New owner of Bay City Flowers seeks annexation to Half Moon Bay to restore agricultural use

Daniel Theobald, the recent purchaser of the former Bay City Flowers/Bay City Nurseries property, introduced himself to the council on Oct. 7 and requested the city begin a process to annex the remainder of the roughly 48‑acre site into the city of Half Moon Bay.

Theobald said his intent is to clean up the property, restore it to agricultural use and host programs such as Future Farmers of America, 4‑H and farmworker retraining. He said a portion of the property fronting Highway 1 already lies inside the city boundary and that the property’s local connections to city services make annexation logically consistent.

Letters of support: Theobald read brief excerpts from two letters of support included in his materials. A Ritz‑Carlton representative — cited in Theobald’s remarks — indicated wholehearted support for annexation “due to the property’s intimate connection to services in the city.” The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) also provided a letter saying Midpen is purchasing property adjacent to the Bay City site and supports the proposed annexation.

Next steps: The council did not take action at the meeting; staff and councilmembers indicated the topic would return for further conversation and for the formal annexation process. Theobald said he would bring additional materials and discussions back to the council and public in the future.

Why it matters: Annexation would change the primary municipal regulator for land use (city rather than county) and is a prerequisite for city services and municipal approvals for redevelopment or ag‑use projects on the site. Letters of support from the Ritz‑Carlton and Midpen may influence staff assessment and future environmental and planning review.

Evidence: Remarks by Daniel Theobald at the Oct. 7 council meeting; letters of support excerpted in presentation (Ritz‑Carlton and Midpen referenced).