Envision

San José 2040

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GENERAL PLAN

Adopted November 1, 2011 As Amended on August 29, 2025

CITY OF

SAN JOSE

CAPITAL OF SILICON VALLEY

Envision

San José 2040

GENERAL PLAN

Building a City of Great Places

"We are blessed to live in this area with great beauty combined with a robust economy. We must plan carefully for the land remaining under our stewardship so that this good fortune is preserved and enhanced."

E.H. Renzel, Jr., San Jose Mayor 1945-1946 written in the month of his 100¹ birthday, August 2007

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Acknowledgements

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Mayor and City Council

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Chuck Reed, Mayor of San Jose

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Pete Constant, Councilmember District 1

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Ash Kalra, Councilmember District 2

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Sam Liccardo, Councilmember District 3

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Kansen Chu, Councilmember District 4

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Xavier Campos, Councilmember District 5

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Pierluigi Oliverio, Councilmember District 6

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Madison Nguyen, Councilmember District 7

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Rose Herrera, Councilmember District 8

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Donald Rocha, Councilmember District 9

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Nancy Pyle, Councilmember District 10

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Envision Task Force Members

⬚ figure Sam Liccardo, Co-Chair

⬚ figure Jackie Adams

⬚ figure Teresa Alvarado

⬚ figure Shiloh Ballard

⬚ figure Michele Beasley

⬚ figure Judy Chirco

⬚ figure Gary Chronert

⬚ figure Pastor Oscar Dace

⬚ figure Pat Dando

⬚ figure Harvey Darnell

⬚ figure Brian Darrow

⬚ figure Shirley Lewis, Co-Chair

⬚ figure Dave Fadness

⬚ figure Enrique Fernandez

⬚ figure Leslee Hamilton

⬚ figure Sam Ho

⬚ figure Nancy Ianni

⬚ figure Lisa Jensen

⬚ figure Frank Jesse

⬚ figure Matt Kamkar

⬚ figure Charles Lauer

⬚ figure Karl Lee

⬚ figure David Pandori, Vice-Chair

⬚ figure Linda J. LeZotte

⬚ figure Pierluigi Oliverio

⬚ figure Richard Santos

⬚ figure Patricia Sausedo

⬚ figure Erik Schoennauer

⬚ figure Judy Stabile

⬚ figure Neil Struthers

⬚ figure Alofa Talivaa

⬚ figure Michael Van Every

⬚ figure Jim Zito

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Planning Commission

⬚ figure Hope Cahan, Chair

⬚ figure Ed Abelite

⬚ figure Matt Kamkar

⬚ figure Dori L. Yob

⬚ figure Edesa Bit-Badal, Vice Chair

⬚ figure Norman Kline

⬚ figure Christopher Platten

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Envision Community Participants

The following community members participated in at least one of the Task Force and community workshops and meetings. Several thousand additional community members also participated through on-line surveys and an interactive website created for the Envision process.

A. Strawa
Aaron Resendez
Adam Antolin
Adara Beamesdefer
Adrian Flores
Adriana Farkdun
Adriana Farkouh
Aimee Reedy
Al Victors
Alan Wong
Alberto Servin
Alex Chui
Alex Fraser
Alexander Powell
Alexsis Shields
Alice Frazne
Allen Mulch
Alyssa Shelman
Amanda Aldama
Amie Frisch
Amintha Peterson
Amor Santiago
Andre Rivera
Andrew Judaprawira
Andrez Garza
Andy Liu
Angela Kelly
Angelique Guzman
Anil Babbar
Anjee Helstrip-Alvarez
Anna LaFrom
Anna Le
Anna Marcoida-Harshbarger
Anne Stahr
Anne Stauffer
Annie Thomas
Anthony Preader
April Halberstadt
Armor Santiago
Atul Saini
Aurelia Sanchez
Barbara Boone
Barry Witt
Bea Baechle
Beau Slorana
Bertha M. Starks
Betty Brown
Betty Slater
Bill Rankin
Bill Roeder
Bill Sowa
Bill Thomas
Bill Tuttle
Bob Gronachon
Bob Gross
Bob Leininger
Bob Levy
Bob Nunez
Bob Sippel
Bob Walker
Bobbi Hall
Bonnie Mace
Brenda McHenny
Brenda Narayan
Brett Howard
Brian Abbott
Brian Grayson
Brian Schmidt
Brian Ward
Bruce Tichinin
C. Rothschild
Carl Rand
Carlos Babcock
Carlos Barrientos
Carolus Boekana
Carol Ashman
Cary Chien
Casey Junod
Cathleen King
Cathy Novello
Cau Trinh
Cha Larlund
Charles Albert
Charlotte Pizzo
Chet Lockwood
Chris Bui
Chris Franchuck
Chris Hugheseralia
Chris Lepe
Chris Marchese
Chris Truebridge
Christina Matinez
Christine Choi
Christopher Lepe
Chuck Hagenmaier
Chuck Mondave
Clarice Shephard
Claudia Shope
Clyde McMorrow
Conrad Fust
Cooper Kai Tak Cheng
Cora Sandoval
Corinne Winter
Craig Breon
Craig Chivatero
Craig Mann
Craige Edgerton
Cristina Galvan
D. Arant
Dale Osborn
Dan Chapman
Dan Fitzpatrick
Dan Hoang
Daniel Lopretta
Danny Erceg
Danny Garza
Danny Hellevig
Darren Ponce
David Biagian
David Dearborn
David Dickey
David Dudek
David Marsland

David Peterson Davide Vieira Dean Gunderson Debbie Wade Deborah Avant Deborah Carvalho Dennis Lozano Dennis Martin Derrick Williamson Diana Harper Diana King Dolores Gatherwright Don Gagliardi Donald Robinson Doreen Morgan Dorsey Moore Doug Reid Doug Svennson Douglas Nguyen Du Phong Dylan Crutchfield Ed Rast Elaine Curran Elaine Richards Elizabeth Mattson Ellen Finch Ellen Krystal Elliot Sowadsky Elsie Aranda Emily Ray Emy Mendoza Eric Carruthers Eric Ippolilo Eric Lomori Eric Meece Eric Thadaw Erich Winkler Erik Hayden Erin Goodwin-Guerrero Erin Reddy Ernest Guzman Estelle Kadis Eugene Bradley Eve Orton Evelyn Sanchez Floyd Rowe Fran Stewart Frank Barnard Frank Ruiz Frank Sweeney Frank Throckmorton Franzsiska Church Frisel Lon Gary Prideaux George Belhumeur George Chien Gerri Garcia Gerry Hunt Gilbert Sanchez Gopi Nathan Greg Cabrera Greg Henderson Gregory Cabrera Gretchen Laustsen Gustavo Gomez Han Ly Hank Rosendin Hank Rosendin Hannah Crabtree Harold Clay Heather Durham Heinz Bodeker Helen Chapman Helen Garza Helen Johnson Henry Servin Henry Sun Hilary Nixon Hue Tih Nguyen Hugh Graham Hullene Salomon Isidro A. Raymundo Israel Leal Jack Nadeau Jack Knoll Jack Nadeau Jack Wimberly Jackelyn Davis Jackelyn Perez Jacob M. Smith Jaki Phillips James Charles James Fitzpatrick James Harold James Reber James Trader James Williams Jana Clark Jana Lindsay Jane Bierstedt Janice Rombeck Janine Bryant Jean Dresden Jean Marlowe Jeff Krump Jeff Lake Jeff Thayer Jennifer Delugio Jennifer Ralston Jennifer Stearns Jerry Strangis Jessica Aguilar Jessica Gonzalez Jessica Reese Jessica Zenk Jessie Woodyard Jim Boales Jim Carten Jim Foran Jim LaFrom Jim Parker Jim Siebert Joan Bohnett Joan Corsiglia Joan Doss Joanne McFarlin Joe De Simone Joe Head John Beall John Fernandez John Keunett John Leyba John Mitchell John Pang Yu John Ristow

John Schallau John Sie John Urban Jon Schuppert Jonathan Miller Jonathan Sandhu Jonathan Schuppert Jose Hernandez Joseph Hong Joseph Lovelace Joshua Goodwin Joycee Benavides Juan Barroso Judi Henderson Judy Ingols Julie Hutcheson Julie Lam Julie Larson Julie Philips Juliet Eichler June Rono Justin Fried Jyelle Lyrod Jyoti Khera Kakoli Banerjee Kan Parthiban Karen Miki Karen Prowd Karen Yhan Kari Peterson Katherine Cheso Katheryn Nicol Kathryn Mathewson Katie Hoffman Katie Louey Katrina Cappello Keith Davis Kelly Gearhart Ken Henning Ken Kelly Ken Saso Ken Kelly Kent Campbell Kermi Halts Kerri Hamilton Kevin Carley Kevin Fish Kim Brosseau Kiran Shah Kitty Lombardo Kymberli Brady Lailo Fagroovy Lan Nguyen Larry Ames Larry Long Nguyen Larry Prowd Latha Seshadri Laura Araceli Padilla-Tom Laura Winter Laurie Quinn Leah Toeniskoetter Lenora Porcella Leslie Reynolds Lin Y. Lee Linda Spencer Lindsay Jeoung Liz Frank Liz Valdez Lois Garcia Lois Lopez Lonnie Gross Lorena Vidrio Lori Parsons Lorie Bird Lorna C. Lowell Grattan Luis Gova Lurdes Rivera Lyn Judd. Lynda Serena M. Cescis M. Gerald Crofoot Mack Johansen Mara Craggs Marc Fontana Marc Morris Marcus Salomon Maria Mustonen Marian Duran Marie Arnold Marilyn Watson Marini Kamzan Mark Anthony Medeiros Marley Spilman Martin Delson Marvin Castro Mary Patterson Mary Smith Mathew Bright Matt Bruensteiner Matt Haynes Matt Hood Matt Wahlin Matthew Pally Mauricio Astacio Maya Raman Mayra Cruz Mayra Flores De Marcotte Meagan Fluke Melissa DeKoun Michael Larocca Michael Mulcahy Michael Pierce Michael Vasquez Michele Korpos Mike Bertram Mike Conner Mike Curran Mike Donohoe Mike Duong Mike Flaugher Mike Selvog Minh Nguyen Mona Onstead Monica Gallyot Monica Limas Nadia Flores Nancy Garrison Nancy Hickey Nancy Le Nancy Morgan Naomi Gamez Nasim Bolandpaivez Neela Srinivasan Nicole Kohleriter Nicole Moreau Nicole Smith Nikhil Mazumder

Nora Monette Noren Caliva Norm Matteoni Oscar Trinh P Szeyu Padmaja Iyer Pam Foley Pamela Parrish Pankaj Singh Pat Colombe Pat Flanigan Pat Pizzo Pat Reardon Patricia Colombe Patricia Curia Patricia Palomares-Mason Patricia Walsh Patrick Campbell Patti Massey Paul Pereira Paula Velsey Paulo Hernandez Pearl Caldwell Pete Benson Pete Carleton Pete Kolstad Pete Kolstad Pete Rausa Peter Benson Peter Chung Peter H. Smith Peter Pethoe Peter Rasmussen Peter Rothschild Peter Woolhouse Phyllis Woodyard Ping Sun Chin RJ Castro Rafael Gomez Ralph Portillo Randall Hayden Randi Kinman Riad Steven Elbdour Rich Hetner Richard Adoradio Richard Corin Richard Helner Richard Loewke Richard Silva Richard Wallace Richard Zappelli Rick Harnadez Rick Malupo Rick Phillips Ricu Giorgetti Rita Arbour Robert Amos Robert Atkinson Robert Barragan Robert Hamilton Robert Sandoval Robert Solis Roland Lebrun Ron Johnson Rose Crabtree Rosemary Kamei Ross Nakasone Rosylin Dean Roy Heath Ruben Herrera, Jr. Russ Danielson Ruth Cavagnaro Ryan Phillips Sandra Soellner Sandra Soto Sandy Day Sandy Nguyen Sandy Perry Sarah Baig Saran Pice Saul Watcher Scarlett Li Lam. Scott Giddens Sean Mineta Sharon Sweeney Shawn Milligan Sheklio Shirlay Nakamiyo Sib Meyer Sohrab Rashid Soma Chattenja Son C. Kuan Sowmya Raman Stan Williams Stephen Butler Stephen Gifford Steve Dunn Steve Hall Steve Kline Steve Polcyn Steven Le Stuart Bussiain Sue Pyne Susan Harty Susan Marsland Susan Polito Susan Price Susie Woodyard Tadas Narauskas Taisia McMahon Tanya Diamond Tao Wu Le Ted Johnson Terri Balandra Terry Christensen Thomas Clarel Tim Henderson Tim Ledds Tim Morrill Tim Newsome Tim Wallace Timothy Maier Timothy Tom Tom Armstrong Tom Leddy Tom McCarter Tom Rossi Tom Sawyer Tony Strawa Tor Crabtree Trang Bui Travis Smith Trista Chung Trixie Johnson Tu Do

Ulitafa Mariner Mamea Valerie Silva Vanessa Glaser Verna Davis Veronica Davis Veronica Roche Vicente Rivero Vicki Lan Victor Sandoval Victoria Silva Vince Cantore Virgina Holtz Virginia Thomas Walker Kellogg Walter Soellner Welling Hsu Wendy Lao Wendy Underhill Will Belkanp William Kremer Xavier Campos Yolanda Reynolds Zari Aziz Zulmina McMorrow

City and Agency Staff

Envision Planning Division Team

Avril Baty
John Baty
Page Benway
Michael Bills
Larry Bohannon*
Darryl Boyd*
Juan Borrelli**
Michael Brilliot
Rich Buikema
Chris Burton**
Lee Butler**
Justina Chang**
Dipa Chundur
Jodie Clark
Andrew Crabtree
Akoni Danielsen*
John Davidson
Sylvia Do
Mike Enderby
Carol Hamilton*
Jean Hamilton
Jared Hart**
Stefanie Hom*
Stan Ketchum*
Johnny Kim*
Hadasa Lev*
Michael Mena*
Trung Nguyen
Jenny Nusbaum
Perihan Ozdemir
Laurel Prevetti
Rebekah Ross*
Edward Schreiner
Michelle Stahlhut*
Allen Tai**
Susan Walsh
Susan Walton
Lesley Xavier
Salifu Yakubu
Eileen Yan**
Sally Notthoff Zarnowitz*

* former City of San José employee
** former Planning staff

Envision Strategy Team

Wayne Chen, Housing
Mary Ellen Dick*, Environmental Services
Marybeth Harasz, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services
Kip Harkness, Redevelopment Agency
Nanci Klein, Economic Development
Dennis Korabiak*, Redevelopment Agency
Hans Larsen, Transportation
Manuel Pineda, Transportation
Jacky Morales-Ferrand, Housing
Jennifer Seguin, Environmental Services
Vera Todorov, City Attorney
Dave Tucker, Environmental Services
Kim Walesh, Economic Development

San Jose Leadership Team

Julia Cooper, Finance
Leslye Corsiglia, Housing
Rick Doyle, City Attorney
Julie Edmonds-Mares, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services
Debra Figone, City Manager
Joe Horwedel, Planning, Building and Code Enforcement
Dennis Korabiak, Redevelopment Agency
Hans Larsen, Transportation
Jane Light, Library
William McDonald, Fire
Chris Moore, Police
Kerrie Romanow, Environmental Services
Bill Sherry, Airport
Ed Shikada, City Manager
David Sykes, Public Works
Kim Walesh, Economic Development

Former City Officials

Katy Allen, Public Works
Rob Davis, Police
Stephen Ferguson, Information Technology
Jim Helmer, Transportation
Scott Johnson, Finance
Paul Krutko, Economic Development
Harry Mavrogenes, Redevelopment Agency
John Stufflebean, Environmental Services
John Weis, Redevelopment Agency

Other City Staff and Agency Contributors

Airport Cary Greene

Budget Office Margaret McCahan

City Attorney’s Office Renee Gurza Johnny Phan

City Manager’s Office Anastazia Aziz Ashwini Kantak

Cultural Affairs Kerry Adams-Hapner

Economic Development Steven Brewster Scott Green John Lang Dhez Woodworth*

Environmental Services Reena Brilliot Dionne Early Napp Fukuda Eric Hansen Shayna Hirshfield Sean Kimball Matt Krupp Skip Lacaze Karen McDonough Nicole Quesada Michael Rhoades Alice Ringer Erik Rosenblum Junko Vromen Aaron Wilcher Jessica Zadeh

Fire Department Geoff Cady Ty Mayfield Michael Murtiff

Housing Ron Eddow* Melissa Whatley

Human Resources Kelly Spivey*

Library Chuck Griffen Mary Nacu

Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Matt Cano Rafael Gomez Darren McBain Dave Mitchell Yves Zsutty

Police Department David Cavallaro

Public Works Mirabel Aguilar Maria Angeles Timm Borden* Ryan Do Shelley Guo Karen Mack Michael OConnell Mike Shimamoto

Redevelopment Agency Jennifer Chen Richard Keit Walter Rask* Don Rocha* Ruth Shikada*

Transportation Casey Hirasaki Paul Ma

• former City of San José employee

Mayoral and Council Office Staff

Mayor Chuck Reed Pete Furman Armando Gomez Michelle McGurk Ru Weerakoon Jeff Janssen Jose Salcido Antonio Guerra Bobby Nilsen Christina Fernandez David Low Joyce Chen Khoa Nguyen Kristina Perslta Richard Hong Sara Wright Celia Miller Cindy Escobar Kimberly Oliver Norma Gutierrez Phoung Le

District 1 - Pete Constant Rhovylynn Antonio Shane Patrick Connolly Jerad Ferguson Chelsey Seagraves

District 2 - Ash Kalra Joseph Okpaku Stacie Shih Steven Aponte Kimberly Hernandez Rohit Krishna Roseryn Bhudsabourg

District 3 - Sam Liccardo Ragan Henninger Ruth Cueto Fred Buzo Jennifer Kim Luc Rhonda Hadnot

District 4 - Kansen Chu Stephanie Fong Margie Espinoza Sheila Ngo Rosa Santiago Anh Tran

District 5 - Xavier Campos Josué Garcia Kathy Tsukamoto Diego Barragan Joseph Sanchez

District 6 - Pierluigi Oliverio Danelle Fedor Melrose Cacal Frances Reyes Lara Tran

District 7 - Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen Louansee Moua Yen-Chi H. Nguyen Noelle A. Vergara Diego Inzunza Sachin Jain

District 8 - Rose Herrera Mary Anne Groen Shelley Opsal Aaron Quigley Dominique Reynaga Angie Vazquez

District 9 - Donald Rocha Diana Jamison Peter Hamilton Ann Grabowski Brady Ruebusch Marisa Melo

District 10 - Nancy Pyle Kathy Sutherland Linda Alexander Laura Cowan Nitila Patel Lauren Profeit Frank McLaughlin

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

1. Envision San José 2040

General Plan Purpose and Use ........................................................... 3

Overall Purpose ........................................................................................................................ 3 Legal Context ............................................................................................................................ 3 General Plan Document Structure .......................................................................................... 4 Use of the General Plan ........................................................................................................... 4

Our Community .................................................................................... 7

Capital of Silicon Valley............................................................................................................. 7 Living Amidst Abundant Natural Resources ........................................................................... 9 Home to a Diverse and Thriving Population ........................................................................... 9

The General Plan Vision...................................................................... 11

Vision Diagram........................................................................................................................ 13

Major Strategies ................................................................................ 14

#1 - Community Based Planning............................................................................................ 15 #2 - Form Based Plan ............................................................................................................. 16 #3 - Focused Growth .............................................................................................................. 16 #4 - Innovation/Regional Employment Center ....................................................................... 17 #5 - Urban Villages.................................................................................................................. 18 #6 - Streetscapes for People ................................................................................................. 20 #7 - Measurable Sustainability / Environmental Stewardship ................................................ 22 #8 - Fiscally Strong City ........................................................................................................... 22 #9 - Destination Downtown..................................................................................................... 23 #10 - Life Amidst Abundant Natural Resources .................................................................... 24 #11 - Design for a Healthful Community ............................................................................... 24 #12 - Plan Horizons and Periodic Major Review ..................................................................... 25

Growth Areas ...................................................................................... 26

Downtown................................................................................................................................ 26 Specific Plans .......................................................................................................................... 27

North San José ................................................................................................................ 27 Employment Lands........................................................................................................... 28 Regional Transit Urban Villages ....................................................................................... 28 Local Transit Urban Villages............................................................................................. 28 Commercial Corridor and Center Urban Villages............................................................. 29 Neighborhood Urban Villages.......................................................................................... 29 Growth Areas Diagram .................................................................................................... 31

Envision San José 2040 Context and Key Issues.. 33

History of Planning in San José – the General Plan ......................................................... 33 Table: Evolution of Planning Policy and Accomplishments of General Plans... 46 History of Planning in San José – Redevelopment........................................................... 48 History of Planning in San José – Specific Plans and Area Plans..................................... 50 History of Planning in San José – Environmental Initiatives ............................................ 55 History of Planning in San José – Policy Implementation ................................................ 58 Envision San José 2040 Key Issues.................................................................................. 60

2. Thriving Community

Diverse and Innovative Economy ............................ 4

Land Use and Employment ............................................................................................... 4 Business Growth and Retention........................................................................................ 6 Regional, State, and National Leadership......................................................................... 7 Connections to Promote Economic Development............................................................ 8 Cultural Attractions ........................................................................................................... 8 Broad Economic Prosperity............................................................................................... 9 Clean Technology............................................................................................................ 10

Arts and Culture..................................................... 11

San José as the Silicon Valley Cultural Center ................................................................ 11 High Impact Public Art .................................................................................................... 12

Community Engagement....................................... 13

Active Community Engagement...................................................................................... 13 Community Partnerships ................................................................................................ 14

Fiscal Sustainability .............................................. 15

City Operations................................................................................................................ 15 Cultivate Fiscal Resources............................................................................................... 16 Fiscally Sustainable Land Use Framework ...................................................................... 17 Promote Fiscally Beneficial Land Use.............................................................................. 18 Fiscally Sustainable Service Delivery................................................................................ 19

Fiscally Sustainable Waste Management .................................................................... 21

3. Environmental Leadership

Measurable Environmental Sustainability ............ 2

Green Building ........................................................................................................... 3 Recycling / Zero Waste ............................................................................................... 7 Air Quality................................................................................................................ 12 Energy Conservation................................................................................................ 15 Water Supply, Conservation, Recycling, and Quality .................................................. 18 Community Forest ................................................................................................... 22

Environmental Resources ................................. 25

Natural Communities and Wildlife Habitat ................................................................ 25 Table ER-4: Special-status Species in San Jose's Sphere of Influence ................... 30 Stormwater .............................................................................................................. 34 Water Resources....................................................................................................... 35 Archaeology and Paleontology ................................................................................ 35 Extractive Resources ................................................................................................ 36

Environmental Considerations / Hazards ........... 37

Noise and Vibration ................................................................................................. 39 Table EC-1: Land Use Compatibility Guidelines for Community Noise................. 40 Seismic Hazards ....................................................................................................... 43 Geologic and Soil Hazards........................................................................................ 44 Flooding Hazards ..................................................................................................... 46 Hazardous Materials ................................................................................................ 49 Environmental Contamination ................................................................................. 50 Wildland and Urban Fire Hazards............................................................................. 52

Infrastructure ............................................... 53

Provision of Infrastructure ........................................................................................ 53 Infrastructure Management ...................................................................................... 54 Water Supply, Sanitary Sewer and Storm Drainage .................................................. 55 Wastewater Treatment and Water Reclamation ....................................................... 57 Solid Waste – Materials Recovery / Landfill ............................................................. 58 Telecommunications................................................................................................. 60

4. Quality of Life

Community Context and Identity........................ 4

Vibrant Neighborhoods ..................................... 4

Cultural Opportunities................................................................................................ 8

Private Community Gathering Facilities......................................................................................... 9

Community Design ................................................................ 11

General City Design.................................................................................................................... 11 Downtown................................................................................................................................... 21 Urban Villages............................................................................................................................. 22 Building Height ........................................................................................................................... 24 Scenic Corridors ......................................................................................................................... 25 Scenic Corridors Diagram........................................................................................................... 27

Housing................................................................................. 29

Education and Services........................................................ 34

Education ................................................................................................................................... 34 Libraries...................................................................................................................................... 36 Community Safety....................................................................................................................... 37 Health Care ................................................................................................................................ 43 Potential Hospital Sites Diagram................................................................................................ 46

Parks, Open Space, and Recreation ................................... 48

High Quality Facilities and Programs ......................................................................................... 50 Contribute to a Healthful Community.......................................................................................... 51 Provide an Equitable Park System.............................................................................................. 52 Community Identity..................................................................................................................... 53 Sustainable Parks and Recreation.............................................................................................. 54 Interconnected Parks System .................................................................................................... 55 Fiscal Management of Parks and Recreation Resources............................................................ 56 Open Space, Parks, and Trails Diagram...................................................................................... 59

5. Interconnected City

Land Use Diagram Concepts .................................................. 3

Generalized Land Use Designations............................................................................................ 3 Designated Growth Areas............................................................................................................ 4 Support for Employment Growth ................................................................................................ 4 Low-Growth Areas ...................................................................................................................... 4 Establish Fixed Urban Growth Boundary..................................................................................... 5 Incorporation of Specific Plans ................................................................................................... 5 Implementation of Urban Village Plans........................................................................................ 6

Land Use Designations .......................................................... 6

Downtown................................................................................................................................... 6 Commercial Downtown ............................................................................................................... 7 Urban Village ............................................................................................................................. 7 Urban Village Commercial........................................................................................................... 8

Transit Employment Center ........................................................................................ 8 Regional Commercial............................................................................................... 9 Mixed Use Commercial ............................................................................................ 9 Neighborhood/Community Commercial.................................................................. 10 Combined Industrial/Commercial .......................................................................... 10 Industrial Park ....................................................................................................... 10 Light Industrial ....................................................................................................... 11 Heavy Industrial ..................................................................................................... 11 Public/Quasi-Public............................................................................................... 12 Transportation and Utilities.................................................................................... 12 Transit Residential ................................................................................................. 13 Urban Residential................................................................................................... 13 Mixed Use Neighborhood ...................................................................................... 13 Residential Neighborhood...................................................................................... 14 Rural Residential .................................................................................................... 16 Lower Hillside........................................................................................................ 16 Agriculture ............................................................................................................. 17 Private Recreation and Open Space....................................................................... 17 Open Space, Parklands and Habitat ....................................................................... 17 Open Hillside.......................................................................................................... 18

Special Land Use Designations and Overlays ..... 20

Sphere of Influence................................................................................................ 20 Urban Growth Boundary........................................................................................ 20 Urban Service Area................................................................................................ 21 Urban Reserve ....................................................................................................... 21 Specific Plan Area Boundary.................................................................................. 22 Urban Village Area Boundary................................................................................. 22 Neighborhood Business Districts ........................................................................... 23 Downtown Employment Priority Area .................................................................... 24 Transit Employment Residential Overlay............................................................... 25 Preferred Hotel Site Overlay.................................................................................. 25 Floating Park Site ................................................................................................... 26 Open Hillside Golf Course Site............................................................................... 26 CalTrain Stations & CalTrain Line........................................................................... 26 Proposed BART Stations & BART Line.................................................................... 26 Existing and Proposed Light Rail Stations & Light Rail Line.................................. 27 Solid Waste & Candidate Solid Waste Disposal Site .............................................. 27 Urban Village Plan Areas ....................................................................................... 27 Area Development Policies ................................................................................... 28 Area Development Policies Diagram ..................................................................... 28

Transportation Network Designations .............................. 30

Street Typologies ........................................................................................................ 30 Sample Street Typology Cross-Sections................................................................... 32 Transportation Network Diagram............................................................................... 35 Land Use and Transportation Diagram ..................................................................... 36

6. Land Use and Transportation

Land Use Policies........................................................................ 4

General Land Use Policies ............................................................................................. 5 Growth Areas ................................................................................................................ 6 Downtown...................................................................................................................... 9 Commercial Lands ...................................................................................................... 10 Industrial Lands........................................................................................................... 11 Residential and Mixed Use .......................................................................................... 13 Residential Neighborhoods......................................................................................... 16 Urban Agriculture ........................................................................................................ 18 Historic Preservation................................................................................................... 19 Rural Residential, Lower Hillside and Open Hillside Areas ....................................... 25

Land Use Policies - Non-Urban Areas............................. 29

Urban Growth Boundary.............................................................................................. 29 Rural Agriculture ......................................................................................................... 32

Transportation Policies.......................................................... 35

Balanced Transportation System................................................................................ 35 Walking and Bicycling................................................................................................. 38 Public Transit ............................................................................................................... 41 Vehicular Circulation and Vehicle Miles Travelled...................................................... 43 Goods Movement ........................................................................................................ 45 Primary Truck Routes Diagram .................................................................................. 46 Transportation Demand Management and Parking................................................... 48 Reduction of Vehicle Miles Traveled .......................................................................... 50 Intelligent Transportation System .............................................................................. 53 Airport ......................................................................................................................... 54 Airport Influence Area Diagram .................................................................................. 57 Trail Network ............................................................................................................... 59

7. Implementation

Implementation......................................................................... 4

Land Use / Transportation Diagram ............................................................................ 4

General Plan Phasing / Planning Horizons / Major Review................................................ 6 General Plan Annual Review and Measurable Sustainability.......................................... 10 General Plan Annual Review Hearing Process ................................................................ 14 Urban Village Planning...................................................................................................... 15 Capital Improvement Program......................................................................................... 20 Land Use Entitlement Process ......................................................................................... 21 Citizen Participation and Community Engagement ........................................................ 27 Development Fees, Taxes, and Improvement Requirements ........................................ 27 Implementation of the General Plan by Other Agencies................................................. 29 Environmental Leadership / Stewardship ........................................................................ 29 Economic Development.................................................................................................... 31 Housing Development ...................................................................................................... 32 Housing Element ............................................................................................................... 33 Housing Growth Areas by Horizon .................................................................................. 42

Appendices

1. Glossary

2. General Plan Required Elements Reference

3. Envision Process

4. Relationship to Previous General Plan Diagram

5. Growth Areas Planned Capacity by Horizon

6. Urban Village Planning Guidelines

7. Noise Study & Maps

8. Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy

9. Neighborhood Business District Maps

10. Record of General Plan Amendments

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Envision San José 2040

CHAPTER 1

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CHAPTER 1

San José is a unique place, playing a vital economic and cultural role within North America. San José is fortunate to be the largest and most urban city within Silicon Valley, home to the nation’s largest collection of leading innovative industries. San José is also home to an energetic, talented and diverse population and located within an area of great natural resources including an abundance of good weather. At the same time, San José faces many contemporary challenges common to other North American cities, including the need to address the effects of the rapid suburban growth that took place during the past 60 years, growing concern about the City’s fiscal resources, and a growing desire to make land use decisions in an environmentally, economically, and fiscally sustainable manner.

