CITY COUNCIL / PLANNING COMMISSION
JOINT SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
CITY OF HALF MOON BAY
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2026
7:45 PM
ADCOCK COMMUNITY CENTER Debbie Ruddock , Mayor
535 KELLY AVENUE Deborah Penrose, Vice Mayor
HALF MOON BAY, CA 94019 Robert Brownstone, Councilmember Patric Jonsson, Councilmember
Paul Nagengast, Councilmember
Steve Ruddock, Planning Chair
David Gorn, Planning Vice Chair
Christopher Del Nagro, Planning Commissioner
Jacob (Jim) Rems, Planning Commissioner
Rick Hernandez, Planning Commissioner
This agenda contains a brief description of each item to be considered. Those wishing to address the City Council on any matter not listed on the agenda, but within the jurisdiction of the City Council to resolve, may come forward to the podium during the Public Forum portion of the agenda and will have a maximum of three minutes to discuss their item. Comments on Consent Calendar items should be made during the Public Forum section of the agenda. Those wishing to speak on a Business or Public Hearing matter will be called forward at the appropriate time during that item’s consideration.
Please Note: Anyone wishing to present materials to the City Council, please submit seven copies to the City Clerk.
Copies of written documentation relating to each item of business on the agenda are on file in the Office of the City Clerk at City Hall where they are available for public inspection. If requested, the agenda shall be available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability, as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132.) Information may be obtained by calling 650-726-8271.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, special assistance for participation in this meeting can be obtained by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at 650-726-8271. A 48-hour notification will enable the City to make reasonable accommodations to ensure accessibility to this meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title II). http://halfmoonbay.gov
1 HYBRID MEETING PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION PROTOCOLS This closed session meeting will take public comment in-person and via Zoom. Remote participation is provided as a supplemental way to provide public comment, but this method does not always work. The public is encouraged to attend in person to ensure full participation.
All Councilmembers and staff will participate in person. During any public comment portions, attendees may use the “raise your hand” feature and will be called upon and unmuted when it is their turn to speak. Please click to join the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83502131401 or join by phone at 669-900-6833, using Webinar ID 835 0213 1401 passcode 94019. If joining by phone, use *9 to raise your hand, *6 to mute and unmute.
1. CONVENE SPECIAL MEETING / ROLL CALL
2. SPECIAL STUDY SESSION: CITY COUNCIL / PLANNING COMMISSION
2.A JOINT STUDY SESSION TO REVIEW THE CITY OF HALF MOON BAY’S GROWTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 17.06 (MEASURE D) Staff Recommendation: Hold a public hearing and receive a presentation on the City of Half Moon Bay’s growth management system (Measure D).
STAFF REPORT
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 2
ATTACHMENT 3
ATTACHMENT 4
3. ADJOURN SPECIAL MEETING
2
BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF HALF MOON BAY CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
For the Meeting of: January 13, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
Honorable Chair and Planning Commissioners
VIA: Matthew Chidester, City Manager
FROM: Leslie Lacko, Community Development Director
Ocoee Wilson, Associate Planner
TITLE: JOINT STUDY SESSION TO REVIEW THE CITY OF HALF MOON BAY’S GROWTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 17.06 (MEASURE D) RECOMMENDATION:
Hold a public hearing and receive a presentation on the City of Half Moon Bay’s growth management system (Measure D).
BACKGROUND:
At the December 16, 2025, meeting, the City Council requested that staff present a study session/workshop to provide a detailed overview regarding the City’s Residential Growth Management System (Measure D). This item provides background on the history of Measure D, an overview of the process, information on the geographic areas defined as part of Measure D, and other general information.
History of Measure D
In 1991, the voters of Half Moon Bay passed a residential growth limitation initiative titled Measure A. This initiative limited new residential units to 3% of the population growth rate annually. In 1999, the City’s voters passed Measure D, which amended the residential growth cap to a 1% population increase annually. Measure D also accommodates an additional increase of 0.5% for units in a designated Downtown Area. (The full text of Measure D, including the map of the Downtown Area, is included for reference as Attachment 1.) Reasons cited for reducing the population growth rate included concerns that residential taxes would not cover the cost of basic services, traffic impacts on Highways 1 and 92, and other critical infrastructure limitations including water supply and sewer capacity.
In 2001 and 2002, the City Council approved amendments to the LCLUP, the Subdivision Ordinance (Chapter 17.06 Residential Dwelling Unit Allocation System), and the Zoning Ordinance (Chapter
18.04 Residential Growth Limitations) which reduced the number of annual allocations that could be issued consistent with Measure D. The measure went into effect in 2009 after an extensive 3
review by the California Coastal Commission to certify it as an amendment to the LCP. Thus, although Measure D was passed in 1999, it was not effective until 2009.
Residential growth is limited to, in any particular year, the number of dwelling units that would result in a growth of 1% of the city’s population as of January 1 of that year. Each year, the current US Census data is used to calculate the average number of persons per household (PPH) to convert the allowed population growth to a specific number of units. The number of dwelling units may be increased by another 0.5% in the Downtown Area at the discretion of the City Council. Council has approved this increase every year since 2009; and thus, in practice, Measure D accommodates 1.5% annual population growth.
The purpose and intent of Measure D, is to control the rate, location and density of residential development in the City on an annual basis. A Measure D allocation is required for all new residential dwelling units in Half Moon Bay, with limited exceptions for one-to-one replacements and state law density bonus units. Applicants must first obtain a Measure D allocation prior to applying for other permits, such as Coastal Development Permits or Building Permits.
