Half Moon Bay panel approves ALAS mural for downtown headquarters

While commissioners were only tasked with reviewing the location and site compatibility, not the artistic merit of the mural, multiple Planning Commission members voiced their excitement for the design. The mural will wrap around the Purissima Street side of the building and onto the side that borders an on-site parking lot. 

“It seems straightforward to me,” Commissioner Steve Ruddock said. “I’m happy to see the movement around town towards these things. I’m very happy to support this.” 

The mural will join other permanent artwork installations in the Half Moon Bay downtown, like Julie Engelmann’s artwork on the side of the Cunha’s Country Grocery. 

ALAS is well-known in the local community for its programming in support of farmworkers’ basic needs, including food assistance and mental health services, as well as its advocacy for the cultural arts. 

The organization serves roughly 350 families every two weeks, offering free legal consultations, mental health services, a food pantry, after-school tutoring and even a bus, dubbed the equity express, that brings those services out to farmworkers in the fields. ALAS also continues the arts programming that has been a foundational element since the organization’s 2011 inception, like Ballet Folklórico and Mariachi Media Luna. 

Installation of the mural is expected to take approximately two weeks, and the art will be sealed with transparent protective sealant to ensure it will remain unmarred, staff said. Planning commissioners seemed in agreement that the upcoming piece would fulfill its goal of contributing positively to the Purissima Street environment and visual character of the building. 

“I know we’re not supposed to comment on the mural itself, but that’s beautiful,” Commissioner David Gorn said. “I can’t wait to see that.”