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan is the City’s latest expression of its ongoing commitment to a leadership role in the advancement of an innovation-based economy, the development and implementation of environmental policies, and the utilization of land use planning best practices to shape San José’s future.

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan sets forth a vision and a comprehensive road map to guide the City’s continued growth through the year 2040. The Plan includes land use policies to shape the transformation of strategically identified and historically underutilized Growth Areas into higher-density, mixed-use, urban districts or “Urban Villages” which can accommodate employment and housing growth and reduce the environmental impacts of that growth by promoting transit use and walkability. This land use strategy, in combination with progressive economic and environmental policies, will guide the City toward fulfillment of its future vision.

This chapter of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan sets forth the Plan Vision, and its overarching Major Strategies, identifies the City’s primary Growth Areas and provides background information on the community-based Envision San José 2040 planning process.

General Plan Purpose and Use

Overall Purpose

San José has undergone many changes over the last 60 years. Before 1950, it was a relatively small community of farms and orchards, with an urban Downtown surrounded by walkable neighborhoods. During the 1960s and 1970s, it was one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. Population projections of recent years forecast continued growth pressures in San José, but these projections do not consider the real, local constraints on growth. These constraints include the diminished availability of lands that are either vacant or readily available for redevelopment, the escalating public costs associated with growth, citizen concern with the adequacy of public services, the lack of revenue for funding public infrastructure required for growth, and the lack of alternative revenue sources for funding needed services at the local level. While San José continues to plan for growth, the form must evolve significantly to accomplish key City goals and focus that growth into an increasingly urban form.

The issue of growth is one which is central to any general plan. Growth has social, environmental, economic and fiscal dimensions. There are costs associated with growth, as well as with the absence of growth. The vehicle for planning the future, for making choices between conservation and development, and for defining the desirable balance between social, environmental, and economic costs in San José is the General Plan.

A general plan is an adopted statement of policy for the physical development of a community. As such, it represents the official policy regarding the future character and quality of development. The General Plan represents the City's assessment of the amount, type, and phasing of development needed to achieve its social, economic, and environmental goals. It was developed with the participation of the community at large and all City departments. It is a plan which can be implemented because it is realistic and provides some flexibility. It is designed to be used by all members of the community as the policy framework for decision-making on both private development projects and City capital expenditures.

Legal Context

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan was adopted in compliance with the State law requirement that each city and county prepare and adopt a comprehensive and long-range general plan for its physical development (California Government Code Section 65300). Accordingly, the General Plan is a legal document fulfilling statutory requirements relating to background data, analysis, maps, and exhibits. The legal adequacy of the General Plan is critical, since many City actions and programs are required to be consistent with the General Plan.

State Law requires that general plans address seven topics (referred to as "elements")--land use, circulation, housing, open space, conservation, safety, and noise (California Government Code Section 65302)--, to the extent that the topics are locally relevant. A general plan may also include other topics of local interest, as chosen by the local jurisdiction (California Government Code Section 65303). A local jurisdiction may adopt a general plan in the format that best fits its unique circumstances (California Government

Code Section 65300.5). In doing so, the jurisdiction must ensure that the general plan and its component parts comprise an integrated, internally consistent, and compatible statement of development policies. The Envision San José 2040 General Plan is an integrated general plan document, with most elements addressed through the Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions in each Chapter throughout the document. Appendix 2 provides a summary of how the Envision San José 2040 General Plan aligns with the seven mandatory elements.

As a comprehensive general plan, the Envision San José 2040 General Plan provides San José with a consistent framework for its decision-making related to the City’s land uses and delivery of municipal services. The general plan has been called the “constitution” for land use development to emphasize its importance to land use decisions. The general plan and its maps, diagrams, and development policies form the basis for the city’s zoning, subdivision, and public works actions. Under California law, no specific plan, area plan, community plan, zoning, subdivision map, nor public works project may be approved unless the City finds that it is consistent with the adopted general plan. The State General Plan Guidelines recommend that general plans be updated every five to ten years to ensure that they remain relevant. This is important not only to reflect local physical and demographic changes, but also broader changes in culture and technology.

General Plan Document Structure

The General Plan of the City of San José is a comprehensive long-term plan. This Plan comprises an integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement of the official land use policy of the City of San José. It contains a statement of development policies and includes a Land Use/Transportation Diagram as well as text which set forth the objectives, principles, standards and plan proposals.

The City of San José has chosen to adopt an integrated general plan that consolidates mandatory elements with optional elements targeted at addressing the unique planning needs of the City. The General Plan meets the minimum requirements and intent of the California Government Code while accommodating local conditions and circumstances. It contains each of the elements mandated by Government Code Section 65302. Since they are intrinsically interrelated and overlapping, the elements have been combined into a consistent meaningful whole, and organized in a manner designed to meet the needs of public officials, developers, neighborhood organizations and members of the community who will use it most frequently. In order to facilitate identification of the aspects of each mandatory element, the appendices include a comprehensive list of references for each of the seven mandatory elements.

Use of the General Plan

The City’s General Plan is intended for use by all members of the community including residents, businesses, developers, and decision-makers. The organization of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan allows users to find topics or sections that interest them and to quickly review city policies; however, users should realize that the policies throughout all elements are interrelated and should be examined comprehensively. They must be considered together when making planning decisions.

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan is divided into sections that address different aspects of the City’s life. Within each section, Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions are set forth to provide high-level policy guidance to the City on a wide range of topics related to Land Use and the delivery of municipal services. The General Plan sections are:

• Envision San José 2040 (Introduction and Background) – Presents background information, the Plan Vision and twelve Major Strategies, collectively intended to communicate the unique plan set forth for San José by the Envision General Plan. The Plan identifies three characteristics that define the unique qualities of San José: “Capital of Silicon Valley,” “Living amidst Abundant Natural Resources,” and “Home to a Diverse and Thriving Community.”

• Thriving Community (Overarching City Goals and Policies) – Sets forth goals and policies for topics that have an impact upon the City as a whole, shaping its image and role in the region. Topics addressed in this section include economic development, arts and culture, community engagement and fiscal sustainability.

• Environmental Leadership (Environmental Goals and Policies) – Sets forth goals and policies for topics related to the City’s continuing commitment to Environmental Leadership. It is organized into four categories: Measurable Sustainability includes policies that fulfill the City’s Green Vision and Climate Smart San Jose goal for the incorporation of specific measurable standards in the General Plan related to green building, greenhouse gas reduction, recycling, air quality, energy, water resources and the community forest; Environmental Resources includes policies intended to protect the high-quality ecologies and other environmental resources that can be found within the City; Environmental Considerations/Hazards includes policies to reduce the potential land use risks related to various environmental hazards; and Infrastructure includes policies for provision and management of the City’s infrastructure systems.

• Quality of Life (Neighborhood Oriented Goals and Policies) – Sets forth goals and policies that directly affect the quality of life of the City’s residents, including the look and feel of San José’s neighborhoods and the quality of the municipal services provided by the City. Specific topics in this section include urban design guidelines, municipal services such as police, fire and libraries, educational facilities, health care and parks, trails, open space and recreation, and the development of complete neighborhoods, including community empowerment, access to healthy foods, promotion of cultural opportunities, and private community gathering facilities.

• Interconnected City (Land Use and Transportation Diagram) – Contains the Land Use/Transportation Diagram and an explanation of the planned land uses for the designations depicted on the Diagram. The appropriate land uses and form of development are described for each land use designation. Similarly, the appropriate uses and form and character are described for each type of planned roadway types. These form-based land use and roadway categories work together to accomplish multiple plan goals, including job growth, protection of neighborhood character, reduction of automobile dependency and the City’s per capita vehicle miles travelled (VMT), and the creation of new, vibrant, urban districts.

• Land Use and Transportation (Goals and Policies) – Establishes land use and transportation goals and policies to implement the Diagram, including goals and policies to address specific land use types, urban agriculture, historic preservation, the City’s trail network, and bicycle, pedestrian, transit and motor vehicle circulation.

• Implementing the Plan (Implementation Goals and Policies) – Includes policies to guide use of the General Plan for the ongoing land use decision making process and development of related City policies, with further explanation of the Annual and Major General Plan review process, and the Urban Village Planning process.

• Appendices – Includes supplemental information to make the General Plan document more accessible and user-friendly, including a glossary of terms, a record of General Plan amendments, and a reference guide to how the General Plan fulfills specific legal requirements.

<u>Illustrative Elements</u> While the majority of the contents of the General Plan document is adopted policy, and requires a General Plan amendment to modify, some components or elements of the document are provided for illustrative purposes and may be updated without a General Plan amendment. In addition to formatting elements and the photographs provided as illustrations, the illustrative elements include diagrams which provide contextual information, but which do not establish policy. These illustrative diagrams can be updated to reflect other changes in City policies as needed without a General Plan amendment process.

Items that are not illustrative include the Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions set forth in Chapters 1 through 7 of the General Plan, along with the introductory and background text provided in those chapters. Illustrative items within the General Plan text include the Appendices, illustrations or photos located through the text document and captions for those illustrations. While the Land Use designations for specific parcels, identified floodplain areas as required by State law, and the roadways which are designated as part of the General Plan Transportation Network are not illustrative, other geographic data is illustrative, including the location of natural features, bicycle and truck routes, the boundaries of Neighborhood Business Districts, and sites identified as suitable for healthcare facilities or private community gathering facilities.

Our Community

While San José is a large, complex and multi-faceted city, three prominent characteristics play a primary role in defining its national and regional identity and in shaping the life experiences of its residents. First, San José is the largest and fastest growing city within the Silicon Valley, and must play a central role in shaping the future for this vital center of technological innovation and economic activity. As more technology companies locate within San José and the city takes on a greater leadership role for the region, it is growing into its title as "Capital of Silicon Valley". Second, San José is located in an area with great climate and good access to many natural amenities, which is conducive to an active and healthy outdoor-oriented lifestyle for its residents while promoting their awareness and interest in sustainable lifestyle choices. The mild climate and proximity to both urban and natural areas provide many opportunities for outdoor recreation, encourage bicycle and pedestrian activity, and enable outdoor, urban activities. Third, San José is an increasingly diverse city that successfully combines the strengths of many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds to create a unique and vibrant urban environment. San José residents enjoy a high quality of life based on access to a wide variety of cultural and economic opportunities and expect the City to provide high-quality municipal services for its residents.

Other characteristics that help to define San José are its stature as the tenth largest city in the United States, the third largest city within California, and the largest within Northern California. San José has a growing population of over one million residents and a long history. San José continues to be one of the safest cities in the United States.

San José has an established history of leadership and innovation. The City was founded on November 29, 1777, making it the first town or "pueblo" (non-military settlement) in what was at that time the Spanish colony of Nueva California. It is the oldest civilian settlement in California and retains many remnants of its evolution. San José was also the State's first capitol and host of the first two sessions of the California State Legislature, serving in that role in 1850 and 1851. A cultural pioneer, San José elected the nation's first Asian mayor of a large metropolitan city, as well as the first female mayor.

Most recently, the City of San José is a leader in recycling and smart growth. San José is one of the first big cities in the nation to recycle more waste than goes to landfills. San José is the only large city in the United States to operate a joint municipal-university library, combining the resources of the City and San José State University library system to provide greater service to community members. With private partners, San José developed the nation's first incubator for environmental companies, an award-winning software incubator, and the nation's only incubator for foreign-owned businesses. Our County is the first in the nation to ensure health care for all children.

Capital of Silicon Valley

San José is the urban center of Silicon Valley, providing the region's only traditional Downtown urban environment along with the greatest and most diverse number of established neighborhoods. San José is home to a majority of Silicon Valley residents and to a growing number of the innovative technology companies that drive the region's economy. Because of its size and resources, San José uniquely plays a critical leadership

role for the Silicon Valley, adopting policies that contribute to the region’s overall success. Downtown San José’s resurgence has sparked a flow of creativity and community in the creative urban core of Silicon Valley. Careful planning and investment have developed an area to work, live and play, where ideas and creativity are the currency exchanged across all cultures.

San José has played an important role in each wave of innovation that has originated within the Silicon Valley. San José’s urban history has been shaped over the past 60 years, by the Valley’s dramatic transformation from an agricultural economy based on the fruit canning industry, into the world’s largest concentration of technology based companies. Successive rounds of innovation have created new industries based upon new technologies, progressing from electronics for the defense industry to integrated circuits, personal computers, and the internet, with San José being the home to leading companies in each of these industries. San José is the most diversified of any innovation-based community with specialization spanning multiple core technology sectors: semiconductors, storage technologies, information technologies, software development; such as eCommerce and social networking, green and clean technology, life sciences, and nanotechnology.

As Capital of Silicon Valley, San José leads the nation in the production of patents on a per capita basis and its residents hold more patents than the combined populations of California’s two larger cities. Historically, more than a third of all venture capital funding in the United States is invested in Silicon Valley; in 2006, the percentage of growth of venture capital funding specific to San José exceeded that of Silicon Valley and was more than double the national average.

As Capital of Silicon Valley, San José is:

• Becoming an international city of over 1 million people with one of the largest global concentrations of talent that matches and fuels the pace of a growing global economy.
• Establishing itself as the major North American city that best capitalizes on the spirit of entrepreneurism and innovation of its populous, where inventiveness thrives.
• Actively building on the model of the modern global green city, nurturing an innovation economy with progressive public policy, active growth and development.
• Redefining quality of life by blending dynamic work and business opportunities with leisure, arts and entertainment that is second to none, but uniquely San José.

As Silicon Valley continues to develop and mature, the key elements that drive its innovation-based economy are shifting to place greater emphasis upon consumer experience and design creativity. To remain competitive and to continue to support the growth of the Silicon Valley economy, the region must foster, attract and retain a creative and talented workforce. The future workforce will likely increasingly mix technical and artistic expertise, depend upon creative breakthroughs enabled by cross-disciplinary innovation, and demand an attractive, vibrant and dynamic urban environment to call home. San José has the unique resources to address these demands so that it can grow in its role as Capital of the Silicon Valley.

Living Amidst Abundant Natural Resources

One of San José's most striking features, particularly for newcomers to the region, is its average annual 300 days of sunshine. This amenity greatly encourages an outdoor lifestyle, including active use of the City's parklands, more than 54 miles of trails in 27 trail systems, backyard gardening, pedestrian and bicycle activity, and the development of traditional outdoor urban spaces such as plazas and cafes.

Through early adoption of growth boundary policies, San José has largely preserved its surrounding hillsides as open space, enabling their preservation as parklands or natural habitat, while providing the City's residents with an ever present visual reminder of the nearby natural environment. San José's progressive habitat protection policies and its efforts to develop parklands and trails along the City's riparian corridors continue to build a green network that connects neighborhoods to each other and to the natural environment.

At the southern end of the San Francisco Bay, San José provides an urban environment adjacent to large open spaces and, in relatively close proximity, a wide variety of natural settings, including the Baylands, redwood forests, the Pacific Ocean, the Santa Cruz mountains, and the Monterey Bay area. San José's city boundaries extend from the below-sea level Baylands to its highest elevation of 2,970 feet along Pine Ridge in the Diablo Range. On a clear day, the view east from the nearby Copernicus Peak on Mount Hamilton can stretch all the way to the Sierra Nevada Range.

Residents have adapted to life amidst these abundant natural resources, adopting an active and casual lifestyle attractive to the Silicon Valley workforce. Making ever greater use of these resources will enable San José's future as a great place to live, work, play and visit.

Home to a Diverse and Thriving Population

San José is defined in part by the great diversity and high achievement levels of its population. Building on a strong Spanish and Mexican cultural heritage, San José, with its blend of global cultures, ideas, and connections can be considered the most international city in America. Forty percent of San José's population was born outside of the U.S. and San José has the largest populations of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indian residents within the Bay Area. San José boasts the highest median income of a large U.S. city and over 40% of its adult residents hold a college degree. In national surveys, San José is also often identified as one of the healthiest places to live.

San José is a diverse and thriving community that:

• Takes pride in the cultural and ethnic diversity of its population, and the unique and vibrant identity of its many neighborhoods
• Speaks more than 56 different languages
• Embraces demographics of 33.2% Hispanic, 28.7% white, 31.7% Asian, and 2.9% African-American
• Celebrates Japantown-one of only three in the U.S. - and the Japanese Friendship Garden which are popular stops for visitors

• Maintains the outstanding Biblioteca Latinoamericana which holds one of the largest collections of Spanish language materials in Northern California
• Is home to the biggest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam, and has the nation’s first Vietnamese Heritage Garden and Historical Museum
• Sponsors many cultural festivals year-round
• Includes numerous ethnic chambers of commerce which are active in the community

San José’s residents enjoy first-rate opportunities for education and learning. These include access to outstanding academic institutions such as Stanford University, San José State University, Santa Clara University, University of California Santa Cruz, University of California Berkeley, and more than 30 community colleges and training providers, which actively partner with local industry to give their students unique practical learning opportunities. San José State University is the number one provider of engineers to Silicon Valley. San José is also home to some of California’s best public and private primary and secondary schools.

Closely linked to San José’s diversity is the emphasis the City and its residents give to the achievement of social equity within the community. The community identified Social Equity and Diversity as one of the seven elements that should form the basis of the City’s General Plan, and which as a theme has informed the development of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan policy document. Social equity for San José is defined broadly, to include equitable access to municipal services and public amenities, sensitivity to environmental concerns, efforts to promote economic prosperity for all of the City’s residents and to foster a culture that recognizes the value of San José’s diverse community.

Consistent with its role as Capital of Silicon Valley, San José’s population is:

• Exceptionally productive. Employee productivity, at $130,000 per worker in 2010, is more than double the national average.
• Highly educated. More than 35% of the workforce has a 4-year college degree or higher, compared with 27% nationally.
• Cosmopolitan. More than one-third of San José residents were born outside of the United States. The community enjoys strong cultural and economic ties to some of the most dynamic economies in the world, including China, India, Taiwan and the European Union.

San José stakeholders consistently ranked diversity at the top of San José’s strengths. In a 2009 online questionnaire asking, “What do you consider to be San José’s most significant assets?”, diversity was mentioned more than any other response. As innovation is expected to increasingly be based upon the juxtaposition of different ideas and experiences, San José’s diversity will be an important home-grown strength to help drive the Silicon Valley economy.

The General Plan Vision

The Envision San José 2040 Vision identifies the values that the people of San José want their City to embody through its physical development and the delivery of municipal services as they are directed through the Envision San José 2040 General Plan. This Vision was articulated through an extensive engagement with a large and diverse number of the community's residents and stakeholders in a community-focused planning process in order to enable the ongoing use and implementation of the General Plan as a document that upholds and advances the overall values of the San José community. These community members and stakeholders worked together with a community Task Force to develop the Plan's Vision, goals and policies. The stakeholder Task Force included thirty-seven dedicated community members, representing political, business, resident, development, religious, and labor interests, appointed by the City Council to guide the General Plan update. Throughout the four year Envision process, they were joined by numerous volunteer community members who participated in the Task Force meetings, at community workshops and through online engagement activities. Community engagement was a fundamental objective of the Envision process. The Vision upon which the Envision San José 2040 General Plan is based is a direct expression of the community's values and hopes for the City's future.

The Vision sets forth seven guiding community values to articulate an over-arching vision statement: "San José embodies the energy and vitality of its unique human, natural and economic resources." The seven community values are:

• Innovative Economy – San José's economy thrives on innovation, providing job opportunities for all and ample fiscal resources for a vibrant community.

• Environmental Leadership – San José is a model of an environmentally sustainable and healthy city, a leader in green technology and a vigilant steward of its resources for present and future generations.

• Diversity and Social Equity – San José celebrates, embraces and involves a diverse blend of cultures and achieves social, cultural and economic equity.

• Interconnected City – San José residents' activities of daily life are in close proximity and easily accessible by walking, bicycling and public transit.

• Healthy Neighborhoods – San José's neighborhoods are attractive, affordable, and safe places to live with residents engaged in their community.

• Quality Education and Services – San José residents and businesses receive a broad range of high quality services and enjoy excellent educational opportunities for all.

• Vibrant Arts and Culture – San José is a vibrant center for multi-faceted arts and cultural programs, celebrating its heritage and inspiring the creative energy of the community and a rich quality of life.

Particular emphasis was given by the community and Envision Task Force to the three values of Innovative Economy, Environmental Leadership, and Diversity and Social Equity.

The Task Force and community expanded on the Draft Vision to develop the Land Use/ Transportation Scenario Guidelines. These Guidelines included specific principles used to shape the General Plan Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions and the alternative Land Use Study Scenarios that led to selection of a Preferred Land Use Scenario now embodied in the Envision Land Use/Transportation Diagram.

The Vision elements are all interconnected so that the Envision General Plan goals and policies that implement one of the Vision elements are likely to support others as well. For example, the provision of quality education and services leads to equitable distribution of services (Diversity & Social Equity), attracts businesses (Innovative Economy), supports Vibrant Arts & Culture, provides for and educates the public about environmental sustainability (Environmental Leadership), links these services to varied transportation modes (Interconnected City), and improves the quality of life in San José’s neighborhoods (Healthy Neighborhoods). Similar connections can be made between the Vision elements for other policy topics and all policies are intended to support most if not all elements of the overall Vision. The relationship amongst the Envision goals and policies and the Plan Vision is further discussed throughout this document.

Innovative Economy

San Jose's economy thrives on innovation, providing job opportunities for all and ample fiscal resources for a vibrant community.

Environmental Leadership

San Jose is a model of an environmentally sustainable and healthy city, a leader in green technology and a vigilant steward of it resources for present and future generations.

Diversity and Social Equity

San Jose celebrates, embraces and involves a diverse blend of cultures and achieves social, cultural and economic equity.

San Jose embodies the energy and vitality of its unique human, natural and economic resources.

Interconnected City

The activities of daily life are in close proximity and easily accessible by walking, bicycling and public transit.

Healthy Neighborhoods

San Jose's neighborhoods are attractive, affordable, and safe places to live with engaged community members.

Quality Education and Services

San Jose residents and businesses receive a broad range of high quality services and enjoy excellent educational opportunities for all.

Vibrant Arts and Culture

Arts and culture in San Jose connect people, provide rich opportunities for participation, and foster creativity.

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ENVISION SAN JOSE 2040

Collectively, these strategies build on the Vision to directly inform the Land Use / Transportation Diagram and the Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions formulated to guide the physical development of San José and the evolving delivery of City services over the life of the General Plan. These twelve, interrelated and mutually supportive strategies are considered fundamental to achievement of the City’s Vision and together promote the continuing evolution of San José into a great city.

The following section provides a description of these twelve Major Strategies:

1. Community Based Planning
2. Form Based Plan
3. Focused Growth
4. Innovation/Regional Employment Center
5. Urban Villages
6. Streetscapes for People
7. Measurable Sustainability/Environmental Stewardship
8. Fiscally Strong City
9. Destination Downtown
10. Life Amidst Abundant Natural Resources
11. Design for a Healthful Community
12. Periodic Major Review

Reflected in all twelve of the Major Strategies is the community’s desire to see San José grow into a more prominent and more complete great City, taking on a growing social and economic leadership role in the region, nation and world. To achieve this desire, San José should build on its existing strengths while growing and improving in innovative ways to make the City a great place to live, work and visit. In terms of physical form, San José will offer a wide variety of living and work environments, continuing to develop the Downtown, preserving and enhancing existing residential neighborhoods, and creating new, vibrant urban districts attractive to San José’s diverse population and particularly suited to meet the needs of two growing segments of the population, young professionals and those more senior in age. For the delivery of municipal services, San José will continue to be an innovator, implementing creative partnerships and adapting new technologies and techniques to provide high-quality services in an efficient, equitable and cost-effective manner. San José will increasingly use the General Plan as a tool to insure that land use and municipal service delivery decisions are made consistent with the community’s long-term vision and goals, to benefit all members of the San José community.

Major Strategy #1 - Community Based Planning

Embody the community values and goals articulated through an extensive and meaningful community based planning process. The City’s commitment to effectively engaging representatives of all segments of the San José community in the development and implementation of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan is critical to the insure that the Plan will promote San José’s continued growth into a leading world city, while maintaining social equity in its operations.

