July 30, 2025: Rezoning Program at City Council

On Monday, August 11, 2025, at 7:00 PM, the City Council will hold a public hearing and consider the Rezoning Program, which includes the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), General Plan and Zoning Ordinance text amendments (including the creation of new land use and zoning designations), as well as amendments to the General Plan and Zoning maps.

In accordance with the adopted 6th Cycle Housing Element, the City is required to rezone specific sites to accommodate Pacifica’s share of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation. This rezoning is a necessary step for the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to certify the Housing Element and confirm that it is in substantial compliance with State law.

The staff report and draft Rezoning Program will be available here under the August 11 City Council agenda at least 72 hours before the meeting, and other project documents are available on Plan Pacifica. For answers to common questions about the Housing Element Rezoning Program & the Sanchez Art Center, please see the General FAQs

We encourage all interested to attend and participate.

July 3, 2025: Planning Commission Meeting for Housing Element - Draft Rezoning Program

The City of Pacifica Planning Commission will continue its discussion of the Housing Element Rezoning Program at a public hearing on Monday, July 7, 2025 at 7:00 PM. This meeting is a continuation of the Commission’s May 19, 2025 and June 2, 2025 public hearing and will further address proposed zoning amendments and objective development standards to implement Program HE-I-1 of the City’s adopted 2023–2031 Housing Element.

Additional meeting materials are available here and other project documents are available on Plan Pacifica. For answers to common questions about the Housing Element Rezoning Program & the Sanchez Art Center, please see the FAQs: General FAQs & Sanchez Art Center FAQs.

June 2, 2025: Planning Commission Meeting for Housing Element - Draft Rezoning Program

The City of Pacifica Planning Commission will continue the discussion of the Housing Element Rezoning Program at its upcoming meeting on Monday, June 2, 2025 at 7:00 pm. This continued public hearing will build on the Commission’s May 19 deliberations and focus on proposed zoning amendments and objective development standards to implement program HE-I-1 of the City’s adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element. Additional meeting materials are available here and other project documents are available on Plan Pacifica.

May 19, 2025: Housing Element - Draft Rezoning Program Available (updated from May 16)

The Rezoning Program includes the EIR, General Plan and Zoning Ordinance text amendments (including the creation of new land use and zoning designations), and amendments to the General Plan and Zoning maps.  

Per the adopted 6th Cycle Housing Element, the City must next rezone the sites identified to accommodate Pacifica’s share of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation. This step is necessary for HCD to find the Housing Element in substantial compliance with State law and certify the Housing Element. More information is available in the Rezoning Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

The issue is slated to go before the Planning Commission Monday, May 19, for review and a recommendation to the City Council. Staff anticipates bringing the Rezoning Program to Council in late June. The agenda is available here: https://pacificacityca.iqm2.com//Citizens/detail_meeting.aspx?ID=1706

The draft Final EIR and Response to Comments, and Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting Program related to the Housing Element Rezoning are also posted on Plan Pacifica’s Project Document page. 

March 21st, 2025: Housing Element and Local Coastal Land Use Plan

It’s been an exciting week for the City of Pacifica as we continue to make significant progress on major planning initiatives. 

Housing Element: On March 19, the City received a letter from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) finding that the revised draft Housing Element, which is being considered by City Council on Monday, March 24, meets the statutory requirements of State Housing Element Law. The City will still need to complete necessary rezonings before the Housing Element can be found in substantial compliance and be certified by HCD. You can read the letter here under “Housing Element Update,” and read the related staff report under the City Council’s March 24, 2025, hearing agenda.

Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP): The City of Pacifica submitted the Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) Revised Certification Draft to the California Coastal Commission (CCC) for review and certification on March 21, 2025. The LCLUP Revised Certification Draft incorporates comprehensive revisions and modifications resulting from eleven community engagement meetings, continuous communication with CCC staff and other key community stakeholders, and the introduction of the Special Shoreline Resilience Areas. You can view the submittal here, under Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP). Thank you to all of our outstanding community members for their involvement over the course of this process to bring us closer to CCC certification! 

Update #5 – February 14, 2025: Housing Element.

On February 14, 2025:

The Community Development Department transmitted the draft updates to the City of Pacifica’s 6th Cycle 2023-2031 Housing Element to California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review. This is the critical next step in certifying our Housing Element. 

You can find the City’s submittal and response to HCD’s comments, along with the public review draft of the changes, on the Plan Pacific Project Documents page under “Housing Element Update.”

