TO: TRANSPORTATION AND FROM: Bicycle and Pedestrian
ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE Advisory Committee
SUBJECT: Climate San Jose Semi-Annual Report and
Updated Plan DATE: 9/29/25
______________________________________________________________________________ Honorable Councilmembers:
The San Jose Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) strongly endorses the City of San Jose’s climate goals and would like to give strong support to the City Council prioritizing and funding programs that directly reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), decrease car dependency, and ensure equitable access to clean and safe transportation options.
San Jose cannot meet its climate commitments without a significant shift in how people move around the city. This means bold, sustained investment in infrastructure and programs that make it easier, safer, and more affordable for people—especially those in underserved communities— to walk, bike, and use electric micromobility options.
Programs that support e-bike access, Vision Zero initiatives, safe bike lanes, and pedestrian-first street designs are not just climate solutions—they are equity solutions. They reduce transportation costs, improve air quality, and make our streets safer for everyone, especially children, seniors, and those without access to a car.
BPAC urges you to fully support and expand all initiatives that:
• Reduce VMT and car dependency across all neighborhoods; • Provide equitable access to e-bikes and active transportation as the City is doing with the mobility wallet and expanding share bikes in needed areas of the city • Prioritize bike and pedestrian safety through protected infrastructure and traffic-calming measures
• Align transportation investments with San Jose’s Climate Smart goals and General Plan sustainability targets, not with more car focused solutions Thank you for your leadership on climate action. Now is the time to act boldly and equitably.
These comments were appoved unanimously at the Septmber 29th, 2025 BPAC meeting.
Sincerely,
Jordan Moldow, Chairperson
October 6, 2025
To: Transportation & Environment Committee, City of San José By email to: [email protected]
Re: Agenda Item CC 25-120: Climate Smart San José Status Report and Updated Plan Dear Chair Cohen and Committee Members:
The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance (SCVBA) writes in support of the Natural and Working Lands (NWL) Element, included in the Climate Smart San José update you are reviewing under Item CC 25-120.
San José is a major urban center, yet over 65% of its sphere of influence is natural and working lands - grasslands, oak woodlands, riparian corridors, wetlands, farmland, and urban forest.
These resources are vital to the community, as well as to local wildlife and to migratory birds such as Burrowing Owls, Golden Eagles, Yellow Warblers, and White-tailed Kites, and they provide essential carbon sequestration and climate resilience benefits.
Indeed, San José has a long tradition of safeguarding its natural landscapes. Measure T (2018), a voter-approved infrastructure and safety bond, allocated funds to acquire and protect Coyote Valley as open space and floodplain. Measure C (2000), approved by 70% of voters, strengthened the City’s Urban Growth Boundary and hillside/open space protections, and the City has long upheld its Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary, which steers growth away from key wildlife habitat.
The NWL Element was accepted by the City Council in 2023 and will now be fully integrated into Climate Smart San José. Under California Government Code §65302(e), every city’s General Plan must include an Open Space Element to preserve natural resources and habitat, so the NWL Element strengthens San José’s compliance with this mandate.
The four strategies of the NWL - preserving existing lands, advancing regenerative agriculture, restoring native ecosystems, and expanding equitable urban tree canopy - directly align with protecting open space, working lands and habitat while also advancing climate goals. Key Habitat benefits include:
● Preserve and connect open space to maintain wildlife corridors and protect sensitive habitats.
● Restore native ecosystems including oak woodland, riparian areas, and wetlands that support birds and pollinators.
● Expand and diversify urban forest canopy, especially with native species, creating refuge and food sources for migratory and resident birds. ● Promote regenerative practices on working lands, increasing insect prey and safer travel corridors.
As the plan is updated, we urge the Committee to maintain clear and ambitious metrics for habitat and open space preservation and restoration. The staff proposal to replace the City Action Plan with annual departmental workplans and to reset some NWL acreage goals to current levels risks weakening transparency and long-term protection. We ask that the Committee ensure NWL targets remain explicit and measurable, and encourage the City to keep Natural and Working Lands implementation clearly managed within the Environmental Services Department and planning teams, so habitat priorities are not lost among energy-sector programs.
By moving the updated Climate Smart plan forward and affirming the NWL Element, the Transportation & Environment Committee can help ensure San José’s climate action plan also secures the city’s natural heritage and the biodiversity that sustains it. SCVBA and our partners stand ready to assist with outreach, habitat data, and stewardship.
Thank you for your leadership
Sincerely,
Shani Kleinhaus, Ph.D.
Environmental Advocate
Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance