City of Half Moon Bay Moves One Step Closer to Having an HCD Certified Cycle 6 Housing Element with Measure D and ADU Implications

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VIDEO. From the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, October 28th, 2025 at 7:00pm, as a hybrid meeting.  Agenda.  Staff Report Item #1A. HCD = California Department of Housing and Community Development

Next steps:

• City Council to adopt and finalize the 6th Cycle Housing Element 5th Draft
• Resubmit to HCD
• HCD’s final approval requires Measure D to be revised by ballot in 2028 where voters can determine whether or not they want to exempt ADUs from Measure D. Should they vote that way, then ADUs would require a streamlined coastal development permit and a building permit.

Staff Recommendations:

• “1) Hold a public hearing to receive public input and to evaluate revisions to the Draft Housing Element for submission to California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD); and
• 2) Approve a resolution (Attachment 1) recommending that City Council directs staff to submit the 2023-2031(Cycle 6) Housing Element dated October 2025 to HCD; and
• 3) Adopt the CEQA Mitigated Negative Declaration pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080(c)(1) and (c)(2) and Section 15074 (b) and (c) of the CEQA Guidelines.”

Attachments:

• Attachment 1: Resolution
• Attachment 2: The current draft titled “2023-2031 Housing Element, Fifth HCD Draft, September 2025” is available on the City’s website at www.hmbcity.com/housingelement.
• Attachment 3: Milestone Table for Cycle 6 Housing Element
• Attachment 4: HCD response letter to HMB dated May 20th, 2025
• Attachment 5: HMB’s Updated Responses to HCD’s May 20, 2025, Response to Revisions Letter

Updated Responses to HCD’s May 20, 2025, Response to Revisions Letter (excerpt) ~ Scroll to see Comment #6. All page numbers are from the Track Changes version of the September 2025 HCD Draft.
The May 20, 2025, HCD Response to HMB’s 4th Draft Revisions Letter is available here.

➢ Prepare a ballot measure for the 2028 election with a substantial public communications process that will revise Measure D by:
o Revising to define “Downtown Area” as the area designated as the Town Center in the Certified
Local Coastal Land Use Plan
o Exempting Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), including Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs)
from Residential Dwelling Unit Allocation limitations
➢ If the 2028 ballot measure fails, the City will seek other measures as necessary.

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Background
Members of the Planning Commission are appointed by and serve for a term coinciding with members of the City Council. Pursuant to Half Moon Bay Municipal Code Section 2.24.030, a person nominated for a Planning Commission appointment “shall be appointed to the commission upon receiving a majority of votes from the entire city council.” If a Councilmember’s nomination is not approved, the nominating Councilmember is entitled to two more nominations. If, after this process, no nomination is approved, the floor will be open to additional nominations from all members of the Council.

Current Planning Commission Appointments
Mayor Brownstone – Vacant >>> Appoints Christopher DelNagro on September 2nd, 2025.
Vice Mayor Ruddock – Rick Hernandez
Councilmember Jonsson – Jacob (Jim) Rems
Councilmember Nagengast – David Gorn
Councilmember Penrose – Steve Ruddock