March 6, 2025
Paul McDougall, Senior Program Manager
State Department of Housing and Community Development
C/O Land Use and Planning Unit
651 Bannon Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95811
Sent via email: [email protected]
RE: Public Comments Received on the City of Pacifica’s Revised 6th Cycle Draft Housing Element for HCD Review
Dear Paul McDougall,
The City of Pacifica received six public comments regarding the revised draft 2023-2031 Housing Element during the seven-day comment period between February 7 and February 14, 2025. The six comments are included with this letter.
Of the comments, many were aligned with those considered and described in Appendix A: Community Consultation. Specifically, regarding Theme 11: Property owner and public requests to modify the housing site inventory by adding or removing specific sites. Comments that aligned with this theme during the comment period include:
• Encouraging consideration of Spanky’s Diner on Oceana Blvd; and • Opposition to including parts of Oceana High School in the sites inventory, citing concerns about infrastructure, including traffic, parking, sewage, water and power, and potential for impacts to scenic views and natural habitats.
For purposes of this housing element, the Spanky’s Diner site did not meet the criteria for site selection extensively described in Appendix F of the Revised 6th Cycle Draft Housing Element. City staff are always open to exploring other avenues for consideration of housing development. Please also see Appendix F for discussion of the Oceana High School site.
A comment was submitted expressing concern that the 122 units on Table 3 (Residential Sites with Existing Capacity) and the 1,483 Core RHNA on Table 4 (Sites That Require Rezoning to Meeting RHNA Capacity) are together 1,605 and less than the RHNA allocation of 1,892. The writer is correct that these
CITY OF PACIFICA
Community Development Department
170 Santa Maria Ave • Pacifica, California 94044-2506
(650) 738-7341 • www.cityofpacifica.org
MAYOR
Sue Beckmeyer
MAYOR PRO TEM
Christine Boles
COUNCIL
Mary Bier
Mayra Espinosa
Greg Wright
Scenic Pacifica
Incorporated Nov.
22, 1957
two figures sum to less than RHNA, however, the 217 approved units, and 187 ADUs must also be considered. Taken together, the existing capacity, core rezoning sites, approved units, and ADUs total 2,009 units. This sum is 117 units greater than the RHNA allocation. An additional 559 units of buffer sites are also included in the rezoning commitment for a 30 percent total buffer.
Additional comments expressed support for increasing density in shopping centers and other sites near Highway 1 and transit while minimizing the inclusion of any units in locations where they might contribute to wildland urban interface or fire insurance issues. Consistent with the goals, policies, and programs in the General Plan, the Housing Element sites inventory emphasizes higher density infill development in shopping center sites and in areas served by transit.
Please contact me at any time should questions arise during your review. You can reach me by email at [email protected] or by phone at (650) 446-4698.
Thank you,
Samantha Updegrave
Community Development Director
Mailing Address: 170 Santa Maria Avenue, Pacifica, CA 94044 Office Address: 1800 Francisco Boulevard, Pacifica, CA 94044 Planning: (650) 738-7341 / Direct: (650) 446-4698
[email protected]
cc: City Manager
City Attorney
Melinda Coy, Proactive Housing Accountability Chief
Attachments
1. Public Comment Letters received February 7 – February 14, 2025 From: Carol
To: Housing
Subject: Building on blighted lots
Date: Friday, February 07, 2025 10:09:07 PM
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Is anyone considering building on the site that used to be a Spanky's Diner on Oceana Blvd. near the DPW building?
That dilapidated, empty building is an eyesore and the location would be perfect for housing as it is near SamTrans stops.
Please consider that as a possibility.
Thank you,
Carol Fregly
Rockaway Beach
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From: Remi Tan
To: Housing; Housing
Cc: City Council
Subject: Comments Re: Public Review Draft of the Revised 2023-2031 Housing Element Now Available Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025 9:07:50 PM
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Table 4 The total amount of units 1,483 + 122 approved units is still short the 1,892 RHNA required units.
Some of the buffer sites need to be made part of required sites.
