TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Jon Cicirelli
SUBJECT: Renaming of Plaza de César
Chávez
DATE: October 8, 2026
Approved Date:
10/15/26
COUNCIL DISTRICT: 3
RECOMMENDATION
(a) Pursuant to City Council Policy 0-1, Council Policy Manual, waive the sponsorship and contribution renaming criteria listed in Section III of City Council Policy 7-5, Naming of City-Owned Land and Facilities, to enable the renaming of Plaza de César Chávez.
(b) Rename “Plaza de César Chávez” to “Plaza de San José” based on the results of the community engagement process and conformance with City policy.
SUMMARY AND OUTCOME
Approval of this recommendation will officially rename “Plaza de César Chávez,” an existing public park located in downtown San José. Staff recommends officially renaming the park to “Plaza de San José” following a multi-phase community engagement process prioritizing the Latino and farmworker communities, consistent with the Rules and Open Government (Rules) Committee’s direction on March 25, 2026. The values and themes identified through the process guided both public surveys, and the recommended name reflects the most consistent theme heard from the community, which is the plaza’s role as San José’s shared gathering space. On October 7, 2026, the Parks and Recreation Commission recommended the name “Plaza del Pueblo de San José”.
BACKGROUND
The 3.4-acre public park is in downtown San José within Council District 3. This urban park is a large center island flanked by South Market Street (northbound and COUNCIL AGENDA: 10/27/26
FILE: 26-1117
ITEM: 7.1
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
southbound lanes) and bounded by West San Fernando Street (to the north) and West San Carlos Street (to the south).
The park site lies within the ancestral homeland of the Tamien Ohlone Tribe, the additional Ohlone tribes, and Indigenous (Mestizo/Pobladores) people of the Santa Clara Valley. Spanish colonization transformed this region of indigenous villages through the establishment of missions and settlements. The first non-Indigenous settlement in California was established by the Spanish on November 29, 1777, on the east bank of the Guadalupe River and named El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe1.
In 1797, El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe was relocated to the current site due to flooding concerns, and a central public plaza, commonly referred to as Plaza Mayor or Pueblo Plaza, was established as the community’s social and civic center2.
In the 1840s and 1850s, the plaza was redesigned into its current elliptical form and became the civic center of the growing city. California’s first state capitol was located along its eastern edge in 1849. Throughout the 19th century, the plaza hosted public celebrations, parades, markets, speeches, sporting events, and other civic activities. In the 1870s, a thriving Chinatown developed east of the plaza along Market Street, becoming an important cultural and commercial district. In the 1880s, residents successfully opposed a proposal to extend Market Street through the plaza, preserving the historic public space. In 1887, Chinatown was destroyed by an arsonist. Afterward, the City selected the area adjacent to the plaza for a new City Hall, which served as the seat of municipal government from 1889 to 1958. Following the demolition of City Hall in 1958, the site returned to its original role as a public park.
Today, the plaza is a beloved civic asset and public park, home to events like Christmas in the Park and the San José Jazz Summer Fest, and is surrounded by key civic and cultural institutions, including the San José Museum of Art and The Tech Interactive.
Historical references to the park name vary over time and by source. The most consistently documented names include The Plaza, Pueblo Plaza, Plaza Mayor, City Hall Park, City Plaza, Plaza Park, and Market Plaza. The name Plaza de San José appears in some historical references; however, documentation does not consistently identify it as an official name of the park. In 1993, Plaza Park was renamed Plaza de César Chávez to honor organizer César Chávez for his critical work in the farmworker movement.
1 California Historical Landmark No. 433 First Site of El Pueblo De San José De Guadalupe is located near present-day West Mission Street, between N 1st Street and N San Pedro Street. 2 The Historical Marker Database: Plaza de César Chávez
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
On March 18, 2026, public reporting brought to light serious and concerning details about César Chávez.3 In response, the City removed Chávez’s name and/or likeness from certain City-owned assets, including some name plaques at Plaza de César Chávez, which is the largest, most visible, and most publicly significant City-owned asset bearing his name.
