So What's the Basic Issue?

A local developer wants to build a large, 102 room hotel to be run by Hyatt, on the triangle of land across from the fire station, plus up to 16 townhomes just north of there. The problem is the height of the buildings – 34 feet tall, running for 500 feet along the highway – it will block the views of hills and ridgelines that we see now every day as we drive, bike and walk past there.

Is there a Legal Issue at Play?

City code and regulations control what can be built on any particular piece of land. This 5 acres is right next to Highway 1, which is officially designated as a “Scenic Corridor”. What we can see as we drive up and down Highway 1 has special legal protections, simply because it is part of what makes this place special. In this case, specifically, the views towards and of the gorgeous rolling hills to the east all the way up to the ridgelines. So, there is a strong legal basis for objecting to the height and size of this very large project.

Why do Views Matter?

HMB's identity is intertwined with it's beauty and rural personality, not only for everyone's enjoyment but for our economic viability.

Won't we get more revenue from a new hotel?

The current occupancy rate for Coastside hotels is only 55-60%.  We do not need another large hotel . There is plenty of excess capacity. Another hotel will only draw from other existing hotels, not add significantly to the overall numbers and tax revenue.

Shouldn't someone be able to develop their land?

Yes they should!  And we fully support the landowner's right to build on their land.  But the development must follow the laws of the land and build within the height restrictions of view corriders.  The current hotel design far exceeds that lawful height.

What's going on with this project?

This project has been in the works for eight years. Initially proposed at 148 rooms, it was even bigger and more intrusive than the current 102 room plan, but then 16 townhomes got data added on. The downsizing from 148 to 102 rooms was in response to sustained public pressure, but the project is still 34 feet tall and over 500 feet long, blocking views of the hills which are legally protected in City code.

What's at stake?

Not only would this new hotel and townhomes permanently block our views of the background hills, and increase traffic in the area, if approved at this size it would be at odds with Planning regulations.  To make matters worse, this would be used as precedent for the next oversized and inappropriate development somewhere in town, you can count on that.

Some change and growth in Half Moon Bay is inevitable, but it needs to be managed sensibly and reasonably, and it must be done in accordance with existing laws. The laws, rules and regulations were put in place specifically to preserve the unique and beautiful nature of our surroundings. The laws reflect our values, and must be respected and followed.

We are not saying that the developer must leave the land empty – he has a right to develop his property, but any development must conform to all existing rules and regulations. And this project very clearly does not.

What can we do?

The required Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) was released on August 2, 2024, with a public hearing scheduled in front of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission August 13, 2024, 6 PM. That’s a really tight timeline to review a 600 page document, and to have people start making decisions about it. It’s possible that the Planning Commission could approve the project that quickly, but if the public speaks up, that’s less likely.

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• Educate yourself about the project and this whole process with the information on our website.  And we can help with that if you join our email list.  Write to us at:  KeepHMBscenic@gmail.com.

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• Plan to attend the Planning Commission meeting on August 13. There will be an opportunity for public comment, probably two or three minutes per person. Make your opinion known!

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• Send an email to the City with your opinion about this project:  HyattHotel@HMBCity.com