 Following HCD’s review, the Public Review Draft will be represented to the City Council for review and adoption consideration, where there will be further opportunities for comment. To complete the Housing Element process, the Housing Element requires both State certification and City Council approval. Pacifica will also need to complete the rezoning associated with adopted Housing Element prior to obtaining State certification. That process is currently underway – the City is preparing the Response to Comments and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which will be brought first to Planning Commission, then to City Council, along with the proposed General Plan amendments and rezoning ordinance for consideration.

Update #4 – February 2025: Housing Element.

The Public Review Draft of the Revised City of Pacifica 2023-2031 Housing Element is now available for review. As a companion, we’ve also posted a Summary of Housing Elements Revisions to highlight what’s changed and why. These documents can also be found via the webpage at https://www.planpacifica.org/project-docs. Please direct comments to Housing@pacifica.gov. 

The Community Development Department has completed the draft updates to the City of Pacifica 2023-2031 Housing Element, which was adopted last year. This is the critical next step for the Housing Element to receive certification by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The revisions are based on HCD’s formal comments, dated March 29, 2024, and subsequent additional guidance. 

This Public Review Draft contains the revisions and is scheduled to be sent to HCD on February 14, 2025, to initiate formal certification review. Prior to making the formal submittal to HCD, a seven-day review period following State requirements is open, from February 7, 2025 to February 14, 2025, where comments can be submitted. The next step following the submittal to HCD is scheduling the Public Review Draft for review and adoption consideration by the City Council, where there will be further opportunities for comment.  

To complete the Housing Element process, the Housing Element requires both State certification and City Council approval. Pacifica will also need to complete the rezoning associated with adopted Housing Element prior to obtaining State certification. That process is currently underway – the City is preparing the Response to Comments and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which will be brought first to Planning Commission, then to City Council, along with the proposed General Plan amendments and rezoning ordinance for consideration.   

Background: On January 26, 2024, the City adopted its most recent Housing Element and submitted the document to the California Department of HCD to initiate review for State certification. Since receiving comments from HCD on March 29, 2024, the City has been working with HCD on draft refinements required for certification. 

Update #3 – January 2025: Housing Element.

The City Council extended the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Housing Element Targeted General Plan Amendments, Rezoning, and Objective Design Standards. Public comments are due by 5 PM on Monday, February 3, 2025.

Please see the January 2025 updates below for information on accessing the Draft EIR (in person and online) and submitting comments at the public comment meeting on January 14, 2025, and in writing.

Update #2 – January 2025: Housing Element Public Meeting for Comments

The City will hold a public meeting to receive comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Housing Element Targeted General Plan Amendments, Rezoning, and Objective Design Standards.

• Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025

• Time: 6:00 p.m.

• Format: Virtual (no physical location)

The meeting will be held virtually with no physical location. To join, click the link below or paste it into your web browser: https://dyettandbhatia.zoom.us/meeting/register/FC9TEJ-xRoWyfEq8LlXzqg

The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is available for public review at the following locations:

1. Community Development Department
   1800 Francisco Boulevard, Pacifica, CA 94044
   During regular business hours.

2. Public Libraries in Pacifica

   • Sharp Park Library: 104 Hilton Way

   • Sanchez Library: 1111 Terra Nova Boulevard

Additionally, the Draft EIR can be accessed online at:
www.planpacifica.org/project-docs 
(Under the section "Housing Element Targeted General Plan Amendments, Rezoning, and Objective Design Standards")

Update January 2025: Housing Element. The California Department of Housing and Development (HCD) has been conducting review of the Housing Element and continually coordinating with staff on draft refinements required for certification. A public review draft of the revised Housing Element incorporating all of the refinements will be published for public review and resubmitted to HCD for formal certification review in early 2025. The revised Housing Element will be brought to City Council for review and adoption consideration following preparation of the public review draft.

Rezoning. The City is also preparing a rezoning program for sites identified in the sites inventory of the Housing Element as required for Housing Element program implementation (Program HE-I-1) and for a certified Housing Element. The program will establish the regulatory framework and standards that need to be in place to provide for new development at Housing Element sites. The tasks include targeted General Plan amendments, municipal code amendments, rezoning, and objective development standards.

A Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared for the rezoning program and was released on December 13, 2024, with a public review period for EIR comments ending on February 3, 2025, at 5 PM (extended by City Council) January 26, 2025. The City will also hold a public meeting to receive comments on the Draft EIR on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.. The meeting will be held virtually, with no physical location. The rezoning program and EIR will be brought for adoption consideration after completion of the draft rezoning program documents and preparation of the Final EIR.

The Draft EIR is available for public review in person at the Community Development Department located at 1800 Francisco Boulevard in Pacifica, California 94044, during business hours. The Draft EIR is also available at both libraries within the City of Pacifica: Sharp Park Library (104 Hilton Way) and Sanchez Library (1111 Terra Nova Boulevard), or available online at www.planpacifica.org/project-docs under “Housing Element Targeted General Plan Amendments, Rezoning, and Objective Design Standards.”Update January 29, 2024: The City Council adopted the 2023-2031 Housing Element on January 22, 2024. This marks an important milestone in Pacifica’s Housing Element Update process. The adopted Housing Element incorporated significant revisions to reflect direction from the City Council and Planning Commission, and to address comments from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The City transmitted the adopted Housing Element to HCD on January 26, which starts a 60-day review period related to obtaining HCD certification.

Update December 6, 2023: We appreciate everybody’s participation in last night’s community meeting on the Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) update. Over 160 community members gathered to learn more about potential alternative modifications the City can propose to the California Coastal Commission in relation to development in the Rockaway Beach and West Sharp Park neighborhoods. The meeting materials, including staff report, staff presentation slides, and meeting video are available on the Project Documents page.

Update November 20, 2023: The City is hosting a Community Roundtable on Local Coastal Land Use Plan Update on Tuesday, December 5. The event is intended to be an opportunity for all community members to share their input on Pacifica's Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) Update. In small group format, attendees will discuss potential alternative modifications to the City’s Certification Draft LCLUP than those presented by California Coastal Commission (CCC) staff in March 2023. The potential alternatives will serve as the basis for the City's formal response letter to the CCC to be considered by City Council in early 2024.

The event is open to all. Dinner and childcare are available with registration. Childcare drop-off begins at 5:00 PM. Registration for childcare must be received by Friday, December 1 at 12:00 PM. To RSVP, please visit PacificaRoundtable.eventbrite.com.

Additional information including the Certification Draft LCLUP document are available on the Project Documents page of the Plan Pacifica website.

Update November 16, 2023: The City is requesting comments on the Housing Element Update Project's Initial Study (IS), which evaluated the potential environmental impacts of the Project. Based on the results of the IS, it has been determined that the Project would not have a significant effect on the environment and an Environmental Impact Report is not required. The City has thus prepared a Negative Declaration (ND), which can be viewed here.

The comment period is now open, and all input from interested persons is welcome through 5:00 PM Monday, December 18, 2023. All comments must be in writing and include the commenter's name, address, and telephone number with your comment.

Send comments to the following address: Christian Murdock, AICP, Director of Planning, City of Pacifica Planning Department, 540 Crespi Drive, Pacifica, California 94044. Or email housing@pacifica.gov.

If you would like more information, please read the Notice of Intent or contact Senior Planner Brianne Harkousha at bharkousha@pacifica.gov.

Update November 13, 2023: On Monday, November 13, the Pacifica City Council held a study session to receive an informational presentation and respond to questions regarding the March 2023 California Coastal Commission staff-suggested modifications to the City’s Draft Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP). View the staff report here.

Update October 10, 2023: On Monday, October 16 at 7:00 PM the Pacifica City Council and Planning Commission will continue the September 25 joint study session to consider and provide direction to staff on the Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element of the General Plan. The agenda will be published here.

Update October 6, 2023: On Monday, October 9 at 7:00 PM the Pacifica City Council will receive an update regarding the Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) certification process, as well as discuss the incorporation of 2040 General Plan consistency revisions into the existing Certification Draft LCLUP. View the staff report here.

Update September 22, 2023:On Monday, September 25 at 7:00 PM the Pacifica City Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint study session to consider and provide direction on the Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element of the General Plan. The agenda is available here.

Update August 8, 2023: The Plan Pacifica team received the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) comment letter on the Draft Housing Element. View the letter here.

Update August 4, 2023: The Plan Pacifica team hosted a virtual scoping meeting for the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) being prepared for the Pacifica Housing Element Targeted General Plan Amendments and Rezoning Program (6th Cycle.

• Read the Notice of Preparation (NOP) - Public comments due by August 9, 2023.

• View the EIR Scoping meeting held on August 1, 2023.

