Early Consideration for Privately-Initiated
General Plan Amendment
File No. GP23-011
City Council
June 10, 2025
Item 10.3
Presenters:
Chris Burton, Director
Ruth Cueto, Principal Planner
1 Early Consideration Process
General Plan Policy IP-3.3
Early consideration for continued processing or denial may be considered outside of the General Plan Annual Review process for projects involving the conversion of
employment land to non-employment uses or other
projects that are fundamentally inconsistent with the
General Plan.
2 www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
2 Existing Conditions
3 www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
Acreage: 0.61 gross-acre
Growth Area: None
(E) Zoning District:
Commercial Pedestrian, R-1-8
3 General Plan Amendment Request
4 www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
Existing: Neighborhood/Community Commercial
FAR: up to 3.5
No residential permitted*
Proposed: Transit Residential
FAR: 1.0 to 4.0
Density: 50-250 DU/AC
4 General Plan Consistency
5 www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
Inconsistent
• Focused Growth
• Major Strategy #3-Focused Growth and Land Use Policy LU-2.3 • Economic Development
• Major Strategy # 4-Innovation/Regional Employment Center, Fiscally Sustainable Land Use Policies FS-3.3, FS-4.1, and Land Use Policy LU-1.1 • Vibrant and Complete Neighborhoods
• Vibrant, Attractive, and Complete Neighborhoods Policy VN-1.11; Land Use Policies LU -
11.3, LU-11.6, LU-11.7; and Community Design Policies CD-4.3 and CD-4.4 • Vehicle Miles Traveled Reduction
• Land Use Policy LU-10.3 and Housing Policy H-4.2
Consistent
• Housing
• Housing Social Equity and Diversity Policy H-1.9
5 Site Development Permit and Rezoning
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
Project Description:
• Demolition of existing commercial building
• Construction of a 17-story building with two
podium towers connected by a 14th-floor
skyway
• 15,000 square feet of ground-floor
commercial space and 135 residential units
• Includes ground floor open space area,
second-floor pool deck, 15th-floor roof deck
Proposed project from Winchester &
Hedding/Pruneridge intersection
6 Planning Commission Hearing
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
Two motions failed to sustain a majority vote,
resulting in no recommendation:
1. Substitute motion to deny staff recommendation and
continue processing the application (4-4-1)
2. Underlying motion to approve staff recommendation
and deny the GP Amendment (4-4-1)
7 Staff Recommendation
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
Deny the applicant’s request to amend the
Envision San José 2040 General Plan Land Use/
Transportation Diagram designation from
Neighborhood Community Commercial to Transit
Residential.
8 Potential City Council Actions
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
(1) Approve staff recommendation and deny the proposed
General Plan Amendment;
(2) Deny staff recommendation and direct staff to continue processing the General Plan Amendment and any other
associated applications as proposed; or
(3) Deny staff recommendation and direct staff to continue processing the General Plan Amendment with suggested
modifications to the proposal, such as with a different land use designation.
9 Option for Council Consideration
www.sanjoseca.gov/planning
UR Urban Residential
• Density of 30 to 95 DU/AC (maximum 58 units on site
w/o density bonus)
• Maximum height of 135 feet (UR zoning)
• Supports mixed uses, does not require commercial use
10 Early Consideration for Privately-Initiated
General Plan Amendment
File No. GP23-011
City Council
June 10, 2025
Item 10.3
Presenters:
Chris Burton, Director
Ruth Cueto, Principal Planner
11