OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

San José Planning Commission Meeting – December 10, 2025

Planning Commission — Wednesday, December 10, 2025
BodySan Jose, California
SessionPlanning Commission
DateWednesday, December 10, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 48:29
Transcript — Verbatim
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evening my name is Carlos Rosario and I'm the chair of the Planning Commission welcome to this

0:17

evening's Commission please Commission meeting please remember to turn off your cell phones the

0:22

parking validation machine for the garage under City Hall is located at the back of the chambers

0:26

If you're able, please join me as we salute the flag.

0:33

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic of

0:40

the Holy Spirit, one nation under God, and to the liberty of justice for God.

0:47

all right we'll now start with the roll call um vice chair bickford here

1:04

uh vice chair borosio no he's not oh sorry commissioner borosio here

1:11

here

1:14

commissioner bondall here commissioner cantrell here commissioner cow here commissioner casey

1:23

here our newest member uh commissioner amy escobar welcome to the san jose i am here

1:30

commissioner nguyen yeah commissioner oliverio commissioner young and we have quorum for the night

1:41

All right, before I begin, I want to remind the Planning Commission members and members

1:45

of the public to follow our code of conduct for meetings.

1:48

This includes commenting on the specific agenda item only and addressing the full body.

1:54

Public speakers will not engage in conversation with the commissioners or staff.

1:57

All members of the Planning Commission, staff, and the public are expected to refrain from

2:01

abusive language.

2:03

Repeated failure to comply with the code of conduct which will disturb, disrupt, or impede

2:08

the orderly conduct of this meeting may result in removal from the meeting.

2:12

This meeting of the Planning Commission will now come to order.

2:15

Summary of Proceedings.

2:20

If you want to address the Commission, please fill out a speaker card located on the table

2:24

near the audiovisual technician and deposit the card into the basket.

2:31

There are also speaker cards in the back of the chambers and at the side entrance.

2:36

for this hearing is as follows after staffs presentation applicants or

2:40

appellants may make up to a five-minute presentation during the comment period

2:44

the chair will call out names on the submitted speaker cards and the order

2:47

received for those members of the public who attend in person as your name is

2:51

called line up in front of the microphone at the front of the chamber

2:55

generally each speaker will be given up two minutes for public testimony and

2:59

speakers using a translator will have up to four minutes at the discretion of

3:03

the chair the time allotted to each speaker may be changed depending on the

3:06

number of items on the agenda number of speakers and other factors speakers

3:10

using a translator will have doubled the time allotted after public testimony the

3:15

applicant may make closing remarks for up to an additional five minutes planning

3:20

commissioners may ask questions of the speakers response to commissioner

3:23

questions will not reduce the speaker's time allowance the public hearing will

3:26

then be closed and the Planning Commission will take action on the item

3:29

the Planning Commission may request staffs respond to the public testimony

3:32

ask staff questions and discuss the item if you challenge these land use

3:36

decisions in court you may be limited to raising only those issues you or

3:39

someone else raised at this public hearing or in written correspondence

3:43

delivered to the city at or prior to the public hearing the Planning

3:47

Commission's actions on rezoning prezonings general plan amendments and

3:50

code amendments is only advisory to the City Council the City Council will hold

3:54

public hearings on these items sections section 20.120.400 of the

4:02

Municipal Code provides the procedures for legal protest to the City Council on rezonings

4:06

and prezonings.

4:07

The Planning Commission's action on conditional use permits is appealable to the City Council

4:11

in accordance with Section 20.100.220 of the Municipal Code.

4:17

Agendas and all staff reports for this meeting may be accessed at the City's website.

4:22

Moving on to Public Comment.

4:24

Public comments to the Planning Commission on non-agendized items.

4:27

Please fill out a Speaker's card and give it to the Technician.

4:30

member of the public may address the Commission for up to two minutes the

4:33

Commission cannot take any formal action without the item being properly noticed

4:37

and placed on an agenda in response to public comment the Planning Commission

4:41

is limited to the following options responding to statements made or

4:44

questions posed by members of the public requesting staff to report back on a

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development█████████████████████████████████████████████51%
Procedural█████████████████████████████████37%
Community Engagement████████9%
Historic Preservation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

San José Planning Commission Meeting – December 10, 2025

The San José Planning Commission held a regular meeting on December 10, 2025, at City Hall. The meeting began at approximately 5:45 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and adoption of the code of conduct. All 13 commissioners were eventually present, though Commissioners Oliverio and Young arrived late. The primary agenda item was the annual compliance review of seven active development agreements (DAs). The commission also handled one deferral, approved the consent calendar, and received updates from city staff.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent calendar was approved unanimously (8-0-1, with Commissioner Escobar abstaining and two commissioners absent at the time). No items were removed for separate discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public speakers addressed the commission, either for non‑agendized items or for the consent calendar.
  • During the public hearing on development agreements, no members of the public provided testimony.