Measure D remains codified within the Implementation Program (IP) (Title 17 and 18 of the Municipal Code) and most recently the 2020 Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) included policy to continue the implementation of Measure D. The LCLUP includes provisions to update the Measure D implementation regulations within the IP to prioritize housing that is affordable, sustainable, and within the Town Center and/or the Workforce Housing Overlay Designation.
DISCUSSION:
Measure D Process
The Measure D process can be broken down and summarized into 4 main steps:
1. Unit Authorization – City Council
The Measure D process begins each year at the end of the preceding calendar year. In December, the City Council establishes the number of residential units available for the upcoming Measure D year. This process is set forth in Section 17.06.020 of the Municipal Code and relies on the most recent population figures to calculate the number of allocations corresponding to 1 percent population growth. This one percent is referred to as the “base” allocations and is divided between the Downtown and Outside of Downtown areas. An additional 0.5 percent may be made available in the Downtown area, subject to City Council approval, and are referred to as “bonus” allocations.
2. Initial application period – City Staff
The initial application period runs from January 1 through January 31 and applies to both the Downtown and Outside of Downtown areas. If, during this period, the number of applications received exceeds the number of available allocations for a given area, the application window for that area will close on January 31, and applications will be scored in accordance with the scoring criteria included in the application. Alternatively, if allocations remain available after the initial application period, the application window will remain open until all allocations have 4
been awarded or until September 1, whichever occurs first. There are two application forms, a Residential Application Form and a Subdivision Application Form. This report and study session focuses on the Residential Application Form, as this is most relevant to the majority of the population. Any applicant seeking to apply for a subdivision via the subdivision application form is strongly encouraged to meet with Planning Staff well in advance of the application period.
The 2026 Measure D Residential Application is attached as Attachment 2.
3. Scoring and Authorization – Planning Commission
When applications for allocations exceed availability, applications are scored based on the scoring criteria contained in the application and Section 17.06.120(I). These scores are used to determine which projects receive allocations. As of 2020, some criteria are no longer scored due to being requirements of all projects based on state legislation and building code. Items no longer used in the scoring are indicated within the Scoring Criteria Table of the Measure D Application. Criteria to gain points include affordability, provision of open space, pedestrian improvements, design excellence and other measures that promote environmentally sound growth. The scoring results and allocation recommendations are presented to the Planning Commission between March and April for approval. If allocations remain available in either the Downtown or Outside of Downtown areas after the initial application period, scoring is not required. Historically, scoring has been necessary in the Outside of Downtown area in recent years. The scoring criteria will be discussed in greater detail during the Study Session.
4. Transfers – City Council
If base allocations remain available in the Downtown area, those remaining allocations may be transferred to outstanding Outside of Downtown applications at the discretion of the City Council after September 1 (Section 17.06.120 (F)).
Once an applicant receives their necessary Measure D Allocations, the next steps are to apply for permitting of the project. Most often, this will include, but is not limited to, a Coastal Development Permit and later, Building Permits. A Measure D allocation is typically valid for one year. A Measure D allocation is considered vested and remains valid once the applicant has applied for entitlement permitting, so long as the applicant is actively working toward permitting and no follow up permits expire.
Geographic Areas – Downtown and Outside of Downtown
The Downtown and Outside of Downtown areas are defined based on the Half Moon Bay Redevelopment Survey Area in City Resolution No. C-91-98, November 3, 1998, and codified in Section 17.06.020 [Link]. The resolution establishing the redevelopment survey area is included as Attachment 3. This redevelopment survey area was not included within Measure A and was established for purposes separately from the implementation of Measure D, but was incorporated into the Measure D initiative to designate a Downtown Area. Below is a map showing the boundaries of the Downtown area in Orange (Figure 1).
5
Measure D Trends
As Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) have gained popularity, the City’s Measure D allocation process has become more challenging. Primarily due to increased ADU production, the number of applications for Measure D allocations has exceeded the number that are available in recent years. The ADU Ordinance was updated in 2018 and subsequently in 2022 to align with changing State law for ADUs which facilitates ADU production. Before these updates, the City was seeing only about three ADU applications per year. Both ordinance updates and changes in State law stimulated ADU production with 2020 being the first year that the impact of ADUs on Measure D allocations became evident. Table 1 below summarizes Measure D allocations associated with ADUs from 2020-2025. Since 2020, ADUs on average are making up approximately 43% of all allocations applied for and 62% within the Outside of Downtown Area.
Figure 1. Measure D Downtown Area in orange, this area is consistent with the Half Moon Bay Redevelopment Survey Area.
6
Table 1.
Year Allocations
Available
Number of
ADU
Allocations
applied for
Total
Allocations
Applied for
ADU
Percentage of
Total
Allocations
Percentage ADUs
within Outside of
Downtown
Allocations
Applied for
2020 69 34 58 59% 74%
2021 66 33 91 36% 49%
2022 69 29 86 34% 63%
2023 67 22 73 30% 64%
2024 63 28 68 41% 62%
2025 67 30 50 60% 60%
In recent years, there have been ongoing discussions about potential improvements to the Measure D process, both from an administrative perspective and with respect to implementation1.
Over the past several years, demand for Measure D allocations in the Outside of Downtown area has consistently exceeded the number of available allocations, resulting in an increasingly competitive process. This imbalance has required some applicants to apply over multiple years in order to obtain an allocation. Larger projects, such as multifamily developments located Outside of Downtown, also frequently experience bottlenecks in securing the number of allocations necessary to move forward. Most recently, one applicant received approval for a development phasing agreement that reserves a total of 34 allocations over the next two years.
