Planning commission adopts mitigated negative declaration and approves Phase 1 of Smithfield Park improvements with limit on heritage tree removals

The Half Moon Bay Planning Commission voted 4-0 to adopt a mitigated negative declaration, approve a coastal development permit (PDP 23-054), architectural and site-design review for Phase 1 of improvements to Smithfield Park, and grant a tree-removal permit with an amendment directing staff to reduce heritage-tree removals by 20 percent.

Public Works Director Mas Buzregini told the commission the Phase 1 scope — the only matter before the commission at this hearing — would allow the city to prepare final plans and construct the southern portion of the park improvements. "If approved, the action tonight will allow for the City to move forward with the preparation of final plans and construction of phase 1 of the project, phase 1 only," he said. Phase 1 components described at the hearing included upgrading the existing 2-inch water line to an 8-inch water main, a paved parking lot with striped stalls including seven ADA-compliant spaces, bioretention and stormwater treatment areas, a coastal-trail entry node and removal and replacement plantings to meet a minimum 1:1 replacement requirement.

Staff said the park — located at the west end of Wavecrest Road and used continuously for baseball and other recreation since the mid-1960s — is roughly 30 acres and was acquired by the city in 2012. The city adopted a facilities master plan in 2022 and the current coastal-development-permit application implements part of that plan. Staff also reported that Army Corps of Engineers delineation found no federally jurisdictional wetlands on the site, though the local coastal land-use plan designates sensitive wetland areas and the project includes buffers and stormwater-treatment measures. An environmental consultant and the staff report concluded the project could proceed under a mitigated negative declaration with the proposed mitigation and a monitoring program.

Tree impacts were the most contested technical point. Staff's environmental analysis originally stated that if both phases proceeded, 48 trees would be removed with 35 classified as heritage trees; for Phase 1 only, staff said, 31 trees would be removed with 22 classified as heritage trees. The project's arborist rated about 90 percent of the trees proposed for removal in "fair" condition and about 10 percent in "poor" condition; staff noted options to save additional trees through redesign, or to transplant a limited number of trees, but said clustering and tree health could constrain transplanting.

Public commenters were split. Former Mayor Mike Ferreira presented historical aerial images and urged careful treatment of wetlands and existing development, and the Sierra Club's local chair opposed artificial turf in sensitive areas and asked the commission to eliminate artificial-turf options. Several dog-park users asked the city to preserve existing dog-park amenities and consider a small dog run; Little League and other park users supported waterline and parking improvements, saying the site receives heavy use and that improved irrigation is needed to maintain fields. One local resident, Dr. Luke Gibbons, told commissioners that hawks roost in trees slated for removal and urged saving trees and minimizing parking expansion.

Commissioners discussed the competing priorities of public safety, parking management and tree preservation. Commissioners emphasized that Phase 1 does not approve major field upgrades, lighting or the future dog-park redesign — those items would return under Phase 2 and may require a separate coastal-development permit and updated CEQA analysis. After deliberation Commissioner Hernandez moved to adopt the mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring program and to approve PDP 23-054, with an explicit 20 percent reduction in the removal of heritage trees and instructions to staff to explore additional tree-sparing measures and opportunities to make parking multipurpose (for example, courts overlaid on asphalt when parking demand is low). Chair Reddick seconded the motion; the roll-call vote was unanimous.

Staff told the commission Phase 1 construction could begin as early as 2026 if funding — a combination of a private donor and city funds identified for infrastructure — is finalized. Conditions included the 1:1 replacement planting requirement, the mitigation monitoring and reporting program tied to the MND, and a direction to evaluate tree-health and potential transplant or design adjustments to reduce removals when feasible. Phase 2 elements — including possible field resurfacing, lighting changes, additional parking changes, and dog-park redesign — will be brought back to the commission at a later date and could trigger recirculation or additional CEQA review if plans materially change.

The commission's action formalizes Phase 1 design approval and allows the city to proceed with final plans and construction procurement while preserving discretion to revisit Phase 2 elements and final tree-protection measures.