Council Ratifies Pier Emergency, Then Spends Five Hours Fighting to Save What Makes Pacifica Home

Pacifica's City Council declared a local emergency for its crumbling Municipal Pier on Monday night, then turned to a budget crisis that forced members into agonizing choices about which community pillars to preserve. By the time the gavel fell shortly after midnight, the council had rejected the proposed closure of the city pool, restored funding for beloved nonprofits, and extended a homelessness program — all while staff warned that next year will be far worse without new revenue.

• Pier emergency ratified unanimously after severe cracking forces closure and demolition of the Chit Chat Cafe to prevent debris from falling into the ocean
• $2.3 million structural deficit drives 5% cuts across every department; staff warns one-time fixes are exhausted
• Council rejects pool closure, directs negotiations with Jefferson Union High School District before 50-year agreement expires in January
• Community nonprofits preserved: Pacifica Resource Center ($100K), Fogfest ($25K), Pacific Beach Coalition ($10K), and Pride ($5K) funded despite being cut from the proposed budget
• Safe Parking Program extended two months as Pacifica reports the highest homeless count in San Mateo County
• SB 707 technology policy pushed to June 22, one meeting before the state deadline

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The Pier: An Emergency Years in the Making

Why it matters: The Pacifica Municipal Pier is the city's most recognizable landmark and an economic anchor for fishing, recreation, and tourism. Its closure — and the escalating cost of saving it — now threatens to consume resources the city does not have.

Where things stand: City staff discovered significant new cracking in the pier abutment near the Chit Chat Cafe on June 4, days after the agenda had been posted. City Manager Sean Charpentier declared the emergency and brought the urgency item to the council for ratification, which state law requires within seven days.

"Our first order of priority is to demolish the Chit Chat Cafe so as to prevent it from falling into the ocean and then preventing that size of a cleanup," said City Manager Charpentier.

Demolition was set to begin the following day. City Engineer Roland Yip reported that a NOAA-funded $1 million design contract for $11 million in repairs — based on a 2023 structural assessment — had just been approved in April 2026. Staff are now exploring whether those funds can be redirected toward demolition and shoring. A Coastal Conservancy grant was previously rescinded when repair estimates ballooned to roughly $19 million. The FEMA BRIC grant for the Beach Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency Project, which had been rescinded during federal changes, has been partially reinstated.

The city is also seeking a gubernatorial declaration of emergency to unlock state funding.

The other side: Public commenters were sharply divided. Leanna Lowe of the West Coast Crabbers proposed a public-private coalition with a dedicated restoration fund and state and federal lobbying effort. David Belkin, a public commenter, argued the pier may not be salvageable at all and suggested building a new one — at an estimated $125–$130 million — through a charitable trust modeled after Ocean Tide in San Diego.

Others were blunter. Vicki Sunstrom, a public commenter, called the closure the result of years of deferred maintenance and demanded accountability. Sam C., a public commenter, warned that fighting sea level rise with repair dollars was futile, arguing the emergency declaration itself represented "unmanaged retreat."

Patrick Kavanagh, executive director of the Pacific Beach Coalition, emphasized that debris continues falling into the ocean daily.

Decisions: The council voted 5-0 to ratify the local emergency proclamation. (For: Mayor Christine Boles, Vice Mayor Greg Wright, Councilmember Mary Bier, Councilmember Mayra Espinosa, Councilmember Sue Beckmeyer; Against: 0; Absent: 0.)

What's next: Staff will pursue the governor's emergency declaration, evaluate redirecting NOAA design funds, and launch a dedicated pier webpage for public updates. A study session may follow.

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Budget Reckoning: $2.3M Deficit, 5% Cuts, and a Warning

The basics: The FY 2026-27 proposed budget is City Manager Charpentier's first. It projects $53.2 million in revenue against $57.1 million in operating expenses — a $2.3 million structural deficit after $1.6 million in salary savings from existing vacancies.

Why it matters: Every department was asked to find 5% reductions. The result is a budget that technically balances with a razor-thin $169,000 surplus — but it's built almost entirely on one-time strategies that cannot be repeated.

"Maybe the least worst scenarios. And recognizing that at the staff level is no consolation for those who will be negatively affected by some of the proposals put forward in this budget," said City Manager Charpentier.

Assistant City Manager Yulia Carter warned that the structural deficit will persist and worsen without new revenue. Pacifica has roughly 20% fewer staff than comparable cities and pays 7–15% less in total compensation.

"We're asking staff currently to do six days' work for four and a quarter days' pay. Is that relatively accurate?" asked Vice Mayor Wright, challenging the staffing math during deliberations.

Key proposed cuts include phasing out city aquatic services (saving $154,000 for a half-year), discontinuing senior transportation ($115,000), freezing vacant police and fire positions for six months, reducing janitorial services, transferring CERT to North County Fire Authority, reducing legal services, and switching to action minutes.

A community survey of 223 residents showed support for administrative cuts but a strong desire to preserve infrastructure, aquatics, and public safety.

Where things stand: The council spent nearly five hours working through the budget line by line, ultimately directing staff to restore several items the city manager had cut. The Economic Development Committee budget ($70,750) was eliminated as recommended. The library outreach consulting budget ($20,000) was cut, and council conference budgets were reduced by $7,500 total.