Discussion Items

  • Deferral Request: Staff requested to defer items CP25-001 and ER25-007 from January 14, 2026, to January 28, 2026, because no commission hearing was scheduled on the earlier date. The commission voted 9‑0 (with two absences) to approve the deferral.
  • Annual Compliance Review of Development Agreements: Staff presented a report on seven active DAs: Cisco (Shapell Properties), Jackson Taylor Japantown, Apple (North San José), Hitachi (Western Digital, South San José), Novellus/Vista Montez (Home Equity, Tasman Apartments), Museum Place, and Google (Downtown West and Downtown). The review covers the period July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. Staff recommended adoption of resolutions of compliance for all seven DAs, with an update to the Japantown DA resolution reflecting a revised seven‑year term from completion of the Center for the Creative Arts by November 1, 2032.
    • Commissioners with financial conflicts (owning stock in the respective companies) recused themselves from voting on the Cisco, Apple, and Google DAs.
    • Cisco DA: Commissioner Casey questioned the prolonged delays in some agreements, particularly Museum Place, where a data center is now proposed instead of a 60,000‑square‑foot museum. Staff noted that an application for a data center has been submitted and that any amendment to the DA would come to the commission and council separately. The Cisco DA was approved 10‑0 (one recusal).
    • Apple DA: No additional discussion. Approved 9‑0 (two recusals: Commissioners Escobar and Borosio).
    • Google DA: Commissioner Cantrell raised concerns about community benefit funds, specifically a $1 million allocation for the Gardner community that he believed had been commandeered by the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) department. Staff explained that the funds were set aside for a community committee to disperse, and that PRNS did not control the allocation. The commission agreed to have staff provide a follow‑up update at the next meeting. The Google DA was approved 6‑1 (Commissioner Cantrell voting no; four recusals: Chair Rosario, Vice Chair Bickford, Commissioner Borosio, and Commissioner Escobar).
  • Referrals and Staff Reports:
    • City Council actions on December 3, 2025, were noted: approval of historic preservation ordinance amendments (recommended by Planning Commission), Eichler design standards, and PD zoning at 908 Burn Court.
    • Upcoming items: Mega Ordinance Amendments (December 16), SB 79 high‑density housing near transit analysis (Council direction in January 2026), habitat plan amendments, and three pending appeals (Tropicana CUP, PayPal Stadium noise mitigation, Lundy Avenue industrial use).
    • Commission administrative reports: city email issues resolved; City Hall closed December 24 – January 2; no further Planning Commission meetings in 2025; next General Plan Task Force meeting on January 21, 2026; a potential joint study session with the Housing Commission on the cost of residential development study targeted for January 14, 2026 (date to be confirmed).

Key Outcomes

  • Deferral Approved: CP25-001 and ER25-007 deferred to January 28, 2026.
  • Consent Calendar Adopted: Unanimous approval (8-0-1).
  • Development Agreement Compliance Resolutions Adopted:
    • All seven resolutions of compliance were approved in a series of votes:
      1. Non‑conflicted DAs (excluding Cisco, Apple, and Google): 11‑0.
      2. Cisco DA: 10‑0 (one recusal).
      3. Apple DA: 9‑0 (two recusals).
      4. Google DA: 6‑1 (four recusals, one no vote).
  • Staff Direction: Staff will provide an update on the Google community benefits fund disbursement at the next Planning Commission meeting.
  • Receipt of Reports: Commission acknowledged City Council actions and upcoming agenda items.
  • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:19 PM.

Meeting Transcript

evening my name is Carlos Rosario and I'm the chair of the Planning Commission welcome to this evening's Commission please Commission meeting please remember to turn off your cell phones the parking validation machine for the garage under City Hall is located at the back of the chambers If you're able, please join me as we salute the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic of the Holy Spirit, one nation under God, and to the liberty of justice for God. all right we'll now start with the roll call um vice chair bickford here uh vice chair borosio no he's not oh sorry commissioner borosio here here commissioner bondall here commissioner cantrell here commissioner cow here commissioner casey here our newest member uh commissioner amy escobar welcome to the san jose i am here commissioner nguyen yeah commissioner oliverio commissioner young and we have quorum for the night All right, before I begin, I want to remind the Planning Commission members and members of the public to follow our code of conduct for meetings. This includes commenting on the specific agenda item only and addressing the full body. Public speakers will not engage in conversation with the commissioners or staff. All members of the Planning Commission, staff, and the public are expected to refrain from abusive language. Repeated failure to comply with the code of conduct which will disturb, disrupt, or impede the orderly conduct of this meeting may result in removal from the meeting. This meeting of the Planning Commission will now come to order. Summary of Proceedings. If you want to address the Commission, please fill out a speaker card located on the table near the audiovisual technician and deposit the card into the basket. There are also speaker cards in the back of the chambers and at the side entrance. for this hearing is as follows after staffs presentation applicants or appellants may make up to a five-minute presentation during the comment period the chair will call out names on the submitted speaker cards and the order received for those members of the public who attend in person as your name is called line up in front of the microphone at the front of the chamber generally each speaker will be given up two minutes for public testimony and speakers using a translator will have up to four minutes at the discretion of the chair the time allotted to each speaker may be changed depending on the number of items on the agenda number of speakers and other factors speakers using a translator will have doubled the time allotted after public testimony the applicant may make closing remarks for up to an additional five minutes planning commissioners may ask questions of the speakers response to commissioner questions will not reduce the speaker's time allowance the public hearing will then be closed and the Planning Commission will take action on the item the Planning Commission may request staffs respond to the public testimony ask staff questions and discuss the item if you challenge these land use decisions in court you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at this public hearing or in written correspondence delivered to the city at or prior to the public hearing the Planning Commission's actions on rezoning prezonings general plan amendments and code amendments is only advisory to the City Council the City Council will hold public hearings on these items sections section 20.120.400 of the Municipal Code provides the procedures for legal protest to the City Council on rezonings and prezonings. The Planning Commission's action on conditional use permits is appealable to the City Council

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