San Jose Planning Director Hearing - February 12, 2025
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San Jose Planning Director Hearing - February 12, 2025
The Planning Director Hearing of February 12, 2025, was called to order at 9:00 AM by hearing officer John 2, delegated by Planning Director Christopher Byrne. The meeting was held via Zoom. The consent calendar included four items, with two moved to public hearing for separate discussion. The hearing officer approved all items with noted condition changes.
Consent Calendar
- Item 3B (HA21-014-01): Approved – site development permit amendment for a 44-unit housing project at East Alman Avenue, with a negative declaration under CEQA.
- Item 3C (PD24-007): Approved – plan development permit for a 70-foot monopole telecom tower, generator, and propane tank at 5000 Crabberry Lane (golf course). Staff proposed three condition changes that were adopted: (1) graffiti cleanup within 72 hours instead of 48; (2) tree protection applies only to trees within 50 feet of construction limits; (3) noise complaint condition revised to refer to complaints from nearby residences, not golfers.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 3A (Almaden Corner Hotel): Travis, a resident of Axis, opposed the amendment to remove minimum parking requirements. He stated the hotel would generate over 2,000 vehicle trips per day, with no on-site drop-off loop, and argued that the 10-year lease for 116 off-site parking spaces is insufficient. He expressed concern about safety hazards from queuing vehicles.
- Item 3D (2400 Ringwood Ave): Viva, a resident from the Mid-Willow neighborhood, expressed concern about weekend construction noise extending to weekends, impacting ability to rest. She requested restrictions or alternative solutions to minimize noise disruption.
Discussion Items
- Item 3A – Almaden Corner Hotel Parking Amendment: Staff (Jason Lee) presented the site development permit amendment to remove minimum parking requirements and adopt a new Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan, consistent with the city’s April 2023 zoning code change. The project (19 stories, 272 guest rooms, 0.28 acres) has no physical changes. The applicant (Mark Tracini, KT Urban) confirmed no changes to the project. The hearing officer acknowledged the city’s policy shift toward reducing vehicle dependency and approved the amendment, noting that the original permit conditions (including valet operations) remain effective.
- Item 3D – Weekend Construction Hours Amendment: Staff (Alec Atienza) presented the amendment to allow Saturday and Sunday construction hours (8 AM–5 PM, with heavy machinery limited on Sundays until 10 AM) for a project at 2400 Ringwood Ave and 1849 Fortune Drive. The project includes a 136,000 sq ft manufacturing building, two data centers (522,000 sq ft total), a 150,000 sq ft parking structure, and an electrical substation. The original permit (approved May 2023) limited construction to weekdays 7 AM–7 PM due to proximity to residences. The applicant (Eric Schenauer, Miles, Zenith) stated that heavy earthwork is complete, most future work is interior, and that the buildings closest to residences (advanced manufacturing and parking garage) are substantially done. They noted weekend work is needed for safety and scheduling. The hearing officer approved, citing that the work is primarily interior, more than 150 feet from residences, and that weekend construction typically shortens overall project duration.
Key Outcomes
- Approved Item 3A (H18-038-01) – site development permit amendment to remove parking requirements and adopt new TDM plan for the Almaden Corner Hotel.
- Approved Item 3B (HA21-014-01) – site development permit amendment for affordable housing plan at East Alman Avenue.
- Approved Item 3C (PD24-007) – plan development permit for telecom tower with three condition changes as noted.
- Approved Item 3D (PDA22-001-01) – plan development permit amendment allowing weekend construction hours through project completion (estimated 2027).
- No deferrals were requested.
- The meeting adjourned at 9:39 AM.
Meeting Transcript
We're calling to the order of the planning director hearing of February 12th, 2025. My name is John 2. I'm the hearing officer for today's agenda on behalf and delegated by the director of planning, and call enforcement, Christopher Byrne. The meetings being held via Zoom conference call. Member of the public may be participated by following the instructions listed on page two of the agenda. You would like to provide public comment. You have two methods to identify yourself to provide public comments. For participants who join electronically and have audio input on your computer or smartphone. May you use the raise hand feature in Zoom or click star nine on your phone if you dialed in. So request to speak when your items being heard on the agenda. Keep your raised hand feature on until staff identifies your turn to speak. During the meeting, please call 408-535-3505 or email planning support staff at Settos ACA.gov and identify your name that's listed on Zoom or phone number to be called in. And what item and on what item or items you would like to comment on. All members of the public will remain on mute until staff identifies your turn to speak and you are unmuted. At that time, you'll be unmuted and you can provide comments during the allotted time. If you exceed your allotted time, you may be muted, so we can move on to the next speaker. Please note the following. The hearing procedures and order of input will be as followed. I'll identify each project and describe on the agenda. For those items in consent calendar, I'll ask if anyone wishes to speak on the item. If a separate discussion is warranted, I'll move the item to the public hearing portion on the agenda. If a separate discussion is not needed, the item will remain on the consent calendar for approval. For those items listed on public hearing, I'll ask staff to provide a brief report. The applicant or the representative who wishes to speak on the item will have to five minutes to speak and should identify themselves by stating their name for the record. After the applicant or the representative has spoken, any man in the public who wishes to speak on the item may provide testimony up to two minutes per speaker, either for or against the project. All members of the public should identify their name for the record. Following comments on the public, the applicant may take an additional remarks for up to five minutes. I'll then close public comments. I will ask staff to answer questions, respond to comments by the applicant or the public or for discuss the items. I'll then take action on the item. If you challenge these land use decisions in court, you be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing or written correspondence delivered to the city or prior to the public hearing. The plan director's action agenda is we found out when the permit signed and mailed, unless the permit or the environmental clearance determination is appealed. The plan direction acts on a permit or appealable in accordance with the requirements of title 20 and the Saudi Code. Plan director actions on environmental requirements under the Quality Environmental Quality Act or separately appeal in accordance with the requirements of Title 21 of the Mussadi Code. For again, normal one to remind the members of the public to follow our code of conduct at this meeting. This includes commenting on the specific item only, agenda items only. Public speaker will not engage in conversation with the hearing officer or staff. The hearing officer, staff, and the public are expected to refrain from abuse of language, repeat the failure to comply with the code of conduct which will disturb, disrupt, or impede the orderly conduct of this meeting will result in removal from the meeting. The meeting registered hearing will now come to order. And now moving on to the item of deferral. Any item scheduled hearing this morning, which for deferral to future meeting date is being requested. We move to this portion of the agenda and considered on the matter of deferral. If you wish to change any, if you would if you wish to change any of the deferred dates or to speak on the question deferral from any other item, please use the raise hand feature in Zoom or click star nine to raise the hand to speak. I'll now open the public hearing. There are currently no item proposed for deferral. I see one hand up. Travis, you please unmute yourself. This is the matter of deferral. Um no, sir. This is uh to speak to the hotelity at Almadin.
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