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Fw: Study Session Permitting Process April 20 2026 Agenda number 26-496 From City Clerk <[email protected]>
Date Mon 4/20/2026 8:25 AM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
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From: brian darby < >
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2026 5:39 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Study Session Permitting Process April 20 2026 Agenda number 26-496
Subject: Permitting Process, Study Session April 20, 2026 Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council,
I know the upcoming Study Session on our permitting process is a significant undertaking. The presentation, "From Ideation to Occupancy," does a great job of mapping out the sheer complexity of the "Development Continuum". It’s a clear-eyed look at the gears and levers that drive development in San José.
After reviewing the materials, I wanted to share a few thoughts on where we might go from here. We have a solid foundation, but to truly deliver on our housing and economic goals, we need to bridge the gap between our internal processes and the experience of the people trying to build in our city.
The "Category 3" Opportunity. One of the most useful things in the report is the distinction between the three types of time a project faces. While we can’t always control state laws (Category 1) or the choices made by an applicant (Category 2), the "Category 3" time—the time the City actually controls— is where we can truly move the needle.
4/20/26, 2:13 PM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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Focusing on these areas, like intake quality control and review coordination, isn't just administrative housekeeping; it’s about making San José a place where great projects don't just "go to die" in the paperwork phase.
A Few Practical Recommendations
To build on the progress we’ve already made, I believe we should consider the following shifts:
Move from Sequential to Concurrent Review: Right now, we often have departments waiting for each other to finish their piece of the puzzle. We should prioritize "Integrated Review Teams" where staff from Planning, Public Works, Fire, and Building are empowered to look at a project at the same time and resolve conflicts in the room, rather than sending notes back and forth.
Empower the Experts: We have incredible staff, but they are often constrained by narrow roles. If we can give our team more autonomy to make decisions on the spot—especially on standard, code-compliant projects—we can prevent the "redesign loops" that add so much time to a project's schedule.
Narrow the "Perception Gap": The materials highlight a real frustration: a "gap between internal performance and external perception". Developers (like those at Gateway Towers ) feel that uncertainty is often worse than a long wait time. We should double down on our "Customer Centric Dashboards" and make them even more predictive. If an applicant knows exactly where they are in the queue and when they can expect a result, they can manage their financing and construction timelines with much more confidence.
Lean into Third-Party Review: Where the law allows, we should fully embrace third-party review, especially during periods of high volume. It’s a great way to handle the overflow without creating a bottleneck, ensuring that the projects that actually need our specific, local expertise get the full attention they deserve.
Making it Human. At the end of the day, a building permit isn't just a piece of paper—it’s a home, a business, or a community space. When we talk about "improving service pathways" , we’re really talking about helping a small business owner get their doors open or helping a family build an ADU.
The "Customer Voice" sections of your report are crucial—they serve as a reminder that every delay carries a real-world cost for the applicant. If we can treat the permitting process less like a hurdle to be cleared and more like a partnership to be fostered, we will see the results in our housing production and our economic vitality.
I’m looking forward to the study session and hearing how the Council plans to support these initiatives.
We have the technology in place with systems like SJPermits and SJePlans; now it’s about ensuring our internal culture matches the innovation of our tools.
Thank you for your leadership on this.
Sincerely,
Brian Darby
4/20/26, 2:13 PM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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