Pacifica planning commission continues housing-element rezoning deliberations; seeks stronger protections for Sanchez Art Center and asks staff for redlined rez

The Pacifica Planning Commission on June 2 continued its public hearing and deliberations on the city’s housing element rezoning program, the associated environmental impact report (EIR) and a package of zoning and general-plan amendments implementing the 2023–2031 housing element. Commissioners asked staff to return with a redlined draft that reflects the changes discussed at the meeting and requested additional legal and technical analysis on several items, including which sites must be eligible for by‑right development under state law, how to measure building height on steeply sloped sites, and language that would ensure the Sanchez Art Center and associated park uses are preserved or integrated in future redevelopment.

Staff presentation and purpose City staff described the rezoning program as the implementation step that aligns zoning and the general plan to meet Pacifica’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) and the requirements of state housing law. The program would rezone identified sites, establish new mixed‑use and higher‑density residential districts and set objective development standards to streamline housing projects consistent with state requirements.

City Attorney and staff legal review Commissioners asked the city attorney and staff to research whether particular shortfall sites identified for lower‑income RHNA must be rezoned to allow by‑right (ministerial) housing under state law. Staff said they would follow planning‑commission direction to remove by‑right designations for some sites and…