Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Welcome to the April 20th. I'm going to give PCT a moment to figure out if we can get the echo. Test, test, test. All right, we're going to take a one-minute pause. Thank you.

Thank you again.

Good evening and welcome to the City of Pacifica Planning Commission meeting. Okay. All right. Let me know when we're set to go. Are we good? Okay. All right. Let's try this. Good evening and welcome to the April 20th, 2026 meeting of the City of Pacifica Planning Commission. This meeting is called to order. May I have a roll call, please?

Commissioner Davis? Here. Commissioner Ferguson?

Here.

Commissioner Fisher?

Here.

Chair Hauser? Here. Commissioner Redfield?

Here.

Commissioner Sanchez?

Here. Thank you. Commissioner Redfield, can you lead us in a salute to the flag, please?

Thank you, Commissioner Redfield.

Before we get into administrative business, any member of the public wishing to make public comment on any item should complete a speaker card and bring it to the front and hand it to staff. On the card, please indicate the agenda item number on which you wish to comment or oral communications for any item that's not on the agenda. Members of the public may also participate in the meeting via Zoom or the dial-in option. If we could please show this on the screen. If you are dialed in and you'd like to speak during public comment, please press star 5 to raise your hand if dialing in, or press the raise hand function in Zoom. If you are dialing in, once staff calls your name, please press star 6 to unmute yourself. Public meetings are a limited public forum, meaning that there are rules for commenting at these meetings. Comments on non-agendized items must address matters within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city, and comments on agendized items must relate to that specific item. If comments do not fall into one of these categories, the city will provide you with a second warning to stay within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city or on topic. If the warning is not followed, I will direct the city clerk to cut off the microphone, and throughout this warning system, I will seek the assistance of the assistant city attorney in identifying comments not related to the agenda item or not within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city. With that, we will move directly into administrative business. I do not have any members of the public in the audience. I do not have any comment cards. Are there any raised hands for public comment on administrative business?

There are no raised hands.

Fantastic. Then we will move into it. Close public comment. For the order of agenda, I would love to move staff communications, considering that we have two new commissioners. I would love to move staff communications ahead of oral communications, if that's okay with the rest of the commission.

I move to approve the agenda as amended by Chair Hauser.

And I'll second that. Please vote for new commissioners. You can press the yes button, which is red, or the no button, which is green.

Motion made by Commissioner Ferguson, seconded by Chair Hauser.

Motion passes unanimously. Okay, thank you. And that will then take us to approval of the minutes. Does anyone have comments on the minutes from the February 17th Planning Commission meeting, or would anyone like to make a motion?

I'll make a motion to approve the minutes as written.

Second.

All right. Please vote.

Motion made by Commissioner Davis, seconded by Commissioner Redfield.

Ferguson.

Ferguson? Motion passes unanimously.

And being that we don't have placards for everyone and considering that the next business is going to be more important, I'm going to move to a roll call vote. Okay. Great. All right. We don't have any designations of liaison to city council. Is that still the case? I'm sorry, what is that? On the agenda, we do not have any designations of liaison to city council. Do we have anything that's come up since the agenda was posted? No, there hasn't. OK. And will we have time between the staff report, the annual report, and now to pick a liaison?

Yes, you may.

OK. OK. So then we will move on from administrative business and move directly into staff communications. Or I'm sorry, into commission communications. So with that being said, I want to welcome our newest two commissioners. And I would like to give each of them an opportunity to introduce themselves. So Commissioner Sanchez, I'll start with you.

Oh, thank you. I am excited to be here. And I am a tenured Pacifica resident with two kids at Cabrillo, twins that are eight years old. I'm pretty heavily involved in the soccer club, the local soccer club. with them and it kind of opened my thought process out into joining on this level as well.

So, yeah, I'm happy to be here. Thank you. We're happy to have you. Commissioner Fischer?

Thank you. Kevin Fischer. I first moved to Pacifica in 2002 and then left and came back more recently in about 2023. I've been here about three years now. I HAVE ABOUT 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND PERMITTING IN CALIFORNIA. I'M A BIOLOGIST AND WETLAND SCIENTIST BY TRAINING AND I SPECIALIZE IN CLEAN WATER ACT COMPLIANCE, CEQA COMPLIANCE, AND WORKED ON SEVERAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMITS FOR MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. YEAH, HAPPY TO BE HERE.

FANTASTIC. WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOUR EXPERTISE. With that, do others have a communication?

I'd love to. Thank you, Chair. First, let me re-welcome Commissioner Ferguson back for another four-year scene of the crime commitment. Much appreciated. And welcome again our new commissioners, Sanchez and Fisher. And I would like to thank the commissioners that I've served with for their dedication and diligence on the issues before them. I would also like to mention and acknowledge the current members for their unequivocal integrity and sincerity, and sincerely thank Commissioner Jim Godwin for his years of outstanding service to Pacifica.

Thank you. I really appreciate that, and I would like to echo that. I think that Commissioner Godwin was extremely prepared, and he will be missed on this commission. I am going to report out on the Bayview hearing that was approved by the Planning Commission last year and was then appealed to council. After three council hearings, that appeal was denied at the last council hearing. The council members did a really good job reviewing the issue and enhancing some of the conditions of approval that we wrote and adding a couple more for a much better end product. Does anyone else have any communications? Okay. Commissioner Davis.

I just want to also echo what Chris said and what Chair Hauser said and welcome Commissioner Fisher and Commissioner Sanchez. Lovely to have you both. I feel like we got really lucky. Thank you. And of course, never to be forgotten, Commissioner Ferguson, thank you for signing up for the next four years. Good to have you here.

All right. So that will then take us to oral communications. Still have no speaker cards. Does anyone have a raised hand online?

There are no raised hands.

All right. Then with that, we will close oral communications and move directly into the consent calendar. Being that these are consent items, there is not going to be a staff report. I will open for public comment, but before I do, being that we have three consent items, does anyone have any item which they wish to pull from the consent calendar?

I did. Item number one, I just had some questions around that as it pertained to the public comment from some of the people in the neighborhood. Okay. Not that I disagree with approving the retaining wall, mind you, but I did have some questions around the content of the letter. Okay.

Well, then I will ask the deputy city attorney. I believe what we can do is make a motion on the two other items after I open and close public comment.

That's right.

And then we'll go to item number one, the emergency coastal development permit. So, again, still have no... Comment cards, does anybody from the public have their hand raised to discuss the consent calendar?

There are no raised hands.

Okay. Then I will close public comment on consent calendar. Does anyone have a motion to approve the consent calendar with item one pulled? Did I do that properly? Okay.

I have a quick comment. Maybe after we vote on number two. It was just an administrative thing.

I think if you have a comment, you should say it now before we vote.

Okay. So what I would have found helpful, and I'm not trying to be nitpicky, but it gives perspective and relative information, is in the summary of this where it says they're demolishing an existing garage, which it does not give square footage, but then they're going to build the ADU and another garage. And I think for relative information and point of reference, especially when we're talking about total coverage, there's a lot It would be helpful just to have, I mean, it would be a really tiny little edit, and it would be helpful to me as a commissioner, but also, I think, for the public, again, for point of reference. That was it.

While you have the mic, Commissioner Davis, would you like to make a motion to approve the consent calendar?

I would like to make a motion to approve the consent calendar with the pulling of Item 1, as noted. Is there a second?

I'll second.

Okay, we have a motion by Commissioner Davis, a second by Commissioner Redfield. If we could have a roll call vote, please. Commissioner Davis?

Yes, sorry. Commissioner Ferguson?

Yes.

Commissioner Fisher?

Yes.

Chair Hauser? Yes. Commissioner Redfield?

Yes.

Commissioner Sanchez? Yes. Okay, and that motion passes unanimously with one absent. And that will then take us to Item 1, the Emergency Coastal Development Permit, CDP 4078-26. I don't believe we would hear a staff report on this. Would I go directly to Commissioner comments? Okay. Commissioner Davis, this is your item.

So, I'm sure that Certainly hopeful that staff had a chance to read the public comment from Lila and Brian Romero who live on the corner of Belfast and Grand and They were asking about having the tree addressed Apparently in the last storm in February a large branch fell and blocked Belfast, etc I know I visited this site and there was actually a representative Excuse me a representative from a CRT on site at the time an arborist who was assessing that tree and And I just wondered if there was a way, it seems as though this has already been approved, but is there a way to address that for them and maybe give them an update on where we stand on the tree and or find out what the result of that visit from ACRT? I believe they're the PG&E contracted arborist. I can't swear to that. But I wanted to ask about that on their behalf.