A broad variety of community engagement activities have enabled the Envision General Plan to both reflect the community’s values and priorities and embrace the City’s diverse social and cultural fabric. By incorporating community sentiment, the Envision process built significant public support for the primary direction of the Plan, improved public perception of the planning process, and, most importantly, resulted in an improved Plan. The Envision San José 2040 General Plan is a direct expression of community values, identified and developed through an extensive community engagement process, including:

• 51 Envision Task Force Meetings
• 125+ Outreach Meetings
• 5,000+ Community Participants

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Key decisions in the Envision process were directly connected to the priorities expressed by Task Force and community members. The following top planning priorities for the City’s future were identified by community members:

• Promoting Economic Development
• Ensuring Fiscal Sustainability
• Providing Environmental Leadership
• Building Urban Villages
• Promoting Transit Use

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Envision San José 2040 General Plan policies align with these community priorities by placing a strong emphasis on promoting job growth, protecting employment lands, fostering fiscal sustainability, and focusing growth capacity into Urban Villages and near transit.

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Major Strategy #2 - Form Based Plan

Use the General Plan Land Use / Transportation Diagram designations and Plan Goals and Policies to address the form and character as well as land uses and densities for the future development of San José.

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan uses an innovative form-based approach to address the long-term development of the City. Land Use / Transportation Diagram designations that address the form and character of the built environment, as well as appropriate uses and densities, enable the Plan to:

• Clearly articulate a vision for San José’s future urban form
• Provide greater flexibility for economic activity
• Address neighborhood concerns about compatibility of new development
• Promote the ongoing development of complete, cohesive neighborhoods

Major Strategy #3 - Focused Growth

Strategically focus new growth into areas of San José that will enable the achievement of City goals for economic growth, fiscal sustainability and environmental stewardship and support the development of new, attractive urban neighborhoods. The Plan focuses significant growth, particularly to increase employment capacity, in areas surrounding the City’s regional Employment Center, achieve fiscal sustainability, and to maximize the use of transit systems within the region.

A Major Strategy of the Envision General Plan is to focus new growth capacity in specifically identified “Growth Areas,” while the majority of the City is not planned for additional growth or intensification. This approach reflects the built-out nature of San José, the limited availability of additional “infill” sites for development compatible with established neighborhood character, and the emphasis in the Plan Vision to reduce environmental impacts while fostering transit use and walkability.

While the Focused Growth strategy directs and promotes growth within identified Growth Areas, it also strictly limits new residential development through neighborhood infill outside of these Growth Areas to preserve and enhance the quality of established neighborhoods, to reduce environmental and fiscal impacts, and to strengthen the City’s Urban Growth Boundary. Infill development within such neighborhoods, often at a density and form inconsistent with the existing neighborhood pattern, has been disruptive to the development of a positive neighborhood character. Focusing new growth into the Growth Areas will help to protect the quality of existing neighborhoods, while also enabling the development of new Urban Village areas with a compact and dense form attractive to the City’s projected growing demographic groups (i.e., an aging population and young workers seeking an urban experience), that support walking, provide opportunities to incorporate retail and other services in a mixed-use format, and support transit use.

The Plan supports a significant amount of new housing growth capacity, providing near-term capacity for development of approximately 50,000 new dwelling units, with the

ability to ultimately build up to a total of 120,000 additional dwelling units. As described in the Implementation chapter, the Plan incorporates residential growth capacity for the Downtown, Specific Plan areas, North San José and vacant lands throughout the City (approximately 40,000 new dwelling units) and adds new Urban Village housing areas that support an additional 9,400 dwelling units.

Because the City is largely built-out within its city limits and the General Plan does not support the conversion of industrial areas to residential use or the urbanization of the Mid-Coyote Valley or South Almaden Valley Urban Reserves or lands outside of San José’s Urban Growth Boundary, most new housing development will be achieved through higher-density redevelopment within existing urbanized areas.

This residential growth capacity is provided through the conversion of older commercial areas to mixed-use, including sites previously identified for housing development within North San José and the new commercial sites made available for mixed-use development within the Envision General Plan Urban Village areas. Planning such sites for higher, not lower, density residential development acknowledges their value as a finite land resource and enables the City to provide housing growth capacity consistent with demographic trends and the community objectives of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan. Further employment land conversions or dramatic expansions of the City outside of its current boundaries would have significant negative environmental, fiscal and economic implications and be clearly contrary to those objectives.

Major Strategy #4 - Innovation/Regional Employment Center Emphasize economic development within the City to support San José’s growth as center of innovation and regional employment. Growing San José’s role as an employment center will enhance the City’s leadership role in North America, increase utilization of the regional transit systems, and support the City’s fiscal health.

San José is the largest and most urban city located within the Silicon Valley and plays an increasingly important role in the continuing growth of the regional, State, and National economies. San José is however the only large city within the US that acts as a net exporter of workers within the region. The resulting “bedroom community” character reduces opportunities for San José to take on a leadership role that would benefit the development of the Silicon Valley as a whole, while also undermining San José’s economic, fiscal, and cultural status. Through multiple General Plan updates, San José has identified improvement of the City’s jobs/housing balance or Jobs/Employed Residents Ratio (J/ER) as a critical objective to address multiple City goals. The Envision San José 2040 General Plan establishes achievement of a J/ER ratio of 1.1 to 1 by the year 2040 as a core objective of the Plan informing its policies and Land Use/Transportation Diagram designations. In the near term, the Plan strives to achieve a J/ER ratio of 1.0 by the year 2025.

The Land Use/Transportation Diagram and General Plan policies support the development of up to 382,000 new jobs within San José and a jobs to employed residents ratio of 1.1 Jobs/Employed Resident. The Plan focuses employment growth in the Downtown, in proximity to regional and local transit facilities and on existing employment lands citywide, while also encouraging the development of neighborhood serving commercial uses

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throughout the community and close to the residents they serve. The Plan recognizes that all existing employment lands add value to the City overall and therefore preserves those employment lands and promotes the addition of new employment lands when opportunities arise. The Plan in particular supports intensive job growth at planned and existing regional transit stations (e.g., BART, High-Speed Rail, and Caltrans) to support increased transit ridership and regional use of the transit system to access San José’s employment centers.

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan supports and promotes San José’s growth as a regional center for employment and innovation, by:

• Planning for 382,000 new jobs and a Jobs/Employed Resident Ratio of 1.1/1
• Providing greater flexibility for commercial activity
• Supporting job growth within existing job centers
• Adding new employment lands
• Designating job centers at regional transit stations
• Celebrating arts and culture

Major Strategy #5 - Urban Villages Promote the development of Urban Villages to provide active, walkable, bicycle-friendly, transit-oriented, mixed-use urban settings for new housing and job growth attractive to an innovative workforce and consistent with the Plan’s environmental goals.

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The General Plan establishes the Urban Villages concept to create a policy framework to direct most new job and housing growth to occur within walkable and bike friendly Urban Villages that have good access to transit and other existing infrastructure and facilities. While each Urban Village identified within the Plan will develop within a unique context, they can be divided into four general categories: Regional Transit Urban Villages, Local Transit Urban Villages, Commercial Corridor and Center Urban Villages and Neighborhood Urban Villages. The General Plan also establishes an Urban Village Planning process with the General Plan Implementation Chapter. Preparation of an Urban Village Plan for each Urban Village area will provide for continued community involvement in the implementation of the General Plan and for land use and urban design issues to be addressed at a finer level of detail.

Regional Transit Urban Villages are planned at locations within San José with unique access to major transit facilities of regional significance. Because these locations have a large public investment in transit facilities and are regionally accessible, the General Plan policies and Land Use / Transportation Diagram strongly direct that new job and housing growth within Regional Transit Urban Villages occur at the highest feasible concentration and density, with particular emphasis upon employment growth to support the Regional Employment Center Strategy. Recognizing their emerging roles as City gateways and primary public spaces, attention will be given to the design of new development within these areas with careful consideration given to the formation of high-quality environments for public circulation and gathering.

Local Transit Urban Villages are located along light rail or bus rapid transit facilities which are used primarily for travel on a more localized basis. Accordingly the Urban Villages at these locations are planned for a balanced mix of job and housing growth at relatively high densities with greater emphasis placed upon building complete communities at each Urban Village location while also supporting use of the local transit system.

Commercial Corridor and Center Urban Villages are planned to take advantage of the redevelopment potential for existing, underutilized commercial sites. These sites usually have some access to transit, but were identified primarily because of their redevelopment potential. These larger regional commercial center Urban Villages will function as complete destinations that integrate a mix of high density housing, employment, and services within existing key business areas to create dynamic urban settings. These commercial center Urban Villages will serve a much larger area than the immediately adjacent surrounding neighborhoods.

Some of the Urban Villages are planned along existing commercial corridors. These commercial corridor Urban Villages will include uses and urban spaces in a linear form. These corridors also create a positive identity for San José by creating a consistent urban design character along the major roadways that connect San José’s neighborhoods, regional hubs, neighboring cities and the Downtown.

Neighborhood Urban Villages are planned to enhance established neighborhoods by integrating a mix of uses, including retail, food markets, offices, public services, housing, places of worship, public parks and plazas, within or adjacent to existing or emerging neighborhoods. They are distributed throughout the City so that most of the residents of San José will have access to an attractive urban setting within walking distance of their home.

Development of Urban Villages at environmentally and fiscally beneficial locations throughout the city is a key Plan strategy. Focusing new job and housing growth to build attractive, compact, walkable urban districts or "Urban Villages" will enable location of commercial and public services in close proximity to residential and employee populations, allowing people to walk to services while also providing greater mobility for the expanding senior and youth segments of the population. The Urban Village Strategy fosters:

• Mixing residential and employment activities
• Establishing minimum densities to support transit use, bicycling and walking
• High-quality urban design
• Revitalizing underutilized properties with access to existing infrastructure
• Engaging local neighborhoods through an Urban Village Planning process

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Major Strategy #6 - Streetscapes for People

Design streets for people, not just cars, and to support a diverse range of urban activities and functions. Develop important roadways as Grand Boulevards to connect multiple neighborhoods and act as urban design elements at a citywide scale. Promote the ongoing development of Main Streets to foster community identity and walkability, recognizing that they serve as important destinations for retail and other activities within neighborhood areas.

To support and utilize the Streetscapes for People Strategy, the City maintains a land use and transportation network and transportation facilities that promote increased walking, bicycling, and public transit use. The General Plan takes a form based approach to the transportation component of the Land Use/Transportation Diagram by categorizing streets in terms of their form, role within the community and the multiple functions that they support. The General Plan policies also support the development of these streets as "Complete Streets." The City's roadways will be designed to be "Complete Streets" that are accessible and function well for everyone, supporting a full range of activities, including pedestrians, bicycles, utilities, outdoor gathering spaces and vehicle movement.

Consistent with the Form Based General Plan Strategy, streets are defined within the Plan by their character and the role they play within the city. Street types identified within the General Plan include:

• Grand Boulevards
• On-Street Primary Bicycle Facility
• Main Streets
• City Connector Street
• Local Connector Street
• Residential Street
• Expressway
• Freeway

A Complete Street provides safe, comfortable, attractive and convenient access and travel for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users of all ages, abilities, and preferences. The design of a Complete Street considers both the public right-of-way and the land uses and design of adjoining properties, including appropriate building heights and the planning of adjoining land uses that actively engage the public street realm. As part of the Complete Street concept, appropriate land uses, building heights, setback dimensions and other design elements related to the type and character of the street, are addressed through new zoning districts and other implementation tools adopted to advance the goals of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan. Complete Streets, along with the Land Use / Transportation Diagram, support the Plan goal to reduce the automobile commute mode share by 40% by 2040. Close alignment of the City's Capital Improvement Program with the General Plan will allow the City to strategically plan and direct resources to develop infrastructure in support of other Plan goals.

Although the goal of the City is that every street be a "Complete Street," seven Grand Boulevards stand out as having great potential to connect City neighborhoods and to contribute to the City's overall identity through cohesive design. These seven Grand Boulevards are:

• North First Street/Monterey Highway
• Capitol Avenue/Capitol Expressway
• Alum Rock Avenue/Santa Clara Street/The Alameda
• San Carlos Street/Stevens Creek Boulevard
• Meridian Avenue
• Winchester Boulevard
• Saratoga Avenue

Because of their importance and location as major transportation routes, and because of the land uses they support, these Grand Boulevards play an important role in shaping the City's image for its residents, workers, and visitors and have the potential to act as major urban design elements at a citywide scale.

The Grand Boulevards require extra attention and improvement, including special measures within the public right-of-way, such as enhanced landscaping, additional attractive lighting, wider and comfortable sidewalks, and identification banners. For adjoining land uses, special design standards support cohesive and interesting urban development related to the character of the Grand Boulevard.

Main Streets are roadways that, in combination with the adjacent land uses, play an important role in defining the character and identity of the surrounding neighborhood. In many cases, neighborhood residents identify themselves according to their neighborhood's Main Street. Neighborhood residents can enjoy retail and other services provided along a Main Street, attend community events associated with the Main Street and identify the Main Street as an integral central spine of their neighborhood that is interconnected with the rest of the City's streets.

The Main Street's physical form supports many transportation modes, with significant emphasis given to public pedestrian facilities to facilitate interaction amongst members of the community while also serving as part of the citywide transportation network. Each Main Street may be different in character, and should reflect, with the adjacent land uses, the key characteristics of the adjacent neighborhoods. The City may develop special standards for both the public right-of-way and for the adjoining land uses for the City's Main Streets to support their function as urban corridors, providing high-quality pedestrian facilities and public spaces that are a primary component of the surrounding neighborhood identity.

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Major Strategy #7 - Measurable Sustainability / Environmental Stewardship

Advance the City’s Climate Smart San Jose plan through 2040 and establish Measurable Environmental Sustainability indicators consistent with section 3.3 of Climate Smart San Jose. The Plan provides the basis for the City’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy.

To support the Environmental Leadership element of the General Plan Vision and the City’s Climate Smart San Jose plan, the General Plan contains multiple policies to support the implementation of environmental best practices. San José is a city designed, constructed, and operated to minimize waste, to efficiently use its natural resources, and to manage and conserve resources for use by present and future generations. San José acknowledges that it exists within both a regional and global environment. Its decisions regarding natural resources will have impacts outside the City’s jurisdiction, and the decisions of others in the region and beyond will impact the City’s ability to meet its future needs. San José strives to minimize its contribution to climate change while remaining adaptable to impacts from climate change. San José will encourage and participate in cooperative regional efforts intended to improve the quality of air and water and to conserve land, soil, water, energy and ecosystems such as San Francisco Bay, forests, riparian corridors, fisheries and grasslands.

As the City’s guide for growth and development, the General Plan is a unique tool to shape its growth, minimize its impacts on resource consumption, reduce its contribution to global warming, and to preserve and enhance its natural environment. The General Plan continues San José’s tradition of innovative environmental leadership, supporting and supported by other important City environmental policies, including the Green Vision, Climate Smart San Jose, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy, the Green Building Policies, the Stormwater Management Plan, the Hydromodification Management Policy, the Riparian Corridor Policy and the Habitat Conservation Plan.

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan advances the City’s Climate Smart San Jose plan, incorporating key environmental goals and establishing a policy framework to continue San José’s tradition of environmental leadership.

• Ambitious Goals for Environmental Leadership
• Annual Measurement of Key Environmental Indicators

Major Strategy #8 - Fiscally Strong City

Establish a land use planning framework that promotes the right fiscal balance of revenue and costs to allow the City to deliver high-quality municipal services, consistent with community expectations.

It is critical that San José makes wise fiscal policy decisions in order to provide high quality services accessible to all community members, to continue to create economic development, and to thrive as a community. San José will maintain a Fiscally Strong City, by providing adequate land for uses that generate revenue for the City and by focusing new growth in developed areas where existing infrastructure (e.g., sewers, water lines, and transportation facilities), and City facilities and services (e.g., libraries, parks and public safety) are already available, resulting in maximum efficiency. The fiscal impact of

potential land use and policy options will be given serious consideration and priority in the land use entitlement process. Goals, policies, and implementation actions throughout the General Plan address this important concept. The Plan incorporates policies from the City’s Employment Lands Preservation Framework and several critical implementation policies to address the fiscal impacts of future land use decisions.

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan promotes a fiscally strong City, providing high-quality municipal services and acting as an advocate for regional policies that promote the strengths of our diverse and successful population. The Draft Plan incorporates policies that promote the City’s fiscal health and which:

• Establish standards for the delivery of high-quality municipal services
• Carefully manage existing fiscal resources
• Encourage the cultivation of increased resources
• Focus new growth so as to minimize its fiscal impacts

Major Strategy #9 - Destination Downtown Support continued growth in the Downtown as the City’s cultural center and as a unique and important employment and residential neighborhood. Focusing growth within the Downtown will support the Plan’s economic, fiscal, environmental, and urban design/placemaking goals.

Downtown San José is the cultural heart of San José and it provides employment, entertainment, and cultural activities more intensely than in any other area. The Downtown also consists of valuable historic resources, buildings with distinctive architecture, and unique neighborhoods where residents have convenient access to urban activities and amenities. As San José’s largest and most vibrant urban area, Downtown contributes towards the positive identity of the City to the region, the nation and abroad.

Downtown San José is home to a growing number of companies whose employees enjoy the downtown life. Software and creative services businesses, in particular, offer technical skills and creative talent in San José’s urban center. Silicon Valley’s urban university, San José State, boasts award-winning capacity in product design, interactive media, and computer engineering. Between 2000 and 2010, the Downtown residential community grew by 8,000 people with the addition of new condominiums, lofts, and live-work units.

The Downtown includes the largest concentration of San José’s civic and cultural facilities, including City Hall, the main library, the City’s convention center, the arena, museums, theaters and outdoor gathering venues.

The Downtown is defined as:

• A vibrant urban center for living, working, entertaining
• The only location in the South Bay that actively promotes high-rise development
• A distinctive work environment for large and small companies
• Center to the City’s arts, entertainment, culinary and sporting activities

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• An eclectic mix of historic architecture side by side to award-winning contemporary urban design

The Plan recognizes the city’s Downtown as the symbolic, economic, and cultural center of San José and supports a significant amount of job and housing growth within the Downtown area. The Plan’s policies address how the Downtown is a:

• Unique urban destination
• Cultural center for Silicon Valley
• Growing employment and residential center

Major Strategy #10 - Life Amidst Abundant Natural Resources

Promote access to the natural environment and a favorable climate as important strengths for San José by building a world-class trail network, reinforcing the Greenline / Urban Growth Boundary as the limit of the City’s urbanized area and to preserve the surrounding hillsides largely as open space, and by adding parks and other recreational amenities to serve existing and new populations.

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The Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary defines the ultimate perimeter of urbanization in San José. Besides setting limits to urban development as a growth management and fiscal sustainability strategy, the Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary is intended to develop a clearer identity for San José by defining where urban development ends and by establishing policies to preserve valuable open space resources. Natural resources surrounding the lands within the Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary are the inspiration for this concept.

The Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary demonstrates the strong, long-standing commitment of both the City of San José and the County of Santa Clara that urban development should occur only within the Urban Service Areas of cities where it can safely and reasonably be accommodated and where urban services can efficiently be provided. Lands outside of the Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary are identified as those that are intended to remain permanently rural in character and that should remain under the jurisdiction of the County. Both the City and the County are committed to the success of this arrangement and will continue to develop and implement consistent land use plans and development policies for lands of mutual concern both within and outside of the Greenline/ Urban Growth Boundary. This commitment is reflected in the Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary goals and policies of both General Plans.

Major Strategy #11 - Design for a Healthful Community

Support the physical health of community members by promoting walking and bicycling as commute and recreational options, encouraging access to healthful foods, and supporting the provision of health care and safety services.

The “Design for a Healthful Community” concept embodies a very broad range of topics, and “Design for a Healthful Community” strategies are integrated throughout the General Plan to establish a policy framework to shape and grow a city that provides for the physical health of its residents. General Plan policies support good nutrition and healthful air and water, protect the community from human-made and natural hazards and disasters,

provide for economic opportunities that meet the needs of all residents, and provide for the equitable distribution of public resources, including public health facilities, throughout the City.

To further the Healthful City concept, the Land Use/Transportation Diagram, and the goals and policies related to Quality Neighborhoods, Urban Villages, Urban Design, Complete Streets, and Transportation, encourage physical activity by creating “complete” communities where most individuals’ daily needs can be met walking or biking on safe and convenient paths and routes. Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation policies also encourage activity by promoting good and convenient access to a large and diverse variety of parks, trails and recreations facilities for all City residents.

As a key factor to encourage the health of its residents, the Land Use/Transportation Diagram, and the Quality Neighborhoods and Land Use policies address improving access to healthful foods, particularly fresh produce. To this end, the General Plan also supports the development of urban agriculture, and the preservation of the existing agricultural lands adjacent to San José to increase the supply of locally-grown, healthful foods. The General Plan further supports Healthful Community regulatory land use policies, enabling the operation of farmer’s markets, urban farming activities, and promoting the availability of healthful foods while limiting access to alcohol at retail locations.

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan Land Use / Transportation Diagram and policies promote the physical health of San José’s community by:

• Promoting access to healthful foods
• Encouraging an active lifestyle
• Supporting health care and safety services

Major Strategy #12 - Periodic Major Review

Ensure that the Plan addresses the current community context and values and closely monitor the achievement of key Plan goals through a periodic major review of the General Plan and the use of Plan Horizons to phase implementation of the Plan over time.

The Plan provides a road map for the development of new Urban Village areas and gives highest priority to the location of new housing growth in the Downtown, connecting transit corridors, BART station area, and North San José. The Envision General Plan establishes a 4-year Major Review cycle, which provides an opportunity for a community stakeholder task force or advisory group, and the City Council to evaluate significant changes in the planning context and the City’s achievement of:

• Planned job and J/ER goals
• Implementation of the Urban Village concept
• Environmental indicators, including greenhouse gas reduction
• Affordable housing needs

The Plan’s policies include flexibility to allow the implementation of Urban Villages to be responsive to market conditions, while meeting overall Plan objectives.

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Growth Areas

The Land Use / Transportation Diagram, General Plan policies and the Growth Areas concept diagram identify specific areas of San José which are planned to accommodate the majority of the City’s job and housing growth. The planned location of job and housing growth capacity supports the City’s long-term goal to emphasize growth within the Downtown, North San José and Specific Plan areas, while focusing new job and housing growth capacity in identified Regional and Local Transit, Commercial Corridor and Center and Neighborhood Urban Village Growth Areas. The specific amounts of job and housing growth capacity for each of the Growth Areas are indicated in Appendix 5 – Growth Areas Planned Capacity.

Regional Transit and Local Transit Urban Villages include vacant or under-utilized lands within close proximity of an existing or planned light rail, BART, Caltrain or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) facility. Commercial Urban Villages include corridors and centers, and may be vacant or under-utilized lands in existing, large-scale commercial areas (e.g., Oakridge Mall, Winchester Boulevard, Bascom Avenue, etc.) Neighborhood Urban Villages are smaller neighborhood-oriented commercial sites with redevelopment potential. While the Neighborhood Urban Villages are not located in proximity to major transit facilities, their intensification could serve to create a vibrant village setting within easy access of the nearby neighborhood. For all of the Urban Village areas it is expected that the existing amount of commercial square footage would be retained and enhanced as part of any redevelopment project so that existing commercial uses within San José are never diminished.

The following text summarizes the special characteristics of each one of the City’s Growth Areas, with the Growth Areas Diagram following the text:

• Downtown
• Specific Plans
• North San José
• Employment Lands
• Regional Transit Urban Villages
• Local Transit Urban Villages
• Commercial Corridor and Center Urban Villages
• Neighborhood Urban Villages

Downtown

The Envision San José 2040 General Plan reinforces the importance of San José’s Downtown as the physical and symbolic center of the City. Planned growth capacity and the General Plan policies are intended to further support the growth and maturation of the Downtown as a great place to live, work or visit.

The boundaries for the Downtown Growth Area are defined on the Planned Growth Area Diagram. The Downtown Growth Area is bounded by Julian Street, North 4th Street, East

St. John Street, 7th Street, East San Fernando Street, South 4th Street, Interstate 280, the Union Pacific Railroad line, Stockton Avenue, Taylor Street, and Coleman Avenue. As shown on the Planned Growth Areas Diagram, the Downtown Growth Area includes most of the Diridon Station Area Plan area.

Ambitious job and housing growth capacity is planned for the Downtown. This growth capacity is important to achieve multiple City goals, including support for regional transit systems and for the development of Downtown as a regional job center. It also helps to advance all elements of the General Plan Vision.

Specific Plans

Specific Plan areas have played a central role in the City's ongoing commitment to providing new housing through transit-oriented development projects. While a few of the Specific Plans have been fully implemented, several continue to provide important growth capacity. The City's adopted Specific Plans generally have a residential orientation, providing significant capacity for residential and mixed-use development at important infill sites throughout the City and often in proximity to the Downtown. The Envision General Plan maintains the existing growth capacity and residential focus of the Specific Plan areas, with the exception of the Alviso Master Plan, which has an employment focus and expanded job growth capacity provided through the Envision General Plan.

The Alviso Master Plan preserves the existing Alviso Village area and supports significant employment growth as an extension of the City's key North San José employment district. Within the Alviso Plan area, the Regional Wastewater Facility lands have been identified as a significant opportunity for new employment land areas, and in particular to provide an opportunity for new light industry or manufacturing activity jobs. According to current occupancy data and the Envision Job Growth Projections and Employment Land Demand report, there is a significant need for additional industrial land of this type. Because the other Specific Plan areas are generally built-out and/or located in areas with a lesser degree of transit access, employment growth in those areas is more focused on commercial or industrial uses that support local residences and businesses.

The Envision General Plan provides a limited amount of new residential and job growth capacity in other Specific Plan areas, consistent with the overall Plan goal of focusing new growth in proximity to transit and other City services. Because the Specific Plans were developed through extensive community-based planning processes, the Envision General Plan incorporates, with only very limited modification, the land uses designated within the Specific Plan areas. Therefore, upon reviewing development proposals, the Envision General Plan Land Use / Transportation Diagram land use designations shall take precedence over the adopted Specific Plans Land Use diagram. Further review and updating of the Specific Plans in the future will be important to fully realize the goals and policies of the Envision General Plan.

North San José

North San José is the City's largest employment district, home to many important leading technology companies and a key growth area for the City. The Envision General Plan augments the North San José Area Development Policy, providing growth capacity for up

to 97,000 new jobs and 32,000 new housing units to further its development as a regional employment center.

The City's North San José Area Development Policy was the key implementation document for this area until it was amended by City Council in May 2022. The policy included a phasing plan for development that was linked to the funding and construction of transportation improvements. The City Council's 2022 action revises the North San José Area Development Policy to: (a) eliminate phased development and phased transportation improvements; (b) limit application of the Policy only to those projects that have received a land use entitlement and/or an approved land use permit prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506, and an amendment or adjustment to such entitlement or permit; and (c) adjust the timing of the transportation improvements in the Policy to more accurately reflect the need for such improvements generated by projects that have received entitlements and permits prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506. From the effective date of Resolution No. 80506, the North San José Area Development Policy will only apply to projects that have received a land use entitlement and/or an approved land use permit prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506, and any amendment or adjustment to such entitlement or permit.

The funding of transportation improvments related to development in North San José is partially funded by the North San José Traffic Impact Fee, adopted by the City Council in San José Municiple Code Chapter 14.29. The North San José Traffic Impact Fee ordinance has also been amended to apply only to projects that have received a land use entitlement and/or an approved land use permit prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506, and any amendment or adjustment to suchentitlement or permit.

