Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Special Meeting – May 1, 2024

The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission held a continued special meeting on May 1, 2024 (originally convened April 30, 2024) to consider two public hearing items: the ratification of 2024 Measure D allocations and the continuation of the 555 Kelly Avenue affordable senior farmworker housing project. The commission approved the Measure D ranking ratification and continued the 555 Kelly project to a date certain on May 14, 2024 to allow further deliberation and potential design refinements.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimously approved the minutes from the April 23, 2024 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-agenda public comment: Brent Turner (Frenchman's Creek resident) spoke generally in favor of progress and making decisions that are obviously needed.
• Measure D: Julie McHenry (applicant who missed the cutoff by half a point) encouraged the commission to ask City Council to transfer downtown overflow allocations to non-downtown applicants in September.
• 555 Kelly Avenue (affordable housing project): Over 25 speakers offered testimony. A majority expressed strong support, citing the moral imperative, the contributions of farmworkers, the tragic 2023 shootings, and the need for dignified housing. Many speakers represented community organizations (e.g., Dreamers Roadmap, ALAS, Sabrato Philanthropies, Brown Issues, Puente, Abundant Grace). Opponents raised concerns about building height (a proposed five-story structure), parking adequacy (18 spaces for 40 units), the building's scale and compatibility with neighborhood character, and the lack of a civic center plan for the site. Several speakers from Our Lady of the Pillar parish noted the church has no formal partnership with ALAS and cannot provide off-site parking. A few speakers questioned the project's location and urged consideration of alternative city-owned sites.

Discussion Items

1.A – 2024 Measure D Ranking Ratification

• Staff presented the annual process for allocating residential units outside downtown under Measure D (growth control measure). For 2024, 21 allocations were available; staff recommended ratifying 21 of 42 requests, with 14 deferred due to lower scores. The scoring has become highly competitive, with many applications within half a point of the cutoff.
• Commissioner David Gorn recused himself due to a nearby property. The remaining commissioners discussed ADUs and the need for City Council to reconsider the ADU policy. A motion to adopt the resolution ratifying the rankings passed unanimously (4-0).

1.B – 555 Kelly Avenue (continued from April 23)

• Staff presented a supplemental memo addressing legal issues: interplay of state density bonus law and the Coastal Act, CEQA exemption, parking, and pedestrian safety. The project proposes a five-story building with 40 affordable units for senior farmworkers (extremely low- and very low-income), an ALAS Farmworker Resource Center, and 18 parking spaces. The applicant, Mercy Housing, confirmed they cannot require parking under state law but voluntarily provided 18 spaces.
• Commissioners raised questions about parking configuration, project financing ($43 million total development cost), tax credits, local preference enforcement, building height (59'11” but appears taller from some angles), architectural design, and alignment with local coastal land use policies. Concerns about the building's height, massing, and fit with downtown character dominated discussion. Some commissioners felt the project had not adequately addressed feedback from the Architectural Advisory Committee (AAC).
• The applicant noted that further redesign would delay funding eligibility by six to nine months. Commissioners acknowledged the urgent need for housing but stressed the importance of setting a good precedent for future projects under the updated Land Use Plan.

Key Outcomes

• Measure D Ratification: Resolution passed (4-0) to ratify the 2024 Measure D allocations for 21 residential units outside downtown.
• 555 Kelly Avenue – Continuation: The commission voted to continue the hearing to May 14, 2024, a date certain, to allow full deliberation and to give staff and the applicant an opportunity to address outstanding questions (especially regarding design, parking, and policy consistency). No final decision was reached; the commission emphasized that the project is not being defeated but that more work is needed to ensure quality.
• Meeting Extension: The meeting was extended by five minutes to accommodate final remarks. The meeting adjourned after the continuation motion.