Proposed Scope of Work for the
Four-Year Review of the
Envision San José 2040 General Plan
City Council
06/03/2025
Item 8.5
Chris Burton, Director
Ruth Cueto, Principal Planner
Why Now?
• Policy IP-2.4 of the General Plan
• Prepare for 7th Cycle Housing Element (HE)
• Maintain 6th Cycle Housing Element compliance
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
2 General Plan
The Envision San José 2040 General
Plan is a comprehensive policy
document that lays the framework
for becoming a fiscally-sound and
environmentally sustainable city of
great places, while also
accommodating 120,000 new
homes and 382,000 new jobs.
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
3 Four-Year Review (Goal IP-2 Major Review)
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
• Evaluate achievement of key goals:
Planned growth and J/ER ratio
Urban Village implementation
Environmental indicators (GHG)
Affordable Housing
• Make “mid-course adjustments”
• Reconvene Envision SJ 2040 Task Force
1st and 2nd Four-Year Review
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
• 1st 4-Year Review (2015/2016)
• 6 Taskforce meetings
• 2nd 4-Year Review (2020/2021)
• 10 taskforce meetings
Proposed Scope of Work
1. Increase Residential Capacity in General Plan(units) • 6th Cycle HE taken up most growth capacity
• Anticipate 7th Cycle RHNA goals
• Implement Housing Element Program P-35 Small Multifamily Housing
• Capacity for future Urban Villages
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
6 Proposed Scope of Work, cont’d
2. Modify Urban Village Implementation Strategy
• Policy changes to implement HE Program P-40 Evaluate
Urban Village Planning Process
• March Budget Message (MBM) Direction:
• “Expanding our growth areas to where there is current market demand for housing and employment uses, except in areas with immitigable Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) impacts.”
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
7 Proposed Scope of Work, cont’d
3. Modifications to Jobs/Employed Resident Ratio
• Evaluate impact to jobs target in relation to increase in housing units
• Consider change to current J/ER goal
• MBM Direction: “Eliminating ground floor commercial
requirements for housing developments that are not on
vibrant business corridors.”
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
8 Proposed Scope of Work, cont’d
4. Update/create new land use designations
• Consider increase in maximum residential density in RN Residential Neighborhood
• Currently 8 dwelling units/acre and up to 16 dwelling units/acre in limited areas
• Create and apply new designations to support small
multi-family housing
• For example, a designation between RN and MUN Mixed Use Neighborhood ( MUN = up to 30 DU/AC)
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
9 Environmental Review
• Consider changes to policies related to construction
noise/hours
• Update Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Strategy
• Update and revise CEQA thresholds of significance and standard mitigation measures
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
10 Reimagined Task Force
GP Policy IP-2.11: Reconvene the Envision San José 2040 Task Force during each Major Review of the Envision General Plan to provide community and stakeholder engagement in
reviewing and evaluating success in the implementation of this General Plan and recommending any mid-course
actions needed to achieve its goals.
MBM Direction: “This [Four Year] review shall be undertaken with approaches to community outreach and engagement
that streamline the process.”
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
11 Reimagined Task Force, cont’d
Staff Proposal: Convene the Planning Commission to serve as the Task Force:
• ~6 study sessions (public meetings) with Planning Commission Task Force to provide recommendations and feedback on
staff analysis
• Community outreach beyond study sessions
• Final recommendations made by Planning Commission to
City Council
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
12 Next Steps
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
Date Action
Summer 2025 Begin policy analysis, consultant on-
boarding, logistics for TF meetings and
outreach
September 2025 GP Text Amendment to modify IP-2.11 (task force)
September/October
2025
Interdepartmental Technical Advisory
Committee
Winter 2025/ Spring
2026
TF kick-off and study sessions, stakeholder
input at study sessions, initiate CEQA
Proposed Scope of Work for the
Four-Year Review of the
Envision San José 2040 General Plan
City Council
06/03/2025
Item 8.5
Chris Burton, Director
Ruth Cueto, Principal Planner