Because projects Outside of Downtown typically require scoring, Staff has observed an increase in average application scores over time, along with a narrower range between scores. This trend reflects heightened competition, as applicants seek to maximize points in all areas within their control. However, several scoring criteria are location-specific and not within an applicant’s control.
Other scoring criteria incentivizes ADUs and the inclusion of ADUs into development projects to increase scoring, therefore there has also been an increase in the number of applicants applying for ADUs with a new single-family residence and increasing the overall number of allocations being applied for, as almost all new single-family residences will include an ADU and thus be applying for two allocations.
Measure D Resources for Applicants
When the Planning Commission ratified Measure D allocations at the March 25, 2025, meeting, they asked staff to develop resources to increase transparency in and assist applicants with the Measure D process. For the 2026 application period, the City’s Measure D webpage (Measure D | Half Moon Bay, CA) is updated with frequently asked questions and a Measure D Application Handbook in addition to the application materials and submittal instructions. Staff also remain 1 Notable meetings where Measure D Amendments or updates have been discussed include:
• City Council Meetings - December 16, 2025; July 16, 2024; March 19, 2024 • Planning Commission Meetings - March 25, 2025; February 11, 2025; June 25, 2024; June 11, 2024; November 9, 2021; September 21, 2021
7
available to assist applicants throughout the Measure D process. Applicants interested in applying for Measure D are encouraged to schedule a consultation with Staff to review their application prior to submittal.
CONCLUSION:
Overall, Measure D is a nuanced process that requires many moving parts and participation of Staff, the Planning Commission, and City Council. As part of the Study Session, staff will provide a thorough presentation focused on the Measure D process as a whole and elaborate further on the material within this report. Following the presentation there will be opportunity for questions, comments, and general discussion.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Measure D Full Text
2. 2026 Measure D Residential Application
3. City Council Resolution No. C-91-98; Designating Redevelopment Survey Area 8 Exhibit 1
9 Exhibit 1
10 Exhibit 2
11 CITY OF HALF MOON BAY
Planning Division
501 Main Street
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Phone: (650) 726-8270
202 Measure D
Residential Dwelling Unit Development
Application Package
í•Submittal Deadlines: All applicatiov must be complete with all portions of the application received as a whole submittal (with limited exceptions regarding payments as noted below for emailed applications) no later than 5:00 PM, January 30, 202ò:
x City Hall Submittals: Appointments are encouraged for in-person submittals. For in-person submittals, the applicant or their designee must arrive at City Hall before 4:30 PM }v the deadline stated above,to allow stafftime to process the submittal and fee (as a‰‰o]o ).
x Electronic Submittals: Application forms and required application materials may be emailed, provided that the application fee (as applicable) is paid in full check via or credit card on or before the 5:00 PM January 30, 202ò deadline, and provided that the time stamp for the complete emailed application is 5:00 PM or earlier for applications submitted on the last day. City staff receive a very high volume of email and therefore applicants are encouraged to confirm timely receipt for electronic submittals.
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î•Requirements and Recommendations:To support applicants in preparing timely, complete, and factually correct applications, City staff have the following requirements:
x Project Plans: All applicants are required to submit a site plan with the Measure D application.
Floor plan, elevations, and landscape plans are not required, but can be very helpful. Project plans should demonstrate how the project conforms to the allocation scoring criteria and will be used by City staff to support the scoring process.oo‰‰o]o ]š
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x Planning Staff Consultation: Applicants are encouraged to schedule time to meet with a HalfMoon Bay planner at least two weeks in advance of the application deadline. Planning staff will be available to review draft applications and provide non-binding guidance intended to assist applicants with this process.
12 CITY OF HALF MOON BAY
Planning Division, 501 Main Street
Half Moon Bay CA 94019
Phone: (650) 726-8270
2026 Measure D - Application
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT PERMIT ALLOCATION
Please read and fill out application completely and carefully. Review items 1 and 2 on the previous page about submittal deadlines and methods, and Planning staff recommendations with respect to project plans and Planning staff consultation.
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
All applications must be fully submitted to the City no later than 5:00 PM – Friday, January 30, 202.
APPLICANT(S) INFORMATION
Applicant Name__________________________________ E-mail______________________________ Mailing Address_________________________________ Day Phone#___________________________ _________________________________
Owner Name_____________________________________ E-mail_______________________________ Mailing Address_________________________________ Day Phone#__________________________ _________________________________
BUILDING SITE INFORMATION
Building Site Location________________________________________________________ *Street Address or Name of Street where Property is physically located & it’s nearest Cross Street Assessors Parcel Number(s) _____________________________________________________ Project Description & Size: _______________________________________________________ Total Number of Allocations Requested: ___________________________________________ Name, Address, and Phone Number of Owner (Including all partial owners or interest holders):
______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________
CITY USE ONLY -- DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Application accepted by_____________________________________ Fee Amount received_______________________________________ Date received____________________________ 13 Amended: 11.2023
CHECKLIST RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION
Please submit the following items with your application for a Residential Dwelling Unit Permit Allocation applications.
__1.
__2.
__3.
__4.
__5.
__6.
__7.
The fee for processing each application is subject to the current City of Half Moon Bay Master Fee Schedule for each residential dwelling unit allocation requested.
Assessor's Parcel Map with the building site and its subdivision lot(s) clearly delineated.
Site Plan indicating the locations of the new residential units and existing development on all adjacent parcels including across any Public Street or right-of way. Site plan shall also indicate all applicable items selected within the criteria.
Proof of interest in property, showing current owner of record (i.e. grant deed).
Where the owner or applicant is a trust or other entity, provide a copy of the documents showing all the individuals with an interest in the trust or other entity.
A completed Required Criteria for Residential Dwelling Unit Allocation Form and supporting materials. (9 pages)
A completed and signed City of Half Moon Bay Residential Dwelling Unit Application Form.
I understand that it is the applicant’s responsibility to provide complete and accurate forms and documentation for the Residential Dwelling Unit Allocation application. If the information provided, and upon which the City makes a determination as to a Measure D allocation, is incorrect, the City may later declare the Measure D allocation invalid.
As applicant, I have read and agree with all of the above, and I assume full responsibility for all costs incurred by the City in processing this application(s).
APPLICANT’S SIGNATURE
Name: _____________________________________
Signature___________________________________ Date__________ Applicant
Name: ____________________________________
Signature__________________________________ Date__________ Co-Applicant
14 REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
PROJECT ADDRESS:_________________________
APPLICANT NAME: _________________________
To be completed
by Staff
It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide complete and accurate answers to the following questions. The applicant should take care to ensure the accuracy of any information provided, and if necessary, should confer with the Planning Department or the appropriate agency in order to accurately answer these questions. If the information provided, and upon which the City makes a determination as to a Measure D allocation, is incorrect, the City may later declare the Measure D allocation invalid.
Points Achieved
** Criteria shown with green shading are not included in the scoring **
1. Infill Sites (Maximum 70 Points)
POINTS EARNED
(PLEASE EXPLAIN/ FURTHER
INFORMATION)
(Maximum 65 points per 2020 Interpretation)
a. Project is located in a built urban setting with utilities in place for ten years or more
5 “Built urban setting with utilities” requires all of the following for 5 points; otherwise 0 points:
Setting: At least half the sites in the subdivision are developed.
Zoning: Zoned for residential development (R-1, R-1-B1, R-1-B-2, R-1-B-3), mixed-use development (C-D, C-R, C-G, C-VS), or planned development with approved PUD
or Specific Plans that provide for residential
development (PUD or PUDX)
Utilities: Municipal water and sewer service proximate
(see “f” below with respect to roadway requirements)
b. Project is located in a built urban setting and avoids environmentally sensitive areas 5
“Avoids environmentally sensitive areas” requires the
project to fully avoid ESHA and be sited to conform with standard (not reduced) ESHA buffer requirements for 5
points; otherwise 0 points. For sites identified as
including or located near potential ESHA as indicated by City mapping or other relevant sources, substantial
evidence, such as a biological resources evaluation, is required to confirm ESHA avoidance and buffer
requirements.
Notes, Interpretations, etc.
Possible Points
Yes
No
Yes
No
202ò 1 15
REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
c. For each contiguous side of a building site adjacent to existing development (including across any public or private right-of-way) 5 Building sites that are located in a “built urban setting with utilities” (as defined in “a.” above), qualify for this criterion if the site abuts a public facility including public open space areas such as at a school or a City park. If all sides of the building site are contiguous to existing development, 5 points are awarded even if the site has only 4 sides. For ADUs proposed with an existing residence, all points awarded.
Points are awarded based on abutting developed lots / total number of abutting lots. For this purpose abutting lots are those with at least one foot of common frontage. For
example, a lot that borders four other lots including across a street, three of which are already developed and the other is vacant would receive ¾ of 5 pts = 3.75 (ie. 5*(3/4)=3.75) d. For each contiguous side of a building site for which residential dwelling units have been allocated, but development not completed under the provisions of this system (including across any public or private right-of-way) **
Criterion is not specifically applicable to infill sites and is redundant with aspects of “a.” and “c.” above for these cases.
e. Building site is Located within one-half mile of a transit stop 5 All SamTrans bus stops qualify as major transit stops.
This interpretation aligns with State Law guidance for
accessory dwelling units. Almost every residentially
zoned property in Half Moon Bay is located within onehalf mile of a SamTrans bus stop and therefore most projects will qualify for this criterion.
f. Where there is an existing all-weather road surface providing vehicular access to the site constructed to city standards or otherwise acceptable to the city engineer
5 This may include both City streets and private streets. g. Except for below market rate (BMR) housing, those applications for development on a site that meet all of the established development standards for the zoning district and no variance or other discretionary applications are required
5 Discretionary applications include variances and/or
exceptions; they do not include coastal development
permits, use permits, design or environmental review.
h. For those applications for development that provide BMR housing through deed restriction or other legally binding mechanism 35
“BMR housing” means that there is at least one unit
deed restricted affordable for extremely low, very low, or low income households for a minimum of 55 years.
All 35 points awarded for such a case.
2026 2
____ points
**
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
16 REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
2. Home Size, Scale and Clustering (Maximum 30 Points)
a. Homes are clustered to preserve open space and natural features 5 For infill sites, “clustered” includes the following for 5 points:
• Multi-family development: Duplexes, triplexes,
apartments, and condominiums
• Single-family development with an ADU
• ADUs after primary dwelling(s) established
Single-family development without an ADU does not
qualify as “clustered,” and will receive 0 points. New
subdivisions: Refer to 17.06.200
b. Resource conservation achieved by increasing density: five points plus one additional point for every five du/ac greater than ten du/ac ____ points 15 max Density is calculated for each site, including both
existing and new units. For projects that will result in a site density of at least 10 du/ac, 5 points awarded.
