Build Our School Now- Initiative Summary

The initiative proposes to amend the Wavecrest Village Draft Specific Plan and City of Half Moon Bay Land Use Plan to change the location where a new middle school and new school facilities may be constructed. The Wavecrest Draft Specific Plan, approved by the City and currently under submission to the California Coastal Commission, includes a middle school that would be located in the Wavecrest Village. The initiative proposes to eliminate references in the Wavecrest Village Draft Specific Plan to the middle school. In addition, the initiative would add a new Chapter 11 to the Local Coastal Land Use Plan entitled "Centrally Located Downtown Core." Chapter 11 would add two new, specific policies to the Local Coastal Land Use Plan that would prohibit the construction of any new school of school facility west of Highway 1, and permit construction of any new middle school in the centrally located downtown core of the City.

The text of the proposed Local Coastal Land Use Plan amendment and the Findings and Purpose sections of the initiative explain that a vital civic goal for Half Moon Bay is to have a pedestrian-friendly, centrally located downtown core. The initiative states that a centrally located downtown core limits traffic congestion, reduces pollution, encourages foot traffic and supports the integration of services and the community. The initiative points out that maintaining a pedestrian-friendly downtown core will also preserve the natural beauty of the City, safeguard public views, sensitive habitat, wetlands, streams and other coastal resources upon which the City's visitor service economy depends. The initiative says that an important part of the pedestrian-friendly downtown core includes the Cunha Middle School and its students. The initiative explains that the school and its students contribute to and benefit from interaction with the community that results from the school's downtown location.

Pursuant to section 9203 of the California Elections Code, I have prepared the following title and summary of the proposed initiative ballot measure submitted on June 19, 2003 by Lisa Hinshelwood, Leslie McCarthy and Sonja Myhre.

This summary is not a legal analysis of the proposed initiative. If the proposed initiative qualifies for placement on the ballot, pursuant to section 9280 of the California Elections Code, the City Council may direct the City Attorney to prepare an impartial legal analysis of the effect of the measure on existing law.

Adam U Lindgren, HMB City Attorney
23 June 2003