Pacifica Commission Approves 4,150-Square-Foot Multigenerational Home After Emotional Hearing

Pacifica's Planning Commission unanimously approved a site development permit for a large multigenerational home on Escalero Avenue, the centerpiece of a meeting that also surfaced tensions over how state housing laws collide with the city's coastal zone rules. With Chair Samantha Hauser absent and Zoom knocked out by a storm, Vice Chair Lauren Berman presided over a standing-room-only session where neighbors clashed over building size, family legacy and the character of a quiet residential block.

• 4,150-square-foot multigenerational home at 1212 Escalero approved 5-0 after neighbors split sharply over the project's scale and impact

• Neighbors challenge SB684 lot split at 170 Paloma, arguing a prior occupant bars subdivision — staff rules occupant was not a legal tenant

• Commissioners question why ministerial housing projects require public hearings the commission cannot influence, calling the process misleading

• Three Planning Commission vacancies announced with applications due Feb. 20

• Commissioner Godwin flags inequity between fast-tracked developer projects and yearslong waits for homeowner permits

The longest and most contested item of the night was a site development permit for Dan Kelly, a builder who wants to substantially demolish an existing 1,670-square-foot home at 1212 Escalero Avenue and replace it with an approximately 4,150-square-foot multigenerational dwelling in the R1 zone. The project exceeds the principally permitted floor area by roughly 940 square feet, triggering the permit requirement.