On March 25, 2026, the Rules Committee approved a memorandum4 prepared by Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmembers Ortiz, Tordillos, Candelas, and Campos, which directed staff to provide the following:
1. An inventory of all City-owned land, facilities, amenities, and other public art and assets in San José named after César Chávez, or otherwise bearing his name or likeness;
2. To the extent feasible, an inventory of other assets with City designation or public sites within San José that are overseen by another local jurisdiction or public agency and are named after César Chávez;
3. An assessment of the applicable legal authority, governing policy, and procedural pathway for renaming each identified site;
4. Recommendations for a community engagement process — modeled when appropriate on existing City naming processes, and prioritizing the Latino and farmworker communities, to consider potential renaming actions in a traumainformed, inclusive, and culturally respectful manner; and
5. Initiate any administrative processes under the City Manager’s authority for name changes, where appropriate.
An Informational Memorandum published on May 28, 2026, responded to items 1, 2, and 3 of the Rules Committee memorandum. This memorandum and recommended actions pertain specifically to the Plaza and respond to items 4 and 5 in the Rules Committee memorandum.
During its discussion, the Rules Committee provided additional direction to ensure the renaming process was community-driven and included broad public outreach that involved community-based organizations to reach as many community members as possible and create opportunities for a wide range of perspectives. Committee members 3 “Cesar Chavez, a Civil Rights Icon, is Accused of Abusing Girls for Years,” March 18, 2026 The New York Times
4 Memorandum prepared by Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmembers Ortiz, Tordillos, Candelas, and Campos
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
emphasized that the process should be factual, survivor-centered, thoughtful, and methodical, and designed to build trust and allow for a range of perspectives.5 On May 28, 2026, the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Department, in coordination with the City Manager’s Office of Racial and Social Equity and the City Manager’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, issued an informational memorandum6 for the purpose of providing an inventory of City-owned assets named for or bearing the likeness of César Chávez, which also outlined the community engagement process.
ANALYSIS
Renaming of City Lands and Facilities
City Council Policy 7-5, Naming of City-Owned Land and Facilities, establishes guidelines and procedures regarding naming City-owned land and facilities7. Per the policy, the official park names must reflect one of the following criteria:
• Geographic location;
• Prominent geographic feature or local reference point; • Adjoining subdivision/community;
• Historical event;
• An individual who has made significant contributions to San José, the State, the Nation, or the World, and who has been deceased for at least five years; • An individual via a donation or sponsorship agreement; or • A group via a donation or sponsorship agreement.
Additionally, the policy encourages names that reflect the City’s ethnic and cultural diversity. Staff recommends names that are consistent with City Council Policy 7-5, as well as names that align with the City’s Racial Equity commitment, which aims for residents from all backgrounds and identities to feel that they matter and belong.8 5 Comments of Councilmembers Ortiz, Candelas, Doan, and Foley, Recording of the Rules and Open Government Committee of the Whole, March 25, 2026
6 Attachment to Information Memorandum: Process for Renaming Plaza de César Chávez, May 28, 2026, pages 16-20
7 City Council Policy 7-5, Naming of City-Owned Land and Facilities: Effective April 24, 1972, and revised by Council Action June 8, 2010, Item 2.18, Res. No. 75393 8 City Council Policy 0-22, Equity Values and Standards Policy RES2024—140, Item 2(b), 5/14/2024
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
Section III of City Council Policy 7-5 states that it is the policy of the City to retain longstanding names of City-owned land and facilities unless the following criteria have been met:
• An individual, group, or private company has made a substantial contribution to the City for the acquisition, improvement, upkeep, or operation of the land or a facility, and in accordance with City Council Policy 1-17, Donation, Sponsorship, and Fundraising Policy9 and pursuant to a Department’s approved Fundraising and Sponsorship Guidelines, unless otherwise approved by City Council; and • Even if funds are offered in exchange for naming rights, staff shall make reasonable efforts to have the donor or sponsor agree to incorporate the existing name into a newly recommended name, while still acknowledging the donor’s or sponsor’s funding support.10
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends renaming the park “Plaza de San José” based on community support, policy alignment, historical significance, and community values identified through the listening sessions, the preferences expressed through the public surveys, and the requirements of City Council Policy 7-5. Renaming the park requires waiving the sponsorship and contribution renaming criteria listed in Section III of City Council Policy 7-5 to enable the renaming of “Plaza de César Chávez.” During June 2026, staff worked with the City Manager’s Office of Racial and Social Equity to co-design and facilitate two trauma-informed community listening sessions with 42 participants, held in partnership with community-based organizations at the Center for Employment Training and Mayfair Community Center. The sessions were intentionally designed not to select a name or reach consensus, but to elevate the stories, values, and priorities that should guide the process. Staff then held a public meeting on June 24, 2026, where those themes were shared with the community and used to frame the name suggestion survey.