Sure. Michael Christensen, Deputy Director of Community Development. The item before you is specific to the retaining wall and issuing an emergency coastal development permit to allow the replacement of the retaining wall. There are additional scopes on the site that will need to be remedied. I'm not personally aware of why an arborist is on the site, but we can certainly follow up with that. But staff is aware that there are other elements of work that do need to be remedied it is a project that our building division is actively reviewing and will require a full coastal development permit so we will evaluate more about the project through that process but the item before you right now is really just an emergency permit just for the retaining wall and no other scope

And I understand that. I appreciate that. I was just inquiring about it, and I appreciate the update as to where we are with that. I think it might be worthwhile to check in with what the arborist was there for, and I think there could be some interference with the tree and the power lines if the tree did come down. And it most certainly could... impact other residences if it did. So I think that's the concern is, again, public safety. So I wanted to ask about it. Thank you so much. Sure.

We will certainly follow back up with the person who submitted the comment.

Deputy Director Christensen, do you think that that note could also be transmitted to Public Works just to make them aware of the issue?

Sure.

Okay. Thank you very much. Does anyone else have questions or comments on this item? Okay. I will reopen public comment. Do we have any raised hands?

I'M SORRY. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY RAISED HANDS.

I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. LET'S PLEASE HAVE A MOTION ON ITEM ONE.

I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM ONE.

SECOND.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DAVIS?

YES.

COMMISSIONER FERGUSON?

YES.

COMMISSIONER FISHER?

YES.

CHAIR HOUSER? YES. COMMISSIONER REDFIELD?

Yes.

Commissioner Sanchez. Yes. Motion passes unanimously.

Thank you. Okay, so that takes us to our consideration items. We've got the 2025 annual report. I'm not sure if there's a staff report for this.

We have a presentation prepared. I think last year there wasn't, but we decided this year since previous years there seems to be. So let me pull that up. Okay. So the consideration item before you is a requirement set by the City Council for all commissions and committees to prepare an annual report to be presented to the City Council on commission committee activities from the prior calendar year. So we're going to run through the presentation ultimately that one of the selected commissioners will present to City Council. SO THESE ARE THE CONTENT AREAS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED, WHICH INCLUDE PURPOSE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, WORK SUMMARY AND KEY METRICS FROM THE YEAR 2025. PURPOSE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS ESTABLISHED IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE UNDER TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 2. AMONG THEIR DUTIES IS TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE GENERAL PLAN, LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM, AND ZONING, INCLUDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE LAWS RELATED TO PLANNING. THERE ARE SEVEN MEMBERS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THIS IS THE LIST OF THE MEMBERS FROM 2025. SO IN 2025 THERE WERE 15 REGULAR MEETINGS INCLUDING TWO SPECIAL MEETINGS. A TOTAL OF NINE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS WERE HEARD. SIGNIFICANT ITEMS TO NOTE THAT WERE HEARD BY THE COMMISSION WAS THE EXPANSION OF A PERSONAL STORAGE FACILITY AT 1221 PALM MEADOW AND ALSO THE APPROVAL OF THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IN 540 AND 570 CRESPE. The following items recommended to council were text amendments to the short-term rentals ordinance and also the housing element rezoning. Some key metrics, there were a total of 20 residential dwelling units approved in 2025, and 3,165 square feet of commercial floor areas that were approved. Compared to the previous year, in 2024, eight units were approved, and there was no commercial floor area approved in the previous year. In terms of building permit activity, it's remained consistent within the last five years, averaging around 1,500 to 1,600 permits in total annually. In 2025, there was a total of 1,656 building permits in total, with a total residential valuation of almost 17 million and a commercial valuation of almost 1.7 million. IN TERMS OF ADU PERMITS THAT WERE APPROVED, 2025 HAS SEEN THE MOST IN RECENT YEARS AT A TOTAL OF 42 ADU PERMITS, WHICH IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN 2024 WHERE 20 ADUs WERE APPROVED. AND THE MAJOR POLICY INITIATIVES AS IT RELATES TO CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THE planning commission were involved in were goals number one, to enhance organizational and fiscal stability. Goal number three, prioritize protection and development of affordable housing. And goal number four, pursue climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Are there any questions and comments? Thank you. It was nice to have a presentation on that. Thank you. I THINK THERE'S NOT REALLY ACTION TAKEN HERE, RIGHT? WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING ANY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE MEETING?

YEAH. IT'S JUST TO RECOMMEND THAT WE APPROVE THE ANNUAL REPORT AND TO SELECT THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WOULD BE PRESENTING TO COUNCIL. GOT IT.

LET'S DO THIS. LET'S JUST OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT REALLY QUICKLY AND GET THROUGH THAT, IF THERE ARE COMMENTS, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE BACK TO THE COMMISSION. ARE THERE ANY RAISED HANDS?

THERE ARE NO RAISED HANDS.