Also some of the units are on JUHSD and CalTrans sites. Has city had meaningful discussions with those agencies to see if they are willing to use the land for housing? If not some of the buffer sites need to be made into required sites
City should consider increasing density of the shopping center sites and other sites near HWY 1 and near existing transit. Reduce any units adjacent to open space to reduce wildland urban interface and fire insurance issues.
The above comments were made in previous rounds, but it does not look like the current update addressed these issues.
Thank you and Best Regards,
Remi Tan, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Architecture, Green/Sustainability Consulting, and Real Estate Investment On Friday, February 7, 2025 at 01:45:00 PM PST, Pacifica Housing Element Updates <[email protected]> wrote:
adopted last year. This is the critical next step for the Housing Element to receive certification by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The revisions are based on HCD’s formal comments, dated March 29, 2024, and subsequent additional guidance.
This Public Review Draft contains the revisions and is scheduled to be sent to HCD on February 14, 2025, to initiate formal certification review.
Prior to making the formal submittal to HCD, a seven-day review period following State requirements is open, from February 7, 2025 to February 14, 2025, where comments can be submitted. The next step following the submittal to HCD is scheduling the Public Review Draft for review and adoption consideration by the City Council, where there will be further opportunities for comment.
To complete the Housing Element process, the Housing Element requires both State certification and City Council approval. Pacifica will also need to complete the rezoning associated with adopted Housing Element prior to obtaining State certification. That process is currently underway – the City is preparing the Response to Comments and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which will be brought first to Planning Commission, then to City Council, along with the proposed General Plan amendments and rezoning ordinance for consideration. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Background: On January 26, 2024, the City adopted its most recent Housing Element and submitted the document to the California Department of HCD to initiate review for State certification. Since receiving comments from HCD on March 29, 2024, the City has been working with HCD on draft refinements required for certification.
View the Document Here
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From: al romero
To: Housing
Subject: NO on Building in Oceana High school
Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025 6:08:38 PM
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No on Building at Oceana High School. Totally against this idea.
Resident of Pacifica.
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From: Jenny McGrath
To: Housing
Subject: Paloma-proposed housing
Date: Friday, February 14, 2025 12:23:53 PM
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I am writing to express my opposition to proposed housing at the Oceana High School lot (on Paloma ave). Traffic is already heavy & parking is difficult esp during frequent weekend events. This would be a loss of habitat for many wild species. The disruption due to construction would be immense, and our property values would likely decrease.
Myself & every neighbor I’ve talked to is opposed to this prop.
Jenny McGrath
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Dana Perkins
To: Housing
Subject: Please Don"t Build on Paloma!
Date: Friday, February 14, 2025 4:46:00 PM
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To Whom It May Concern:
It's Friday afternoon, 2/14, and there is basically nowhere to park on Paloma from the pool up to the high school driveway. Why? Because there are soccer games happening, swimming happening, and neighbors parking where they usually park. This happens on many Fridays and most weekends. Adding 178 units of housing to this already busy space is not going to help the traffic situation, the parking situation, and the wildlife habitat.
I live across the street from the field across from Vallejo Terrace, and I frequently see coyotes on the hunt, birds everywhere (including a few herons!) and an occasional fox. Please let the wildlife hunt and fly in peace; we've done enough in terms of encroaching on their space throughout the Bay Area.
Dana Perkins
390 Paloma Ave.
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From: Gil C. Ayala
To: Housing
Cc: Gil C. Ayala
Subject: Proposed 178 new housing units @ the Oceana high school property on Paloma.
Date: Monday, February 10, 2025 4:27:43 AM
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Good morning to you, the reader.
With the political climate. As it devolves for the everyday working person. But seams to be skyrocketing for the 1% of society. Capitalizing on the residences of the of this neighborhood.
On top of the extra stain of the of the infrastructure…Water, Sewage, power, & the wildlife that makes use of the area. It irritates me to a high degree. That some back-room deal has been struck. By greedy land developers & the city council of Pacifica. To cause additional construction zone chaos. More blight to the scenic views, more frustrating traffic congestion, unavailable parking. & the reduction of property value. To all this. I say NO to this action. I say NO to Donald Trump & the republican party & I say NO to the 178 NEW HOUSING UNITS @ THE OCEANA HIGH SCOOL LOT ON PALOMA AVE. Thank you for your time.
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