. Commissioner Gorn? Here. Vice Chair Gossett. Here. And Chair Hernandez, who will be joining us here shortly, so we can we'll acknowledge him when he when he attends. Okay. Okay. Um with that, I would like to ask if anyone from the public would like to speak out about anything that is not on the agenda. I see none online or in person. Thank you. Okay, so then we would like to move to um review the minutes. We just had one edit um Commissioner Gossett brought to my attention. I was missing a question that she mentioned on page five, so second to the last page. Um I highlighted in orange. Um she just added uh we had the the question the answer to the question, which um staff answered, but the question was um in 2018 a meeting uh there was a meeting regarding the bell bill. Um potholes were mentioned by the residents, and the potholes are still there today. Will that be addressed? So I just added that for the record, and the comment and answers are on staff on page six. So that's the only change that I've been notified. But if there's any other changes, feel free to speak up. Um I recall a discussion about emergency CDPs that um had been had during that meeting, but I don't see them reflected on here.
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