Locunity/Half Moon Bay, CA·Planning Commission
The Planning Commission consists of citizen volunteers appointed by the City Council to make decisions or advise the Council on land use and property development issues. The Commission assures that new development is consistent with our Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, long-range General Plan and Local Coastal Plan, State laws and other public policies that advance the interests of our community. Planning Commission Meetings - 2nd and 4th Tuesday, monthly Ted Adcock Community Center 535 Kelly Avenue Half Moon Bay, CA Public Comments. Staff will respond to public comments submitted before Monday 3:00 PM, the day prior to the Tuesday scheduled meeting. Comments submitted after that time will be forwarded to Planning Commissioners up to one hour before the Tuesday meeting.
Locunity is an independent informational service and is not an official government page for this commission. All information is sourced from public footage and an analysis of official agendas with the aid of responsible, fact-checked AI. to report an error or omission.
Recent updates from Governing Board
Staff reported SB 330 applications for roughly 370 units at the Podesta property, 125 units at 2281 Cabrillo Highway North and 99 units at Rocket Farms.
Why it matters: The filings lock in current zoning and timelines, and staff said the coastal zone requires consistency with the local coastal program, limiting builder's remedy.
The commission voted 5-0 to recommend Council adopt the Safety Element, a CEQA notice of exemption and filings with the county clerk and state agencies.
Why it matters: Council action is the final step after Cal Fire and Board of Forestry review, and the commission asked for added actions on undergrounding and insurance.
Commissioners backed a five-year review cycle and new actions to pursue flood-insurance rating credits and the Fire Risk Reduction Communities List.
Why it matters: Participation could lower flood and fire insurance costs for homeowners, though the director warned the flood program is staff-intensive and local mapping is lacking.
New flood actions include an upstream stream gauge, debris cleanup authorization and annual coordination with the Pilarcitos Dam owner, with commissioners seeking more proactive language.
Why it matters: Residents along Pilarcitos Creek currently have no flood warning system, and the city does not control the dam that poses downstream risk.
Commissioners urged firmer undergrounding policy, and the consultant agreed to propose a feasibility-study action on funding, including an assessment district.
Why it matters: Frequent outages and downed lines on Highway 92 threaten evacuation routes, and state mitigation funding of over $1 billion may be use-it-or-lose-it.
Consultants showed new actions on ember-free zone design guidance, landscape palettes and evacuation planning, responding to concerns about denuding downtown of trees.
Why it matters: The policies give Half Moon Bay local control over how Cal Fire standards apply, and commissioners sought to keep fire policy from overriding erosion, heat and character concerns.
After debating variances, mediation costs and the commission's proper role, commissioners voted 4-1 to continue the hearing to November 10.
Why it matters: The vote delays a project all commissioners praised and signals the commission wants the parties to resolve the boundary privately without burdening the applicant.
Commissioners questioned how a 3-foot retaining wall would route stormwater and asked the applicant to delete or frost a south-facing closet window.
Why it matters: Cross-property drainage is prohibited, and drainage details will be revisited at building permit and when the item returns.
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Fence Dispute Stalls Mizzen Lane Home as Commission Delays Vote 30 Days A 2.5-foot strip of land between a new home site and a 45-year-old farm fence held up a house that every Half Moon Bay planning commissioner said t...
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Commissioners Approve Pullman Home, Demand Highway Wall Makeover Half Moon Bay's Planning Commission unanimously approved a new single-family home and affordable accessory dwelling unit at 2781 Pullman Avenue on Aug. 25...
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Half Moon Bay Reluctantly Advances State-Mandated Housing Rezonings Half Moon Bay's Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the city council adopt sweeping zoning changes required by the state — including by-right mi...
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SB 35 Briefing Exposes Half Moon Bay's Shrinking Control Over Housing Approvals The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission got its clearest picture yet of what streamlined state housing law means for this small coastal city....
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Commission Approves Emergency Coastal Trail Repair as Bluff Crumbles Into Ocean Half Moon Bay's Planning Commission tackled an urgent safety crisis on the California Coastal Trail, where a section has literally fallen i...
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State Threatens Half Moon Bay Over Housing Compliance as Cell Tower, Habitat Debates Advance Half Moon Bay's Planning Commission met April 14 with only three of five members present — and a full plate. The state's housi...
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Self-Storage Facility Approved at Half Moon Bay's Scenic Gateway With Landscape Conditions Half Moon Bay's Planning Commission unanimously approved a 68-unit self-storage facility behind Curly and Red's Auto Body on the...
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Measure D Squeeze: Six Growth Slots Awarded as ADU Demand Surges in Half Moon Bay Half Moon Bay's Planning Commission awarded six coveted Measure D growth allocations — nearly all for accessory dwelling units — while fl...
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Half Moon Bay Planning Commission Elects New Leadership, Forms Ad Hoc Committee The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission kicked off 2026 with its annual reorganization, handing the gavel to a new chair, seating a veteran c...
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Planners Green-Light Creek Fence, Brew Pub Spirits in Busy Session The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission moved on two fronts Feb. 10 — unanimously approving a 1,000-foot security fence to protect the battered Pilarcitos...
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