Police and fire hiring freezes of six months each were accepted as recommended, though Vice Mayor Wright registered strong opposition to the police freeze, citing that Pacifica has fewer than one officer per 1,000 residents versus a statewide average of two.

What's next: Formal budget adoption is scheduled for June 22. Staff warned that FY 2027-28 will require either new revenue sources or structural service reductions — the one-time fixes are gone.

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Pool Saved — for Now — as 50-Year Agreement Nears Expiration

Why it matters: The proposed budget would have phased out city aquatic services at the Jean Brink Pool (commonly known as the Oceana pool), saving $154,000 for the second half of the fiscal year. The city currently contributes about $300,000 annually. But the 50-year joint agreement with Jefferson Union High School District expires Jan. 1, 2027, at which point the district becomes the sole owner — and could demand substantially higher rent and capital contributions for deferred maintenance including pool heaters, air exchangers, and resurfacing.

Where things stand: More than 30 members of the public spoke to save the pool, making it the most emotionally charged item of the night. Speakers cited water safety in a coastal community, senior health programs, youth employment, the PSL swim team, and the pool's role as a rare community gathering space.

Himal McCarthy, a public commenter, passionately called the pool a water safety necessity and economic asset. Multiple speakers offered to pay higher fees, fundraise, or volunteer.

The council consensus was decisive: keep the pool funded for the full year at current cost levels.

"I think that there could be an opportunity for us to have some two-on-two, like an ad hoc committee to do some two-on-two meetings with the Jefferson Union High School District board of trustees to really talk about this," said Mayor Boles.

What's next: Staff will begin negotiations with the school district and form a two-by-two ad hoc committee with district trustees. A fee study is expected before the end of the calendar year. Council acknowledged that pool costs may rise significantly under a new agreement.

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Nonprofits Restored After Passionate Public Testimony

Why it matters: The city manager's recommended budget eliminated all community nonprofit grants due to the deficit. Council heard public testimony about the irreplaceable value of four organizations — and found the money to fund them.

Where things stand: The Pacifica Resource Center provides food distribution, outreach to unhoused individuals, and emergency services. The Pacific Beach Coalition mobilizes more than 10,000 volunteers annually and has removed 200-plus tons of debris from local beaches. Fogfest draws 60,000 visitors and donates more than $90,000 to over 37 nonprofits. Pacifica Pride is a values-based community celebration.

Patrick Kavanagh, executive director of the Pacific Beach Coalition, detailed 200,000 volunteers mobilized, 2.5 million cigarette butts recycled, and ongoing school partnerships and EcoFest programming.

Rhianna Karsted, speaking for the Fogfest organizing group, explained that sponsorship recruitment was behind due to business financial insecurity and argued Fogfest is an investment that generates benefits well beyond its cost.

Decisions: Council directed: Pacifica Resource Center, $100,000 from the Housing Action Fund; Pacific Beach Coalition, $10,000; Fogfest, $25,000; and Pride, $5,000 from the general fund. One Shoreline was tentatively allocated $10,000 but left on the parking-lot list.

"So if council's pay is $42,000, okay, we could split it between Fogfest, Pride, and the Beach Coalition," Mayor Boles proposed during deliberations.

The $169,000 surplus plus $27,500 in savings from cutting library consulting and council conference budgets nearly covered the community grants, leaving a remaining shortfall of approximately $7,800.

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Safe Parking Gets a Lifeline as Pacifica Leads County in Homelessness

Why it matters: The Temporary Safe Parking Program agreement with the San Francisco RV park expires June 30. Nearly 40% of participants have transitioned to permanent housing — one of the strongest outcomes of any such program on the coast.

Where things stand: Anita Reese, executive director of the Pacifica Resource Center, reported that the January 2026 one-day homeless count found 228 unhoused people in Pacifica — higher than any other city in San Mateo County. As of early June, that number had dropped to 119, with 21 people in the safe parking program.

"Pacifica's unhoused documented on the early morning of January 29th showed 228 folks. That is higher on that night than any other city in San Mateo County," said Anita Reese.

Multiple commenters from Faith in Action, the Pacifica Resource Center, and the broader community advocated for continuation.

Decisions: Council directed a two-month extension, funded from the Housing Action Fund, while staff works with PRC to explore step-down options and potential county funding. City Manager Charpentier indicated he would extend the agreement under his executive authority to avoid any gap in service. An ad hoc committee will be formed at the June 22 meeting.

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Minor Items

• Consent calendar (items 1-4) — including disbursements, minutes, general coastline emergency, and planning consultant contract amendments — approved unanimously without discussion.
• SB 707 Technology Disruption Policy was continued to June 22 due to time constraints. State law requires compliance by July 1, leaving only one meeting before the deadline.
• Throne Labs self-cleaning public bathrooms — Council directed staff to explore a pilot at Fairmont Park (funded from the Roy Davies Trust) and at the pier area (from the Disaster Accounting Fund).
• A public commenter, Lila Rao, flagged that only 41 short-term rentals are permitted in Pacifica despite 221 Airbnb listings, estimating more than $170,000 in uncollected permit revenue.
• Public commenter Michael Walman requested reducing the oversized vehicle parking policy from 72 hours to 2 hours to match surrounding cities.
• Public commenter Delia McGrath requested council support for the Block the Bombs Act (H.R. 3565).
• Public commenter Nancy Tierney advocated for the Make Polluters Pay initiative and California climate superfund legislation.