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Record of Proceedings

San Jose Planning Commission Meeting Summary – August 12, 2026

Planning Commission — Wednesday, August 12, 2026
BodySan Jose, California
SessionPlanning Commission
DateWednesday, August 12, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 31:29
Transcript — Verbatim
0:11

Hello?

0:12

All right.

0:12

Good evening.

0:13

I'm gonna bring this meeting to order.

0:16

Good evening.

0:16

My name is Chuck, or sorry, Charles Cantrell, and I am the chair of the Planning Commission.

0:22

Welcome to the Planning Commission meeting.

0:24

Please remember to turn off your cell phones.

0:27

The parking validation machine for the garage under City Hall is located near the entrance or up top.

0:36

Let's uh start by with a Pledge of Allegiance.

1:01

All right, thank you.

1:02

Let's start with the roll call.

1:04

Um Charles Cantrell, I am here.

1:08

Uh Vice Chair Michael Young.

1:10

Here, Commissioner Luisa Aguirella Present.

1:18

Thank you.

1:20

Dilpreet Bandal.

1:22

Here.

1:23

Commissioner Melissa Bickford.

1:27

Commissioner Daniel Cowell.

1:31

Commissioner Lawrence Casey.

1:34

Here.

1:36

Commissioner Amy Escobar.

1:38

Here.

1:39

Commissioner Choi Newen.

1:46

Commissioner Pierluigi Oliverio.

1:50

Here.

1:51

Didn't notice.

1:52

And Commissioner Carlos Rosario.

1:54

Here.

1:55

Great.

1:56

We do have quorum.

2:01

So the summary of hearing procedures.

2:04

If you want to address the commission, please fill out a speaker card located on the table near the audio visual technician and deposit the completed card in the basket.

2:15

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

2:22

The procedure for this hearing is as follows.

2:26

After staff presentation, applicants and or appellants may make up to five minute presentations.

2:34

During the public comment period, the chair will call out names on the submitted speaker cards in the order received.

2:43

As your name is called, line up in front of the microphone at the front of the chamber.

2:49

Generally, each speaker will be given up to two minutes for public testimony, and speakers using a translator will have up to four minutes.

3:00

At the discretion of the chair, the time allotment to each speaker may be changed depending on the number of items on the agenda, number of speakers, and other factors.

3:10

Speakers using a translator will have double the time allotted.

3:15

After the public testimony, the applicant andor appellant may make closing remarks for up to an additional five minutes.

3:25

Planning commissioners may ask questions of the speakers.

3:30

Response to commissioner questions will not reduce the speaker's time allowance.

3:36

The public hearing will then be closed, and the planning commission will take action on the item.

3:42

The planning commission may request staff to respond to public testimony, ask staff questions, and discuss the item.

3:50

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.

4:02

Or in written correspondence delivered to the city at or prior to the public hearing.

4:09

The planning commission's actions on rezoning, pre-zonings, general plan amendments, and code amendments is only advisory to the city council.

4:20

The city council will hold public hearings on these items.

4:25

Section 10.400 of the municipal code provides the procedures for legal protest to the city council on rezoning and pre-zonings.

4:37

The planning commission's actions on conditional use permits is appealable to the city council in accordance with section 20.100.220 of the municipal code.

4:50

Agendas and all staff reports for this meeting may be accessed on the website.

4:57

All right, let's call the meeting to order.

5:00

Order of the day.

5:00

Before we begin, I want to remind the planning commission, members, and members of the public to follow our code of conduct at meetings.

5:10

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

5:17

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

5:24

All members of the planning commission staff and the public are expected to refrain from abusive language.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████37%
Land Use█████████████████████21%
Alcohol Licensing███████████████15%
Retail████████████12%
Urban Planning█████████9%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Public Comment██2%
Summary of Proceedings

San Jose Planning Commission Meeting – August 12, 2026

The San Jose Planning Commission met on August 12, 2026, at 2:30 PM. The meeting included approval of the consent calendar, a public hearing on a planned development permit for a vacant commercial building at 5651 Cottle Road, and updates on city council actions and upcoming meetings. The commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the permit to the city council.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent calendar was approved unanimously (8-0, with three commissioners absent). No items were removed or debated.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public provided testimony on any agenda item. No speaker cards were submitted.