OKAY. SO THEN WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS. I DO HAVE COMMENTS. But I will go last. I do want to ask really quickly what the date and how many commissioners you're looking for would be.

Previous years, it was two commissioners. We have not identified a date yet for city council. But in previous years, the commissioners who attended... We would work with staff in terms of editing the presentation or the annual report if there were changes or edits that they wanted to make or improve upon.

Okay. The only thing I would say on that is I think you're going to have a hard time finding commissioners who are going to commit to any date. So I think we need to, that's why during liaison I was saying, do we know, do we have enough time? for this item if we don't know? Like what if this is like the next council meeting?

It's not the next council meeting. Initially this presentation was supposed to be on the first May Planning Commission meeting and we moved it up ahead. So I believe given that the city council meeting that it would have been scheduled for would be the second one in May.

I can confirm it's tentatively May 26th.

It's tentatively May 26th. Okay. So let's start there. Is there anyone that would like to attend May 26th being a Tuesday?

Yeah, it's a Tuesday after Memorial Day.

Ah, okay. That makes sense.

I won't be in town that week. I'll be out of town also.

You'll be out of town? Yeah. Okay. You want to hang out? Okay. Commissioner Redfield and I will attend. And I am going to tentatively also select Lauren Berman if she's available as a third commissioner. That way if something happens, we don't have to come back and we've already designated someone. Okay. Okay. Does anyone have questions or comments? You can just go down the row.

Just clarification, 42 ADUs and 20 total units for 25, so 62 units, and that's permitted or constructed?

Permitted. If you'd like for us to find the number.

No, it's fine. I'm wrapping my head around. If you look at the units we've approved per year and the lofty goals we've been given, we're an order of magnitude short.

Commissioner Redfield? Anything for you? I'm just going to go down the row, but I'm not going to pick on Commissioner Sanchez or Commissioner Fischer since I don't think they have the background.

Commissioner Davis, do you have questions or comments?

OK. Commissioner Sanchez or Commissioner Fischer, anything to add? I wouldn't. OK. So I'll go through mine. So I do have quite a few. And I'm looking solely at the staff report. I downloaded the five-page presentation, so I don't know what page in the staff report it is. Obviously, when this goes to the council, I assume that it's going to have gone through a little bit of QAQC on the numbers. But if I look at four, planning commission, a five-year summary, It's showing that we have 20 units approved. And then when I go and I look at attachment one, and it goes through what the residential is, it says there's one ADU, 19 condos, one SFD, which also had an ADU that's excluded here. And so that to me adds up to 22. So I just want to make sure that the number we're getting is correct, because I also thought I heard 24 on this.

Yeah, I apologize for that. The ADU units were not included, but we'll make sure to update that.

That's totally fine. If we could then have an asterisk that just says does not include ADUs, because what I don't want to, I mean, we just went through this Bayview project. If we're showing it as one single family, it's no longer consistent with the zoning, right? So, like, let's be consistent. And then the 3,165 square feet of the Crespi area, project is there a reason we didn't add the 1750 square feet um into chart four for the uh from the palmetto one it just shows the new commercial square feet as the 3165 but on the attachment it shows it closer to 48 yeah we'll update that sorry about that okay that would be great and then another question is the So 3165, the same 3165 from 2022. Let's add a note. I want to not kind of get credit. One thing we ask for annually that was in your presentation, and we should make sure that it goes to council, is the percentage, right? I don't want, you know, we have these lofty goals. I think it's important to show that of the 22 homes that were proposed, 22 were approved, right? I think that's an important metric. And then my only other comment was for the strategic plan strategies. I think it would be helpful to show what the status of those is. So for example, like prioritizing protection and development of affordable housing, that's in process with the heart housing stuff that we're going through. The housing element update and the short-term rental ordinance update, those are complete, right? But like update Pacifica's local coastal plan, I don't think we've done anything on at a commission level on that for a while. So I just, I think if you could give some sort of status update on each, I think that would be very helpful. And those are my comments, but I do want to see if anybody on the commission has thoughts or disagreement.

No, I generally agree. I thought it's kind of funny to reduce the housing element to one sentence and hide it amongst all the rest when it's like, ten times the amount of work as all the rest of them combined. I don't know how better to elaborate on that. City Council understands how much work went into it. They were there too.

I think perhaps we can identify the number of the meetings that were...

I don't see any reason to do that. It looks funny to have 80% of your work reduced to one sentence in 20...

Okay. Is that clear to staff? Yes. Okay. And again, I don't think we need to take action, so hopefully that's enough direction. Okay. Fabulous. Moving on. That takes us to Item 5, Annual Reorganization of the Planning Commission. Is there a staff report for this?

Apologies. Good evening commissioners Michael Christiansen deputy director of community development The item before you is the annual reorganization of the Planning Commission section 2-2 point 1 1 8 of the Pacifica Municipal Code Requires that all commissions and committees reorganize annually as follows all commissioners and to the extent applicable all committees shall reorganize annually by electing one of their members to serve as a chairman and one of their members to serve as vice chairman and The position of chairman and vice chairman shall be rotated among commissioners on an annual basis. City Council Resolution 33-2013 requires that the Planning Commission's reorganization to occur in April of each year, and this is our first April hearing. The bylaws of the Planning Commission further specify that the first meeting in April for the reorganization to occur and provide other clarifying procedures. So your recommended action on this item is number one, to nominate planning commissioners to serve as chair and vice chair, and then number two, to elect a chair and vice chair. The commission may choose to split the motions for each position or elect both positions in one motion.

Okay. Thank you. Do we have any public comments on this item?

There are no raised hands.

Okay. Then I will close public comment on this and bring it back to

If I may. When I look at some of the really significant items that are in our future, and especially some of the ones that have been here prior and who was in place as chair and vice chair at that time, I'm kind of comfortable with status quo right now. And I think I would like to suggest that we retain Chair Hauser and Vice Chair Berman, although I know she's not here to defend herself.

I would be happy to do it. I do have a text from Vice Chair Berman that she's also comfortable serving.

I think that's, just to reiterate that, I think that's a great, you know, you've been fantastic in the challenges that we've had. And if Lauren in absentia, you're sure you're not just, you know. So I think that if she's willing and you're willing, I think that is a fantastic suggestion and appreciate the service.

I was going to move for Commissioners Davis and Redfield in honor of how this is supposed to work. I have been in that seat in the past and don't wish it on myself for the next year because I've become busier than I would like to be by accident. But I also am perfectly fine with the reign of Hauser and Berman.

If I may, thank you. I'm flattered, but I am also in an incredibly busy year right now. So I'll tell you what, I'll take you up on it next year.

Next year.

But then you guys have to shake the Etch-A-Sketch and forget I said that. So would emotion be appropriate? Okay, I would like to make a motion that we elect Chair Hauser and Vice Chair Berman.

I'll second that.

Let's have a roll call vote. Okay. Motion made by Commissioner Davis, seconded by Commissioner Redfield. Roll call vote. Commissioner Davis?

Yes.

Commissioner Ferguson?

Yes.

Commissioner Fisher?

Yes.

Chair Hauser? Yes. Yes. Commissioner Redfield?

Yes.

Commissioner Sanchez? Yes. Motion passes unanimously.

Well, I appreciate it, and I appreciate the kind words. I never feel awkward up here as a planning commissioner except every April, so I will take it, and Vice Chair Berman will take it, and we appreciate it. Okay. Okay. I THINK THAT BRINGS US TO STAFF COMMUNICATIONS, BECAUSE WE ALREADY DID COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS. ARE THERE ANY STAFF COMMUNICATIONS?

FOR STAFF COMMUNICATIONS, MICHAEL CHRISTIANSEN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR. THE DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO WARMLY WELCOME OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS, MYSELF OR DIRECTOR APTAGRAVE ARE HAPPY TO just whatever you need to talk about. Past that, the only real item that we wanted to remind you is that there is an upcoming planning commissioner training on inclusionary zoning that was included in an email that Director Updegrave sent recently. If you want any information about that, please reach out, and we're happy to forward that on, but we think it would be a great opportunity. That's all.

Thank you very much, Deputy Director. Okay. With that, would anyone like to make a motion for adjournment?

Right before I make that motion, I would like to say that I remember starting up here and it was very daunting in the beginning. So, you know, feel free to abstain or to ask lots of questions. I used to call our director all of the time. They reluctantly will help you out with whatever you need. So, yeah, they're there.

With that, I move we adjourn.

Is there a second? Second.

All right. Let's have a roll call vote. Motion made by Commissioner Ferguson, seconded by Commissioner Davis. Roll call vote. Commissioner Davis? Yes. Commissioner Ferguson?

Yes.

Commissioner Fisher?

Yes.

Chair Hauser? Yes. Commissioner Redfield?

Yes.

Commissioner Sanchez? Yes. Passes unanimously. All right.

This meeting is adjourned. Thank you very much.

Thank you.