The first public survey received 610 name suggestions from the community, which staff then evaluated in accordance with City Council Policy 7-5. A total of 178 suggestions did not meet the policy requirements and were removed from further consideration. Of the remaining 432 eligible suggestions, many were duplicates or different versions of the same name. Staff grouped similar names together into 88 categories. The version of the name that was suggested most often became the representative name for that category. For example, more individuals suggested variations of the name “Farmworkers Plaza” than “Plaza de los Campesinos,” yet, they have similar meaning.
Thus, the name option, “Farmworkers Plaza,” was included in survey 2 for ranking by 9 City Council Policy 1-17, Donation, Sponsorship, and Fundraising Policy 10 City Council Policy 7-5, Section II. Donation and Sponsorship
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
the community. This process resulted in five finalist names that were put in a second public survey for the public to vote on.
The top five name suggestions from the first survey were: 1) Plaza de San José, 2) Farmworkers Plaza, 3) Plaza Park, 4) Plaza del Pueblo, and 5) Plaza de Quetzalcoatl.
The second survey asked participants to rank the top five name options from survey 1 in order of their preference. The name options in the ranked choice survey (survey 2) reflect the suggestions that received the highest volume of interest, while complying with the objective policy criteria, and reflecting the themes identified in the community listening sessions.
Over 10,000 survey respondents ranked the five name options in order of their preference, resulting in the following name preference order, with Plaza de San José ranking first in both surveys: 1) Plaza de San José, 2) Farmworkers Plaza, 3) Plaza del Pueblo, 4) Plaza Park, and 5) Plaza de Quetzalcoatl.
“Plaza de San José” received the highest level of community support through the ranked-choice survey, achieving the highest weighted score among the five finalist names considered by the respondents. The recommended name reflects the city’s history, identity, and the plaza’s longstanding role as San José’s civic gathering space.
Throughout the community engagement process, participants underscored the plaza’s longstanding and continuing significance as San José’s communal gathering space.
Many participants asked for a name that conveys gathering, belonging, and shared ownership across cultures and generations. They described the plaza as ‘everybody’s’ space rather than one that honors a single individual or group. Some participants, including survivors, urged that the park honor Dolores Huerta. However, City Council Policy 7-5 requires an individual honoree to have been deceased for at least five years; that suggestion was not eligible.
All suggested names and the documents that resulted in the five top ranked names are available on the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department’s Capital Projects webpage.11
11 Renaming of Downtown's Plaza Park, City of San José, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, Capital Projects webpage
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
Commission Recommendation
On October 7, 2026, the Parks and Recreation Commission considered the staff recommended name, “Plaza de San José.”12 Commissioners noted that this recommendation appeared generic, lacked creativity, did not account for the site’s rich, meaningful history, or reflect its importance to the City’s people – past, present, and future.
The Parks and Recreation Commission recommends “Plaza del Pueblo de San José,” which is a combination of the top ranked name, “Plaza de San José,” and the third ranked name, “Plaza del Pueblo,” from the final survey. The words “del pueblo” can have multiple meanings in Spanish, including “of the town,” “town square,” “public square,” and “the people.”13 The Parks and Recreation Commission’s recommended name therefore builds on public input while more directly conveying the Plaza’s significance as a historic place belonging to the people of San José.
The Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously voted (10-0) to recommend that the City Council waive the sponsorship and contribution renaming criteria listed in Section III of City Council Policy 7-5 and recommended renaming “Plaza de César Chávez” to a new name: “Plaza del Pueblo de San José.” Based on staff analysis, the Parks and Recreation Commission’s recommendation conforms with City Council Policy 7-5.
Racial Equity Impact Analysis
The Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department collaborated with the City Manager’s Office of Racial and Social Equity to create accessible opportunities for community members to share their perspectives, values, and lived experiences in shaping the future identity of the park. The resulting themes of gathering, inclusion, belonging, cultural diversity, shared history, and community connection directly align with the City’s equity goals of creating conditions where all residents feel valued and have opportunities to thrive. Both the staff recommendation of “Plaza de San José” and the Parks and Recreation Commission recommendation of “Plaza del Pueblo de San José” advance these goals by acknowledging San José’s historical roots and reinforcing the plaza as a shared civic space intended to welcome all residents and visitors across the City.