• View the EIR Scoping Presentation from the meeting on August 1, 2023.

Update August 1, 2023: A virtual Scoping Meeting to gather public input on the EIR process will be held at 6 PM on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Register to attend the Scoping Meeting. The comment period for the scope and content of the 6th Cycle Housing Element EIR will remain open until 7:30 PM Wednesday, August 9. If you would like more information, please read the NOP or contact Senior Planner Brianne Harkousha at bharkousha@pacifica.gov.

Update July 11, 2023: The City is requesting your comments on the scope and content of the Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) being prepared for the Pacifica Housing Element Targeted General Plan Amendments and Rezoning Program (6th Cycle). The EIR is necessary to evaluate potential environmental impacts of the proposed project which would make General Plan and zoning amendments necessary to accommodate an additional 1,612 housing units in Pacifica as required by state law.

The comment period is now open, and we invite any and all input from interested persons through 7:30 PM Wednesday, August 9, 2023.  You can review the full Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the EIR on the Planning Department’s Environmental Documents webpage.

A virtual Scoping Meeting to gather public input on the EIR process will be held at 6 PM on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Register to attend the Scoping Meeting.

If you would like more information, please read the NOP or contact Senior Planner Brianne Harkousha at bharkousha@pacifica.gov.

Update February 24, 2023: The City of Pacifica is pleased to announce release of the Housing Element Public Review Draft available on the Project Documents page. The Public Review Draft is available in a single, combined file with all appendices and attachments and includes a hyperlinked table of contents to ease navigation of the document. It is also available in a standalone main chapter with separate links to each appendix, which results in a smaller file size that may be easier to manage for some readers.

The public comment period ends at 5 PM on Monday, March 27, 2023. Comments can be emailed to housing@pacifica.gov or mailed/delivered to City of Pacifica, Attn: Planning Dept., 540 Crespi Dr., Pacifica, CA 94044.

The City will also host a joint City Council-Planning Commission study session to provide an additional public comment opportunity. The study session will be held at 6 PM on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in the Council Chambers at 2212 Beach Boulevard in Pacifica.

Update October 24, 2022: Please join us for one of two upcoming community meetings on the Housing Element update. On 10/25 (Cabrillo Elementary) and 11/1 (Sunset Ridge Elementary), the City will host discussions of the strategies used to identify sites where new housing can be constructed. Doors open at 6 PM with the meeting starting at 6:30 PM. The meetings will have free dinner and child care (ages 3+). The content of both meetings will be the same.

More information on the Housing Element page. RSVPs strongly encouraged.

Update September 1, 2022: The City Council adopted the Sharp Park Specific Plan on August 31, 2022! The Council’s adoption was the result of more than three years of work by the community and City staff. Our next step is to work on California Coastal Commission certification of the Sharp Park Specific Plan so it can take effect in the Coastal Zone.

Update August 26, 2022: The City Council will hold a special meeting at 6 PM on Wednesday, August 31, to consider adoption of the Sharp Park Specific Plan (meeting agenda). The meeting will occur as a teleconference meeting via Zoom. The City Council will receive oral public comment at this meeting and may not accept additional oral public comment at any subsequent hearing on this item. Please be sure to attend the meeting to provide your comments or submit them in advance to publiccomment@pacifica.gov.

Update August 15, 2022: The Planning Commission, after five substantive hearings and multiple public comment opportunities, recommended City Council approval of the Sharp Park Specific Plan. Review the August 2022 version of the Sharp Park Specific Plan, inclusive of all Planning Commission recommendations, on the Project Documents page.

Update August 12, 2022: The City’s work to achieve California Coastal Commission (CC) certification of the Certification Draft Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) approved by the City Council in February 2020 continues. Today, the City reached an important milestone in that effort when CCC staff accepted the City’s application as filed. Now CCC staff will transition from preliminary review of the City’s submittal to a formal review of the content of that submittal that will culminate in a written recommendation to the CCC at a public hearing. The timing of the public hearing is unknown at this time, although under state law the CCC must conduct the hearing within 90 days of an application being filed unless an extension is granted.

Update July 11, 2022: The City Council adopted the General Plan Update! City staff is working to incorporate all City Council-directed revisions and will post a final version on the Project Documents page as soon as it is ready.