Another point is awarded for each additional full 5
du/ac (e.g. 15 du/ac = 6 points, 20 du/ac = 7 points, 25 du/ac = 8 points, 30 du/ac = 9 points, 35 = du/ac 10
points); for example, a density of 22 du/ac will be
awarded 7 points.
All sites with an ADU receive 5 points as a base even if under 10 du/ac; otherwise, no points for projects with
less than 10 du/ac. Maximum 15 points available only
for projects invoking full density bonus allowances
resulting in 35 du/ac.
c. Home Size Efficiency _____ points 5
Unit size is for living space in square feet (SF) and
excludes covered or enclosed parking areas. For
projects with more than one unit, the average unit size of all the units in the project shall be used for this
criterion. Maximum size for an ADU pursuant to City
draft ADU ordinance and Planning Commission draft
Land Use Plan are guides for “home size efficiency:”
<= 1,000 SF living space: 5 points
1,001 – 2,000 SF living space: 2.5 points
>= 2,001 SF living space: 0 points
Yes
No
2026 3
17 REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
d. Building layout and orientation improve natural cooling and passive solar attributes 5
Examples of attributes that “improve natural cooling
and passive solar” qualifying for this criterion include shading features on south and west sides of structures
(deep eaves, covered porches, etc.); floor plans and
window locations that allow for crossflow ventilation;
maintenance of solar access to the rooftop. Most
development in Half Moon Bay, because of its
temperate climate, can qualify for this criteria with
operable windows. Locational choices for ADUs are
limited and therefore all ADUs qualify for the full 5
points.
3. Design for Walking and Bicycling (Maximum 37 Points) a. Pedestrian access is provided to neighborhood services within one-half mile: community center; library; grocery store; school; day care; laundry; medical; entertainment; restaurant; post office; place of worship; bank: one point for each service within one-half mile
____ points 12 max
One-half mile is measured as a radius from the subject
site; walking distance is not computed.
b. Development is connected with a dedicated pedestrian pathway to places of recreational interest within one-half mile ** **
The Half Moon Bay Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
identifies pedestrian pathways to, through, or
proximate to all of Half Moon Bay’s residential
neighborhoods. As a result, all applications would
qualify for these 5 points, and thus this criterion does not provide a mechanism for ranking applications.
c. At least two of the following traffic-calming strategies are incorporated into the project: ** **
Criteria 3.c.1 – 4 are superseded by the Half Moon Bay
Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan for infill
development. The Plan identifies improvements for a
comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian network to,
through, and/or proximate to all of Half Moon Bay’s
residential neighborhoods.
1. Designated bicycle lanes are present on roadways ** ** As stated above, superseded by the Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan, noting that the plan identifies cases where other types of bicycle improvements are
more appropriate than bike lanes in a given
neighborhood.
Yes
No
2026 4 18
REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
2. Vehicle travel lanes are ten feet in width ** **
As stated above, superseded by the Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan, noting that the plan includes
guidelines with neighborhood context design options
that may result in a variety of lane widths and
associated bike and pedestrian improvements.
3. Street crossings closest to the site are located less than three hundred feet apart ** **
As stated above, superseded by the Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan, noting that the Plan includes
options for improvising linkages through large block
subdivisions.
4. Streets have rumble strips, bulbouts, raised crosswalks or refuge islands ** **
As stated above, superseded by the Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan, noting that it is often the case that traffic calming measures are implemented in
locations where they are most needed to improve
safety, etc. Many neighborhoods without traffic calming have low volume traffic and do not need such measures
to achieve bike/pedestrian compatibility; furthermore,
the Plan includes guidelines with a wide array of options for these types of improvements going beyond the
options presented in the GreenPoints checklist.
4. Design for Safety and Social Gathering (Maximum 15 Points) a. All home front entrances have views from the inside to outside callers ** ** All homes are required to have a peephole or window in
the entrance area.
b. All home front entrance can be seen from the street and/or from other front doors 5
ADUs receive full points. State ADU law requires that only objective design standards be applied to ADUs; City ADU ordinance may result in entrance locations that cannot meet this criterion. For multi-family development, criteria is met for units that share entrance facilities such as a lobby, elevator, or hallway.
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c. Porches (one-hundred-square-foot minimum area) are oriented toward streets and/or public spaces 5
Attached and wholly within ADUs receive full points.
Detached ADUs receive full points if open space is
provided for the ADU.
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Yes
No
Yes
No
202ò 5 19
REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
5. Design for Diverse Households (Maximum 20 Points)
a. At least one zero-step entrance provided in home 5
This is a flush entry between the unit and outside or a hallway or other area that can reasonable be
anticipated to be free and clear of obstructions (e.g. a garage or carport does not qualify). Plans must indicate that grading, ramping or other means will achieve zerostep entry pursuant to ADA requirements. b. All main floor interior doors and passageways have a minimum thirty-twoinch clear passage space ** ** Building code requires 32-inch clear passage space for
new development; for wholly or mostly within ADUs,
State law requires approval despite nonconforming
conditions.
c. At least one half-bath on the ground floor with blocking in walls for grab bars 5
Interpretation will consider one-half bathroom on
ground floor as the standard (e.g. represents ADA
“visitability”); however, blocking for grab bars can be required of all applications and is straightforward to
implement.
d. Project is or includes an accessory dwelling unit 5
6. Landscaping (Maximum 74 points + 6 bonus points)
a. Resource-Efficient landscaping is incorporated into site design that:
1. Meets California-Friendly Landscape Program requirements ** ** All projects satisfy this criterion because WELO applies; awarding these points to every application will not help rank them; therefore, it is eliminated it from the
calculation
2. Excludes any invasive plant species listed by the California Invasive Plan Council (CAL-IPC) ** **
Standard condition of development approval; all
projects will comply.