Employment Lands

Significant job growth is planned through intensification of each of the City's Employment Land areas, including the Monterey Corridor, Edenvale, Berryessa/International Business Park, Mabury, East Gish and Senter Road, as well as North San José. These Employment Lands are planned to accommodate a wide variety of industry types and development forms, including high-rise and mid-rise office or research and development uses, heavy and light industrial uses and supporting commercial uses to respond to the projected demand for each type of industrial land. Three areas are designated as Employment Centers because of their proximity to regional transportation infrastructure. These include the North San José Core Area along North First Street, the portion of the Berryessa/ International Business Park in close proximity to the planned Milpitas BART station and existing Capitol Avenue Light Rail stations, and the Old Edenvale area, which because of its access to light rail, is also planned for additional job growth. Except within the Diridon Station Area Plan area, the Envision General Plan does not support conversion of industrial lands to residential use, nor does it include housing growth capacity for these areas.

Regional Transit Stations

To support the City's growth as a regional job center and to encourage greater utilization of regional transit infrastructure, the General Plan provides significant new job growth capacity within Regional Transit (BART, Caltrain and High-Speed Rail) Urban Villages.

Both the Lundy/Milpitas and Berryessa BART station areas support large amounts of new mid-rise and high-rise employment uses, while the Berryessa BART Urban Village is also planned for additional housing development. The Alum Rock BART station area accommodates both job and housing growth, on a more limited scale, given the local site characteristics and neighborhood interface.

Local Transit Urban Villages

A large and balanced amount of job and housing growth capacity is planned for the Transit Villages and Corridors. The goal is to maximize the opportunity for creating new mixed-use villages in these areas. While the BART area job capacity is planned primarily for mid-rise and high-rise offices, Urban Villages located along Light Rail and BRT lines should provide more opportunity for retail and service jobs that benefit from close proximity to residential use. While the BART system serves as a regional transit line, bringing workers from throughout the region to employment centers within San José, the light rail system is more appropriate for shorter commute trips and is also less likely to generate land use compatibility concerns. Accordingly, it is appropriate to include more residential and retail growth capacity along the light rail system. The Oakridge Mall Light Rail station area is particularly of interest because of its size and high level of unrealized potential to support a walkable, mixed-use community, and also the amount and diversity of established commercial uses and other services already located within the area. The boundaries for the Urban Village Growth Areas are designated on the Planned Growth Areas Diagram and on the Land Use/Transportation Diagram.

Commercial Corridor and Center Urban Villages

While the Commercial Corridor and Center Urban Villages are less directly connected to transit than other Growth Areas, they contain large parcels which may have greater potential for redevelopment and are generally located in areas with a high degree of accessibility which is advantageous for intensified commercial development. Providing residential growth capacity in the Commercial Growth Areas is a potential catalyst to spur the redevelopment and enhancement of existing commercial uses while also transforming them into mixed-use Urban Village type environments. At the same time, their typically more suburban settings may create some challenge to such revitalization. The Commercial Urban Villages with closer proximity to other growth areas and transit (e.g., North Bascom Avenue) or in proximity to established, more intense uses (e.g., De Anza Blvd.) may have greater near-term potential for transformation into Urban Village settings. A modest and balanced amount of new housing and job growth capacity is planned for the Commercial Urban Villages in order to support their intensification as both employment and housing centers, support potential expansion of existing retail activity, and add a mix of employment uses while also recognizing that transit-oriented sites should be given more priority for accommodating new growth. The boundaries for the Urban Village Growth Areas are designated on the Planned Growth Areas Diagram and on the Land Use/Transportation Diagram.

Neighborhood Urban Villages

To support the General Plan goal of providing broad access to mixed-use Urban Villages for all areas of the City, the Plan establishes Neighborhood Urban Villages as one of the

identified Growth Areas. In keeping with the Envision General Plan's goal to support job growth, Neighborhood Urban Villages are planned to accommodate job growth along with a small amount of new housing. Job growth within Urban Village Areas is planned to focus on neighborhood-serving office, retail, and other commercial uses while providing opportunities for a wide variety of employment activity. Because implementation of the Neighborhood Urban Villages will require redevelopment of existing commercial sites which serve the surrounding community, the Plan anticipates retention of all existing commercial activities within the Urban Village area. Modest increases in housing and employment within the Neighborhood Urban Villages should also support expansion of retail activity. It may be difficult to attract large numbers of new jobs to these locations given their relatively small scale and separation from other employment areas, but some additional job growth should be possible to support surrounding uses. The boundaries for the Urban Village Growth Areas are designated on the Planned Growth Areas Diagram and on the Land Use/Transportation Diagram.

Planned Growth Areas Diagram

ENVISION SAN JOSE 2040 GENERAL PLAN PLANNED GROWTH AREAS DIAGRAM

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Downtown DT = Downtown DSAP = Diridon Station Area Urban Village

Specific Plan Areas AMP = Alviso (Master Plan) CHSP = Communications Hill ESP = Evergreen Specific Plan JTSP = Jackson-Taylor (Residential Strategy) MGSP = Martha Gardens MSP = Midtown TSSP = Tamien Station Area

Urban Villages C34 = Tully Rd/S. King Rd C35 = Valley Fair/Santana Row C36 = Paseo de Saratoga C37 = Santa Teresa Bl/Bernal Rd C38 = Winchester Bl C39 = S. Bascom Av (North) C40 = S. Bascom Av (South) C41 = Saratoga Av C43 = S. De Anza Bl C44 = Camden Av/Hillsdale Av CR20 = N. 1st St CR21 = Southwest Ex CR28A = E. Santa Clara St/ Roosevelt Park (West of 17th) CR28B = E. Santa Clara St/ Roosevelt Park (Roosevelt Park) CR29A = Alum Rock Av/ Little Portugal (Little Portugal) CR29 B = Alum Rock Av/ Little Portugal (Alum Rock) CR29C = Alum Rock Av/ Little Portugal (East of 880) CR30 = The Alameda (West) CR31 = W. San Carlos St CR32 = Stevens Creek Bl CR33 = Roosevelt Park

Employment Area BIBP = Berryessa International Business Park ECI = Evergreen Campus Industrial EG = East Gish M = Mabury MBC = Monterey Business Corridor NE = New Edenvale NSJ = North San José OE = Old Edenvale DETEC = Old Edenvale Transit Employment Center SR = Senter Road

Urban Villages N77 = Rincon South 1 N78 = Rincon South 2 V47 = Landess Av/Morrill Av V48 = Piedmont Rd/Sierra Rd V49 = McKee Rd/Toyon Av V50 = McKee Rd/White Rd V53 = Quimby Rd/S. White Rd V54 = Aborn Rd/San Felipe Rd V57 = S. 24th St/William Ct V58 = Monterey Rd/Chynoweth Av V59 = Santa Teresa Bl/Cottle Rd V60 = Santa Teresa Bl/Snell Av V61 = Bollinger Rd/Miller Av V62 = Bollinger Rd/Lawrence Ex V63 = Hamilton Av/Meridian Av V64 = Almaden Ex/Hillsdale Av V65 = Foxworthy Av/Meridian Av V67 = Branham Ln/Meridian Av V68 = Camden Av/Branham Ln V69 = Kooser Rd/Meridian Av V70 = Camden Av/Kooser Rd

Employment Area C42 = Story Road C45 = County Fairgrounds VR16 = S. Capitol Av/Capitol Ex VR24 = Monterey Hy/Senter Rd VR26 = E. Capitol Ex/McLaughlin Av VR27 = W. Capitol Ex/Vistapark Dr VT1 = Lundy/Milpitas BART VT5 = Santa Clara/Airport West (FMC) VT7 = Blossom Hill Rd/Monterey Rd

Urban Villages V71 = Meridian Av/Redmond Av VR8 = Curtner Light Rail/Caltrain VR9A = Race St Light Rail (west of Sunol) VR9B = Race St Light Rail (Reed & Graham Site) VR10 = Capitol Ex/Hy 87 Light Rail VR11 = Penitencia Creek Light Rail VR12 = N. Capitol Av/Hostetter Rd VR13 = N. Capitol Av/Berryessa Rd VR14 = N. Capitol Av/Mabury Rd VR15 = N. Capitol Av/McKee Rd VR17A = Oakridge Mall and Vicinity (Cambrian/Pioneer) VR17B = Oakridge Mall and Vicinity (Edenvale) VR18 = Blossom Hill Rd/Cahalan Av VR19 = Blossom Hill Rd/Snell Av VR22 = Arcadia/Eastridge VR23 = E. Capitol Ex/Silver Creek Rd VT2 = Berryessa BART VT3 = Five Wounds BART VT4 = The Alameda (East) VT6 = Blossom Hill Rd/Hitachi VT8 = Capitol Caltrain Station Area

Close-up of Captital Caltrain Area

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Envision San José 2040 Context and Key Issues

This section provides as context an historical account of the development and use of the General Plan in San José as a land use planning and implementation tool. Following this context, the section contains a narrative documentation of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan update process, including a description of the community engagement and Task Force activities, and a summary of key issues that were discussed by the Envision Task Force.

History of Planning in San José – the General Plan

Since the adoption of its first General Plan in 1960, San José has progressively used its General Plan and associated policies to establish an overall vision and guiding principles for the City’s land use decisions and provision of urban services. Policies adopted by the City during this time period advanced identified guiding principles, including: Economic Development, Growth Management, Downtown Revitalization, Urban Conservation/ Preservation, the Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary, Housing, Sustainable City and Social Equity. Throughout the past 50 years, the planning activities of each decade illustrate the City’s growing commitment to engaging community members in the planning process, basing policy on community values, growing the City’s identity and economic role, demonstrating environmental leadership, achieving fiscally sustainable land uses and using the best practices in land use planning to provide opportunities for the City’s growth consistent with its other goals.

The following summarizes the most notable land use policies adopted by San José that significantly contributed to the evolution of the City’s General Plan.

<u>The 1960 General Plan</u> From its founding in 1777 until the conclusion of World War II, San José grew at a fairly modest pace, reaching a total population of 68,457 in 1940. Dramatic changes in City politics, economic conditions and land use policies fostered rapid growth in the following decades so that San José had reached a population of 204,196 by 1960. Key factors in this growth were the City’s policies of aggressive annexation, construction of the Water Pollution Control Plant, active business attraction policies and flexible land use regulation. To support rapid growth, the City relied upon its population to pass bonds that could subsidize the cost of infrastructure expansions in advance of the demand created by new development. Between 1950 and 1970 the bond indebtedness of the City’s residents doubled, growing at a rate twice that of other California cities. Consistent with the City’s pro-growth and pro-development orientation, San José’s leaders did not focus their attention on developing land use policies and the City was relatively late among large cities when it adopted its first General Plan in 1960.

The City’s first General Plan, comprised of one page of text and nine pages of diagrams, covered three Elements: Land Use, Circulation and Population. The Plan established high-level goals for San José related to economic development, civic identity, cultural growth, quality of life, land use compatibility and maintenance of an efficient transportation system. The diagrams included a Land Use plan, and plans for various City infrastructure systems including roadways and utilities. The Plan did not include any particular guidance on how

to achieve its goals or other specific policies or actions that might have hindered the City’s pro-growth objectives. While the document did identify planned land uses, it served most readily to support the City’s continued expansion.

In the years following adoption of the 1960 General Plan, costs of the City’s rapid and largely unplanned growth become more readily evident to City leaders and its general population, generating a greater interest in the use of the General Plan and other land use policies to manage growth. The movement of retail activity to new shopping centers on the City’s periphery or within adjacent communities, along with relocation of City Hall out of Downtown, led to the closure of many of San José’s Downtown businesses and a dramatic decline in the City’s share of County sales tax revenue. As early as 1956, not coincidentally the year in which Valley Fair, the region’s largest shopping center opened, civic leaders had identified the need for urban renewal and created an urban renewal agency able to receive federal funding to condemn property. Despite this effort, San José’s Downtown underwent notable and prolonged decline. Growth management and improvement of the City’s Downtown became important themes that permeate successive land use planning efforts.

Urban Development Policy (1970)

The 1960s saw the emergence of a residential population more concerned with the neighborhood quality of life impacts caused by the City’s rapid growth. Led by newly formed neighborhood groups, residents increasingly expressed dissatisfaction with the City’s policies related to its fiscal health, to its ability to provide services and to the protection of environmental resources. As a consequence of sprawling and leap-frog land use development pattern, residents suffered dually from heavy bond payment obligations and inefficient, disorganized government services. This growing dissatisfaction amongst the City’s residents, along with various changes in the City’s political context, resulted at the end of the decade in a significant shift in political leadership. The change in leadership directly translated into a new interest in using General Plan and land use policies to manage growth, establish a vision for the City’s land uses, maintain and improve the delivery of City services and protect environmental resources. The first major policy adopted for this purpose was the City’s Urban Development Policy.

This landmark document initiated the City of San José’s growth management program through the establishment of the Urban Service Area concept. Equally significant, the City and the County of Santa Clara cooperatively developed a policy stating that urban development would be permitted only within the Urban Service Area of cities. This policy is still in force today.

General Plan '75 (1976)

The City’s commitment to the use of the General Plan as a growth management tool was established following the continuing shift in the City’s political leadership in the early 1970s. The new orientation of San José’s political leaders was supported in part by increased voter turnout that came with the change to align the timing of local and national elections. To communicate and implement the City’s vision for growth management, San José adopted its first “modern” General Plan in 1976. The General Plan (General Plan ’75) was used to formalize restrictions on growth to address traffic congestion, flooding issues,

hillside development and school crowding. The Plan included design standards for new development and clearly established the need for new development to share in the cost of capital improvements rather than using general obligation bonds to subsidize growth.

General Plan '75 integrated the State mandated General Plan elements into a cohesive, internally consistent document. The Land Use/Transportation Diagram accordingly was based upon and reflected the goals and policies of the Plan. In addition, this Plan introduced minimum densities, the goal of fostering infill development within the Urban Service Area, protection of hillsides and agricultural lands through Non-Urban Hillside and agricultural designations, promoting economic development of the Downtown, and the strategic location of areas for industrial development to reduce commutes (North San José and Edenvale). This plan was innovative in its critical linking of land use planning with planned transportation facilities.

While General Plan '75 established the foundation for the City’s growth management policies, it continued to grow quickly. San José ranked as the fastest growing major city in population in the U.S. for the 1970s. Annexation played a much smaller role in growth during this period, as most population growth was accommodated through infill development within the City’s existing boundaries. Growth was also limited in specific districts of the City (Evergreen, Almaden Valley and Coyote Valley) due to traffic or other environmental concerns unique to those areas. Planning for Coyote Valley, which emerged as an important issue, has in particular continued to be an important land use policy question for San José.

General Plan '75 played a role in the City’s move to a District-based Councilmember system, adopted by San José in 1980. Following a pattern begun with a City-wide community based infrastructure planning initiative, Projects 75, the General Plan '75 update reinforced the neighborhood-oriented "Planning Areas" concept for the City, which facilitated the further awareness and formation of neighborhood organizations and popular support for a District-based City Council. Emphasizing neighborhood-based planning and community engagement has continued to be an important theme for the City’s General Plan and other major land use planning initiatives.

Transportation Level of Service Policy (1978)

The City Council established the Transportation Level of Service Policy in 1978 to prescribe mitigation measures to satisfy the transportation level of service policies of the General Plan. This Policy continues to be an important implementation tool, providing a means for the City to require new development to mitigate its transportation impacts.

The City’s transportation policies were notably modified in 2002 when the City Council adopted amendments to the General Plan to allow flexibility in the General Plan’s vehicular traffic and transportation policies to support multi-modal transportation goals and smart growth land use principles. They were significantly modified again in 2005 when the City Council adopted a new policy to exempt certain "protected" intersections from traffic mitigation improvements if alternate improvements were made to enhance other modes of transportation in the vicinity, including pedestrian, transit and bicycle. These modifications,

along with special exemptions for the Downtown and other more urbanized districts within the City, were necessary and beneficial in order to support the development of these districts as less auto dependent and more supportive of transit use and pedestrian activity.

<u>Berryessa Evergreen Swap (1980)</u>

Related to efforts to address traffic congestion, the City completed the Berryessa Evergreen Swap in 1980, converting land in North San José from industrial to residential use and land in the Evergreen from residential to industrial. Because employment uses were (and continue to be) concentrated in the northern part of the City as well as in the neighboring communities to the west, the addition of housing in closer proximity to the employment uses was intended to reduce commuting distances, while the addition of employment in the southeast part of the City would allow for residents of that area to commute shorter distances to work along less congested "reverse commute" roadways.

<u>Mayor's Task Force on Economic Development (1983)</u>

While maintaining strong growth control measures continued to be an important goal of its leadership, the City responded to business interests and proponents of expanding development into Coyote Valley by convening a Mayor's Task Force on Economic Development in 1983. The City Council established this Task Force to comprehensively review the City's economic development program and to prepare recommendations on specific parcels in South San José and the Coyote Valley. The Task Force evaluated the vacant industrial land inventory, high technology demand and infrastructure requirements.

Task Force recommendations included creation of a comprehensive plan for Coyote Valley through the Horizon 2000 process, expansion of the urban service area to accommodate large firms in North Coyote Valley and Edenvale, and the approval of proposed General Plan amendments to allow industrial uses in North Coyote Valley. Proponents of the Task Force recommendations argued that selective industrial development within Coyote Valley would generate revenues to support City services and support a reverse commute pattern that would make better use of existing transportation infrastructure by placing job growth in the job-poor southeast portion of the City. Recommendations from this Task Force were addressed through the City's next General Plan update, the Horizon 2000 General Plan.

<u>Horizon 2000 General Plan (1984)</u>

The Horizon 2000 General Plan built upon the framework in the integrated General Plan '75 with the identification of five tightly interwoven Major Strategies. These Strategies were Growth Management, Downtown Revitalization, Economic Development, Urban Conservation/Preservation, and the Greenline. In addition, the Horizon 2000 General Plan established the Coyote and Almaden Valley Urban Reserves as areas where development should be delayed until various planning and urban service conditions ("triggers") could be met. Collectively, this strategy framework further reinforced the City's commitment to managing growth by limiting outward expansion while giving preference to redevelopment and intensification within the City's Downtown and other established urban areas.

While the City had been engaged in attempts at Downtown revitalization since formation of its redevelopment agency in 1956, San José began addressing improvement to its Downtown with renewed interest and energy in the 1980s. One important policy change

was the merger of three Redevelopment Areas to provide a critical source of funding for projects within the Downtown. These resources were used to attract several large hotels to the Downtown and to construct a convention center, museums, an arena, streetscape improvements and other public amenities.

Close linkage of land use planning and transportation planning also emerged in the 1980s as a more prominent tool for accomplishing the City’s goals for managed growth and a revitalized Downtown. Whereas in the past transportation investments had been focused on supporting the City’s horizontal expansion, beginning in the 1980s the City and the County’s transportation authority have been able to make significant investment in transportation improvements to support the Downtown, transit-oriented development, and bicycle and pedestrian movement. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) opened the County’s first Light Rail transit line in 1987, providing a transit connection between San José’s Downtown, the North San José employment area and residential and employment areas in the southern part of the City.

Consistent with the City’s emerging self-identification as the “Capital of Silicon Valley,” and to address regional traffic issues, the City adopted the North San José Area Development Policy in 1988. This Policy was based on a cooperative regional “Golden Triangle” planning project initiated by San José in an attempt to establish common land use policies within San José and other nearby jurisdictions to address traffic concerns tied to the continuing growth of the Silicon Valley economy. The City continued to draw more high-tech industry, particularly to the North San José and Edenvale areas, but notably also to the Downtown.

<u>Parkland Dedication Ordinance (1988) and Park Impact Ordinance (1992)</u> In 1988, the City Council adopted the Parkland Dedication Ordinance (PDO) to help meet the demand for neighborhood and community parks generated by the development of new residential parcels. In 1992, the City Council adopted the Park Impact Ordinance (PIO), which applied parkland dedication requirements to new units in non-subdivided residential projects. Both the PDO and PIO require that new housing projects either dedicate land for public parks, pay a fee in lieu of dedication, or a combination of the two. The PDO is consistent with the requirements and procedures for the dedication of parkland by housing developers as set forth in the California law known as the Quimby Act, Section 66477 of the Government Code.

<u>Housing Initiative Study (1991)</u> Ongoing concerns related to the potential impact of growth management upon the City and region’s housing supply and affordability prompted San José to undertake a Housing Initiative Study in 1991. To accommodate demand for new housing, the Housing Initiative Study explored opportunities for high-density residential and mixed-use development along the majority of the Guadalupe Light Rail Corridor, within the Downtown Frame Area, and along two major arterials with frequent bus service. The Study concluded that there was sufficient available land for 10,000 new high density units in the short term; a market demand for up to 9,500 such units; and that most projects would be financially feasible. The City has since implemented policies on a consistent basis that focus housing growth at higher densities in proximity to transit.

<u>Specific Plans (1992 – 1995)</u>

To guide and facilitate new transit-oriented housing and the development of well-planned neighborhoods, the City prepared four Specific Plans in the early 1990s. The first of these, the Evergreen Specific Plan, provided a master plan for the development of a new neighborhood on the City’s eastern edge within the Evergreen Development Policy area, giving careful consideration to the incorporation of parks and open space, providing for neo-traditional housing (i.e., inspired by historic styles and forms), and identifying a site for a Village Center. Similarly, the Communications Hill Specific Plan provided a master plan and vision for the development of a new mixed-use, mixed-density walkable neighborhood relatively close to the City’s center and accessible to transit. Two other plans, the Midtown Specific Plan and the Jackson Taylor Residential Strategy, provided for the conversion of older industrial lands into higher-density, mixed-use transit-oriented neighborhoods. By taking the initiative to prepare these Plans, the City was able to guide new residential development to be built at locations and in a form consistent with the City’s goals of promoting transit use, building walking urban environments and supporting the City’s Downtown.

San José also undertook other planning and redevelopment projects that address important gateway corridors or neighborhood areas including Santa Clara Street, San Carlos Street, Alum Rock Avenue, The Alameda, Lincoln Avenue and Japantown.

<u>San José 2020 General Plan (1994)</u>

The San José 2020 General Plan expanded on themes and strategies of previous General Plans, including use of a detailed fiscal analysis to make difficult decisions regarding the location and intensity of future growth. Based on the fiscal analysis, environmental concerns and a continued desire to address housing needs for a growing population, the City Council adopted a Plan which reduced opportunities for urban growth at the City’s edge, committed land uses to higher intensity infill development along identified intensification corridors (generally along existing and planned light rail corridors), and added the Housing and Sustainable City Major Strategies. A key decision made with adoption of that Plan was to continue to preserve the Coyote Valley and Almaden Valley Urban Reserves for potential future development, but only after certain prerequisite conditions were met. While the San José 2020 General Plan clearly identified environmental, fiscal and economic goals as important considerations, it also provided significant citywide growth opportunity, particularly through a number of Discretionary Alternate Use Policies intended to facilitate infill development and by continuing to emphasize intensification through redevelopment within central areas and near transit.

<u>Neighborhood Revitalization Strategies (1994 – 1997)</u>

The Citywide Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy, adopted in 1997, looked at coordinating the delivery of selected services to neighborhoods requiring special assistance to improve their living environments. This strategy was a significant expansion of planning activity to include revitalization of older neighborhoods suffering from a lack of investment. The fundamental concept was to target comprehensive packages of City services into selected neighborhoods to achieve real and visible results, a change from the typical practice of delivering individual services independently and often without visible or long term results. A Neighborhood Revitalization Plan was prepared to guide the overall long term improvement

of a neighborhood. Specific areas of the City with greater need for revitalization were addressed through the Poco Way Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy, adopted in 1994, and the Santee Neighborhood Revitalization Plan, adopted in 1996.

<u>Specific Plans (1995- 2004)</u> Following the San José 2020 General Plan update, the City prepared a series of Specific Plans to further implement the General Plan goals and policies. These Specific Plans continued the trend established in the early 1990s, providing more specific land use guidance for areas of the City identified for potential redevelopment with higher density, mixed-use neighborhoods. For example, the Tamien Station Specific Plan and Rincon South Specific Plan addressed areas of the City with a high degree of transit access, while the Alviso Master Plan and Martha Gardens Specific Plan provided unique visions for the transition of established neighborhoods.

<u>Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)/Greenline Initiative (1996)</u> In the 1990s the City strengthened its commitment to environmental leadership and growth management by incorporating its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) into the General Plan. Adoption of the Urban Growth Boundary identified the limits of the City’s potential expansion and today permanently limits urbanization in San José to those areas already developed and/or already planned for urban development. To implement the UGB, San José worked with Santa Clara County to improve upon long established cooperative policies and practices to ensure that urban uses occur only inside the Urban Growth Boundary. This effort builds upon existing strategies, goals, and policies of the San José 2020 General Plan.

In 2000, a ballot measure establishing the Urban Growth Boundary and procedures for its modification was placed before and easily approved by the City’s voters, demonstrating broad community support for this limitation upon the San José’s outward expansion and preservation of the surrounding hillsides as open spaces areas.

<u>Public Outreach Policy (adopted 1999, updated 2004)</u> While the City’s public outreach policies and practices already exceeded State minimum requirements, San José worked with community leaders and development professionals to further expand and facilitate opportunities for its members to participate and engage in land use planning and development projects. The Public Outreach Policy conveys the City’s commitment to providing information and opportunities for its members to follow development proposals and other City activities that affect their neighborhoods and to actively participate in the land use development process. This policy formally established a protocol for dissemination of information related to development activity and encouraged early and frequent communication between City staff, applicants and the public.

<u>Housing Opportunity Study (2000-2004)</u> Based on the successful 1991 Housing Initiative, the Housing Opportunity Study identified additional sites along the Transit-Oriented Development Corridors for high-density housing and mixed-use development. The first phase of the Study identified 14 sites which, after General Plan amendments, added 6,000 housing units to the City’s total housing capacity. The second phase identified another 11 sites, which created the potential to add another

6,100 housing units.

<u>Greenprint Parks Master Plan (2000, Revised 2009)</u> Like many rapidly growing cities, San José has struggled with the best way to insure that adequate parks and recreational facilities are provided as its population grows. By adopting the City’s Greenprint in 2000 as a 20-Year Strategic Plan for Parks, Recreational Facilities and Programs, the City established a strong vision and strategy for providing important amenities and improving the health and wellness of its residents through implementation of San José’s goals and vision for parks, recreation facilities, recreation programs and neighborhood services.

This Plan includes six key program areas: Programs and Services to provide recreation programs and neighborhood and human services that respond to neighborhood needs, strengthen neighborhoods, and encourage healthy lifestyles; Parks and Open Space to acquire, develop, renovate, modernize, and preserve parks and open space; Citywide Trails to create a citywide trail network that encourages alternative transportation modes and provides access to recreation; Recreation Facilities to provide access to various types of recreational facilities for all residents; Public Outreach to increase public awareness of parks, recreational facilities, programs, and services; and Resource Development to develop the resources necessary to implement the community vision.

<u>Strong Neighborhood Initiative (2001)</u> The Strong Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) was a major undertaking launched by San José in 2001 to direct planning and redevelopment resources into a large number of neighborhoods throughout the City. This Initiative built upon the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy, using the combined resources of the City of San José, the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) and San José’s residents and business owners to strengthen the City’s neighborhoods by building clean, safe and strong neighborhoods with independent, capable and sustainable neighborhood organizations. By coordinating and combining resources from the City, its Redevelopment Agency, property and business owners, individual community members, and public-private partnerships, the SNI was designed to help these neighborhoods reach their full potential as highly livable communities.

