Planning Commission approves change of use at 334 Parissima Street; owner to open locksmith and storage tenants

The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission unanimously approved a Coastal Development Permit, Architectural Review and a Use Permit on April 8 to convert the former auto-body building at 334 Parissima (also referred to during staff remarks as 334 Christmas Street) into two tenant spaces: a locksmith in the south unit and industrial storage/home base for a construction contractor in the north unit.

Scott Phillips, planning staff, told commissioners the project proposes a demising wall to divide the building, façade refresh with new windows and doors, replacement of the mansard roofing with standing-seam metal, an added landscape strip and bicycle rack, interior ADA upgrades (van-accessible parking and accessible restrooms), and moving outdoor dumpsters inside tenant spaces. Phillips said the project triggers a Coastal Development Permit because the change of use and additional tenant space constitute development in the coastal zone.

Phillips said the building originally received a 1980 permit for an auto‑body repair use and a 1995 addition that included a spray paint booth; a prior planning-commission condition required a return to the commission for any change of use for the addition. Under current zoning the proposed use is conditional and requires a use permit. The staff report recommended approval, noted CEQA categorically exempts changes of use, and recommended eliminating an extraneous hours-of-operation condition (A7) because the uses involve no customer interface or noisy activities.

Bill Maher, the project architect, confirmed the design and the ADA improvements and said the owner, Gino Cioppi, will occupy the southern tenant as a locksmith. Commissioners voiced support: Chair Reddick said he was “very supportive of the concept of industrial storage in Half Moon Bay,” and Commissioner Rems praised the investment and neighborhood upgrade. Commissioner Hernandez recommended enhancing landscaping and confirmed staff answered his questions.

Vice Chair Gorn moved to approve the Coastal Development Permit, Architectural Review and Use Permit and to remove condition A7 per staff recommendation; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The staff report noted a minor typographical correction (imperious→impervious) to be fixed in the final resolution.

Key project details cited by staff: 4 off‑street parking spaces (minimum required), two additional service-vehicle spaces inside the building, existing building height remains well under the 36‑foot maximum, and the project is designed to reduce paint-booth impacts that previously concerned neighbors. The architect and owner were present at the hearing and no public comments were received.