CITY OF PACIFICA
PLANNING COMMISSION
2025 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
The Planning Commission is submitting the following summary of work for calendar year 2025.
I. Planning Commission Membership in 2025
Commission Members Term Expires
Samantha Hauser, Chair 2028
Lauren Berman, Vice Chair 2027
Marjory Davis 2029
Daniella Devine 2027
Alex Ferguson 2026
James Godwin 2026
Chris Redfield 2028
II. Planning Commission Activity Report
In 2025, the Planning Commission held 15 regular meetings. In 2025, the Planning Commission held two special meetings, including a Joint Study Session with the City Council regarding updates to the Inclusionary Housing and Density Bonus Ordinances.
In 2025, the Planning Commission heard 9 development-related applications including:
o A Coastal Development Permit, Site Development Permit, and Use Permit for the expansion and conversion of commercial space into a 58,962 square foot personal storage facility
o General Plan Amendment, Rezoning, and development permits for construction of a 43,696 square foot mixed-use development consisting of 19 residential units (including three Below Market Rate units) and 3,165 square feet of commercial use o A Site Development Permit and Variances for an addition and modification to an existing single-family dwelling on a nonconforming lot
o A Site Development Permit and Tree Permit for construction of new 3,180 square foot single-family residence on an undeveloped lot
For comparison, the Planning Commission heard 11 development-related applications in 2022, 9 in 2023, and 15 in 2024.
The Planning Commission also considered and provided recommendations to the City Council on revisions to the Short-Term Rentals Ordinance and the 2023-2031 Housing Element Rezoning. The Planning Division received 31 new discretionary permit applications in 2025. For comparison, the Planning Division received 24 new discretionary permit applications in 2024, 20 in 2023, 16 in 2022, and 25 in 2021. These include all types of entitlement applications including new developments, conditional uses in existing structures, and modifications to existing structures. Of note, these applications also included 11 preliminary applications submitted under Senate Bill 330 (SB 330), 7 applications submitted under SB 9, and 1 Administrative CDP for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in the coastal zone, which requires the Community Development Director’s report out to Planning Commission for filing.
III. Summary of Significant Items Heard by the Commission Recommended approval of text amendments to the Short-Term Rentals Ordinance Recommended approval of the 2023-2031 Housing Element Rezoning Approved the mixed-use development at 570 Crespi Drive IV. Planning Commission Five-Year Hearing Summary:
Year
New or
Continued Public
Hearings Held
Speakers on
Topics Not on
Agenda
Number of Residential
Dwelling Units Approved
by Commission
New Commercial
Floor Area Approved
(Sq. Ft.)
2021 19 32 1 0
2022 17 16 21 3,165*
2023 13 15 71 0
2024 17 11 8 0
2025 15 3 20 4,915*
*Commercial area of 3,165 sf approved in 2022 and 2025 is for the same project at 570 Crespi Drive. In 2022, the project had a Mitigated Negative Declaration and after the project was appealed to City Council, it was remanded back to the Planning Commission and required an EIR.
V. Community Development Department Building Permit Activity:
Year Permits Issued Inspections
Residential
Valuation
Commercial
Valuation
2018 1,530 4,731 $19,013,200 $3,408,096
2019 1,587 5,147 $19,793,920 $5,965,473
2020 1,416 3,419 $16,882,230 $1,308,107
2021 1,591 3,908 $40,720,764 $1,807,197
2022 1,521 4,250 $34,548,886 $11,788,746*
2023 1,609 4,022 $24,514,500 $2,101,931
2024 1,355 3,506 $15,397,313 $14,467,420
2025 1,656 3,908 $16,927,083 $1,679,527
* Includes Civic Center renovation valued at approximately $8,000,000 VI. Community Development Department Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Building Permit Activity:
Year Permits Issued
2021 40
2022 28
2023 17
2024 20
2025 42
VII. City Council Strategic Plan Strategies Involving Planning Commission Goal 1: Enhance organizational and fiscal stability.
o Strategy C: Prioritize implementation of the Economic Opportunities Study. Goal 3: Prioritize protection and development of affordable housing. o Strategy A: Complete the Housing Element Update.
Rezoning was approved on July 7, 2025
Housing Element was certified on September 19, 2025
o Strategy B: Update the Short-Term Rental Ordinance.
Text Amendments were approved on June 16, 2025
o Strategy C: Prioritize Housing Element program implementation. Goal 4: Pursue climate change adaptation and mitigation. o Strategy C: Update Pacifica’s Local Coastal Plan and improve communications and collaboration with the California Coastal Commission.
Local Coastal Land Use Plan 2025 was certified by the California Coastal Commission on May 8, 2025
Attachment 1
Planning Commission Project Approvals (2025)
Residential Project Approvals
Project Name/Address Number of New Dwelling Units
Approved by Planning
CommissionA
109 W. Avalon Drive 1 accessory dwelling unit
540 and 570 Crespi Drive (APNs 022-162-420 and 022-
162-310)
19 condominium units (including 3
Below Market Rate units)
Bay View Road (APN 022-062-550), approximately 330
feet east-northeast of the intersection of Rockaway
Beach Avenue and Bay View Road
1 single-family dwelling with
1 accessory dwelling unit
140 Gordon Way (APN 009-061-140) N/A, addition to a single-family residence
Commercial Project Approvals
Project Name/Address Commercial Floor Area Approved
by Planning Commission
(Sq. Ft.)
Personal storage facility located at 1221 Palmetto Avenue (APN 009-244-080) 1,750 sf
Ocean Shore Railcar No. 1409 located at 1910 Francisco
Boulevard (APN 016-060-100)
N/A, maintain temporary enclosed
structure previously approved by
Planning Commission
540 and 570 Crespi Drive (APNs 022-162-420 and 022-
162-310) 3,165 sf
A Accessory dwelling units requiring an Administrative CDP are approved ministerially by the Community Development Director and reported to the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission received and files the approval.