Planning Commission moves forward with zoning problems By MATT KAPKO Half Moon Bay Review September 29, 2004 The Planning Commission has accepted staff's latest proposal for resolving a nagging zoning problem in Half Moon Bay and has sent a recommendation of its own back to City Hall. The proposals are the result of months of exhaustive planning and restless quibbling between residents, city councilmembers and planning commissioners. The commission is recommending the City Council adopt three separate ordinances in lieu of the urgency ordinance that the council adopted months ago. That attempt to resolve the high number of substandard lots in the city proved futile almost immediately. California Coastal Commission concerns and a threat of litigation set the city's course anew, landing it where it is today. If the Planning Commission's recommendations are adopted by the council, the architectural stamp will no longer be required, a 250-square foot exemption will be allowed for development on substandard lots and a sliding scale will be used when determining the allowable floor area ratio. Going beyond staff's proposal, the commission also recommended that staff present a remedy for the setbacks imposed by zoning code, which often don't match conditions on the ground. Although hundreds, if not thousands, of residents could be impacted by the issue, staff data suggests that home additions are rather uncommon in Half Moon Bay. Since 1998 only 46 applications have been filed for home additions. But that doesn't take into account the many residents who may have never filed an application because of the restrictions in place. Patric Jonsson is one of those residents. His goal of adding 260-square feet to his home has proven to be a challenge of epic proportions. He spoke at the commission meeting and explained how situations on his lot and others on Kehoe Avenue will continue to keep homeowners from building small additions. "With this proposed ordinance we are unable to develop a small addition in the front and the rear, and not even able to build a shed," he told the commission. "There's about 1,400 properties in question here. It's close to billion worth of real estate and a handful of people control the outcome of what can be done," resident William Dahl said. "Pilarcitos Street has monster homes on it. Right in my neighborhood the city has allowed these monster homes to go up, but is restricting (Jonsson) from adding 260-square feet to his house. It's absolutely absurd and ridiculous," he said. Some residents requested the city pursue a second track that could address the problems with setbacks. The commission responded, tacking the proposal on its growing agenda, and requested city staff return with a remedy for non-conforming setbacks at its next meeting. Home