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
202ò 6 20
REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
3. Excludes plant species that require periodic hedging or shearing ** ** Criterion may conflict with coastal resource priorities, the Heritage Tree Ordinance, and desired screening
between properties: e.g. this criterion may limit ability to establish natives, such as willows; furthermore, with Half Moon Bay’s highly favorable climate, many species
of even modest sized plant materials will need pruning
periodic pruning (e.g. dwarf fruit trees, roses, etc.).
Although “hedging” and “shearing” suggest a particular
form of pruning, this will be very difficult to discern at the planning stage because landscapers prune
landscape materials in different ways.
4. Plant palette consists of at least 75% California natives, Mediterranean species or other appropriate adaptive species ** ** All projects satisfy this criterion because WELO applies; awarding these points to every application will not help rank them; therefore, it is eliminated it from the
calculation
5. Fencing on-site consists of at least 70% of FSC certified, recycled plastic or composite lumber 2
Points awarded if application indicates applicant’s
intent to qualify for the criterion; in such case, the
criterion will be a condition of approval.
6. All turf areas have a water requirement that is rated at less than or equal to tall fescue (≤ 0.8 plant factor) ** **
All projects satisfy this criterion because WELO applies; awarding these points to every application will not help rank them; therefore, it is eliminated it from the
calculation
7. No turf is installed on slopes exceeding 10% or in areas that are less than 8 feet in any dimension ** **
Yes
No
202ò 7
21 REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
a. Landscaping includes turf that is one-third or less than (≤33%) the total landscaped areas on-site (extra 2 points) ** ** All projects satisfy this criterion because WELO applies; awarding these points to every application will not help rank them; therefore, it is eliminated it from the
calculation
b. Turf is one-tenth or less than (≤10%) of the total landscaped areas on-site (extra 4 points) ** **
Superseded by WELO. Similar case of landscapes with
more than 500 square feet of irrigated landscaping for
which the WELO checklist must be used to ensure water
efficiency.
8. Shade trees of an appropriate species are integrated into the landscape 5
Points awarded if application indicates applicant’s
intent to qualify for the criterion; in such case, the
criterion will be a condition of approval.
9. Plantings are arranged and grouped according to common water needs (hydrozoning) ** **
All projects satisfy this criterion because WELO applies; awarding these points to every application will not help rank them; therefore, it is eliminated it from the
calculation
10. Irrigation systems include high-efficiency components ** ** a. System uses only low-flow drip, bubblers, or low-flow sprinklers ** **
All projects satisfy this criterion because WELO applies; awarding these points to every application will not help rank them; therefore, it is eliminated it from the
calculation
b. System includes smart (weather-based) controllers ** ** All projects satisfy this criterion because WELO applies; awarding these points to every application will not help rank them; therefore, it is eliminated it from the
calculation
11. Non-plant landscape elements consist of at least 50% salvaged or recycled-content materials 5
Points awarded if application indicates applicant’s
intent to qualify for the criterion; in such case, the
criterion will be a condition of approval.
12. Outdoor lighting systems incorporate low-lighting elements, shielded fixtures and direct lighting downward to avoid light pollution and glare: ** ** Standard condition of development approval No
No
Yes
Yes
202ò 8
22 REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALLOCATION APPLICATION
(Scoring Criteria Table)
13. At least 50% of all non-roof impervious surfaces on-site consist of light-colored, high albedo materials (solar reflectance index ≤ 0.3) to reduce heat-island effects
5 Points awarded if application indicates applicant’s
intent to qualify for the criterion; in such case, the
criterion will be a condition of approval.
14. At least 50% of all non-roof surfaces consist of pervious materials 10 “Pervious materials” include aggregate, pervious
pavers, mulch, landscape areas, and others.
15. Rain water harvesting systems are provided on-site: Either none or one of the following may be awarded based on application, but not both.
a. Less than 350 gallon capacity
2 Points awarded if application indicates applicant’s
intent to qualify for the criterion; in such case, the
criterion will be a condition of approval.
b. Greater than 350 gallon capacity
5 Points awarded if application indicates applicant’s
intent to qualify for the criterion; in such case, the
criterion will be a condition of approval.
TOTAL
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
202ò 9 23
RESOLUTION NO C- 91- 98 98
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF HALF MOON BAY DESIGNATING
A REDEVELOPMENT SURVEY AREA
FOR STUDY PURPOSES
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Half Moon Bay, California ( the Council) on December 18, 1984, adopted Ordinance No. 15- 84, finding the need for a redevelopment agency to function in the City of Half Moon Bay; and WHEREAS, the redevelopment agency has been duly organized as the Community Development Agency of the City of Half Moon Bay Agency ( the Agency"), with this Council sitting as said Agency; and WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 33310 of the California Health and Safety Code, ( the " Code") this Council, as the legislative body, may designate a redevelopment survey area for study purposes; and WHEREAS, the redevelopment survey area is graphically depicted on Exhibit "A" attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference; and WHEREAS, the area depicted on Exhibit " A" requires study to determine if the formation of a redevelopment project area is feasible; and WHEREAS, in accordance with Code Section 33322, the Planning Commission of the City of Half Moon Bay shall, at the direction of the Council, select a project area from within the boundaries of the survey area and formulate a preliminary plan for the area so selected.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Half Moon Bay hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. The area depicted in Exhibit " A" requires study to determine if a redevelopment project, or projects, within said areas is feasible.
