Pacifica is eyeing relocating the Sanchez Library to make way for affordable housing.
Pacifica City Council and Planning Commission discussed affordable housing plans for a 2.8-acre site at 1111 Terra Nova Blvd. on Monday, which could possibly relocate the library.
Council members and commissioners considered three options for building housing on the site to meet state criteria for new homes, as an old concrete drainage pipe running through the middle could affect the project. Relocating the pipe could cost the city between $1.2 million and $1.9 million, according to Aaron Aknin, principal of City Good Company.
The first option would keep the library and pipe in place and allow a four-story building with 48 housing units and one parking space per unit, according to Aknin.
The second option would relocate the pipe while preserving the library, allowing a three-story, 63-unit building with 42 parking spaces. The last option would relocate the pipe and build a new library in a mixed-use development with 68 housing units, Aknin said.
Where the pipe is relocated will determine the project cost, Aknin said.
Vice Mayor Greg Wright said removing the library would cause pushback, but he was open to moving it to make room for housing.
“I know there will be a lot of resistance to losing the library, but that doesn’t mean it can’t move,” Wright said.
But Mayor Christine Boles said finding money to rebuild the library would be a hurdle. She said she was saddened that few residents attended the May 9 community outreach meeting and hoped for more efforts to engage the community.
During community outreach, residents said they supported affordable housing but were concerned about how the neighborhood could handle additional traffic, according to Aknin.
Wright said the site would be a prime spot for senior and family housing. He said community engagement will be key to developing the design plans because it will shape the community’s future.
“I don’t want to live in Costco land. I want to live in a community that has character,” Wright said.
Councilwoman Sue Beckmeyer said she wanted to avoid the cost of relocating the pipe and incorporate the surrounding natural environment into the project, rather than build a “big tall box.”
“I think that we can do something very good. Something that looks nice and fits in the community if we’re very intentional about it,” Beckmeyer said.
Commissioner Owen Brizgys said the project could help address the Pacifica School District’s enrollment decline, with Ortega Elementary School located a few hundred feet away.
Community workshops will be held in the coming months and in early 2027.