Planning Director Hearing March 6, 2026: 620 N 6th St Retail-to-Residential Conversion
Planning Director Hearing March 6, 2026: 620 N 6th St Retail-to-Residential Conversion
Note on date discrepancy: The transcribed meeting records indicate the hearing occurred on March 4, 2026, but the provided instructions specify the meeting date as March 6, 2026. This summary uses the instructed date.
This hearing, conducted via Zoom by Hearing Officer Sylvia Doe on behalf of the Director of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement, considered a single agenda item: a plan development permit amendment (PDA 15-055-02) to convert approximately 14,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space into 11 residential units at 620 North 6th Street, near the intersection of 6th and Jackson Streets in the Japan Town neighborhood. The item was originally on the consent calendar but was moved to a public hearing after a member of the public requested to speak.
Consent Calendar
- Item 3A (PDA 15-055-02 and ER25-101) was the only consent calendar item. It was moved to the public hearing portion following a request for public comment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jordan, a Japan Town resident living adjacent to the project, expressed disappointment in the reduction of commercial space, noting the original development agreement promised a mixed-use vision. He acknowledged the need for housing but argued that 11 units is modest compared to the loss of retail, and suggested that the current vacant retail spaces might attract tenants if built out. He also noted the economic uncertainty and potential for future market improvement.
Discussion Items
- Staff Report (Laura Miners, Planning Project Manager): The amendment would convert 14,500 sq ft of ground-floor retail (from the existing 18,000 sq ft) into 11 residential units, resulting in 230 total units and 3,500 sq ft of retained retail. Minor exterior modifications include extended Saturday construction hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) limited to interior and minor exterior work. The site is a 1.69-acre lot with a six-story building. Entrances to the new units would be from the parking garage, not the street, due to flood zone constraints. Staff recommended approval based on an addendum to the 2008 Japan Town Corporation Yard Redevelopment Project EIR.
- Applicant (Sean M., Shea Company): Described the conversion as a last resort after five years of unsuccessful leasing efforts (including food hall, performing arts center, medical office, childcare). He stated that mixed-use retail is often overbuilt and that the market is unlikely to shift. He detailed design challenges: flood zone requirements force floor elevations 1.5–2 feet higher, making street-level residential entrances impractical. The existing storefront windows will be replaced with operable windows meeting residential code, mimicking the retail look. Privacy will be provided by dual window treatments (sheer and dark roller shades). The 11 units will average 1,100 sq ft, designed for larger families, with upgraded finishes, side-by-side laundry, and sound-dampening ceilings.
- Hearing Officer Questions: The hearing officer asked about preservation of transparent storefront windows and unit design. The applicant confirmed windows will be operable but designed to match the retail aesthetic. The three retained commercial suites include one currently leased to a pet grooming business (soon to open), and two others that could be combined for a cafe or restaurant. The hearing officer also asked about the development agreement; staff clarified it called for 16,000–24,000 sq ft of commercial, but the loss is offset by the upcoming Tyco project adding more commercial space on the block.
Key Outcomes
- Decision: The plan development permit amendment was approved by Hearing Officer Sylvia Doe.
- Basis for Approval: The project is consistent with the Transit Residential General Plan land use designation and the Plan Development Zoning District. The conversion still preserves 3,500 sq ft of retail at the prominent intersection, maintaining opportunities for future businesses and adding 11 housing units within walking distance to transit. The density of 136 dwelling units per acre is within the allowable range.
- Environmental Review: The addendum to the Japan Town Corporation Yard Redevelopment Project Final EIR was adopted, finding no new significant impacts.
- Next Steps: The permit is appealable under Title 20 and Title 21 of the Municipal Code. The hearing adjourned at 9:32 a.m. (per transcript).
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. We are calling to order the Planning Director hearing of March 4th, 2026. My name is Sylvia Doe and I am the hearing officer for today's agenda on behalf of and delegated by the Director of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement, Christopher Burton. This meeting is being held via Zoom conference call. Members of the public may participate by following the instructions listed on page two of the agenda. If you would like to provide public comment, you have two methods to do so. For participants who joined electronically and have audio input available on their computer or smartphone, they can use the raised hand feature in Zoom during the agenda item they would like to speak to or click star 9 on their phone. Remember to keep your raised hand feature on until planning support staff identify your turn to speak. During the meeting, you can also call 408-535-8517 or email planning support staff at San Jose CA.gov and identify your name that's listed on Zoom, the phone number that you'll call into Zoom with, and what item or items you would like to comment on. All members of the public will remain on mute until the individual identifies they would like to speak and they are unmuted. Planning support staff will identify you by name when it is your turn to speak. At that time, you will be unmuted and can provide comment for 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 procedure and order of input will be as follows. I will first identify each project as listed on the agenda. For those items on the consent calendar, I will ask if anyone wishes to speak on the item. If a separate discussion is warranted, I will move the item to the public hearing portion of the agenda. If a separate discussion is not needed, the item will remain on the consent calendar for approval. For those items listed under public hearing, I will ask staff to provide a brief report. The applicant or the representative who wishes to speak on the item will have up to five minutes to speak and should identify themselves by stating their name for the record. After the applicant or their representative has spoken, any member of 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, although it is not required. Following comments from the public, the applicant may make additional remarks for up to five minutes. I will then close the public hearing and I may ask staff to answer questions, respond to comments made by the applicant or the public, or further discuss the item. I will then take action on 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 director's actions on agenda items will be final when the permit is signed and mailed, unless the permit or the environmental clearance determination is appealed. The planning director's actions on the permits are appealable in accordance with the requirements of Title 20 of the Municipal Code. The planning director's actions on the environmental review for the permits under the California Environmental Quality Act are separately appealable in accordance with the requirements of Title 21 of the Municipal Code. Before we begin, I want to remind members of the public to follow our code of conduct at meetings. This includes commenting on the specific agenda item only. Public speakers will not engage in a conversation with the hearing officer or staff. The hearing officer, 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 the removal from the meeting. The meeting of the director's hearing will now come to order. On to the next portion of the agenda number two, which is deferrals. Any item scheduled for hearing this morning for which deferral to a future meeting date is being requested will be moved to this portion of the agenda and considered on the matter of deferral. I will identify any items to be deferred and ask for comments from the public. If you want to change any of the deferral dates or speak to the question of deferring these or any other items, please use the raised hand feature in Zoom or click star 9 to raise your hand to speak. I will now open the public hearing. And as of this morning, there are no items proposed for deferral. Are there any members of the public or staff who has updates to the deferrals portion of the agenda? If so, please raise your hand in Zoom or click star nine. Okay. Seeing none, the matter of deferrals is now closed, and we will move on to the next portion of the agenda, which is the consent calendar. There will be no separate discussion of individual consent calendar items as they are considered to be routine and will be considered in one action unless an item is moved to the public hearing calendar for separate discussion by the hearing officer. The public may comment on the entire consent calendar and any items removed from the consent calendar by the hearing officer. If you wish to speak on one of these items, please use the raised hand feature in Zoom or click star 9 to raise your hand to speak. This morning we have one item on the consent calendar, which is the only item agendized for this morning's director's hearing, which is item number 3A.
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