Section 2. The area depicted in Exhibit " A" and referenced in Section 1 herein, is hereby designated as the Downtown Half Moon Bay Redevelopment Survey Area ( the " Survey Area").
Section 3. The Planning Commission of the City of Half Moon Bay, is hereby authorized and directed in cooperation with the Agency, to select a redevelopment project area from within the boundaries of the Survey Area and to formulate a preliminary plan for the area so selected for submittal to the Agency. 24 ADOPTED AND APPROVED this 3`d
day of November, 1998, by the following vote:
AYES, Councilmembers: CeVicenMayorrdDonovanone and
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers: Mayor Patridge
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
9 onovan, Vice Mayor
1 ATTEST:
0 11 t 4-?.. a/
Dorothy Robbins •
City Clerk
PA 0E[ AND ADOPTED AT THE
Co1”
CITY CLERK
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26 From: Rick Hernandez
To: Leslie Lacko
Cc: Matthew Chidester; Rick Hernandez; Debbie Ruddock
Subject: Questions for Tomorrow"s Joint Meeting
Date: Monday, January 12, 2026 8:04:34 AM
Attachments: image.png
image.png
Hi Leslie,
I read the staff report and attachments. Can you add my questions to the public record and make them available for our meeting tomorrow?
Back in March we wanted to improve transparency and understanding of the Measure D process for the city council, planning commission, and the public. We have had many meetings that focused on Measure D in the last 3 years, so I'm glad we are having this meeting.
1. Along those lines, it would be incredibly helpful to share the cutoff information for new Measure D allocations for the last 5 years. Specifically, how many applicants did not build in a given year because they miss the cutoff? How many applicants in the last 5 years have missed the cutoff more than once, and how many times has that happened?
2. I was under the impression that City Council provided direction on the mechanism by which ADU's would account for a fraction of a Measure D's for this cycle. I don't see that reflected in the staff report, the handbook, or the spreadsheet. Can you dive into this during our meeting? Should we expect that a new calculation will be applied during this measure D allocation (2026)?
3. The formula for growth is tied to 1% and 1.5% growth. Since we have adopted Measure D in the city code, HMB has experienced negative growth in population (see below). Should we evaluate the mechanism we use to determine growth?
4. When somebody enters into a deed restriction to get more points or agrees to other additive areas when building their home, how is that enforced? How is this monitored after the fact and what recourse do we have for lack of follow through (if for example the house on Jenna Lane decides not to rent to low income or doesn't rent at all)?
5. Can we get a list of all the deed restricted properties? Can we make that information publicly available on the city's website?
6. For "walkability" Can we get a list of all the establishments that help qualify a property? Did you include the bodegas and chiropractor's offices in the formula? Is Spenglers included for properties with ½ a mile of it that are in HMB?
7. These standards do seem to reflect Zone 0 requirements. For example, we are 27 awarding points for wooden fencing.
8. Can we update the landscaping to only give points for native species that are also fire resistant or mitigate flooding above a certain standard?
9. Can we add points for properties that provide external fire suppression systems, fire breaks, or use landscaping designed to impede fire and flooding?
10. Do we yet have Zone 0 standards for San Mateo County? Can we see them?
11. The wording for Category 5a is clunky (ADA). I see the spreadsheet and I think I understand what's happening, but can you walk us through what you are trying to accomplish and consider making the language in 5a more understandable.
Thx.
28 29
Community Development Department
Leslie Lacko, Director
MEMORANDUM
Date: January 13, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
Honorable Chair and Planning Commissioners
From: Matthew Chidester, City Manager
Leslie Lacko, Community Development Director
Ocoee Wilson, Associate Planner
Subject: Joint City Council and Planning Commission Meeting of January 13, 2026 –Measure D Commissioner Questions Memorandum
This Memorandum aims to address questions received from Commissioner Hernandez on January 12, 2026, as it relates to the Measure D Study Session for the January 13, 2026, City Council Meeting. The email is attached. The questions and staff’s responses are below.
Question 1. It would be incredibly helpful to share the cutoff information for new Measure D allocations for the last 5 years. Specifically, how many applicants did not build in a given year because they miss the cutoff? How many applicants in the last 5 years have missed the cutoff more than once, and how many times has that happened?
Answer: The table below shows the number of units that received allocations since 2020 and the number of units that applied for but did not receive an allocation.
Year
Total #
Measure D
Allocations
Available
ADUs Applying
for allocation
ADUs Receiving
Allocations
# of Units
Receiving
allocations
(All types)
# of Units
Not
receiving
allocations
(all types)
# Units not
receiving
multiple years
(all types)
ADU
Only
ADU with
Proposed
SFR
ADU
Only
ADU with
Proposed
SFR
2020 69 30 4 24 4 46 7 0
2021 66 29 12 26 8 44 18 0
2022 69 15 12 12 7 68 18 4
2023 67 11 11 11 9 67 6 6
2024 63 15 13 8 6 26 21 4
30 1. In 2025 not all applicants seeking initial allocations pursued a Transfer allocation or chose to reduce their number of requested allocations Question 2. I was under the impression that City Council provided direction on the mechanism by which ADU's would account for a fraction of a Measure D's for this cycle. I don't see that reflected in the staff report, the handbook, or the spreadsheet. Can you dive into this during our meeting? Should we expect that a new calculation will be applied during this measure D allocation (2026)? Answer: The Draft Cycle Six Housing Element, Adopted by the City Council identified changes to be made to the Measure D process. These changes included reducing ADU allocations from 1 allocation to .5 and identifying a process to roll over allocations. However, amendments to the existing code are required before this can be implemented. Staff aims to bring them before City Council as early as possible this calendar year.
