Council approves transfer of 20 downtown Measure D allocations to projects outside downtown

The Half Moon Bay City Council voted to transfer 20 remaining downtown base Measure D allocations to projects outside the downtown area, using the scoring system the Planning Commission ratified in March.

Staff told the council that Measure D manages growth by allocating an annual percentage of new dwelling units and that only remaining downtown base allocations are eligible for transfer after September. Planning staff recommended prioritizing transfers based on the initial application checklist scoring, saying the method encapsulates criteria the council typically considers.

Assistant planner and staff explained that 67 total allocations equaled 1.5% population growth for the year, 22 base allocations were for downtown, and three downtown allocations had been issued; 20 remained eligible for transfer. The Planning Commission had recommended approval of available transfers and singled out two applicants for priority because of partial award and narrow margin.

Public speakers urged the council to consider ADUs and infill as means to add housing; Tim Pond and others stressed that some parcels near downtown fell outside the defined downtown map and questioned distance-based scoring. Staff responded that some applicants did not request transfers and that site-specific development applications varied.

Councilmember Naggingast moved to adopt a resolution approving the transfers prioritized by the application's scoring checklist; the motion passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.

Staff said the next Measure D update will come to council in December, when annual allocations and any administrative changes will be discussed, and that a new application period will open in January 2026 for deferred or new applicants.