12 The item was initially agendized for a special meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission on September 2, 2026, and then rescheduled for September 9, 2026. Both meetings were cancelled due to a lack of quorum.
13 October 7, 2026 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda and Minutes
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
After City Council approval, staff will coordinate with the City Clerk’s Office to ensure the name is recorded, and the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department’s Capital Division will ensure the new name is included on all park signage by fall 2027.
Additionally, consistent with the Mayor’s June Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2025- 2026 as approved by the City Council, staff will issue a Request for Qualifications by the end of 2026 to establish a future conservancy for the plaza. The Request for Qualifications will be developed by the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department in coordination with the City Manager’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs to define the desired scope of support sought by the City.
Conservancies are nonprofit organizations operating under an agreement with the city that owns the park. They vary widely in their scope of service, from a limited scope of volunteering, advocating, and fundraising to support City design, maintenance, and programming efforts to fundraising for improvements and producing special events and programs, and, further, to full operations that assume responsibility for design, operations and maintenance, and programming, subject to City oversight and approval.
COORDINATION
This item has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office, the City Manager’s Budget Office, and the City Manager’s Office of Racial and Social Equity.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
An information memorandum dated May 28, 2026, outlined a multi-phase public outreach and engagement process. It began with two in-person community listening sessions on June 15 and June 17, 2026, held at the Center for Employment Training and Mayfair Community Center, followed by an in-person community meeting on June 24, 2026. Outreach was conducted in partnership with the Center for Employment Training and the Sí Se Puede Collective, both with deep ties to the farmworker movement. The sessions were held on weekday evenings to accommodate working families and offered Spanish interpretation. The listening sessions generated four main themes, which were presented at the June 24 community meeting to help guide name suggestions. Through these partnerships, the engagement process was consistent with the Rules Committee’s direction to prioritize the Latino and farmworker communities in an inclusive, culturally appropriate manner.
The June 24, 2026 community meeting kicked off the name suggestion survey (survey 1 - June 24 through July 6, 2026). After the name suggestion analysis was complete, staff released the ranked choice survey (survey 2 – July 24 through August 3, 2026).
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
Extensive outreach was done for the three meetings and the surveys, including news organizations, social media blasts, email blasts, direct emails, and signage at the park with a QR code to each survey. Staff coordinated with the Mayor’s and Council Offices, the City Manager’s Office of Racial and Social Equity, Library Department staff for the Youth Commission, and the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Neighborhood Engagement team to extend outreach.
The community was notified of the public meetings and surveys via the following methods:
• Targeted social media notification through the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department’s Facebook, Nextdoor to residents within two miles of the park, and Instagram and Facebook accounts. In total, the social media blasts resulted in a reach of 32,292 and 3,345 interactions on Facebook; 978 impressions on Nextdoor; and a reach of 27,064 and 462 interactions on Instagram.
• Sent over 324 emails citywide, including notifying over 100 neighborhood associations across the city, all 10 Council Offices, San José Parks Advocates, San José Parks Foundation, over 80 community-based organizations, over 10 business organizations, and various individuals. In total, five email blasts resulted in over 1,606 email notifications sent to the constituents listed above.
The survey and outreach materials were made available in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. In total there were 10,506 survey respondents, of whom 10,263 ranked the name options in English, 229 survey respondents replied in Spanish, and 14 respondents replied in Tagalog.
This memorandum will be posted on the City Council Agenda website for the October 27, 2026 City Council meeting.
BOARD, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
On October 7, 2026, the Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously voted (10-0) to recommend that the City Council waive the sponsorship and contribution renaming criteria listed in Section III of City Council Policy 7-5 and recommended renaming “Plaza de César Chávez” to a new name, “Plaza del Pueblo de San José.” Based on staff analysis, the Parks and Recreation Commission’s recommendation is consistent with City Council Policy 7-5.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2026
Subject: Renaming of Plaza de César Chávez
CEQA
Categorically Exempt, File No. ER26-168, CEQA Guidelines Section 15303. New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY REPORTING
This item does not include a public subsidy as defined in section 53083 or 53083.1 of the California Government Code or the City’s Open Government Resolution. /s/
Jon Cicirelli
Director, Department of Parks,
Recreation and Neighborhood Services
For questions, please contact Andrea Flores Shelton, Assistant Director, Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department, at
[email protected].