Half Moon Bay Planning Director to Leave Friday; City Replaces Position with Interim Employee

After working for nearly seven years as the Planning Director for the city of Half Moon Bay, Steve Flint will leave the job on Friday, according to City Manager Laura Snideman.

Flint will be replaced by Interim Planning Director Pat Webb, who was hired as an part-time temporary employee earlier this month. According to Snideman, Webb has worked as a planner in several cities throughout the Peninsula, and on several projects in San Mateo County including the downtown revitalization of Redwood City.

"I'm really excited someone of her caliber and experience has agreed to help us," Snideman said on Tuesday.

Webb's contract with the city began on March 19 and will end no later than July 1. Working 30 hours per week, Webb will be responsible for conducting an organizational analysis of the city planning department and for planning the transition to a permanent director. She will receive $66.85 an hour in compensation. 

Flint's departure comes approximately five weeks after what Snideman described as an "active personnel matter" arose between the planning director and the city. As Flint and city officials have not commented on the matter, the exact nature of the situation is unknown.

In the week before Feb. 20, Snideman allegedly asked Flint for his resignation, according to the Half Moon Bay Review. Snideman nor Flint did not confirm or deny the matter.

In response, many of Flint's colleagues and fellow Half Moon Bay residents at a Feb. 21 city council meeting.

Flint did not not comment on the situation, but his wife Kendall did say that Flint was in discussions with the city in order to resolve the matter. City officials met in closed session to discuss Flint's case over the following weeks.

Locals have speculated that the matter had something to do with settling the Kehoe Ditch lawsuit filed against Half Moon Bay by resident Jimmy Benjamin. The lawsuit resulted in what could be over $1 million in fines against the city for not obtaining a Coastal Development Permit back in 2009 when it hired the California Conservation Corps to clear the area classified as endangered species habitat. Flint was the city's planning director at the time.

Benjamin told the Half Moon Bay Review that he had not pursued a settlement which included Flint's departure as one of the conditions.

Neither Flint nor Snideman commented on the outcome of the discussions between Flint and the city now that his departure has been confirmed.

To see a copy of Webb's contract with the city, click on the PDF document to the media box at right.

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