Discussion Items

  • PD 25-020 / ER25-212 – 5651 Cottle Road: The commission heard a staff presentation by Project Manager Rena Shah and an applicant presentation by Derek Larson of Dolinger Properties. The proposal includes:
    • Modifications to an existing 37,000 sq ft vacant building in the Old Orchard Town and Country shopping center.
    • A 5,568 sq ft addition and demolition of a 1,200 sq ft loft, resulting in a net addition of approximately 4,000 sq ft.
    • Creation of four tenant spaces: a Sprouts Farmers Market grocery store (suite 3, ~25,000 sq ft), a Goddard School daycare/preschool (suite 4), and two speculative retail suites.
    • Removal of 23 trees to create additional parking.
    • A Type 20 ABC license for off-sale beer and wine at Sprouts, to be sold incidental to grocery sales (less than 1% of floor area). Sales hours would be 7 AM to 10 PM daily.
    • Daycare operating hours from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM Monday through Friday, with occasional evening/weekend special events.
    • Staff noted the site is in San Jose Police Beat Y, a high crime index area, and the census tract has an overconcentration of off-sale licenses (four active, five with the proposal). A determination of public convenience or necessity is required but cannot be made by the Planning Commission; staff recommended that the City Council find the project provides significant overriding public benefit.
    • The Police Department is neutral on the alcohol license.
    • No public comments were received.
  • Good and Welfare: Deputy Director Manir Santhir reported:
    • City Council approved the rezoning for 5891 Ruffner Church that same day.
    • Three items are scheduled for the August 18 City Council meeting: the General Plan update (critical), conforming rezoning at 650 Harry Road (IBM site), and an appeal of an eight-unit project on Gartner Avenue.
    • A community outreach meeting on data centers will be held Wednesday, August 19, from 6-8 PM at City Hall.
    • The Planning Commission will move to a hybrid meeting format starting August 26, allowing remote public comment.
  • Commissioner Bickford asked if a recent board/commission schedule change to quarterly meetings would affect the Planning Commission. Staff confirmed the Planning Commission is a charter commission and not subject to that change.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote on 5651 Cottle Road: The commission voted 8-0 (three absent: Commissioners Cowell, Newen, and one other) to recommend approval of the staff recommendation to the City Council. The motion carried. The commission’s action is advisory; the City Council will make the final decision on the planned development permit, including the determination of public convenience or necessity for the alcohol license.
  • The consent calendar was adopted unanimously.
  • Staff will implement hybrid meeting format for future meetings; no further action required.

Meeting Transcript

Hello? All right. Good evening. I'm gonna bring this meeting to order. Good evening. My name is Chuck, or sorry, Charles Cantrell, and I am the chair of the Planning Commission. Welcome to the Planning Commission meeting. Please remember to turn off your cell phones. The parking validation machine for the garage under City Hall is located near the entrance or up top. Let's uh start by with a Pledge of Allegiance. All right, thank you. Let's start with the roll call. Um Charles Cantrell, I am here. Uh Vice Chair Michael Young. Here, Commissioner Luisa Aguirella Present. Thank you. Dilpreet Bandal. Here. Commissioner Melissa Bickford. Commissioner Daniel Cowell. Commissioner Lawrence Casey. Here. Commissioner Amy Escobar. Here. Commissioner Choi Newen. Commissioner Pierluigi Oliverio. Here. Didn't notice. And Commissioner Carlos Rosario. Here. Great. We do have quorum. So the summary of hearing procedures. If you want to address the commission, please fill out a speaker card located on the table near the audio visual technician and deposit the completed card in the basket. There are also speaker cards in the back of the chambers and at the side entrance. The procedure for this hearing is as follows. After staff presentation, applicants and or appellants may make up to five minute presentations. During the public comment period, the chair will call out names on the submitted speaker cards in the order received. 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 to two minutes for public testimony, and speakers using a translator will have up to four minutes. At the discretion of the chair, the time allotment 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 double the time allotted. After the public testimony, the applicant andor appellant 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 staff to respond to 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, pre-zonings, general plan amendments, and code amendments is only advisory to the city council.

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