The 20 Strong Neighborhoods Initiative areas encompass about 10,000 acres located in many sections of San José. While facing some common urban challenges, all of these communities also possess important individual assets and attributes. The underlying principle of the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative was to build upon neighborhood assets, and use special SNI resources in a deliberate strategy to develop the capacity of communities to become their own agents for improvement over the long term. In addition to the eventual implementation of various physical improvements throughout the SNI neighborhood areas, the SNI was important as a catalyst to establish neighborhood identity, raise up new community leaders and enable greatly expanded community participation in land use planning efforts, particularly among segments of the population with historically lower levels of participation.

<u>Smart Growth Strategy (2001)</u> In October of 2001 the San José City Council conducted a study session on “Smart Growth”

and the City began using this term actively to promote its approach to growth management and commitment to continued use of the San José 2020 General Plan, including the Greenline/Urban Growth Boundary, as the City's highest level land use planning tool. With this effort, the City made clear its intent to support continued job and housing growth at locations and densities that would support transit use, maximize efficient use of existing infrastructure, provide for more efficient delivery of City services and minimize environmental impacts. In the following years, the City adopted three key policy documents: the Downtown Strategy Plan, an update to the North San José Area Development Policy and the Multi-Modal Transportation Policy. Collectively, these three policies added significant growth capacity Downtown, within North San José and along the City's transit system.

Coyote Valley Specific Plan (2002-2008)

The Coyote Valley Specific Plan process was launched in 2002 with the intent to develop a plan to guide the future development of North and Mid-Coyote Valley and preserve South Coyote Valley in a perpetual non-urban state, consistent with the planning process identified in the San José 2020 General Plan for this urban reserve area. The Specific Plan process included vigorous debate over the potential fiscal and environmental costs and benefits associated with allowing development within the entire Coyote Valley area. This process was concluded in 2008 when the City Council accepted the work of the Coyote Valley Specific Plan Task Force and referred further consideration of possible development within Coyote Valley to the Envision San José 2040 General Plan update, underway at that time.

Evergreen-East Hills Vision Strategy (2003-2008)

The Evergreen-East Hills Vision Strategy was initiated in 2003 as a comprehensive land use and transportation planning project, including consideration of potential amendments to the Evergreen Development Policy (EDP) and the General Plan Land Use Diagram. The EDP was created to address development constraints for the Evergreen area, including unique traffic issues that have strictly limited the area's capacity for residential development. The Evergreen-East Hills Vision Strategy was intended to be a community based planning process to consider the potential for adding residential development capacity within the EDP area by linking new development to the construction of transportation improvements and community amenities. A key issue for the Evergreen-East Hills Vision Strategy was the consideration of possible conversion of industrial properties within the EDP area to residential use. The Evergreen-East Hills Vision Strategy process was concluded in 2008 when the City Council updated the Evergreen Development Policy to include a small increment of new housing and commercial growth and referred further consideration of land uses within the EDP policy area to the Envision San José 2040 General Plan update.

Economic Development Strategy (2003)

Although San José had enjoyed unprecedented job growth during the "internet boom" of the late 1990s, the City experienced sustained job loss from 2001 through the early part of the new millennium. In response to this economic downturn, the City launched multiple economic development initiatives, including preparation of an Economic Development

Strategy and a series of stakeholder panel discussions under the name Getting Families Back to Work. The latter specifically served as impetus for initiation of the North San José Policy update, completed in 2005.

In 2003, the City adopted an Economic Development Strategy which identified 15 Strategic Initiatives that the City of San José should pursue with its economic development partners to achieve the vision and desired economic outcomes. Action in these areas was intended to make San José more competitive and attractive as a place to start and grow businesses in the Silicon Valley region, as well as relative to national and international competitors, and to improve economic opportunity and quality of life for the City's residents.

Employment Lands Preservation Framework (2004 - 2007)

While the continuing economic downturn resulted in minimal job growth for San José from 2000 through 2010, the City continued to experience strong demand for new housing construction up until the sudden collapse of the "housing bubble" in 2008. During this time period, the City experienced tremendous pressure to convert industrial lands, which had low property values, to residential use. Following San José’s lead of using conversion of industrial lands to create new residential development capacity as an important element within its Specific Plans, private developers successfully initiated and implemented numerous conversions as a recognized means of producing transit-oriented or new single-family housing projects that responded to the strong housing market. At the same time, however, these industrial conversions undermined the City’s economic development goals and its ability to provide high-quality municipal services for its residents. These privately initiated conversions reduced the City's supply of Light and Heavy Industrial lands which provided much needed employment opportunities, particularly for middle income, “blue collar” jobs. In response, the City adopted a policy intended to prevent the further conversion of key employment lands.

The Framework, as a Guideline, to Evaluate Proposed Conversions of Employment Lands to Other Uses (Framework) was originally developed based upon the recommendations included in a report prepared at the City’s request, entitled “Towards the Future: Jobs, Land Use, and Fiscal Issues in San José’s Key Employment Areas: 2000-2020”. This Framework was used as a guideline to evaluate proposed conversions of employment lands to other uses with the intent to create more certainty and predictability in the review of employment land conversion proposals while retaining flexibility to respond to changing conditions, new information, and policy considerations. The Framework was revised and renamed as the Employment Lands Preservation Framework in 2007 to expand its application to most employment lands and to strengthen the City’s ability to preserve its overall employment capacity. Framework policies have been incorporated in the Envision San José 2040 General Plan, which supersedes it.

Downtown Strategy Plan (2005)

Strategy 2000: San José Greater Downtown Strategy for Development (Downtown Strategy) is an action guide for development and redevelopment of Greater Downtown San José based on a broad, multidisciplinary consideration of the issues of economics, transportation, urban design, urban landscape, historic resources, cultural resources and events as they

apply to the Greater Downtown. The Downtown Strategy was initially prepared in 2000, but updated and adopted in 2005 to support additional job and housing growth within San José’s Greater Downtown area.

North San José Policy Update (2005)

The North San José Policy update established a plan for the expansion of the City’s key North San José employment area, allowing for the addition of 26.7 million square feet of new industrial development, 32,000 housing units and 1.7 million square feet of supporting commercial uses. Consistent with San José’s Smart Growth principles, this growth capacity was focused primarily into higher density development at transit-oriented sites. The plan includes a new grid street system to create more walkable, urban blocks within the central part of North San José, new urban, mixed-use housing, parks and services to build neighborhoods in close proximity to employment growth, the City’s first Traffic Impact Fee to fund $570 million in transportation improvements, and a phasing plan that links job and housing growth to the construction of those improvements. The North San José Neighborhoods Plan and Urban Design Guidelines support the Policy in establishing a more urban vision for North San José.

Multi-Modal Transportation Policy (2005)

Up until 2005, the City’s transportation level of service policies were limited to addressing automobile traffic flow and providing mitigation, typically in the form of expanded roadways and intersections, as necessary to accommodate increases in vehicular traffic associated with new development. As adopted, these policies would in some instances either prevent development or allow it only with roadway expansions that were in other ways counter to the City’s goals. The new Multi-Modal Transportation Policy, adopted by the City Council in June 2005, repealed and replaced Council Policy 5-3, “Transportation Level of Service” and Council Policy 5-4, “Alternate Traffic Mitigation Measures”. This new policy provided a process for the analysis and consideration of overall conformance of a proposed development with the City’s various General Plan multi-modal transportation policies to collectively provide a safe, efficient, and environmentally sensitive transportation system for the movement of people and goods. By allowing a means for development to proceed in key areas even when traffic mitigation is not feasible or desirable, the Multi-Modal Transportation Policy plays an important role in supporting the Downtown Strategy and the updated North San José Area Development Policy. By giving greater emphasis to the development of pedestrian and bicycle facility improvements as an alternative to roadway widening, this policy set a foundation for the Envision General Plan Urban Village and Streets for People Strategies.

Transportation Analysis Policy (2018)

In 2013, the State of California passed Senate Bill 743 (SB 743), which eliminated automobile Level of Service (LOS) from transportation analysis under CEQA and replaced it with Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). This shift from LOS to VMT is intended to focus on the reduction of GHG emissions, the creation of multimodal networks, and the promotion of integrated land uses. The City Council adopted City Council Policy 5-1, entitled “Transportation Analysis Policy”, on February 27, 2018. Council Policy 5-1 aligned the City of San José’s transportation analysis with State law, and the major strategies, goals, and

policies of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan. The new policy established VMT as the City’s metric for CEQA transportation analysis. It also required development projects to conduct a Local Transportation Analysis (LTA) to analyze their conformance with the multimodal transportation strategies, goals, and policies in the General Plan and address adverse effects to the transportation system. The Transportation Analysis Policy supports implementation of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan by promoting dense, mixed-use, infill projects in Planned Growth Areas, and focuses resources on the development of robust multimodal transportation networks envisioned in the General Plan.

Envision San José 2040

The 4-year Envision San José 2040 process was launched in 2007, 13 years after the completion of the San José 2020 General Plan. Although major policy changes accomplished in 2005 had added significant growth capacity in line with the City’s current development goals, they did not update the City’s overall long-term vision for its future to reflect San José’s changing context and community values. While influenced by the economic downturn caused in part by the housing market collapse in 2008 and the City’s subsequent fiscal struggles, the Envision San José 2040 General Plan built on the City’s commitment to community-based planning to reinforce San José’s consistent and ongoing goals for economic development, fiscal sustainability, environmental leadership and expanded transit use. The Envision General Plan also embodies the growing support among the City’s residents for building urban, walkable communities while preserving the integrity of established neighborhoods.

The Envision planning process was divided into three key phases:

• Phase I (2007-2008) – Vision and Scenario Guidelines: A 37-member Council-appointed Task Force worked with community members over the course of 18 months to articulate a Vision for the General Plan update and to develop Guidelines to inform the development of the General Plan Land Use/ Transportation Diagram and General Plan policies. The Vision has been directly incorporated into the General Plan document, while the Guidelines were used vigorously to define five Land Use Study Scenarios leading to the selection of the Preferred Land Use Scenario which is the foundation of this plan. Many of the Guidelines have also been integrated into the goals and policies contained within the General Plan.

• Phase II (2009-2010) – Analysis of Land Use Study Scenarios, Selection of a Preferred Land Use Scenario and development of General Plan Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions: Following Phase I, the Task Force and community members worked together to develop the contents of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan, both its text and its Land Use/Transportation diagram. This phase included many Task Force meetings, community workshops and other community engagement activities, including use of interactive online tools to enable the participation of more than 4,000 community members. The City Council affirmed the Task Force recommendations at key steps during this Phase, guiding the development of Envision General Plan contents.

• Phase III (2010-2011) – Environmental Review and Community Outreach: After completion of the draft Plan and Land Use/Transportation diagram substance in June 2010, the final phase of the Envision process was dedicated to the completion of the environmental review process for the General Plan update and extensive additional engagement with community members to explain the General Plan’s vision for San José in 2040.

Table: Evolution of Planning Policy and Accomplishments of General Plans in San José

History of Planning in San José - Redevelopment

The San José Redevelopment Agency (SJRA) is a public governmental organization created in 1956 to improve the quality of life for all who live, work, and play in the City by creating jobs, developing affordable housing, strengthening neighborhoods, and building public facilities. Governed by the San José City Council which serves as the Redevelopment Agency Board, SJRA partners with business and the community to revitalize the economy in San José. The SJRA is one of the largest tax increment producing redevelopment agencies in California and has been active in 21 Project Areas throughout San José. SJRA Project Areas comprise approximately 16 percent of the San José land area and house approximately 33 percent of its jobs.

Redevelopment has played a significant role in shaping San José’s urban form, most notably through numerous large and small scale investments in the City’s Downtown and through funding of and participation in the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative. The Redevelopment Agency has played an active role in the promotion and development of the City’s industrial areas including North San José, Old and New Edenvale and the Monterey Corridor. SJRA has also been a key contributor to the construction of affordable housing in conformance with State requirements.

Redevelopment Project Areas – Industrial Park (1974 – 1979)

San José’s first industrial park Redevelopment Area, Rincon de Los Esteros, was established within North San José in 1974. The original project area was subsequently extended and expanded multiple times, eventually to cover a 4,800-acre area bounded by US Highway101, Interstate 880 and State Route 237. The Rincon de Los Esteros area is developed with built space totaling 42 million square feet and home to more than 1,200 of the world’s best known international and multinational technology companies, employing over 55,000 people. Major North San José employers include: Cisco Systems, Texas Instruments, Novellus, KLA Tencor, Altera, Atmel, Brocade Communications, Cadence Design Systems, Seimens, Sony, Acer America, Hitachi, Hynix, Canon, Philips, Samsung, Lockheed Martin, Agilent, eBay, Boston Scientific, Cypress Semiconductor, and Pivot Interiors.

The Edenvale Redevelopment Area was established in 1979 to foster employment growth on undeveloped land in the southern part of San José. Currently there are over 300 companies located in this 2,312 acre technology park, which together employ over 13,400 people. Companies include Stryker Endoscopy, Power Integration, Theorem Clinical Research, IBM, Symbol Technologies, Celestica, Lynux Works, Intel, Ionics, Hitachi , Solectron, Northrop Grumman, M/A-Com Tyco Electronics, and Jabil Circuits. This technology park is also home to the San José Bio Center, a world-class, state-of-the-art life sciences research facility and business incubator constructed with SJRA assistance.

Redevelopment Areas- Light and Heavy Industrial (1976 & 1994)

The Julian-Stockton (established in 1976), Olinder (1976) and Monterey Corridor (1994) Redevelopment Project Areas were established to address the needs of light and heavy industrial users in San José. Together, these Redevelopment Areas encompass almost 1,000 acres and employ over 10,000 people. Some examples of businesses located within the Redevelopment Areas include recycling, tile and cement manufacturing, sheet metal

contractors, automobile parts and suppliers, and general contracting service providers, garment manufacturing, roofing, auto services, sheet metal fabrication, transportation services, and other general contractor firms that are suppliers to the residential and industrial construction companies. Support uses such as banking, health care, retail and restaurant operations are also found in these areas.

<u>Downtown Redevelopment Areas (1961 – 1988)</u> The Downtown Redevelopment Areas include Park Center Plaza (1961), San Antonio Plaza (1968), Pueblo Uno (1975), Century Center (1983), Market Gateway (1983), Guadalupe-Auzerais (1983), and Almaden Gateway (1988). These Redevelopment Areas include uses such as commercial/office, retail, cultural and recreational, theater, arts, and entertainment mixed-use, and together help create a dynamic, lively city where people live, work, play and shop. Today’s Downtown is a thriving urban center, offering an abundance of cultural, professional, and residential amenities. Through an effective combination of public/private partnerships, the San José Redevelopment Agency has stimulated more than $1.7 billion of private investment in Downtown.

<u>Merged Redevelopment Project Areas (1980)</u> An important milestone was achieved in 1980 when all of the Redevelopment Areas were merged into one project area to allow for use of funds interchangeably between them. This action had important financial benefit as it facilitated the infusion of redevelopment funding from all of the Redevelopment areas into revitalization of Downtown San José.

<u>Strong Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) Areas (2002)</u> The San José Redevelopment Agency Board/City Council established a Redevelopment Area to include 19 individual SNI areas and to support the SNI project. These 19 neighborhoods were identified based on an assessment of existing needs and neighborhood level community input. Through a community based planning effort, a Neighborhood Improvement Plan was developed for each SNI area to identify and prioritize projects for investment of Redevelopment funds. In many cases, the SNI process helped to identify and equip new neighborhood leaders. Neighborhood Advisory Committees (NACs) were formed for each SNI area, made up of approximately 12 to 25 members, including property owners and tenants, representatives from neighborhood associations, businesses, the faith community, schools and other community stakeholders. The NACs initially participated in an extensive planning exercise spanning 12-24 months to develop Neighborhood Improvement Plans. The approval of the 19 plans by the San José Planning Commission and San José City Council/Redevelopment Agency Board signified SNI’s transition from planning into implementation.

<u>Project Area Termination</u> Although merged for financing purposes, each of the Project Areas have individual termination dates that will occur during the timeframe of the General Plan. Upon termination, the SJRA is only authorized to collect tax increment to pay debt and enforce obligations.

Furthermore, the state legislature enacted legislation in June 2011 (ABX1 26 and 27) that could significantly impact the viability of redevelopment throughout the state.

History of Planning in San José – Specific Plans and Area Plans

The City Council has approved several Specific Plans in key locations within San José to foster transit-oriented development, historic preservation, mixed uses, sensitivity to surrounding neighborhoods, and other strategic goals. Each Specific Plan explains the vision for future land use development in the plan area with a detailed land use plan, design guidelines, and implementation strategy. Each Specific Plan was developed with community and other stakeholder involvement at the time of its preparation.

In addition to the adopted Specific Plans, San José has developed several General Plan level policies applicable to specific districts within the City which have unique circumstances that warrant a greater detail of policy guidance.

<u>Evergreen Specific Plan (1991)</u> The City’s first specific plan, the Evergreen Specific Plan, is an award-winning plan for a community of 3,000 housing units and various community facilities on an 865-acre site on San José’s east side. This site was initially considered unlikely to support much development due to severe traffic capacity constraints. The specific planning process developed an approach for the traffic issue while creating a plan for an innovative new community. The Specific Plan incorporated various signature features including rotary and radial streets, landmark uses located at key locations, mixed residential densities, a Village Center, a network of bicycle and pedestrian routes, and planned parks and school facilities, all of which were planned with the intent of building a unique community identity. Developers responded well to the Plan despite construction costs higher than they usually paid, due to the requirement for new development to help build community amenities and roadway improvements. This Specific Plan was retired with the adoption of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan, as its implementation is largely completed.

<u>Communications Hill Specific Plan (1992)</u> The Communications Hill Specific Plan, winner of numerous regional, state, and national awards, has excited much interest in its vision for a very urban, high density, pedestrian-oriented community with approximately 4,700 dwelling units atop a very visible hill rising from the valley floor a couple of miles south of Downtown. This Plan provides for a grid street pattern to accentuate the hill and maximize high density residential development and community facilities on its top and lower sides leaving substantial swaths of the grassy hillsides as open space. The Plan also calls for construction of parks, an elementary school and civic use area, fire station and neighborhood-serving commercial uses.

<u>Jackson-Taylor Residential Strategy (1992)</u> Similar to a specific plan, the Jackson-Taylor Residential Strategy guides the transition of an older industrial area into an exciting mixed-use and pedestrian-friendly community. Located close to Downtown, Jackson-Taylor is surrounded by existing neighborhoods, business districts, and industrial areas. The Strategy carefully weaves land uses and outlines development standards to ensure a compatible interface between the existing and planned developments.

<u>Midtown Specific Plan (1992)</u> Like Jackson-Taylor, the Midtown Specific Plan directs the conversion of an aging industrial

area to a vibrant mixed use community oriented to transit and designed for the pedestrian. Located just west of Downtown and south of the San José Arena, this 210-acre area is planned for close to 3,000 high density housing units, parks, employment opportunities, neighborhood-serving commercial uses, some industrial activities, and close community connections with the San José Diridon Caltrain/Amtrak station and planned light rail stations. Since its adoption, the portion of Midtown directly west of the Diridon Station has been largely built out, as planned, with new high-density housing, mixed-use development, and a public park. With adoption of the Diridon Station Area Plan, the eastern boundary of the Midtown Specific Plan between San Carlos and Santa Clara Streets was shifted west to the railroad tracks to eliminate the overlap between the Midtown Specific Plan area and the Diridon Station Area Plan area. The area previously within the Midtown Specific Plan became integrated into the adopted Diridon Station Area Plan area. The Midtown Specific Plan now primarily provides direction for development south of West San Carlos Street, which is planned for industrial and commercial uses, as well as high-density transit residential uses on identified properties.

<u>Tamien Station Area Specific Plan (1995)</u> The Tamien Station Area Specific Plan directs the development of vacant and underutilized sites in close proximity to the Tamien Multi-Modal Station. This Plan identifies a number of high density housing sites with an approximate capacity of up to 1,700 dwelling units, adjacent to existing neighborhoods consisting of older single-family housing and large, relatively new condominium and apartment projects. Careful attention was given to planning station area housing, a park, small scale commercial uses and a child care center within walking distance of heavy and light rail transit facilities.

<u>Alviso Master Plan: A Specific Plan for the Alviso Community (1998)</u> Located at its far northern edge, adjacent to the southerly tip of San Francisco Bay, Alviso is a unique district of San José, retaining much of its original character and historical roots. Working closely with the Alviso community, the City prepared a Plan to retain Alviso's small town atmosphere while preserving historic resources, enhancing infrastructure and services, and providing modest development opportunities. The Alviso Master Plan provides for mixed-use development within the historical Alviso Village area, modest expansion of the established residential neighborhood, and significant amounts of new industrial and commercial development along the Plan area's southern and eastern edges. This Plan area notably includes several of the City's recycling/landfill facilities as well as the Water Pollution Control Plant. Additional employment growth capacity was added to the Plan Area through the Envision San José 2040 process.

<u>Rincon South Specific Plan (1998)</u> The Rincon South Specific Plan outlines a vision for the redevelopment of an area to the east of Mineta-San José International Airport and generally bounded by U.S. Highway 101 and I-880 and State Route 87 (Guadalupe Parkway). This area is almost fully developed with a large variety of land uses. A key goal of the Plan is to develop the North First Street (Guadalupe) Intensification Corridor with new commercial and mixed-use residential uses as identified in the General Plan, while balancing commercial development against traffic capacity limitations. The Plan addressed nine key objectives: Support transit use and

create a pedestrian friendly environment; improve visual character of the area including streetscape; promote new and protect existing viable residential development; promote retail development; promote and maintain existing light industrial development; promote and maintain high quality office development; add new parklands; promote economic development; and minimize traffic impacts and encourage transit use. Because the Rincon South Specific Plan area is designated as an Employment Land Growth Area and as two Local Transit Urban Village areas within the Envision San José 2040 General Plan, the Rincon South Specific Plan was retired upon adoption of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan. While the Land Use Plan has been replaced by the General Plan Land Use / Transportation Diagram, the objectives, guidelines and other components of the Specific Plan are preserved as an Urban Village Plan for this area in the Envision San José 2040 General Plan.

Martha Gardens Specific Plan (2003)

The Martha Gardens Specific Plan established the framework for the redevelopment of the area south of Interstate 280, between South First and South Seventh Streets. Drawing on existing and historic uses in the area, this Plan sketches out a new community with emphasis on new housing with family and arts-oriented services and facilities. The new neighborhood is envisioned to be a lively mix of residential, commercial, recreation, education and arts uses with safe and pleasant pedestrian environments, parks and community facilities, and preserved historic buildings. The Martha Gardens Specific Plan was developed with the active involvement of the residents, business owners and other stakeholders in the existing, surrounding community.

Because of its proximity to Downtown San José and major, existing and future transportation systems, it has long been expected that the Martha Gardens area would eventually redevelop with uses related to the Downtown and other job centers. In response to the ongoing regional need for housing, the San José 2020 General Plan and prior General Plans have assumed that high-density residential development would be the most appropriate use for this area; therefore, the majority of the area therefore is planned for very high density housing.

Evergreen-East Hills Development Policy (1976, revised in 2008 and near-term future changes)

The Evergreen Development Policy (EDP) was originally adopted in 1976 to address the issues of flood protection and limited traffic capacity in the Evergreen area south of Story Road and east of US Highway 101. In 1991 and 1995, the EDP was revised to identify specific transportation and flood control improvements needed for the implementation of the Evergreen Specific Plan and the greater policy area, respectively. Revisions were also made in 2008 to provide a new framework to allow a limited amount of additional development capacity. The resulting policy was renamed the Evergreen-East Hills Development Policy (EEHDP). The EEHDP is also anticipated to be amended by the City Council in 2022 to transition from the EEHDP to the VMT Policy as the policy to control growth in the area. This amendment was made to (1) include a small increment of new housing and commercial growth and refer further consideration of land uses within the EEHDP policy area to the Envision San José 2040 General Plan update; (2) to limit the applicability of the EEHDP to development projects within the EEHDP that received land use approvals prior

to the effective date of the 2021 amendment of the EEHDP that required as a condition of approval the payment of traffic impact fees pursuant to Chapter 14.32 of the San Jose Municipal Code; and (3) the community-gathered guiding principles for land use, transportation, and design, developed through Evergreen East Hills Visioning Strategy, will continue to apply to projects within the Evergreen-East Hills Development Policy area.

Berryessa-Evergreen Swap (1980)

The General Plan amendments to exchange land uses between the Evergreen and Berryessa areas became known as the Berryessa-Evergreen Swap. It included approximately 300 acres in the Berryessa area which were converted from Industrial Park uses to residential uses. To complement the industrial-to-residential conversion in Berryessa, approximately 375 acres of land in Evergreen were converted from low density residential to campus industrial uses. This “swap” was approved to maintain the City’s overall industrial job base and to bring jobs and housing opportunities closer together to help reduce the impacts of commuting from southern San José neighborhoods to job centers in the north. The Berryessa housing was fully developed prior to adoption of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan, while only one campus industrial project was completed in this area of Evergreen, still planned for industrial park uses.

Berryessa Planned Residential Community (1980)

The Berryessa Planned Residential Community encompasses approximately 300 acres in northeast San José in the area bordered by Murphy Road on the north, Berryessa Road on the south, the San José Municipal Golf Course on the west, and the Union Pacific Railroad and King Road on the east. The Berryessa Planned Residential Community was created in an effort to provide greater housing opportunities in close proximity to employment centers in North San José and Downtown. As implementation of this Planned Community has been completed, it was retired as a unique planning area upon adoption of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan.

North San José Area Development Policy (1988, amended 2005 and 2022)

Due to extremely challenging traffic constraints in San José’s prime industrial area, the North San José Policy was initially developed in 1988 based on five key strategies to manage traffic and preserve important development opportunities. These elements included: a Transportation Demand Management program, capital improvements, a level of service policy, a floor area ratio (FAR) cap, and the strategic addition of housing sites through limited conversion of industrial properties.

The North San José Area Development Policy update replaced the FAR cap system with a “pool” of 26.7 million square feet of development capacity available for distribution throughout the Policy area. Of this 26.7 million square feet, 16 million square feet is reserved for a central core area, designated as an Employment Center in the Envision San José 2040 General Plan. The Envision General Plan also provides for additional employment growth capacity within North San José after the Development Policy has been fully implemented.

The updated Policy covered the North San José area to the north and west of Interstate 880 and south of State Route 237. This primarily industrial area is home to many high-

tech companies and is a very important employment center for the City. The Policy provided more flexibility than the previous North San José policy, with additional industrial development capacity for 20 million square feet of transferable area credits that can be allocated to specific properties within the Policy area. The Policy supported conversion of specific sites from industrial use to high-density residential use, based upon specific criteria to ensure residential development is compatible with industrial activity. Up to 32,000 new residential units can be built throughout the policy area. The Policy also identified necessary transportation improvements to support new development and established an equitable funding mechanism for new development to share the cost of those improvements.

In 2022, the City Council revised the North San José Area Development Policy to: (a) eliminate phased development and transportation improvements; (b) limit application of the Policy to only those projects that have received a land use entitlement and/or an approved land use permit prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506, and any amendment or adjustment to such entitlement or permit; and (c) adjust the timing of transportation improvements in the Policy to more accurately reflect the need for such improvements generated by projects that have received entitlements and permits prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506. From the effective date of Resolution No. 80506, the North San José Area Development Policy will only apply to projects that have received a land use entitlement and/or an approved land use permit prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506, and any amendment or adjustment to such entitlement or permit.