Update June 23, 2022: The Planning Commission will meet this evening, June 23 at 7 PM to continue its consideration of the Sharp Park Specific Plan (SPSP). The City Council will meet on Saturday, June 25 at 9 AM to consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve the General Plan Update and certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

The City Council plans to receive all oral public comment at the June 25 public hearing. It does not intend to receive additional oral public comment at any future public hearing(s) on the General Plan Update except as required by law. Therefore, if you plan to provide oral public comments, please plan to provide them at the June 25 meeting. Written public comments may be submitted at any time to publiccomment@pacifica.gov and will be made part of the written record. Additional oral and written public comment opportunities will be available prior to City Council consideration of the SPSP.

Update June 16, 2022: The Planning Commission held two hearings - June 6 and June 11 - to consider the General Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The Commission recommended City Council certification of the Final EIR and approval of the General Plan with certain changes to the Economic Sustainability Element (Chapter 2), Community Design Element (Chapter 3), Land Use Element (Chapter 4), Circulation Element (Chapter 5), Open Space and Community Facilities Element (Chapter 6), Conservation Element (Chapter 7), Safety Element (Chapter 8), and Glossary and List of Acronyms.

The Planning Commission will continue the hearing process on Monday, June 20 to consider the Sharp Park Specific Plan (SPSP). The City Council will hold a public hearing on Saturday, June 25 at 9 AM to consider certification of the Final EIR and adoption of the General Plan. A hearing date for City Council consideration of the SPSP will be announced once the Planning Commission concludes its recommendation on that plan.

Update May 31, 2022: The City has shifted the date for Planning Commission consideration of the General Plan update, Sharp Park Specific Plan, and the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to Monday, June 6. The change in date will provide more than 10 days between release of the updated documents and the first Planning Commission public hearing. The City is aware of an automated reminder message recently sent out to some recipients on our Plan Pacifica interest list that mirrored an earlier communication sent on May 26. We apologize for any inconvenience and reiterate that the Planning Commission will convene on June 6.

Update May 26, 2022: The Plan Pacifica process is entering the final phase. After numerous years of work, the City will hold hearings to consider the adoption of a comprehensive update to the General Plan and the adoption of a new Sharp Park Specific Plan. The first of these meetings will take place on Wednesday, June 1 where the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to consider the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and the Response to Comments (RTC). The meeting on June 1 will be virtual on Zoom. Note that previous public notices had indicated an in-person meeting. The meeting location will now be virtual on Zoom.

 Please click here for the agenda, staff report, and link to join the meeting.

The Plan Pacifica process will replace the City’s existing General Plan, last comprehensively updated in 1980. The needs of our community have evolved and new challenges have emerged in the past 40+ years since adoption of the current General Plan. The General Plan update will provide the City with new information and tools to address the challenges of the next 20 years. A new Sharp Park Specific Plan will also provide focused land use, transportation, and other policies to realize a revitalized Sharp Park neighborhood.

The Planning Commission will consider the General Plan update and Sharp Park Specific Plan, including a final environmental impact report (EIR) prepared to assess potential environmental impacts from the plans, before making a recommendation to the City Council on whether to approve the plans. The Planning Commission plans to receive all oral public comment at the June 1 public hearing. If the Planning Commission does not complete its consideration of the documents on June 1, and the item needs to be continued to a future meeting date, note that public comments will not be allowed at the continued public hearing(s) except as required by law. Therefore, if you plan to provide verbal public comments, please plan to provide them at the June 1 meeting. Written public comments may be submitted at any time to publiccomment@pacifica.gov and will be made part of the written record. Comments submitted by 12 PM on the hearing date will also be provided to Planning Commissioners prior to the hearing. Additional verbal and written public comment opportunities will be available prior to City Council consideration of these items.

The City encourages those interested in the Plan Pacifica process to subscribe to our mailing list in order to receive additional updates.

Update February 14, 2022: The Pacifica City Council has extended the public comment period on the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) evaluating the General Plan Update and Sharp Park Specific Plan to 5 PM on March 8, 2022. This 15-day extension provides the public additional time to evaluate the draft EIR and offer substantive comments for the City’s consideration. Review the draft EIR and other Plan Pacifica documents on the Project Documents page.

Update January 7, 2022: The City of Pacifica has released public review drafts of the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), General Plan Update, and Sharp Park Specific Plan. Review them on the Project Documents page. Learn more in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about this important milestone in the Plan Pacifica process.

What could Sharp Park look like in the future? Take a look at new visualizations or go on a virtual walk down Palmetto Avenue here!