Half Moon Bay council frames fiscal-year priorities after public pushes for pool, housing and flood fixes

Half Moon Bay’s city council met in a priority-setting session that combined staff briefings on recent accomplishments and the budget with an extended public-comment period that focused on a proposed community pool, neighborhood flooding and housing.

The meeting opened with an overview of the council rules of procedure and a staff report of recent accomplishments. "We fully funded reserves at the city's 50% policy level," said Karen Decker, interim deputy city manager, noting grant wins, new GIS tools and the opening of Stonepine Cove, a 46-unit affordable development.

Administrative Services Director Kenneth Styles told the council that the city expects to end the fiscal year with roughly $12 million in reserves and about $1.6 million in unassigned funds, while the first draft of next year’s budget shows a possible $1.8 million deficit driven by disputed vehicle-fee revenue and other factors. Staff said they are taking a conservative forecasting approach and that an organizational study is under way to improve capacity.

Public commenters repeatedly urged council action on three themes. Parents and community groups asked the council to endorse a community pool or support increased community access to pools for swim lessons and senior programs; advocates said the high school pool rebuild presents a narrow window to secure long-term community access. Multiple residents from the Pullman and Myiar neighborhoods described recurring flooding and erosion along the Pullman watercourse and asked the city to fund bypass designs and feasibility work so homeowners can pursue funding. Downtown merchants and the downtown association called for policies to protect small businesses, including a formula-business ordinance and additional wayfinding and signage to boost downtown activity.

Council members used the public input to identify near-term items for staff to include in a draft work plan: kiosks and wayfinding for downtown, focused stormwater projects (notably Pullman and Kho), clarified pavement and signage maintenance, exploration of sewer/water consolidation, and a monitored role in a proposed community-healthcare district. Several members also said they support pursuing coastal-access and trails funding through a consolidated "coastal access routes" program to make grant applications more competitive.

Mayor Rudd directed staff to assemble the council’s requests and return a draft work plan promptly so it can inform the coming fiscal-year budget, emphasizing there is more work than available staff capacity and that priorities must be realistic. The council did not make any binding financial commitments during the session; members signaled support for next steps such as drafting a short letter of support for a community pool and scoping immediate technical work on key stormwater trouble spots.

What's next: Staff will compile a draft work plan that reflects council direction and the public’s input, then present it for council review as part of the budget process.