EIR process continues before planning vote

HMB Review: Greg Thomas (with edits)

Coastsiders and other concerned parties submitted more than 300 comments on the draft report before the comment period closed on Christmas Eve. Those comments are being incorporated into the final report, which county officials have assembled.

The proposed Princeton development calls for a 225,000- square-foot, three-story office park paired with a wellness center for developmentally disabled people on Airport Street, between Half Moon Bay Airport and Pillar Point Air Force Station.

A Big Wave study session, held at the county Planning Commission meeting last week, wraps up the public review process for the draft report. County planners are reportedly working with authors of the report to respond to the concerns raised during the comment period; several public agencies, non-profits, a home owners association, the Midcoast Community Council and individual citizens commented that the report was inadequate and misleading.  Many comments request a Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report be released prior to the EIR.

The process calls for concerns to be addressed before the Planning Commission votes on the project. Originally, the Planning Commission was to vote on the EIR on March 10.

But planners can’t say when the follow-up might be. Camille Leung, head planner for the county on the Big Wave proposal, said late February is a “highly tentative” and “optimistic” date for the release of the final report given the number of comments. A final Planning Commission hearing will follow the release of the final EIR.

Story poles showing the physical stature of the buildings are required to be in place 10 days prior to that hearing.