1 RESOLUTION NO. _________
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA CERTIFYING A
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR) AND ADOPTING FINDINGS, A
STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS,
AND A MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) FOR THE HOUSING ELEMENT 2023-2031 REZONING PROGRAM (HE-I-1) (FILE NO. 2025-007)
________________________________________________________________ Initiated by: City of Pacifica
WHEREAS, the City of Pacifica 2023-2031 Housing Element Program HE-I-1 establishes the task of amending General Plan Land Use designations and zoning designations to implement the Housing Element, including the development of new designations and regulations required for sites identified in the Housing Element sites inventory (collectively the “Rezoning Program”); and WHEREAS, completion of the Rezoning Program is necessary for the Housing Element to be found in substantial compliance with State law and receive State certification from the California Department of Housing and Community Development; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pacifica prepared a Rezoning Program to implement Program HE-I-1, including amendments to the General Plan, Zoning Code, and General Plan Land Use Map and Zoning Maps to establish new land use designations, zoning designations, and associated regulations including allowable uses and objective standards within the new land use and zoning designations; and WHEREAS, City of Pacifica Planning Division is the Lead Agency for preparing the environmental review for the Project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and WHEREAS, the City of Pacifica Planning Division issued an initial Notice of Preparation of a draft environmental impact report (DEIR) on July 11, 2023, for the Rezoning Program, and subsequently an additional NOP, after the sites to be analyzed changed, on May 3, 2024, which were distributed in compliance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15082; and
WHEREAS, the City prepared the Pacifica Housing Element (6th Cycle) Targeted General Plan Amendments, Rezoning, and Objective Development Standards Program EIR, State Clearinghouse No. 2024050168 for the Rezoning Program in accordance with Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq. and CEQA Guidelines Section 15000 et seq.; and
WHEREAS, on December 13, 2024 (with filing date by the State Clearinghouse on December 16, 2024), the City of Pacifica issued a Notice of Completion and Notice of Availability for the DEIR, which was distributed in compliance with CEQA Guidelines Sections 15085, 15087, and 15105 and Public Resources Code Sections 21091 and 21092; and
WHEREAS, on December 13, 2024, the City of Pacifica distributed copies of the DEIR to public agencies which have jurisdiction by law with respect to the Rezoning Program and to publicly accessible repositories including at the City of Pacifica Community Development Department Offices, Sharp Park Library, and Sanchez Library and invited comments on the DEIR in compliance with CEQA Guidelines Sections 15085, 15087, and 15105 and Public Resources Code Sections 21091 and 21092; and WHEREAS, the 45-day minimum public review and comment period for the DEIR ran from 2 December 13, 2024, through January 26, 2025, and was extended by City Council during the public review period to conclude on February 3, 2025; and
WHEREAS, written comments on the DEIR were collected and responses to comments (RTC) were prepared and considered in the revisions made to the DEIR to comprise the Final EIR (FEIR); and WHEREAS, the Pacifica Housing Element (6th Cycle) Targeted General Plan Amendments, Rezoning, and Objective Development Standards Program FEIR, State Clearinghouse No. 2024050168 was made available to the public on May 12, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the FEIR identified certain potentially significant adverse environmental impacts from the Rezoning Program and recommends certain mitigation measures regarding such effects; and WHEREAS, the Rezoning Program would have significant and unavoidable effects on transportation, specifically related to increases in vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and Greenhouse Gas emissions after implementation of identified mitigation measures; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Pacifica adopted Resolution No. 2025-010 recommending that the City Council approve the Rezoning Program (HE-I-1), and certify the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Rezoning Program, having found that the EIR was completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), reflects the City’s independent judgment and analysis, and includes the adoption of Findings of Fact, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and a Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting Program; WHEREAS, the City provided notice of the City Council’s intent to hold a public hearing to consider the EIR, Findings of Fact, Statement of Overriding Consideration, and MMRP and approval of the Rezoning Program, as required by law by publishing a Notice of Public Hearing in the San Mateo Daily Journal July 31, 2025, and by mailing the Notice of Public Hearing to 3,079 surrounding property owners, occupants and interested parties on July 31, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has read and considered the Final EIR and MMRP prior to making its decision to approve the Rezoning Program; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on August 11, 2025, at which time it considered all oral and documentary evidence presented, and incorporate all testimony and documents into the record by reference.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Pacifica finds as follows:
1. The above recitals are true and correct and material to this Resolution.
2. In making its findings herein, the City Council relied upon and hereby incorporates by reference all correspondence, oral and written staff reports, public comments and other related materials.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Pacifica does hereby take the following actions with respect to the Final EIR:
1. The City Council finds and certifies that the Final EIR for the Rezoning Program was presented to the City Council, that the Final EIR was prepared, published, circulated, 3 reviewed and completed in full compliance with State law and CEQA Guidelines, that there was adequate public review of the Draft EIR, that it has considered all comments on the Draft EIR and responses to comments, that the Final EIR adequately discusses all significant environmental issues, and that the Final EIR reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City Council. The City Council further certifies that it has reviewed and considered the information in the Final EIR.
2. The City Council finds that the information added in the Final EIR does not constitute significant new information requiring recirculation, but rather that additional information clarifies or amplifies an adequate EIR.
3. The City Council hereby certifies the Final EIR for the Project.
4. Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21081 and CEQA Guidelines sections 15091 and 15093, and in support of its approval of the Rezoning Program, the City Council has reviewed and considered the CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations for the Project, attached hereto as Exhibit A incorporated herein by reference, finds that such Findings of Fact are supported by substantial evidence and adopts the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations.
5. Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21081.6 and CEQA Guidelines section 15097 and in support of its approval of the Rezoning Program, the City Council has reviewed and considered the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) that requires all mitigation measures described in the Final EIR be implemented by means of project conditions, agreements or other measures, as set forth in the MMRP, attached hereto as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by reference. The City Council hereby adopts the MMRP.
6. The record of proceedings is available for review by responsible agencies and interested members of the public during normal business hours at the Community Development Department, 1800 Francisco Drive, Pacifica, CA 94044. The custodian of these documents is the Community Development Department of the City of Pacifica. * * * * *
4 PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 11th day of August 2025.
AYES, Councilmembers:
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers:
_____________________________
Sue Beckmeyer, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________ _____________________________ Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney
EXHIBIT A
Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations [Page Intentionally Blank]
EXHIBIT B
Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP)