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
to:
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