Pacifica council adopts revised housing element; HCD review expected to clear path for rezoning

Pacifica’s City Council on Wednesday approved a revised 2023–2031 housing element intended to bring the city into substantial compliance with state housing law and set the framework for a targeted rezoning program required to meet the city’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).

The council voted unanimously to adopt the revisions; staff and consultants said the changes respond to detailed HCD comments and add clarifying findings and program language required by state review. Adoption is a necessary step before the city proceeds with targeted rezoning and before HCD can formally certify the housing element.

Why it matters: The housing element sets the city’s strategy for meeting an 8‑year RHNA of 1,892 units, including a required inventory of sites that can accommodate the region-assigned share of housing for all income levels. HCD’s recent letter confirmed that, with the revisions the council adopted, the city’s programs and sites meet statutory requirements — but HCD cannot issue final certification until the city completes implementing rezones that match the housing inventory.

What the council approved: The revisions added technical edits, clarified findings about non‑vacant sites included in the inventory, expanded programs addressing fair housing (including housing mobility and reasonable-accommodation procedures) and codified implementation timelines. Staff and Good City Company, the city’s consultant, told the council that the changes do not alter the site inventory’s unit capacity. HCD had asked the city to add explicit language stating that certain sites would permit by‑right (“by‑right” or “by–right”) development if at least 20 percent of units on a given site are affordable to low-income households; staff said the sites already met that affordability threshold.

Public comment and cultural-site concerns: Dozens of residents and representatives of arts organizations spoke during public comment, both in favor of the housing element and urging protections for community assets. Speakers representing Sanchez Art Center and the Mildred Owen Concert Hall asked the council to preserve the campus and to ensure any future development vision retained the arts facilities and playing fields. Staff and the city attorney said the Sanchez Arts Center parcel is city-owned and that an RFP or surplus‑land process for a city parcel gives the council greater discretion than a private‑owner, by‑right development — the council can set a vision (for example, to retain arts space) and include it in developer selection criteria.

HCD engagement and next steps: HCD provided written guidance and requested technical edits; staff worked with Good City Company to incorporate those edits. The revised housing element package and an associated timeline now put the city on a path to complete targeted rezones and related CEQA (environmental review) work. Staff said they will present a rezoning package and a zoning modernization plan to the council; the rezoning and CEQA steps must be completed for HCD certification to be final. Councilmembers stressed the importance of completing the rezoning and pair it with objective design standards and engagement on public‑site visions.

Timeline and legal context: Staff noted that the housing element includes a “mid‑cycle review” commitment and explicit findings to support listing non‑vacant sites (such as school or public‑facility parcels) in the inventory. The adopted negative declaration (CEQA) from January 2024 remains the city’s environmental clearance for the housing element; staff said the current revisions do not require further environmental review but that rezoning and CEQA related to the targeted rezone will be completed as a separate, related action. Council approved staff recommendations and added the suggested findings and technical corrections.

Votes at a glance: Adopt revised 2023–2031 housing element (amendments as noted) — outcome: approved unanimously (motion by Councilmember Wright; second by Mayor Beckmeyer, roll call unanimous).