Question 3. The formula for growth is tied to 1% and 1.5% growth. Since we have adopted Measure D in the city code, HMB has experienced negative growth in population (see below). Should we evaluate the mechanism we use to determine growth.
Answer: Yes, staff identified this issue internally during the 2026 Unit Authorization process, noticing the population reflected in the calculations for Measure D only continue to grow and are currently higher than the population reflected elsewhere. Measure D only anticipates a growing population and does not consider the current trend of a reduction in population. Under the current practice for calculating population growth and allocations, it only provides opportunity for reset with the newest census (every 10 years). Staff looking into to revising this process and so the population data can be reset with the upcoming Measure D cycle (2027). More research and analysis are required to verify how this can be implemented and improved.
Question 4. When somebody enters into a deed restriction to get more points or agrees to other additive areas when building their home, how is that enforced? How is this monitored after the fact and what recourse do we have for lack of follow through (if for example the house on Jenna Lane decides not to rent to low income or doesn't rent at all)?
Answer: Items elected within the Measure D application and reflected in the applicants scoring are required as conditions of approvals, checked with plan reviews, and final approvals are contingent upon compliance. Where an applicant has elected to deed restrict a unit below market rate, an affordable housing agreement must be recorded. 2025
1 67 15 15 14 13 45 1 0
Total 401 115 67 95 47 296 71
31 Question 5. Can we get a list of all the deed restricted properties? Can we make that information publicly available on the city's website?
Answer: Staff does not have information on all properties that have recorded deed-restrictions for below market rate units associated with Measure D in list form, but maintains documents relating to entitlements. Recorded deed-restrictions are available publicly through the recorders office. It is the City’s practice not to compile and publish this information due to potential privacy concerns. Additionally, it has only been in recent years that more applicants have been electing to utilize the deed-restriction option, therefore only a few projects have received entitlements and several others are still in the process.
Question 6. For "walkability" Can we get a list of all the establishments that help qualify a property? Did you include the bodegas and chiropractor's offices in the formula? Is Spenglers included for properties with ½ a mile of it that are in HMB?
Answer: Maintaining a list of all establishments for every category of establishments in Half Moon Bay relating to Measure D and continuing to update it year over year would be an impractical and burdensome use of staff time, especially, given the expanse of options in some categories. However, where practical, staff have maintained a general list of key places or amenities that offer only a select few options or may be overlooked. This year in response to Planning Commissions previous requests in March 2025, staff established key definitions listed within the handbook. Applicants are encouraged to do their own research before submitting their scoring with the application, where there is a discrepancy in scoring, applicants are provided the opportunity to discuss this with staff prior to the scoring being finalized by the Planning Commission. This year applicants will also be able to refer to the handbook for more complete guidance on what qualifies.
Regarding the specific items asked about, Spanglers is not within ½ mile of any properties that are likely to be developed with new residential units, except for a select few Commercial-Visitor serving properties within the City’s jurisdiction, but it would count if one of those few properties applied for Measure D. A “bodega” could be considered in the scoring if it met all definitions of a grocery store in the handbook. A chiropractor could be considered medical and would be reviewed, if it was a brick and mortar location, home occupation practices do not count. The discussion regarding chiropractic services rarely comes into consideration given the expanse of medical practices in the city, and that they tend to be clustered in the same general areas due to zoning.
Questions 7 – 10 About Minimizing Fire Hazards.
Questions 7. These standards do not seem to reflect Zone 0 requirements. For example, we are awarding points for wooden fencing.
32 Question 8. Can we update the landscaping to only give points for native species that are also fire resistant or mitigate flooding above a certain standard? Question 9. Can we add points for properties that provide external fire suppression systems, fire breaks, or use landscaping designed to impede fire and flooding? Question 10. Do we yet have Zone 0 standards for San Mateo County? Can we see them? Answer. The Measure D Criteria was established well before fire hazard considerations and discussions relating to Zone 0. It was only within 2025 that the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps indicated locations within the boundaries of Half Moon Bay. The City does not currently have standards from San Mateo County regarding Zone 0. During the upcoming City Council priority setting meetings, staff will raise incorporating Zone 0 and other fire hazard reduction measures into Measure D as a priority project.
Question 11. The wording for Category 5a is clunky (ADA). I see the spreadsheet and I think I understand what's happening, but can you walk us through what you are trying to accomplish and consider making the language in 5a more understandable.
Answer: The application for 2026 is live and active and cannot be revised at this time. The next opportunities for revision will be prior to the 2027 Measure D year. Criteria 5a is worded the same as the within the code. Staff did rephrase and elaborate on the description of this item in the handbook, but will provide more clear guidance for the next Measure D cycle.
If you have any questions or require further clarification, please contact Ocoee Wilson, Associate Planner, at (650) 726-8284 or via email at [email protected]. 33