The funding of transportation improvements related to development in North San José is partially funded by the North San José Traffic Impact Fee, adopted by the City Council in San José Municiple Code Chapter 14.29. The North San José Traffic Impact Fee ordinacne has also been amended to apply only to projects that have received a land use entitlement and/or an approved land use permit prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506, and any amendment or adjustment to such entitlement or permit.

The 2022 amendments to the North San José Area Development Policy do not revise the development potential for North San José that is specified in the General Plan. The 26.7 million square feet of development across all land use categories in North San Jose remains in the General Plan and the amendments to the Policy limiting its application do not impact the ability of development to move forward with project-level CEQA clearance including analysis of transportation impacts evaluated using vehicle miles traveled (VMT) analysis. Projects that have received a land use entitlement and/or a land use permit prior to the effective date of Resolution No. 80506 remain obligated to fulfill all TIF requirements established at the time of their land use approval and/or in permit conditions of approval, which continues to apply upon approval of a later amendment or adjustment to the entitlement or permit.

Silver Creek Planned Community (1989)

The Silver Creek Planned Residential Community, located in southeast San José, encompasses approximately 3,100 acres. It allows for a planned community in a low density suburban form within close proximity to the fully urbanized city. The community plan

encouraged private sector creativity and innovative design concepts in the development of a high-quality suburban residential community including an 18-hole golf course and other amenities. As implementation of this community has been completed, it was retired as a unique planning area upon adoption of the General Plan.

<u>Poco Way Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy (1994)</u> The Poco Way Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy is a plan that goes beyond land use and urban design to explore the causes of severe deterioration of housing conditions, high crime, traffic speeding in the area, broken infrastructure, and other problems. Developed through the close cooperation of multiple City departments, this Plan identified a realistic set of actions to turn around the neighborhood. The Poco Way Strategy is now fully implemented, resulting in the rehabilitation of 150 units, new construction of 64 family apartments, creation of usable open space and recreation areas, undergrounding of utilities, street closure, and improvements to the playfields of the nearby Arbuckle Elementary School.

<u>Santee Neighborhood Revitalization Plan (1996)</u> Like Poco Way, the Santee Neighborhood Revitalization Plan directs the revitalization of a very troubled neighborhood. Adopted recommendations of this Plan include the institution of professional common property management in the fourplex areas, concentrated code enforcement, development of a new park and swimming pool, and participation of property owners in the revitalization effort.

<u>Edenvale Area Development Policy (2005, revised 2007)</u> The City of San José has adopted an Area Development Policy for the Edenvale Redevelopment Area in conformance with the provisions of the General Plan Level of Service Policy. The primary reasons for adoption of the Edenvale Area Development Policy were to manage the traffic congestion associated with near term development in the Edenvale Redevelopment Area, to promote General Plan goals for economic development, particularly with high technology driving industries, to encourage a citywide reverse commute to jobs at southerly locations in San José, and to provide for transit-oriented, mixed-use residential and commercial development to increase internalization of automobile trips and promote transit ridership.

In addition to build-out of the industrial square footage in the Edenvale Redevelopment area, this Policy specifically provides for the redevelopment of the underutilized 18-acre former IBM property on the northeast corner of Poughkeepsie and Cottle Roads with approximately 222,000 square feet of commercial uses; build-out of the Hitachi campus mixed-use project of approximately 332 acres with up to 2,930 attached dwelling units, and 460,000 square feet of commercial while maintaining up to 3.6 million square feet of industrial R&D/office space; and development of up to 450,000 square feet of commercial uses and up to 1.0 million square feet of industrial square footage on the adjacent iStar site.

<u>US-101/Oakland/Mabury Transportation Development Policy (2007)</u> The US-101/Oakland/Mabury Transportation Development Policy was adopted on December 18, 2007 to support planned transit-oriented development in the US-101/

Oakland/Mabury Road corridor. This Transportation Development Policy identifies freeway interchange improvements needed to accommodate future development and does not have specific area boundaries. The intent of this policy is to identify the appropriate interchange improvements, to allow development to proceed ahead of those improvements, and to require payment of a traffic impact fee by new development based upon traffic analysis. Level of Service (LOS) of a few intersections within the corridor will experience interim congestion below LOS D before the completion of the freeway interchange improvements.

<u>Diridon Station Area Plan (2014, revised 2021)</u> The City of San José adopted the Diridon Station Area Plan in 2014 for the development of the Diridon Station Area, an approximately 250-acre area surrounding the Diridon Station transit center located within the City's Downtown Growth Area. The Diridon Station Area Plan incorporated development proposals for the California High Speed Rail Diridon Station and a new Major League Baseball Stadium. Since the adoption of the Diridon Station Area Plan in 2014, the City elected not to proceed with a new Major League Baseball Stadium. The City has also received proposals for large mixed-use developments within the Diridon Station Area Plan. In 2021, the City adopted a project-specific amendment to the Diridon Station Area Plan in relation to the Downtown West Mixed-Use Plan and the City subsequently adopted a separate City amendment to the Diridon Station Area Plan to provide for mixed-use commercial and residential development which promotes and implements the General Plan policies of focusing growth in Downtown San José. The Diridon Station Area Plan is one of many area plans within the City of San José and implements the goals and policies of the General Plan within the Diridon Station Area Plan boundary. While the General Plan defines a set of broad goals and policies for development throughout the City of San José, the Diridon Station Area Plan addresses issues that are unique to the development of the Diridon Station Area Plan area.

History of Planning in San José – Environmental Initiatives

San José has an established track record as a leader in the development of environmental policies. The following examples highlight a small number of the City’s environmental policies and initiatives, with emphasis given to those which have had the most significant bearing on the City's implementation of its land use policies.

<u>Historic Resources Inventory (1975)</u> The Historic Resources Inventory is a list of all designated historic resources in the City of San José. When making structural improvements, all owners of properties listed in the Historic Resources Inventory can use the State Historic Building Code, which allows more flexibility (and potential financial savings) than the regular building code. Those properties are also addressed uniquely through several General Plan policies. Properties listed in or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places are also eligible for certain federal tax credits. Owners of City Landmarks can also apply for Property Tax relief under the Mills Act/Historic Property Contract, as well as exemption from some Building construction taxes. In 2010, approximately 3,200 properties were included on this Inventory, including 162 City Landmarks, and six City Landmark Historic Districts.

Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (1990)

San José played a key role in forming the the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP or Program), an association of thirteen cities and towns in Santa Clara Valley, the County of Santa Clara, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District that share a common NPDES permit to discharge stormwater to South San Francisco Bay. San José and the other cities also jointly funded monitoring studies in the late 1980s that helped characterize the quality of the runoff going to the Bay before the permit was adopted. The Program incorporates regulatory, monitoring and outreach measures aimed at reducing pollution in urban runoff to the "maximum extent practicable" to improve the water quality of South San Francisco Bay and the streams of Santa Clara Valley. In 1996 the Program developed a Mission Statement and Goals and Objectives that established a general consensus among the Co-permittees on the Program's approach to compliance with water-quality regulations. In June 1990, the Program received the first municipal stormwater permit in the nation from the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board). The permit was reissued in 1995 and 2001.

Riparian Corridor Policy Study (1994)

The Riparian Corridor Policy Study analyzed numerous streams and riparian corridors found within San José and addressed in full detail how development of all types should be designed to protect and preserve these riparian corridors. Following its completion, the recommendations and guidance in this Policy Study were implemented through the development review process to generally include a 50- to 100-foot setback for new development located adjacent to a riparian corridor, and through other techniques to protect water quality and fish and wildlife habitat. The Envision San José 2040 General Plan directly incorporates several of these policies to further protect this important natural resource.

Water Resources Protection Collaborative (2002)

San José participated with the Santa Clara Valley Water District, 14 other Santa Clara County cities, and business, agriculture, streamside property owner and environmental interests in a collaborative effort to clarify and streamline local permitting for streamside activities. This Water Resources Protection Collaborative resulted in the mutual adoption by participating agencies of the Guidelines and Standards for Land Use Near Streams: A Manual of Tools, Standards, and Procedures to Protect Streams and Streamside Resource in Santa Clara County. San José and the other municipal organization apply these standards as needed to foster protection of local water resources through regulation of private development or the design of public works projects.

Urban Environmental Accords (2005)

In 2005, the San José City Council joined other jurisdictions in signing the Urban Environmental Accords, a declaration by participating city governments that they would build ecologically sustainable, economically dynamic, and socially equitable futures for their urban citizens. The Accords assist San José by providing a great opportunity to improve the quality of life for its citizens and to preserve San José's environment and resources.

<u>Urban Runoff Management Policy (1998, revised 2006)</u>

The Post-Construction Urban Runoff Management Policy was developed to require all new and redevelopment projects to implement post-construction Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Treatment Control Measures (TCMs) to the maximum extent practicable. This Policy established specified design standards for post-construction TCMs for Applicable Projects defined as: new development projects that create ten thousand (10,000) square feet or more of impervious surface area; new streets, roads, highways and freeways built under the City’s jurisdiction that create ten thousand (10,000) square feet or more of impervious surface area; and other significant redevelopment projects.

<u>Green Building Policies (2001, updated 2008)</u>

In 2001, the City developed Green Building Policies and Green Building Guidelines that promote the use of environmentally sensitive construction practices for new development in San José. Although the City will continue to update these green building policies to address ongoing rapid changes in available technologies and building techniques, key Green Building principles were incorporated into the General Plan through the Envision San José 2040 General Plan update process.

<u>Hydromodification Management Policy (2005, revised 2010)</u>

The Hydromodification Management Policy establishes an implementation framework for incorporating measures to control hydromodification impacts from new development and redevelopment projects where such hydromodification is likely to cause increased erosion, silt pollutant generation, or other adverse impacts to local rivers and creeks. This policy is consistent with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) Municipal Regional Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit requirements. It provides additional protection for the preservation and improvement of San José’s rivers and creeks as important environmental resources, while allowing the City to continue its growth in urbanized areas.

<u>Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan (2006-2011)</u>

The cities of Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San José, the County of Santa Clara, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and the Santa Clara Valley Water District conducted a collaborative process to prepare and implement a Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Communities Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) for the Santa Clara Valley. These Local Partners, in association with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, stakeholder groups and the general public developed the HCP as a long-range plan to protect and enhance ecological diversity and function within a large section of Santa Clara County, while allowing for currently planned development and growth. The HCP provides a framework for the protection of natural resources while streamlining and improving the environmental permitting process for both private and public development, including activities such as road, water, and other infrastructure construction and maintenance work. The HCP is intended to provide environmental benefit by resulting in the creation of a number of new habitat reserves larger in scale and more ecologically valuable than the fragmented, piecemeal habitats yielded by mitigating projects on an individual basis.

<u>Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2007)</u>

In 2007, the City Council adopted a greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goal for municipal activities based on the recommendation of the City's interdepartmental Climate Action Team for a municipal goal that is both aggressive, yet practical, and that would establish the City of San José as a regional and national leader in municipal climate change mitigation. The recommended goal includes multiple milestone years to enable detailed tracking of the City's progress. This goal meets or exceeds the obligations of California legislation AB32, the Urban Environmental Accords, and Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement. Additional measures to address greenhouse gas emission reduction have been incorporated as a major objective of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan.

<u>Green Vision (2007)</u>

San José's Green Vision, adopted in 2007, is a comprehensive fifteen-year plan to create jobs, preserve the environment, and improve the quality of life for our community. The Green Vision includes goals related to increasing the number of clean-tech jobs, using cleaner energy, constructing green buildings, increasing waste diversion from landfills (recycling), increasing water re-use, continuing trail development, ongoing tree planting, and developing measurable standards to measure progress toward attainment. Green Vision goals have been incorporated in the General Plan.

<u>Climate Smart San Jose (2018)</u>

The Climate Smart San Jose plan, adopted in February 2018, built upon and replaced the Green Vision with a people-focused approach, encouraging the entire San Jose community to join an ambitious campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save water and improve Quality of life. Climate Smart San Jose includes goals and milestones that align with the 2016 Paris Agreement, designed to prevent the rise in global temperatures from rising more than 2°C. Climate Smart is a data-driven plan with nine strategies and specific goals to reduce climate change focused on achieving greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in three primary categories: energy, water, and mobility.

History of Planning in San José – Policy Implementation

The following examples highlight some of the key activities that have helped implement San José's General Plan and related land use policies, and which continue to shape the City's future urban form.

<u>Citywide Transit-Oriented Development</u>

Transit-Oriented Development Corridors were identified in the San José 2020 General Plan along the Guadalupe Corridor/First Street, Stevens Creek Boulevard/West San Carlos Street, Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue, Winchester Boulevard, Capitol Avenue/Expressway and Vasona Corridor. Between 1990 and 2007, approximately 39,300 dwelling units of higher density, mixed use, pedestrian- and transit-oriented development were constructed in these corridors, providing corridor residents with a high degree of access to transit facilities and local services.

<u>Affordable Housing</u>

The City of San José has a very ambitious and successful Affordable Housing Program.

This program has been led and implemented by the Housing Department using a complex variety of funding sources. Chief among these is the required 20 percent contribution of Redevelopment Agency’s annual tax increment revenue from the City’s merged redevelopment project areas. Between 1999 and 2007, more than 10,000 affordable housing units were built within San José through this program. In addition, City policies have required that market rate projects approved in redevelopment areas established after 1976 include 20 percent of the units as affordable, resulting in additional production of affordable housing stock.

<u>Historic Preservation</u> The preservation of its historic structures and sites helps to create a unique urban environment and sense and pride of place in San José for its residents. This cultural richness strengthens the local economy by promoting tourism and encouraging investment. Since the 1980s, San José’s General Plan has contained goals and policies which encourage the protection and preservation of its historic resources. The primary General Plan goal is to preserve historically and archaeologically significant structures, sites, districts, and artifacts in order to promote a greater sense of historic awareness and community identity, and to enhance the quality of urban living.

<u>Guadalupe Corridor Light Rail Transit (1987)</u> The first light rail transit (LRT) line completed in Santa Clara County was along San José’s Guadalupe Corridor. It consists of 20 miles of rail and a series of stations extending from the North San José/Santa Clara employment area through Downtown to South San José’s Edenvale industrial area. The Guadalupe Corridor is part of a multi-modal transportation system which combines light rail with a freeway, and incorporates bicycle lanes along portions of its right-of-way. Its goal is to connect the predominantly residential community to the south with the job centers in Downtown and North San José. A 7.6-mile Tasman West extension, connecting the Guadalupe LRT line west to Mountain View, opened in 1999.

<u>California State Route 85 (1994) and State Route 87 (2004)</u> San José and other Santa Clara County jurisdictions played an important leadership role in the development of State Route 85 and State Route 87, both of which significantly facilitate regional movement and provide roadway capacity for daily commuters travelling between housing in the southeastern portions of Santa Clara County and employment in the northwestern portions of the County. To build State Route 85, Santa Clara County voters were the first in California to approve a local sales tax to fund county-wide roadway improvements. Construction of 85 and 87 resulted in significant improvements to traffic conditions and supported a higher standard for the delivery of public and emergency services. Because of their success and popularity these roadways contribute to ongoing support for local funding of regional transportation projects.

<u>Capitol Light Rail Transit (2004)</u> The Capitol Light Rail project included the extension of the light rail transit approximately 3.5 miles along Capitol Avenue from the end of the Tasman Light Rail line, at Capitol Avenue and Camino Del Rey (south of Hostetter Road), to a terminal station just north of Capitol Expressway. This extension allowed for a continuous 18-mile long light rail

line running from east San José through the cities of Milpitas, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View. It also connects to Downtown and south San José via the existing Guadalupe Light Rail line. The Capitol line expanded service from predominantly residential areas of San José to job centers in North San José and other nearby Silicon Valley cities.

<u>Vasona Corridor Light Rail Transit (2005)</u> In 2005, a project was constructed to extend the Light Rail Transit (LRT) System in Santa Clara County approximately 6.8 miles in length into what is commonly known as the Vasona Corridor. This project extended light rail from Downtown San José, through the City of Campbell, to the Town of Los Gatos. It now provides a direct connection to Caltrain, Amtrak and Altamont Commuter Express rail service at the San José/Diridon Station, and also directly serves the San José Arena.

<u>Hitachi Campus Planned Development Zoning (2005)</u> In 2005 the City Council approved two General Plan Amendments and a companion Planned Development zoning for the 332-acre Hitachi industrial park campus located in South San José adjacent to State Route 85 and Monterey Highway. The main objective of this development was to create a vibrant transit-oriented, mixed-use development retaining the existing capacity for 3.6 million square feet of office and industrial space through redevelopment with intensified, modern upgraded industrial facilities, also providing almost 3,000 units of new affordable and market rate housing, up to 460,000 square feet of new retail space and a 10.5-acre public park. This project provides an innovative approach to upgrading of aging industrial facilities and retaining critical employment capacity, while contributing significantly to San José’s continued need for housing in a mixed use configuration. The project’s location adjacent to two major highways, the Guadalupe Corridor light rail line, and CalTrain make it a highly desirable location for transit-oriented development.

<u>Flea Market Planned Development Zoning (2007)</u> Between 2002 and 2007, the City Council approved additional development potential on the 120-acre San José Flea Market site. This was accomplished through several General Plan Amendments and a companion Planned Development zoning to allow up to 2,818 residential units, 365,622 square feet of retail commercial, office, or industrial use, and approximately 36 acres of public park/open space. The Flea Market site has been identified as a key station location for the proposed 16.3-mile extension of BART to Milpitas, San José, and Santa Clara. These land use approvals facilitate the creation of a mixed-use, walkable neighborhood with the proposed Berryessa BART Station as its focus. Through the Envision San José 2040 General Plan, additional job and housing growth capacity was added to the Berryessa BART Station Urban Village area. The General Plan recommends future rezoning of this area to facilitate further intensification.

<u>County Island Annexation Program (2006 – 2011)</u> In April 2006, the City of San José in an agreement with the County of Santa Clara, launched a three- to five-year program to conduct annexations of the remaining unincorporated “islands” (or “pockets”) in the county of less than 150 acres in size. These unincorporated islands in Santa Clara County are governed by and receive services from

the County, even though they are completely or substantially surrounded by lands within the incorporated boundary of San José.

Upon annexation, the land use permitting and general governing responsibility changes from the County of Santa Clara to the City of San José. This enables residents in these County islands to receive urban services from the City rather than the County, and empowers registered voters to vote in San José elections. After annexation, the City of San José has general government authority over and provides services, such as police and fire protection, street maintenance, and library, parks and neighborhood services, to these areas.

Envision San José 2040 Key Issues

While the Envision San José 2040 General Plan builds upon the City’s land use planning history and core community values that have been addressed in previous General Plan documents, it also establishes a new direction in some key areas. Key decisions made by the City through the Envision process and subsequent Major Reviews have resulted in a General Plan that:

1. With its current development and this amount of growth capacity, San José could grow to 751,000 jobs and 430,000 dwelling units in total, supporting a residential population of approximately 1.3 million people and a Jobs / Employed Resident Ratio (J/ER) of 1.1/1.

2. <ins>Allows a high degree of flexibility for job growth to occur at appropriate locations throughout the City</ins>: These locations include the further intensification of North San José, the Monterey Business Corridor / Senter Road area, and Old and New Edenvale. It also retains the planned job growth capacity in Evergreen. The Envision San José 2040 Land Use Plan reflects a recommendation for significant new job growth in the eastern portion of Alviso, including the Regional Wastewater Facility Buffer Lands, and in the northeast corner of the Berryessa Business Park, proximate to the Milpitas BART station and Cropley Light Rail station. San José’s goal is to provide adequate growth capacity for each type of employment land in order to meet the forecast job demand identified within the Employment Land Demand and Housing Demand report.

3. <ins>Establishes a land use plan and accompanying policies that support the City’s evolution into a regional job center</ins>: In addition to supporting a large amount of job growth, the land use plan concentrates job growth opportunities at locations that support workers commuting into San José from throughout the region. In particular, the Caltrain, BART, and High Speed Rail station areas are planned for significant job growth.

4. <ins>Articulates an Urban Village concept, in which future growth within San José will be used to build high-quality, urban neighborhoods attractive to a wide variety of future employers and residents, including: young, creative workers; a population increasingly made of older, smaller households; and residents seeking a place to live less reliant on automobile travel as a primary means of personal mobility.</ins>

5. <u>Directs new housing growth to occur in a high-density, mixed-use format in clearly identified Growth Areas</u>: These areas include the Downtown, North San José, Specific Plan areas, and new Urban Village areas located near transit (BART, Light Rail, Bus Rapid Transit) corridors and station areas, commercial centers and at central locations within neighborhood settings.

6. <u>Identifies a planning strategy, giving priority to planning for new growth in the Downtown, connecting transit corridors (Santa Clara, San Carlos, Alum Rock, Stevens Creek and The Alameda), BART station areas and North San José.</u>

This direction for the Envision San José 2040 General Plan was reached through a community-based planning process, involving extensive discussion by the Envision Task Force, City Council and community members. Key topics discussed through this process include the use of jobs and housing growth projections, future demand for the City’s employment lands, its jobs-housing balance, the best locations for new growth and the potential use of the City’s established urban reserves in Coyote Valley and South Almaden Valley.

<u>Jobs and Housing Growth Projections</u> Three sets of growth projections were used by the Envision San José 2040 Task Force to help plan for the City’s future growth. Two of these, Projections 2007 and Projections 2009, were prepared by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the agency charged with developing job and population growth projections. Because Projections 2009 was adopted in March of 2009, much of the Task Force discussion occurred before it was available, but it was presented to the Task Force and played a role in their final recommendation. In Projections 2007 and Projections 2009, ABAG forecast the total amount of job and housing growth in the Bay Area through the year 2035 and assigned a proportion of each to the City of San José. To supplement the projections provided by ABAG, the City contracted with a private consultant, the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy (CCSCE) to prepare a similar forecast of job and housing growth in San José through the year 2040. These projections were provided to the Task Force and used as a starting point for discussions on how San José should grow.

The ABAG projections are long-term forecasts used for planning and policy development and are not part of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirement for the City’s Housing Element. The RHNA requirement is determined under a separate process prescribed by California Housing Element law that considers a city’s general plan as one factor in determining how to meet future regional housing growth needs. San José has consistently maintained adequate housing capacity to meet its RHNA requirement as determined through ABAG on a periodic basis. The next RHNA cycle is anticipated to begin in 2014 and to reflect the outcome of the Envision process.

In the context of the Envision San José 2040 process, it is important to understand that projections are used for two purposes. First, they are used as a planning tool to anticipate feasible population and job growth, determine the resulting land use demand, and facilitate the planning of an adequate land use supply to accommodate that demand. Second, they can be used to promote policy goals. It is noteworthy that ABAG’s Projections 2009

deliberately attempts to forecast growth in a manner to accomplish several policy based performance targets. Projections 2009 also significantly increased the share of Bay Area job growth allocated to San José, increasing the forecast total number of jobs in San José from 607,400 to 708,980 for the year 2035. ABAG Projections 2009 forecasts for San José a total population of 1,440,100 people, including 702,473 total employed residents (resulting in a demand for 468,318 total dwelling units).

While the CCSCE projections for population growth (demand for 487,000 dwelling units in 2040) were similar to those prepared by ABAG, CCSCE was considerably less optimistic than ABAG about Bay Area job growth. CCSCE allocated to San José the same percentage of Bay Area job growth as that used by ABAG in Projections 2007, resulting in a projected total amount of job capacity in San José of 570,000 jobs, significantly less than that forecast by ABAG because of the lower total for the Bay Area. Because ABAG’s Projections 2009 significantly modified the percentage of Bay Area job growth allocated to San José, the Envision process used a revised version of the CCSCE job growth projections to reflect this higher allocation. As a result, the adjusted CCSCE projections increased the projected job growth in San José by 107,200 jobs to 677,200 total jobs in 2040. While development of the projected amount of job and housing growth in the original CCSCE projections would result in a projected Jobs / Employed Resident ratio of 0.8 and would not generate demand beyond the San José 2020 General Plan job capacity, the development based on these revised CCSCE projections would result in a ratio of 0.9 and require capacity for approximately 50,000 additional jobs. Development corresponding to the more optimistic ABAG Projections 2009 would result in demand for an additional 35,000 jobs and a Jobs / Employed Resident ratio of 1.0 in San José.

The Envision Task Force came to the conclusion that while projections may be useful as a means of understanding possible or likely job and housing growth capacity demand, the actual General Plan capacity does not need to be determined by them. Instead, the General Plan capacity should be used to express San José’s vision and goals for its future. Because ABAG uses local jurisdiction General Plan capacity as one input into its methodology for assigning job and population growth, the General Plan will influence ABAG’s projections and in turn potentially influence policy decisions made by other groups including Federal, State, and regional agencies.

More detailed projections for the future composition of San José’s population growth through the year 2040 were also presented to and discussed by the Envision Task Force. Related to future demand for different housing types, it is particularly interesting that in the year 2030, the age group between 35 years and 55 years of age will have experienced almost no growth in population while significant growth will have occurred amongst the population groups over 55 and between the age of 20 and 35. While this largely reflects a national trend, it shows how the “Baby Boom” and baby boom echo generations will create large populations that may have preference or demand for housing types other than the single-family detached form most prevalent within San José. The Envision Task Force discussion acknowledged the implications on future housing demand and also considered how such demographic shifts might impact the City’s job growth, specifically addressing how San José can be increasingly an attractive place for innovative, knowledge-based

industry workers.

Employment Land Demand Projection

The Envision Task Force was provided with a Job Growth Projections and Employment Land Demand report prepared by staff based on ABAG’s Projections 2009, the CCSCE’s adjusted projections, and analysis prepared by Beacon Economics. Beacon Economics calculated the acreages needed to meet the employment land demand generated by the growth anticipated in the CCSCE projections. The Job Growth Projections and Employment Land Demand report consolidated and analyzed this information and, using the same methodology as CCSCE and Beacon Economics, projected the land acreage demands generated by the adjusted CCSCE projections and for the various land use scenarios considered by the Task Force.

The Job Growth Projections and Employment Land Demand report included forecasts for each scenario for job growth in several different job types over time, organized into three Industry Clusters: Driving Industry; Business Support Industry; and Local Serving Industry. For each forecast increase in jobs, the report identified a corresponding demand for square footage and acreage, based on several land use types: Industrial Warehouse; R&D/Low-Rise; Mid&High-Rise Office; Retail (Small); Retail (Large); and Institutional/Other. The Report identified several key findings summarized below.

First, the report confirmed the need for San José to add job growth and employment land capacity to meet the demand identified in the adjusted CCSCE projections. Scenarios considered by the Task Force that supported job growth beyond the CCSCE projected level in turn required additional job growth capacity. Related to this, because employers in some industry categories can be very selective about the location of their business, the City needs to be able to provide prospective employers with a variety of options, indicating that additional job growth capacity will be needed above the General Plan job target in order to achieve it.

Second, the report identified that different types of employment uses have different types of land demands. Because job growth in the Local Serving Industries cluster is tied to growth in the number of households, scenarios with a lower amount of housing growth resulted in a higher percentage of overall jobs going to Driving Industries and Business Support Industries and a corresponding proportional increase in the demand for Industrial/Warehouse, R&D/Low-Rise and Mid&High-Rise Office employment lands. In all scenarios considered the report indicated that the City has, in particular, a deficit of Industrial/Warehouse lands based on the projected demand.

