Pacifica council approves 19‑unit Crespi Drive mixed‑use project over wetland objections, 3–2

The Pacifica City Council on Dec. 2 approved a package of six actions to advance a long‑running mixed‑use project at 570 Crespi Drive, voting 3–2 to adopt planning permits and to approve a purchase‑and‑sale agreement for the adjacent city parcel.

Samantha Updegrave, the city’s community development director, told the council the proposal includes three buildings totaling about 43,700 square feet with 19 homes (three below‑market‑rate), roughly 3,165 square feet of commercial space, 47 on‑site parking spaces and about 1,600 square feet of usable open space; staff recommended approving the EIR, a general‑plan amendment, rezoning, a development agreement and the planning permits so the project can move forward. “Staff does recommend approval of the six actions before council,” Updegrave said during the presentation.

The project has been in various forms since 2016 and was the subject of a formal EIR process this year. Rainey Planning consultant Rod Stinson said the county and state agencies reviewed the draft and recirculated the biological chapter after comments from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Stinson said the EIR found most biological and other impacts could be reduced with mitigation, but vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse‑gas emissions would remain “significant and unavoidable” after feasible…