Locunity/Half Moon Bay, CA
The City Council of Half Moon Bay is the City’s governing body, and consists of five elected members. The Council sets priorities and policies, makes final decisions on all major City matters, adopts ordinances and resolutions, appoints the City Manager and City Attorney, and approves the annual budget. The City of Half Moon Bay holds district-based elections for its five city council seats. Each Councilmember is elected to a 4 year term. There are no term limits in Half Moon Bay. The City Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and one to serve as Vice Mayor, on an annual basis. The Half Moon Bay City Council typically meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month starting at 7 pm at the Ted Adcock Community Center, 535 Kelly Avenue. The City Council typically meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, at 7 pm, at Ted Adcock Community Center, 535 Kelly Avenue. City Council meeting schedule, agendas, minutes, and videos are available online. Planning on attending a City Council Meeting? Please visit our "Commenting at a City Council Meeting" information page. You can also learn about City Council Procedures and Decorum.
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Recent updates from Governing Board
Council found the 60+ item workplan mixing ongoing tasks with new priorities too confusing, appointing Nagengast and Brownstone to reformulate with the city manager.
Why it matters: Without adopted priorities, the city cannot finalize its FY 2026-28 budget and staff workplan, potentially delaying resource allocation decisions.
Staff proposed purchasing eight portable LED poster boards for $25,000 to enable World Cup watch parties and outdoor movies, but all five council members requested more due diligence.
Why it matters: The purchase would activate Carter Park's amphitheater for daytime events and the June 2026 World Cup, but council wants insurance, warranty, and customer feedback first.
Council directed staff to develop an emergency rental assistance program and $40,000 legal services partnership with CLSEPA through Coastside Hope, while tabling rental inspections.
Why it matters: With $2.1 million in unallocated housing funds available and the rent stabilization program repealed the same evening, these programs become the city's primary tenant safety net.
Half Moon Bay introduced an ordinance repealing its rent stabilization and rental registration programs on a 3-2 vote, drawing sharp criticism from Vice Mayor Penrose.
Why it matters: The repeal eliminates the city's only regulatory tenant protections, adopted just two years ago, shifting to voluntary service-based support at a time of rising housing costs.
Council adopted the annual $2-per-room-per-night Hotel BID assessment for FY 2026-27 after a public hearing with no protests.
Why it matters: The BID funds tourism marketing managed by the Chamber of Commerce; overnight stays generate significant revenue for city services.
Midcoast Community Council reported that the CEQA-exempt Cypress Point housing project discovered asbestos and an unidentified underground tank during construction.
Why it matters: The discoveries at a CEQA-exempt project raise questions about environmental review processes for affordable housing developments.
Vice Mayor Penrose identified three closed session items covering anticipated litigation, labor negotiations with IUOE Local 39, and existing Ellingson lawsuit.
Why it matters: The city faces potential and existing lawsuits plus union and employee contract negotiations that could significantly impact city finances and workforce policy.
Three of five councilmembers present at roll call establish a quorum for the special closed session meeting.
Why it matters: Mayor Ruddock's absence and Councilmember Jonsson's expected late arrival left the council with only three members to begin proceedings.
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Half Moon Bay Repeals Rent Stabilization, Pivots to Service-Based Tenant Support Half Moon Bay's City Council voted 3-2 to begin dismantling the coastal city's two-year-old rent stabilization and rental registration pro...
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Half Moon Bay Council Enters Closed Session on Two Lawsuits and Labor Talks The Half Moon Bay City Council held a brief special session April 9 to publicly identify three closed session items before moving behind closed...
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Council Approves $770K Coastal Zoning Overhaul, Defers EV Purchase Over Budget Fears Half Moon Bay's City Council unanimously green-lit a sweeping rewrite of the city's coastal zoning code, accepted a tourism report sho...
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Half Moon Bay Council Convenes Special Session on Two Active Lawsuits The Half Moon Bay City Council held a brief special meeting to confer privately with legal counsel on two pending lawsuits — one a long-running water...
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Council Advances 555 Kelly Farm Worker Housing Despite Unresolved Legal Questions Half Moon Bay's City Council held a special meeting dominated by emotional public testimony and tough questions about draft legal agreeme...
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Council Repeals Rent Stabilization and Registry in Divisive 3-2 Vote Half Moon Bay's City Council ended its local rent control experiment on March 17, voting 3-2 to repeal both the residential rent stabilization ordinan...
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Council Sets Ten Priorities as Record Turnout Demands Flood Fixes and Downtown Protections Half Moon Bay's City Council held its largest-ever priority-setting workshop Saturday, March 16, drawing roughly 20 public speak...
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Reserves Restored, Nonprofits Refunded as Half Moon Bay Charts Fiscal Recovery Half Moon Bay's City Council marked a financial turning point March 4, unanimously replenishing the city's reserves to 50% of operating expe...
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Rent Stabilization Debate Splits Council as Tenants, Landlords Pack Chambers Half Moon Bay's City Council confronted the most divisive housing question on the Coastside — whether to keep, reshape, or scrap its rent stab...
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Half Moon Bay Council Convenes Special Closed Session on Water District Litigation The Half Moon Bay City Council held a brief special meeting Feb. 18 to consult with legal counsel behind closed doors on the city's long...
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Council Approves Staffing Study, 911 Contract as Privacy Concerns Loom Over License Plate Readers Half Moon Bay's City Council tackled a packed agenda Tuesday that ranged from regional tourism wins to mounting questions...
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Half Moon Bay Residents Chart Budget Priorities: Housing, Seniors, Traffic and Downtown The Half Moon Bay City Council gathered for a community listening session on Jan. 29, 2026, offering residents a rare open mic to s...
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