Housing Demand and Changing Demographics

The City of San José maintains a commitment to meeting regional housing obligations by providing capacity to support the production of an adequate supply of high-quality and affordable housing. The City of San José is also committed to creating the highest quality of life for its current and future residents by facilitating the production of quality homes accessible to all demographics. As San José prepares for significant population growth over the next 30 years, it has reached a point in its history where it is no longer feasible

or desirable to accommodate new housing demand through either outward expansion into exurban areas or lower density infill development within City limits. Either type of development would have significant negative environmental and fiscal impacts upon the City that would lower the quality of life as a result of diminished municipal service levels and a degraded natural environment. Additionally, demographic projections along with shifting preferences and cultural values point toward a growing demand for higher density, mixed-use, urban residential environments, similar to those found in other major cities. As the City grows through 2040, its largest population growth segments will be seniors 65+ due to the boomer and echo boomer generations, and a 20-34 age group composed of an educated and highly mobile workforce attracted to quality places. Both groups increasingly place a high value upon access to vibrant urban areas that provide jobs, services, shopping, and amenities as an essential factor in their choice of where to live. Focusing new housing growth in such urban environments will provide significant environmental and social benefits by promoting transit use, providing opportunities for increased bicycle and pedestrian activity, and fostering lively built environments characterized by a diversity of people, uses, and places.

<u>Jobs / Employed Resident (“Jobs–Housing Balance”)</u> Implications of the City’s currently low “Jobs per Employed Resident” (J/ER) ratio was a predominant topic of discussion throughout the Envision process. Because of the known demand upon City services created by housing growth, the tax revenue associated with employment uses and the evidence that suggests a strong correlation between a city’s jobs-housing balance and its fiscal health, the Task Force strongly advocated for the General Plan update to promote a Jobs per Employed Resident ratio of at least 1.0 (equivalent to one job in San José for each employed resident of San José) as a way to help address some of the City’s current fiscal shortfalls. Debate amongst the Task Force generally followed two themes, with some advocating for a General Plan with job and housing growth capacity that if realized would result in a significantly more jobs than employed residents (e.g., a Jobs / Employed Resident ratio greater than 1.0) with others advocating for a General Plan with job and housing growth capacity that would result in an overall balance (e.g., a Jobs / Employed Resident ratio equal to 1.0).

Although the City had a J/ER ratio of 0.8 in 2011, the prior San José 2020 General Plan had a capacity equivalent to a 1.1 Jobs/Employed Resident due to the Council’s actions to add capacity in North San José and Downtown in 2005. At the time of adoption, the San José 2020 General Plan only had a capacity equivalent to 0.8, because, a ratio of 1.0 was not considered attainable; previous General Plans (Horizon 2000 and General Plan 1975) had set 1.0 as a goal.

Pursuing a Jobs / Employed Resident ratio greater than 1.0 is intended to achieve two important goals. First, under the current California tax structure, realizing a higher proportion of jobs (and retail) per resident should significantly improve the City’s fiscal health, now recognized as an imperative. Santa Clara County cities with a high Jobs / Employed Resident ratio typically have more revenue with which to provide city services. Task Force members noted that San José bears the burden of a disproportionate amount of the County’s projected housing growth and expressed the belief that San José should

reverse that trend.

A second goal is the transformation of San José from a suburban “bedroom” community to a job based center for the Bay Area with livable neighborhoods. Traditionally, large cities gain prominence and influence in large part because of the role they play within the local economy. In recent history San José is unique among large cities in that it exports more workers than it imports on a daily basis. (Based on 2000 Census data, of the 29 U.S. cities with a resident population of 500,000 or more, San José ranks last in J/ER ratio and is the only one with fewer jobs than employed residents.) By planning for more jobs and less housing growth capacity, the Envision San José 2040 General Plan update was a critical opportunity for San José to define itself as a city and to plan for fiscal sustainability and a significantly greater role in the regional economy.

Supporting the rationale for considering a “high” Jobs / Employed Resident ratio is the planned regional transportation infrastructure that can be expected within the timeframe of the General Plan. With a new “urban” airport, BART, and High Speed Rail, San José will have the transportation infrastructure to be a more attractive location for jobs and allow San José to conveniently “import” workers. Concentrating to a greater degree the region’s jobs within San José will support the region’s existing investment in transit and other transportation infrastructure, which arguably has been designed with the expectation that San José will become a regional job center.

A high Jobs / Employed Resident ratio can be planned for by either increasing the General Plan job growth capacity or by reducing the household growth capacity. Proponents of providing adequate capacity to accommodate the projected housing growth argued that adequate and affordable housing capacity is needed to support job growth, to support the City’s continued population growth and to support the regional economy. To achieve a jobs-housing balance in scenarios that provide significant housing capacity requires a very ambitious number of jobs, significantly more than the demand projected by the demographers, raising concern that obtaining these jobs may be infeasible. There is also considerable risk that housing development could go forward per the capacity available while job development remains unrealized, resulting in a significantly lower J/ER ratio. Including a phasing plan within the General Plan with triggers linking the availability of housing capacity to the development of jobs will hopefully remedy this concern. In contrast, scenarios that achieve a high J/ER ratio by reducing housing capacity may indirectly stifle job growth by providing a lack of the affordable housing desired by employers for their employees.

Some Task Force members advocated planning for a Jobs / Employed Resident ratio of 1.0 with the goal of reducing potential environmental impacts. By promoting a more balanced community where opportunities are provided for people to live and work in the same city, the idea is that potential traffic impacts would be lessened, when compared to an unbalanced scenario, and that residents would potentially feel more connected to their community.

The Task Force regularly debated whether housing and job capacities proposed in the various growth scenarios could be achieved, asking about recent jobs and housing

development trends for comparison purposes. Task Force members also debated whether job growth could be achieved without comparable housing growth. The Task Force supported a vision of San José as a fiscally sustainable and world-class city, and agreed that San José should try to improve its J/ER ratio to at least 1.0, ultimately targeting a J/ER ratio of 1.3 to help accomplish that vision.

During the 2015 Major Review process, the Task Force was directed by City Council to set a more achievable J/ER ratio. As part of this Major Review process, the Task Force recommended a J/ER ratio of 1.1 jobs per employed resident in order to establish a more attainable jobs goal while also maintaining the General Plan’s jobs-first principle, thereby changing the General Plan’s J/ER ratio goal from 1.3/1 to 1.1/1.

Fiscal Implications of Land Use Decisions

While managing the City’s fiscal health has been an ongoing concern of multiple General Plans and other policy actions, during the Envision planning process San José experienced an unprecedented impact upon its ability to provide municipal services to its residents. While the fiscal challenges of this time period have multiple causes, many beyond the scope of the policies addressed within a General Plan, the City has strengthened its commitment to making fiscally wise land use decisions through the goals and policies of the Envision General Plan. Accordingly, this Plan includes policies to carefully protect the City’s commercial and industrial lands, which make the greatest positive contribution to its fiscal resources, and a phasing plan to allow for careful review and consideration of the fiscal impacts of the Envision General Plan’s future implementation.

Environmental Leadership – Measurable Sustainability

Throughout the Envision planning process, Task Force and community members consistently explored opportunities to advance the City’s role as a leader on environmental issues. Actions to better protect and care for environmental resources are embodied equally within the Land Use / Transportation Diagram and within the goals and policies of the Plan text. The Envision General Plan also encompasses the City’s former Green Vision and its replacement, Climate Smart San Jose, extending the City’s environmental goals to the year 2040 and establishing specific measurement standards to track progress toward achievement of those goals.

Environmental Concerns

Planning for a large and growing city necessitates careful consideration of a wide variety of environmental issues, including water supply, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and the protection of natural resources. As San José and the region are increasingly committed to environmentally sustainable practices, and increasingly sophisticated in our ability to understand our potential environmental impacts, the General Plan’s goals and policies should grow in the scope and the depth to which they address those potential impacts.

The City of San José is located along the easterly side of the Santa Clara Valley. The Valley rises from sea level at the southerly end of San Francisco Bay to elevations of 150 to 400 feet easterly and southerly. The average grade on the Valley floor ranges from nearly flat to 2%. To the southwest, the Valley gives way to the Santa Cruz Mountains, consisting of a number of complex ridges with rugged slopes, varying in gradient from 40 to 60 percent

and more. The crest of these mountains lies at elevations of 2,000 to 3,400 feet. The highest point is Loma Prieta Peak at an elevation of 3,806 feet. The eastern edge of the Valley is defined by the Diablo Range. This range consists of several parallel ridges with slopes varying between 20 and 60 percent, with small intervening valleys. The highest point just outside of San José’s Sphere of Influence is Copernicus Peak (elevation 4,372 feet) near the Lick Observatory at Mt. Hamilton. The lower foothills of this range have slopes ranging from 20 to 40 percent. The crests of these foothills vary from 1,000 to over 2,000 feet in elevation. The undeveloped areas within San José’s Sphere of Influence support a wide variety of ecosystems. Natural communities in the region range from salt water and fresh water marshes to scrub brush, foothill woodlands and coniferous forest. The climate in San José is a typical Mediterranean type modified slightly by marine breezes from the Pacific Ocean. The principal characteristics of this type of climate are warm, very dry summers and cool, relatively rainy winters. The air quality in San José is dependent upon climate and topography as well as on the quantity of pollutants.

Air quality in the region declined after World War II with increased industrialization and development. As the problems caused by air pollution were recognized by the State and Federal governments, air pollution standards were developed and enforced. Although the Bay Region is occasionally in violation of these standards, air quality has substantially improved over the last 20 years as the result of actions and legislation at all levels of government.

San José receives a relatively modest 14-15 inches of rainfall per year, subject to recurring and sometimes long lasting droughts. In normal rainfall years, only about 50% of the County’s water supply is provided locally, primarily from groundwater sources. In drought years, up to 90% of the water is imported. The sources of imported water supply are beyond the control of local jurisdictions. These sources cannot be considered stable. To reduce the need for imported water and to maximize the efficient use of the local supply, San José, the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD), and water retailers have worked together to conserve water. The City is also developing a large scale water reclamation program which would reuse treated wastewater to augment and help conserve freshwater supplies.

Soils in Santa Clara Valley include clay in the low-lying areas, loam and gravelly loam in the upper portions, and eroded rocky clay loam in the hills. Agricultural land capabilities range from prime to watershed. The prime cropland is located throughout the valley floor with moderately good cropland and prime pasture land adjacent to the hills and the Bay. The ridge areas have agricultural value as grazing land and are prime watershed lands.

Subsidence of soils has occurred on the valley floor. This problem is a result of withdrawal of groundwater for agricultural, domestic and industrial use at a faster rate than natural or artificial replenishment. In addition, development over large portions of the valley floor has reduced the percolation capacity of the land, thereby reducing natural replenishment and perpetuating the subsidence. The Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) has recharged and stabilized the groundwater aquifer by pumping imported water into it. The three major groundwater subbasins, which are interconnected and underlie nearly 30 percent of the total County area, are the Santa Clara Valley, Coyote, and Llagas. Groundwater supplies

nearly 60 percent of the total water used in the Santa Clara Valley basin area and nearly all of that used in the Coyote Valley and Llagas Valley basin areas. The ground water pumped from most of the existing wells in the County generally is of good quality. However, areas near the San Francisco Bay experience salt water intrusion; and the migration of saline water through tidal channels causes contamination. These occurrences of salt water intrusion are possible because of the aforementioned subsidence which has resulted from historical groundwater overdraft.

San José is located in a region of significant seismic activity and geotechnic instability. The major earthquake faults in the region are the San Andreas, near the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Hayward and Calaveras fault system in the Diablo Range. Other potentially active faults, located in both the hills and valley areas of San José, are the Berryessa, Crosley, Clayton, Quimby, Shannon, Evergreen, and Silver Creek faults. The hills and mountains around Santa Clara Valley are the source of numerous perennial and intermittent streams. Major waterways include Los Gatos Creek, Guadalupe River and Alamitos Creek; flowing out of the Santa Cruz Mountains; Coyote Creek and a host of tributaries including upper and lower Penitencia Creek and Silver Creek flowing out of the Diablo Range; and Fisher Creek with headwaters on the western side of Coyote Valley. Permanent bodies of water include Lexington Reservoir on Los Gatos Creek; Guadalupe, Almaden and Calero Reservoirs in the Santa Cruz Range; Anderson Lake in the Diablo Range; and the San Francisco Bay (Bay). These streams and other bodies of water are important environmental features for the City and the region. Equally important is the quality of water carried or contained by these bodies of water and the preservation of the riparian lands or ecosystems that are an integral part of them. The Bay and adjacent marshlands are particularly important to the region. The City has been working with the State and Regional Water Quality Control Boards to preserve the water quality of the Bay and the sensitive saltwater marshes that are part of its ecosystem. These efforts primarily involve minimizing discharge of freshwater effluent into the Bay from the Regional Wastewater Facility and better controlling nonpoint source pollutants carried by the storm drainage system.

Focused Growth – Planned Growth Areas

A key strategy of the Envision General Plan is to focus new growth capacity in specifically identified “Growth Areas,” while the majority of the City is not planned for additional growth or intensification. This approach reflects the Urban Growth Boundary, the built-out nature of San José therein, the limited availability of additional “infill” development sites compatible with established neighborhood character, and the emphasis in the General Plan’s vision and goals upon reducing environmental impacts while fostering transit use and walkability.

The Envision Task Force consistently expressed a strong interest in minimizing the fiscal and environmental impacts of the large amount of growth that San José is expected to experience, referencing smart growth principles as an important strategy. The use of growth strategies that reduce the overall projected amount of vehicle miles traveled (VMT, a

measure of how much future residents and workers will need to drive) through an improved J/ER ratio and land use patterns that support transit use emerged as an important Envision General Plan goal. Land use should in particular take advantage of BART and high-speed rail planned within the Envision San José 2040 General Plan time frame along with increased use of the existing transit system. For similar reasons, the Task Force endorsed mixed-use development and strongly emphasized a desire to plan for a walkable community.

The Envision Task Force extensively discussed use of a "hubs, corridors, and villages" strategy as a means of promoting targeted infill development sites and to distribute new development throughout the City. Building on the Vision's goal for an interconnected city, the Task Force identified the importance of multi-modal transportation corridors linking a vibrant Downtown, high-intensity hubs, and local-serving neighborhood villages. The hubs, corridors, and villages intensification strategy is reflected in the Task Force's Draft Guidelines, summarized above. The Task Force and members of the community very consistently demonstrated a preference to accommodate all job and housing growth within San José's Urban Growth Boundary (UGB).

The Growth Areas concept is a significant change from the previous General Plan which allowed for residential infill development to occur at a wide range of densities, typically at densities more intense than the existing in neighborhoods throughout the City and provided numerous opportunities to modify planned growth capacity citywide through discretionary policies. Through the Envision process, the Task Force, staff and community members frequently identified the disruption these discretionary policies create in neighborhood character, leading to the mutual conclusion that the City should limit such spots of intensification within existing neighborhoods in the future. Focusing new growth into the Growth Areas helps to protect the quality of existing neighborhoods. It also enables development of new Urban Village areas with a compact and dense form that are attractive to the City's projected population demographics, that support walking, provide opportunities to incorporate retail and other services in a mixed-use format, and support transit use.

For residential areas not within an identified Growth Area, the Land Use / Transportation Diagram limits new residential construction to the same density, form and character as the immediate neighborhood. Any such residential development is limited to projects which clearly contribute to the continuation and improvement of the surrounding neighborhood character by filling in a gap caused by a vacant lot or other similar situation. With the exception of specific properties identified on the Vacant Land Inventory as having a greater capacity, these projects are generally limited to three or fewer units as appropriate to match the existing form of the surrounding neighborhood. For example, in a single-family neighborhood with 6,000 square foot lots, a vacant parcel of 10,000 to 15,000 square feet could be subdivided into two lots with one home on each 5,000 to 7,500 square foot lot. Each home would have the same setbacks and other development parameters as the immediate neighborhood.

Evergreen Campus Industrial Properties

At the conclusion of its Evergreen-East Hills Vision Strategy process, the City Council

referred consideration of potential land use changes within the Evergreen area to the Envision General Plan update. The Envision Task Force discussed potential conversion of the Evergreen Campus Industrial properties to residential use, as had been requested by the property owners. It concluded that the Envision San José 2040 General Plan should maintain these properties for employment use, essentially maintaining the San José 2020 General Plan designation for this site. A large share of the City's current job growth capacity is planned on mid-rise and high-rise office lands. Given the need for employment lands to accommodate the planned amount of job growth and to provide land to accommodate, in particular, the projected demand for industrial, low-rise office and R&D employment land uses, there is a strong need to maintain the job growth capacity currently planned for this area. At the same time, adding housing growth capacity on Campus Industrial properties would not further Envision General Plan goals because the site lacks access to transit facilities, is an inappropriate setting for mixed-use or more walkable intensified development, and is not a feasible location for new neighborhood-supporting commercial uses.

<u>South Almaden Valley and Coyote Valley Urban Reserves</u> The Envision San José 2040 General Plan does not support growth within the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve and the Mid-Coyote Urban Reserve through the year 2040. This direction responds to stated goals of the Envision Task Force and community members, including the Guidelines, which set forth the goals of fiscally, environmentally, and economically sustainable growth management along with the desire to direct new growth into areas that will make best use of existing transit facilities and other infrastructure and contribute toward the development of walkable neighborhood Urban Villages and vibrant urban locations. Including no growth capacity for the Urban Reserves is consistent with their long-term preservation for open space or low-intensity agricultural use.

<u>Land Use Diagram</u> The General Plan Land Use/Transportation Diagram is planned to change to allow for gradual implementation of the Growth Areas strategy, to direct growth toward strategic locations within each phase, to coordinate with periodic review of the City's progress towards its General Plan goals, and to facilitate more detailed planning efforts for targeted Growth Areas.

The Envision Growth Areas strategy accommodates new housing growth through the redevelopment and intensification of properties that currently are planned and developed for commercial or other employment uses and were included within the General Plan prior to this update. This strategy was developed recognizing that as San José is essentially built-out, it is not feasible to accommodate significant amounts of new residential growth without planning for the reuse of properties already developed with lower-intensity uses and likely to be available for redevelopment sometime in the future. Because it is generally not feasible nor desirable to plan intensification within existing, fully developed single-family neighborhoods, the identified Growth Areas largely correspond to lands currently planned and developed for commercial or other employment uses and which are also in proximity to transit or other major infrastructure or facilities that support their intensification.

In most cases, the underlying Land Use Designation for properties within the Growth Areas continues to support employment uses, and should be maintained until the City is ready to plan and implement the redevelopment of these properties for new high-density, residential mixed-use development. An important Envision General Plan goal is to promote job growth and to improve the City’s Jobs / Employed Resident ratio. The General Plan provides for the gradual intensification of some of these lands to also include new high-density, residential, mixed-use development with provisions to ensure that job capacity is thereby fully retained and enhanced.

<u>Urban Village Planning</u> Prior to the issuance of residential entitlements (other than projects on properties with an existing residential General Plan land use designation, “Signature Projects” as defined in Policy IP -5.10 and commercial projects including those with ancillary residential uses, within any identified Growth Area), the City should first prepare a comprehensive Urban Village Plan for that Growth Area that clearly addresses:

• Community Engagement: The Urban Village Plan process will provide an opportunity for local community members to become familiar with the goals of the General Plan and the Growth Areas strategy and to participate in the Urban Village planning process.

• Job and Housing Growth Capacity: Identify suitable areas for retail and other employment uses, giving careful consideration to the existing and future demand for retail space, the appropriate location and design of retail, opportunities for large-scale and small-scale retail uses, and adequate and appropriate sites for other employment uses consistent with the total planned job capacity for the particular Growth Area. Identify suitable areas for residential development, capable of supporting the full amount of planned residential growth capacity. Proposed employment and residential density ranges should be supported by applicable Land Use / Transportation Diagram designations.

• Urban Village Boundaries and Land Uses: Identify potential adjustments to the identified Urban Village Boundaries and potential modifications to the Land Use / Transportation Diagram as necessary to best utilize existing land use growth capacity, address neighborhood context, and promote economic development through the identification of optimal sites for retail and other employment uses. Provide adequate job growth capacity for retail, office and other employment uses to accommodate both the existing levels of activity plus the planned amount of growth for each job type category. Identify and designate existing land uses within the Urban Village Area boundaries, if any, which should be retained rather than made available for redevelopment.

• Building Heights and Densities: Identify for specific properties within the Urban Village Planning area minimum and maximum thresholds for building heights and densities. These standards should fall within the broader ranges established in

the Land Use / Transportation Diagram and be consistent with the planned job and housing growth capacity for the Urban Village area. These standards should be implemented through the Zoning process prior to the development of new residential or mixed-use, residential projects.

• Infrastructure: Identify locations for parks, plazas and other public and quasi-public open spaces, and sites to potentially incorporate libraries, public safety facilities and other public uses. An Urban Village Plan should also consider the adequacy of public and private utilities to serve the planned growth capacity.

• Urban Character: Include streetscape and building frontage design, pedestrian facility improvements and other urban design actions necessary to successfully implement the Urban Village concept.

• Greenhouse Gas Reduction / Sustainability: Identify locations of existing and planned transit and pedestrian and bicycle facilities and include design and implementation measures necessary to meet City goals for vehicle miles travelled (VMT) reduction and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions.

• Financing: Consider special financing mechanisms which could be needed to potentially deliver the increased level of amenities envisioned within the Urban Village concept.

The Urban Village Plan process, defined by Implementation Goal IP-5, builds on the vision, goals and policies established within the General Plan update, so that each Urban Village Plan may be completed within a relatively short time-frame. The preparation of Urban Village Plans is not necessary for the Downtown, North San José and Specific Plan Areas which have already been developed through a neighborhood planning process.

Thriving Community

CHAPTER 2

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As the Capital of Silicon Valley, San José is recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally for its leadership in business innovation. The goals, policies, and implementation actions (Policies) in this chapter are intended to enhance that renowned reputation. San José is committed to supporting a thriving community for its businesses, residents, and visitors. As part of this commitment, San José facilitates economic development, promotes arts and culture, engages the community in issues that potentially impact them, and implements fiscally sustainable policies and land uses.

Some of the General Plan goals and policies in this chapter are high-level and intentionally broad. The City regularly updates subsidiary policy documents, such as its Economic Strategy and Cultural Vision Plan, to provide specific implementation strategies that further the intent of the goals and policies in this chapter.

Policies for a Diverse and Innovative Economy support business attraction, growth, and retention in San José and address the need to provide broad economic prosperity. These Diverse and Innovative Economy Policies support businesses of all sizes and facilitate job creation. Along with the Fiscal Sustainability Policies, these Policies also strive to identify, secure, and maintain reliable funding streams for the City through economic development actions. Economic development is a keystone in furthering the Innovation Center, Fiscally Strong City, Urban Villages, and Design for a Healthful Community Major Strategies.

Civic innovation springs from partnerships with corporate, education, and philanthropic communities. With San José State University, the City successfully launched the first joint municipal-university library in the nation. With private partners, San José developed the nation's first incubator for environmental companies, an award-winning software incubator, and the nation's only incubator for foreign-owned businesses. The County is the first in the nation to ensure health care for all children. The Diverse and Innovative Economy Policies promote partnerships with public, private, and non-profit organizations to achieve the highest efficiency and effectiveness in providing facilities and delivering services.

San José's strategy for fiscal sustainability must recognize and respond to the city's economic and political context. San José must manage revenue sources and expenditures to administer and deliver services that protect public health and safety, promote the local economy, and improve the quality of life for San José's residents in a financially sound and cost-effective manner.

Tourists and convention center visitors contribute significantly to San José's economy. The Diverse and Innovative Economy Policies recognize this contribution, and they aim to develop, enhance, and promote distinctive sports, arts, and entertainment offerings and increase patronage for these attractions. Three million people attend downtown festivals annually, celebrating music, film and culture.

The Arts & Culture Policies directly support economic development and a thriving community. Increasingly college graduates are choosing a place to live before deciding upon employment. The creation of landmark initiatives and programs that combine art, technology, creativity, and business, like 1stACT and ZeroOne, further the City’s belief that creativity, culture, and diversity are central components to a thriving creative urban center. Outstanding artistic and cultural organizations, businesses, and activities attract a creative class to San José that translates to business innovation. More than 40% of Silicon Valley residents say their work requires “a lot” of creativity, and San José’s workplaces, and arts, cultural, and entertainment offerings encourage this in adults and children alike. Arts, culture, and entertainment also attract visitors to San José, and these visitors add to the City’s economic base. The San José Sharks are a fixture in the National Hockey League (NHL), and the San José Earthquakes bring professional soccer fans to the City.

San José is committed to working with its diverse stakeholder groups to address critical issues, attract businesses and visitors, and improve the quality of life for its residents. San José will collaborate with community organizations and individuals to understand their perspectives and consider those perspectives in the decision-making process. The Community Engagement Policies in this chapter illustrate San José’s dedication to engaging its diverse community in decisions that impact them.

Diverse and Innovative Economy

Economic Development Goals, Policies, and Implementation Actions directly support the Fiscal Sustainability goals and Innovative Economy element of our City’s Vision. The desired outcomes of these Goals, Policies, and Implementation Actions include growing San José’s economic role within the region and world, increasing prosperity and opportunity for members of the community, providing opportunities both for San José residents and the regional workforce, and creating revenue growth for our City that enables delivery of needed infrastructure and desired urban services.

The City periodically adopts an Economic Strategy that builds on the most current information and trends to implement the major themes contained in its Economic Development Policies. The Economic Strategy details how San José will excel economically and how the City and its partners can work together to achieve the goals of this General Plan. The Economic Strategy has more detailed information that outlines specific strategies to further the goals and policies in this section.

Land Use and Employment

Goal IE-1 – Land Use and Employment

Proactively manage land uses to provide and enhance economic development and job growth in San José.

Policies – Land Use and Employment

IE-1.1 To retain land capacity for employment uses in San José, protect and improve the quantity and quality of all lands designated exclusively for industrial uses, especially those that are vulnerable to conversion to non-employment uses.

IE-1.2 Plan for the retention and expansion of a strategic mix of employment activities at appropriate locations throughout the City to support a balanced economic base, including industrial suppliers and services, commercial/retail support services, clean technologies, life sciences, as well as high technology manufacturers and other related industries.

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IE-1.3 As part of the intensification of commercial, Village, Industrial Park and Employment Center job Growth Areas, create complete, mixed-employment areas that include business support uses, public and private amenities, child care, restaurants and retail goods and services that serve employees of these businesses and nearby businesses.

IE-1.4 Manage land uses to enhance employment lands to improve the balance between jobs and workers residing in San José. To attain fiscal sustainability for the City, strive to achieve a minimum ratio of 1.1 jobs/employed resident by 2040. In the near term, strive to achieve a minimum ratio of 1 job per employed resident by 2025.

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IE-1.5 Promote the intensification of employment activities on sites in close proximity to transit facilities and other existing infrastructure, in particular within the

Downtown, North San José, the Berryessa International Business Park and Edenvale.

IE-1.6 Plan land uses, infrastructure development, and other initiatives to maximize utilization of the Mineta San José International Airport, existing and planned transit systems including fixed rail (e.g., High-Speed Rail, BART and Caltrain), Light-Rail and Bus Rapid Transit facilities, and the roadway network. Consistent with other General Plan policies, promote development potential proximate to these transit system investments compatible with their full utilization. Encourage public transit providers to serve employment areas.

