Appeal of 4 apartments north Palmetto Avenue, Coastal Commission

Appeal of 4 apartments the City approved, 4000 block of  Palmetto Avenue, Coastal Commission Hearing, Santa Rosa, Wednesday, 4/13/16

Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, Staff Writer, 4/6/16.  "Appeal heard on Palmetto project."

Ocean side  

Hill side

"The California Coastal Commission will determine next Wednesday (4/13/16) if there is 'substantial issue' with the city’s approval of apartment units on the 4000 block of Palmetto Avenue. Victor Carmichael, Hal Bohner and the Committee to Save the Fish and Bowl appealed City Council’s approval of four detached 450-square-foot apartments on a vacant lot. The project was designed and brought through the city’s planning process by David Blackman and Michael O’Connell.  

'I think it is very likely they will find there to be a substantial issue,' Bohner said. 'In fact, in August 2015, the staff recommended a finding of substantial issue. There is a strong connection between the present project and the project proposed in the Fish and Bowl of about 10 years ago. The Commission denied a permit application for that project.'

....  Stephanie Rexing, a district supervisor for the North Central Coast District Office of the Coastal Commission confirmed this appeal hearing will be held Apr. 13, on the first day of a three day schedule in Santa Rosa. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. but no one knows when this case will be heard. Viewers may tune into a live stream through the Coastal Commission website.

Palmetto Avenue

43 units approved, 2002

'This hearing will determine if substantial issue can be found with the project the city approved. Then a hearing will follow. Various staff members visited the site. The commissioners can decide to take jurisdiction on that or the city’s decision will stand. If they do, they will make their own determination. There are various options – approve the project as is, which is unlikely, approve it with conditions or deny it,' she said. ...'  Read article.

Reference, California Coastal Commission, the Appeal.  California Coastal Commission, see North Central Coast District, Item #16, Consent Calendar. New Appeal No. A-2-PAC-15-0046 (Blackman/O'Connell, Pacifica), pdf pages 292.  "Appeal by Victor Carmichael, The Committee to Save the Fish and Bowl and Hal Bohner of City of Pacifica decision granting permit with conditions to David Blackman and Mike O'Connell for construction of 4 detached 450 sq.ft. apartment units on vacant lot, on 4000 block of Palmetto Ave., Pacifica, San Mateo County. (PF-SF)."

Reference, California Coastal Commission, the Hearing.  California Coastal Commission Agenda and Live Stream, North Central Coast District, Item # 16, see Agenda Categories, New Appeals. from Agenda Categories.  "NEW APPEALS. (Note: This agenda item requires an initial determination of whether the appeal raises a 'substantial issue' and may not include a de novo public hearing on the merits of the project.) When staff recommends 'substantial issue,' a public hearing on the question will only be held if 3 or more Commissioners ask for it. If three Commissioners do not request a hearing on 'substantial issue' the matter automatically proceeds to de novo public hearing either at this or a later Commission meeting. If staff recommends 'no substantial issue,' public testimony will be taken only on the question whether the appeal raises a 'substantial issue.' Generally and at the discretion of the Chair, testimony is limited to 3 minutes total per side. If the Commission finds "substantial issue" and there is no staff recommendation on the merits of the project, the de novo hearing will be scheduled for a subsequent meeting."  California Coastal Commission, Appeal Staff Report, 7/31/15, pdf pages 216.  Applicant's response to the Coastal Commission with regard to Appellant's charges, see pages 205-208.

Related, City of Pacifica.  City Council meeting, 6/22/15, Minutes, pages 36: Item 9, Appeal Hearing pages 9-20, "approved as conditioned".  City Council Agenda, 6/22/15, see Item 9.  Appeal Planning Commission approval of four (4) detached studio apartments, vacant lot in the 4000 block of Palmetto Avenue (APN: 009-402-270).   Planning Commission appeal 5/28/15, The Committee to Save the Fish and Bowl 2.0.  

Note photographs of the 4000 block of Palmetto Avenue. Left. Road by Google from RedFin. "4000 Palmetto Ave is vacant land in Pacifica, CA 94044. This vacant land is a 7.7 acre lot. Nearby schools include Franklin Delano Roosevelt Elementary School, Ocean Shore Elementary School and Sunset Ridge Elementary School." Seaweed from Trulia.   Right. Hill from LoopNet,  4000 Palmetto Ave., Pacifica, CA, 94044. Covered sand dunes/road same location, a LoopNet face page image only. "This area of land is beautifully located on the coast with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. The City of Pacifica had, in 2002, approved the development of up to 43 residential units (19 single family detached homes and 24 townhouses.) Due to the Coastal Commission Wetland requirements, there may be a restriction on the total amount of buildable units."   

Posted by Kathy Meeh