IE-1.7 Advance the Diridon Station Area as a world-class transit hub and key transportation center for Northern California.

IE-1.8 Measure and report the number of jobs created in identified Growth Areas during the City Council’s periodic review of this General Plan.

IE-1.9 Invest in strategic infrastructure improvements, as appropriate, in order to encourage private investment, reduce new construction costs, increase business efficiency, and in order to support business retention and growth, stimulate economic activity, and employ people.

IE-1.10 Protect and improve trucking and other modes of freight transportation access to the City’s key employment areas.

IE-1.11 Allow interim development of employment lands with alternative employment uses such as small expansions of existing uses or reuse of existing buildings when the interim development would not limit the site’s ability to be redeveloped in the future in accordance with the long-term plan for the site.

IE-1.12 When developing housing near to active industrial areas, provide sufficient buffer areas and use construction methods for the housing project so that current and future business operations are able to continue in compliance with the Zoning Code.

IE-1.13 Achieve goals related to Quality Neighborhoods, including diverse housing options, a walkable/bikable public street and trail network and compact, mixed-use development where infrastructure exists to distinguish San José as a livable and attractive city, to promote interaction among community members, and to attract talented workers to the City.

Actions – Land Use and Employment

IE-1.14 To monitor the City’s balance of land uses and resulting tax base as well as its progress towards reaching the goal of 1.1 jobs per employed resident in San José, periodically review residential construction activity and supply versus industrial and commercial job growth rates. Report results of this review to the City Council as part of the annual General Plan reviews.

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IE-1.15 Develop a long-term freight access plan, including trucking and rail, to support the City’s key employment areas.

IE-1.16 Recognize projects that exemplify the Urban Design, Housing, and Green Building Goals, Policies, and Actions as a means to promote distinctive architecture and quality design and to attract a diverse group of employees and visitors to San José.

IE-1.17 Adopt an ordinance that protects the manufacturing rights of existing industrial land uses within San José.

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Business Growth and Retention

Goal IE-2 – Business Growth and Retention

Promote San José as an employment center. Nurture existing and attract new companies of all sizes (large anchor companies, emerging growth companies, small businesses) in industries that will drive the job and revenue growth for our City and regional economy.

Policies – Business Growth and Retention

IE-2.1 Maintain City government practices attuned to business needs for clear and timely use of incentives, regulations and development entitlement processes.

IE-2.2 Attract and sustain a growing concentration of companies to serve as the economic engine for San José and the region, particularly in driving industries such as information and communication technologies, clean technology, bioscience, and other sectors based on creativity and innovation.

IE-2.3 Ensure support for a creative economy by facilitating access to resources and services for creative industries and entrepreneurs.

IE-2.4 Support the development of the health care industry and related businesses, including those providing services to San José’s aging population, in part by promoting the Health Care Goals, Policies, and Actions.

IE-2.5 Provide business assistance and support to facilitate job creation, develop new businesses, spur private investment, and promote industry growth.

IE-2.6 Promote retail development to the maximum extent feasible, consistent with other General Plan goals and policies, in order to generate City revenue, create jobs, improve customer convenience, and enhance neighborhood livability.

IE-2.7 Encourage business and property development that will provide jobs and generate revenue to support city services and infrastructure.

Actions – Business Growth and Retention

IE-2.8 Evaluate and periodically update the City’s policies, regulations and ordinances to

maintain San José’s competitive ability to attract and grow businesses, including small businesses and home occupations.

IE-2.9 Partner with public, private, and non-profit organizations, and continue to develop partnerships with San José State University, community colleges and other educational institutions, to advance economic development goals, meet the needs of businesses, and resolve constraints to business operations at the local, state, and federal levels.

IE-2.10 Evaluate and refine existing goals for economic development projects that receive City and/or Redevelopment funding to maintain a positive return on investment for the City.

Regional, State, and National Leadership

Goal IE-3 – Regional, State, and National Leadership

Increase San José’s leadership role and influence in regional, state, and national forums in order to advance City economic development goals and secure greater resources, and support the City’s efforts to become a job center for the region.

Policy – Regional, State, and National Leadership

IE-3.1 To secure resources, investment, and talent, and to attract members of the regional workforce, promote San José’s stature as the capital of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area’s largest city, and one of the nation’s largest cities.

Actions – Regional, State, and National Leadership Actions

IE-3.2 Support federal, state, and regional policies and regulations that secure economic development resources for the City, promote its economic development, and/or advance implementation of the General Plan.

IE-3.3 Work at the regional level to promote a shared responsibility for sufficient housing supply to accommodate the changing demographics and a growing population.

IE-3.4 Continue to work with leaders of other large cities in California and across the nation to advance the importance of large cities in job creation and innovation to enhance San José’s competitiveness for state and federal resources.

IE-3.5 Advocate for changes to local, regional, and national policies that promote economic development and secure economic development resources for San José.

IE-3.6 Work with partners within the region to influence the development of regional policies and regulations that support a higher-density, clustered, transit-oriented development pattern consistent with the San José General Plan vision and policies.

IE-3.7 Maintain and periodically update a strategic plan for economic development (Five-Year Economic Strategy) establishing near-term economic development goals and

actions to achieve those goals.

Connections to Promote Economic Development

Goal IE-4 – Connections to Promote Economic Development

Strengthen San José's connections to the world, and promote San José's assets and image as a global innovation center to attract economic development, and increase job production in San José.

Policies – Connections to Promote Economic Development

IE-4.1 Embrace San José's diversity as a strength that provides for varied perspectives, presents partnership opportunities, and attracts world businesses to San José.

IE-4.2 Continue developing a world-class airport, and build national and international connections by attracting new air service to it.

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IE-4.3 Support development of a transit link connecting the Mineta San José International Airport with light rail transit, Caltrain, and future BART.

IE-4.4 Promote heightened awareness of San José's companies, assets, and economic development initiatives to national and international business media as a tool to attract companies and to strengthen the connection of existing companies to San José.

Actions – Connections to Promote Economic Development

IE-4.5 Continue implementation of improvements to Mineta San José International airport facilities pursuant to the Airport Master Plan to maintain and expand regional, trans-continental, and international Airport operations.

IE-4.6 Support the California High Speed Rail Authority efforts to bring high-speed rail to Diridon Station.

IE-4.7 Support Valley Transportation Authority efforts to extend BART service to Downtown San José and to Diridon Station.

IE-4.8 Expand and upgrade the San José Convention Center to increase its capabilities as a modern conferencing facility.

IE-4.9 Pursue implementation of a people-mover that serves terminals at the Mineta San José International Airport and provides convenient connection to light rail and future BART transit systems.

Cultural Attractions

Goal IE-5 – Cultural Attractions

Develop and promote a distinctive set of sports, arts, and entertainment offerings for San José to attract economic development and increase patronage.

Policies – Cultural Attractions Policies

IE-5.1 Further Goals, Policies, and Actions that support the Vibrant Arts and Culture Vision Element, as well as those for Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation to enhance San José’s identity regionally, nationally, and internationally; to serve residents; and to attract workers and visitors.

IE-5.2 Promote San José as a great bicycling community, highlighting its weather, topography, and fitness-oriented culture as significant assets for biking in order to attract businesses which support or can benefit from bicycling activity.

IE-5.3 Support private efforts to achieve a stronger mix of evening and late-night uses in Downtown that promote a vibrant, 24-hour City center to generate jobs, increase revenues and attract visitors and workers to San José.

IE-5.4 Support entertainment offerings and cultural facilities, including but not limited to parks, visual and performing arts, museums, libraries, theatres, historic structures/sites/neighborhoods, festivals, and commercial entertainment venues, particularly those that provide significant social and economic benefit to San José’s community, provide opportunities for community participation, achieve excellence and innovation, and/or reflect the City’s population.

IE-5.5 Attract and retain professional and amateur sports teams and events in San José and identify and support opportunities for growth of related businesses and retail markets.

Broad Economic Prosperity

Goal IE-6 – Broad Economic Prosperity

Provide widespread access to diverse employment and training opportunities in San José and strive to increase job growth, particularly jobs that provide self-sufficient wages and health care benefits, to allow the community to broadly share in the region’s prosperity.

Policies – Broad Economic Prosperity

IE-6.1 Provide incentives that promote the creation of high-quality jobs across all industries.

IE-6.2 Attract and retain a diverse mix of businesses and industries that can provide jobs for the residents of all skill and education levels to support a thriving community.

IE-6.3 Attract job opportunities accessible to all of San José’s residents, particularly residents in low-income neighborhoods.

Action – Broad Economic Prosperity

IE-6.4 Partner with educational, civic, labor, and business institutions to provide job training programs that meet the needs of business and industry, including programs that enable the unemployed, under-employed, or economically or socially disadvantaged to enter or move up in the labor force. Connect local businesses with such programs, organizations, or educational institutions.

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Clean Technology

San José is rapidly emerging as a world center for Clean Technology. The City supports the development and adoption of clean technology products and practices. Among other benefits, the development of clean technology as an industry within San José directly contributes to the achievement of the City’s Vision for an Innovative Economy, Environmental Leadership, Healthy Neighborhoods, and Diversity and Social Equity.

Clean Technology jobs advance the research, development and commercialization of technology, products, and services that increase energy efficiency; expand clean energy production; reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and pollution; and/or conserve water and other natural resources.

The development of Clean Technology industry provides advancement of environmental and economic objectives in one or more of five main sectors: (1) Clean Energy; (2) Energy Efficiency; (3) Environmentally Friendly Production; (4) Conservation and Pollution Mitigation; and (5) Training and Support.

Goal IE-7 – Clean Technology

Promote the development of clean technology companies, the adoption of clean technology products/services, and the creation of at least 25,000 clean technology jobs by 2022 and at least 70,000 clean technology jobs (or at least 10% of San José’s total jobs) by 2040 to make San Jose the “World Center of Clean Tech Innovation.”

Policies – Clean Technology

IE-7.1 Continue to develop and implement City policies that strategically support the development of Clean Technology.

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IE-7.2 Promote research of innovative Clean Technology products and services.

IE-7.3 Develop City-sponsored business incubators to lead globally in Clean Technology growth.

IE-7.4 Support strategies and programs that facilitate development and production of Clean Technology products and services.

IE-7.5 Facilitate strategies for clean technology businesses to bring new products and services to the marketplace. Attract and retain Clean Technology businesses by providing assistance to them.

IE-7.6 Educate residents about Clean Technology and develop and implement financial strategies to encourage San José residents to adopt clean technology products and services.

IE-7.7 Aggressively implement the Clean Tech Strategy and Climate Smart San Jose plan to promote San José as the “World Center of Clean Tech Innovation.”.

Actions – Clean Technology

IE-7.8 Track progress towards achieving at least 25,000 new Clean Technology jobs by 2022. Track progress towards achieving at least 70,000 new clean tech jobs by the year 2040 or achieving 10% of the City's total jobs in Clean Technology by the year 2040.

IE-7.9 Assist Clean Technology companies with prototyping, demonstration, and testing of products and services.

Arts and Culture

The arts and culture in San José connect people, provide rich opportunities for participation and foster creativity.

San José has its own distinct culture. Cultural pluralism in San José is a demographic fact and a long-held civic commitment; diversity has shaped its arts and cultural community. San José's position as a global center of the technology sector reflects its spirit of innovation and creativity. Its residents’ cultural activities are highly participatory, whether personal and informal or provided through community-based organizations. San José has made a long-term investment in its own cultural development, creating a vital community of non profit arts and cultural organizations, artists, and arts-related businesses.

Fostering cultural development builds on both community and economic development goals, resulting in great public value. A celebration of heritage and diversity, quality education, healthful neighborhoods, and an innovative economy are among the community goals to which the arts contribute. This sector spurs the economy by providing jobs, attracting a talented work force, supporting business development and generating fiscal impact through visitor attraction and audience spending. Planning for San José’s cultural growth, with an emphasis on spaces and places for cultural participation, is integral to its future.

Arts and Cultural Development Goals, Policies, and Implementation Actions support the Vibrant Arts and Culture element of the City's Vision. The desired outcome of these Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions includes a downtown that is the cultural center of Silicon Valley, high impact public art throughout the community, and the cultivation of San José as a cultural destination. Policies in this section directly support a thriving economy. Related policies promoting a thriving arts community citywide and full integration of arts and cultural activities in San José's neighborhoods are included in the Cultural Opportunities section of this General Plan's Quality of Life chapter.

San José as the Silicon Valley Cultural Center

Goal AC-1 – San José as the Silicon Valley Cultural Center Strengthen San José as a regional center for arts, as a widely recognized cultural destination, and as the cultural and creative urban center of Silicon Valley.

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Policies – San José as the Silicon Valley Cultural Center

AC-1.1 Continue to support Downtown entertainment, arts and cultural activities and pursue opportunities to enhance or expand offerings there.

AC-1.2 Attract new and cultivate existing signature events that add to the quality of life for San José residents, enhance the image of San José, and stimulate economic activity here.

AC-1.3 Facilitate the development of small and medium scale venues within San José to support arts and cultural activities.

Actions – San José as the Silicon Valley Cultural Center

AC-1.4 Working in collaboration with non-profits and private businesses, develop and maintain a cultural destination strategy that encourages economic growth, the growth and health of the City’s cultural organizations, and promotes a positive image of San José.

AC-1.5 Continue to market San José’s arts and cultural activities in the greater Bay Area and expand the marketing of key events to audiences across the state and country.

AC-1.6 Support and promote Downtown as the creative urban center with sub areas or districts with a specific focus, such as SoFA (South of First Area) and the Historic District. Explore funding mechanisms that reinforce this concept.

AC-1.7 Continue to revitalize and activate SoFA as Downtown’s chief creative arts and entertainment district.

AC-1.8 Explore opportunities for the creation of a permanent Downtown San José festival site.

AC-1.9 Work with property owners and developers to design new and retrofit existing structures to include spaces that can accommodate art and culture activities consistent with Building Code requirements.

High Impact Public Art

Goal AC-2 – High Impact Public Art

Integrate high impact public art throughout the community.

Policies – High Impact Public Art

AC-2.1 Site public art in key locations. Prioritize innovative public art in three regional destination areas: Downtown, North San José, and the Mineta San José International Airport. Place public art at transportation hubs: pedestrian, bike and transit improvements in pedestrian priority areas; encourage the inclusion of public art at VTA and BART stations, including Diridon Station; and integrate a broad range of art projects into the trail network to connect neighborhoods and bring people closer to nature. Integrate public art into bond-funded park, library, community facility and public safety projects. Cultivate community-based art projects that support neighborhood revitalization goals.

AC-2.2 Integrate planning for public art in other City planning efforts, including area-specific planning processes, and Urban Village master planning processes.

Action – High Impact Public Art

AC-2.3 Explore opportunities to address cultural amenities as part of the private development process, including the incorporation of on or off site public art, and facilities and activities that support art and culture through a private development funding contribution.

Community Engagement

The proposed Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions for Community Engagement provide high-level policy support for the public outreach and community engagement policies and activities conducted as part of the land use planning and implementation process. They also reflect the City’s general commitment to open government and community participation in its governance activities.

Active Community Engagement

Goal CE-1 – Active Community Engagement

Actively develop community awareness, understanding, and interest in land use issues and public policy issues, including land use, and empower the community to engage in the shaping of those policies.

Policies – Active Community Engagement

CE-1.1 Provide convenient public access to City facilities, programs, services, and public records.

CE-1.2 Provide a transparent process for public engagement of San José’s diverse stakeholders.

CE-1.3 Maintain and implement the City’s Public Outreach Policy.

CE-1.4 Use multi-media with emphasis on online messaging to effectively communicate with diverse stakeholder groups.

CE-1.5 Use the City’s library system as an active resource for engagement with the community. Use the library to provide informational programs and resources, a repository for formal and informal information regarding City operations and strategies, and resources to facilitate community participation in its governance.

CE-1.6 Regularly evaluate how effectively public information is provided and how public knowledge is garnered and considered. Modify methods, techniques, or practices as needed to respond more effectively to the community and incorporate the full range of public knowledge into policy and land use actions.

CE-1.7 To ensure that the work of government is inclusive of the community, continue to conduct and improve an interactive public engagement and participation process that:

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1. Seeks to engage the broadest possible spectrum of the community in public policy discussions, including residents, businesses, non-profit organizations, other public agencies, and particularly underrepresented groups;

2. Uses a full range of community engagement and meeting facilitation techniques to achieve an open exchange of ideas and positive outcomes for public meetings;

3. Provides adequate time and opportunities for early engagement when community members may have the greatest ability to impact outcomes;

4. Seeks to resolve community concerns in advance of a public hearing on a topic;

5. Proactively recruits and educates community members to nurture the effectiveness of their participation;

6. Actively encourages participation by a broad range of community members;

7. Includes meetings at a location convenient to the potentially affected community;

8. Uses materials written in a readily accessible manner;

9. Offers San José's diverse community opportunities to shape public policy and land use decisions; and

10. Provide support for increased community participation, particularly in areas, such as those with language barriers or a concentration of low income households, that historically have had less familiarity or experience with participation in the development and implementation of City policies

CE-1.8 Periodically assess opportunities for incorporating community knowledge or values into policy formulation.

CE-1.9 Appoint advisory bodies, task forces, or ad hoc committees as needed to ensure broad perspective. Encourage membership of such groups to reflect community diversity.

CE-1.10 Educate the community about City issues and provide avenues for influencing its decisions, including but not limited to serving on boards, commissions, committees, task forces, or participating in the land use and development review process.

Community Partnerships

Goal CE-2 – Community Partnerships

Develop and maintain strong community partnerships to address community needs, to obtain community input in decision-making processes, and to disseminate public information.

Policies – Community Partnerships

CE-2.1 Leverage the ability of community organizations, including school districts and neighborhood groups to disseminate public information.

CE-2.2 Encourage grass-roots efforts to partner with the City to articulate community needs, problems, and solutions.

CE-2.3 Support continuation of existing and formation of new community and neighborhood-based organizations to encourage and facilitate effective public engagement in policy and land use decisions.

CE-2.4 Maintain trust and develop strong working relationships in the community through open and honest communication.

Fiscal Sustainability

Achievement of San José’s goals requires that we have the fiscal resources needed to effectively govern, to provide services at a level consistent with community expectations, and to advance programs and initiatives that further the elements of the City’s Vision. San José must be persistent in pursuing new or enhanced revenue resources and more efficient use of those and existing resources in order be an effective and fiscally sustainable government. The City must continuously refine its governance best practices to maintain and improve upon the services it provides, and it must have adequate financial resources to fund them.

City Operations

Goal FS-1 – City Operations

Operate our City in a fiscally responsible and sustainable manner by planning long-term and maintaining a positive annual balance between available revenue and the costs of services we provide to our constituents.

Policies – City Operations

FS-1.1 Provide a full range of City services at levels consistent with a safe, convenient and pleasant place to live, work, learn and play; plan growth consistent with the revenue available to sustain those services.

FS-1.2 Manage San José’s future growth in an orderly, planned manner to reduce service costs, maximize the utilization of existing and proposed public facilities, and to enhance the City revenues available to sustain a desirable quality of life.

FS-1.3 Identify and maintain reliable ongoing funding sources for City services and infrastructure.

FS-1.4 Give priority to funding City municipal services and infrastructure that stimulate economic development and job creation and provide sufficient revenue for the City to achieve and maintain fiscal sustainability.

FS-1.5 Provide speed, consistency, and predictability for the land use entitlement processes while using these processes to add value and improve the quality of new development.

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FS-1.6 Evaluate and reflect projected changes in City revenue and service costs as part of every General Plan review process.

FS-1.7 Partner with public, non-profit, and private organizations to form mutually-beneficial relationships that further the City’s fiscal, environmental, economic development, and other major objectives.

Cultivate Fiscal Resources

Goal FS-2 – Cultivate Fiscal Resources

Maintain and expand the revenue sources available to finance the provision of City services.

Policies – Cultivate Fiscal Resources

FS-2.1 Focus on economic development to sustain the fiscal health of our City, promoting land use development as a tool to support job growth, revenue generation, attractive place-making and the delivery of high quality government services to the community.

FS-2.2 Explore new options to supplement our City’s existing resources devoted to the operation and maintenance of its infrastructure facilities and service delivery.

FS-2.3 Encourage development of industrial areas and redevelopment of existing older or marginal industrial areas (e.g. areas which could support intensified employment activity), particularly in locations that facilitate efficient commute patterns. The use of redevelopment tax increment financing to provide necessary public improvements is one means of encouraging this economic development and revitalization.

FS-2.4 Consider strategic investments in infrastructure, subsidies for select development review processes, or other subsidies to facilitate development projects that will produce a substantial net positive fiscal impact for our City.

FS-2.5 Finance capital and facility needs generated by new development through new development fees so that existing residents and businesses are not burdened by increased taxes or by lowered service levels to accommodate the needs created by new growth.

FS-2.6 Give priority to improvement of San José General Fund resources as a more flexible and useful source of funding for City services, as opposed to restricted sources, such as special district, utility or Redevelopment funds.

Actions – Cultivate Fiscal Resources

FS-2.7 Consider implementation of a revolving fund system whereby funds for capital and facility needs may be advanced and later repaid by the affected property owners.

FS-2.8 Work with new and existing businesses operating within San José to ensure that San José is designated as the point of sale for all taxable transactions. Encourage San José residents to buy in San José and plan our City to make doing so easier.

FS-2.9 As part of the annual review of the City’s Capital Improvement Plans (CIP), identify how they can be used to support enhancement of the City’s fiscal resources.

Fiscally Sustainable Land Use Framework

Goal FS-3 – Fiscally Sustainable Land Use Framework

Make land use decisions that improve the City’s fiscal condition. Manage San José’s future growth in an orderly, planned manner that is consistent with our ability to provide efficient and economical public services, to maximize the use of existing and proposed public facilities, and to achieve equitable sharing of the cost of such services and facilities.

Policies - Fiscally Sustainable Land Use Framework

FS-3.1 Recognize the value of long-term planning and strong land use policy in managing the City’s fiscal position.

FS-3.2 Monitor residential construction, industrial and commercial job growth rates, the development of mixed-use and transit-oriented projects, the City’s fiscal balance of land uses and resulting tax base, and progress made toward General Plan targets for total jobs and the ratio of Jobs/Employed Resident. Report on the results of these analyses as part of every General Plan review process.

FS-3.3 Promote land use policy and implementation actions that increase the ratio of Jobs to Employed Residents to improve our City’s fiscal condition, consistent with economic development and land use goals and policies. Maintain or enhance the City’s net total employment capacity collectively through amendments made to this General Plan in each Annual Review process.

FS-3.4 Promote land use policy and implementation actions that improve our City’s fiscal sustainability. Maintain or enhance the City’s projected total net revenue through amendments made to this General Plan in each Review process. Discourage proposed rezonings or other discretionary land use actions that could significantly diminish revenue to the City or significantly increase its service costs to the City without offsetting increases in revenue.

FS-3.5 Prepare Urban Village Plans that provide a clear and feasible strategy for achievement of Village job growth targets and incorporation of public services and other amenities consistent with Fiscal Sustainability and other General Plan goals and policies prior to the development of new housing projects within Urban Village Growth Areas. Commercial projects, including those with ancillary residential uses, may proceed in advance of the preparation of an Urban Village Plan. The job growth target for each Urban Village Growth Area is indicated in Appendix 5 - Growth Areas Planned Capacity.

FS-3.6 Through the land use entitlement process, approve new development projects, including mixed-use residential development, that conform to the completed Urban Village Plan or which provide job capacity above the amount identified in the Urban Village Plan for the subject property.

FS-3.7 Maintain an Urban Service Area (USA) in the General Plan where services and facilities provided by the City and other public agencies are generally available, and where urban development requiring such services should be located.

FS-3.8 Maintain the City’s current Urban Service Area boundaries. Expansion of the Urban Service Area should only be considered when necessary to provide services to existing development in need of urban services and when such expansions are consistent with LAFCO rules. Coordinate with the County to prevent future Urban Service needs beyond the current USA boundaries.

FS-3.9 Per City, County and LAFCO policy, locate existing and future urban development within city boundaries. Implement this policy through San José’s existing agreement with Santa Clara County which requires that unincorporated properties within the Urban Service Area either annex to the City, if possible, or execute a deferred annexation agreement prior to approval of development.

FS-3.10 Discourage the expansion of sanitary sewer districts for areas planned in non-urban uses outside the Urban Service Area.

FS-3.11 Consider annexation of territory outside the Urban Service Area only if it is within the Urban Growth Boundary, its intended use will require minimal or no use of Municipal services and either:

• The intended use contributes to providing services to development in the Urban Service Area, such as a planned thoroughfare across nonurban territory or a solid waste disposal, processing, or composting facility which should be located in a remote area; or

• The annexation is necessary or desirable for the implementation of General Plan non-urban land use goals and policies, such as to accept dedication of an open space or scenic easement in connection with a hillside open space preservation program.

FS-3.12 Encourage the County and LAFCO to join in cooperative efforts to seek the annexation of urbanized County pockets within the Urban Service Area.

FS-3.13 Encourage other cities within the region to take on a greater share of the region’s housing needs to promote an improved regional jobs-housing balance.

Promote Fiscally Beneficial Land Use

Goal FS-4 – Promote Fiscally Beneficial Land Use

Maintain, enhance, and develop our City’s employment lands as part of our strategy for Fiscal Sustainability.

Policies – Promote Fiscally Beneficial Land Use

FS-4.1 Preserve and enhance employment land acreage and building floor area capacity for various employment activities because they provide revenue, near-term jobs, contribute to our City’s long-term achievement of economic development and

job growth goals, and provide opportunities for the development of retail to serve individual neighborhoods, larger community areas, and the Bay Area.

FS-4.2 Maintain, enhance, and develop the employment lands within identified key employment areas (the Berryessa International Business Park, the East Gish and Mabury industrial areas, the Evergreen industrial area, the Edenvale Redevelopment Project Area, and the Monterey Corridor Redevelopment Project Area). Protect existing employment uses within these areas from potentially incompatible non-employment uses.

FS-4.3 Maintain employment lands within the North San José industrial area and protect existing employment uses from potentially incompatible non-employment uses Allow conversion of employment lands to non-employment and residential use in areas designated Transit Employment Residential Overlay.

FS-4.4 Identify, designate and maintain an adequate number of suitable sites for a full range of commercial opportunities, including large-scale commercial centers and neighborhood-scale shopping opportunities, to serve the resident and visitor consumer population fully and to increase sales tax revenue in San José.

FS-4.5 Maintain and expand the total amount of land with either a Light Industrial or Heavy Industrial designation. Do not add overlays or other designations that would allow for non-industrial, employment uses.

FS-4.6 Consider conversion from one employment land use to another, except for Light Industrial or Heavy Industrial land uses, where the conversion would retain or expand employment capacity and revenue generation, particularly for intensification on-site if the proposed conversion would result in a net increase in revenue generation.

FS-4.7 Encourage transit-oriented development as a means to reduce costs for expansion and maintenance of our City’s street system, in addition to other benefits and consistent with the General Plan Transportation goals and policies.

FS-4.8 Emphasize mixed-use development for most new development, to achieve service efficiencies from compact development patterns and to maximize job development and commercial opportunities near residential development.

Fiscally Sustainable Service Delivery

Goal FS-5 – Fiscally Sustainable Service Delivery

The City should provide the highest level of service feasible consistent with its fiscal resources, and in a cost-effective manner so that the City’s method of service delivery contributes toward the achievement of a fiscally sustainable City.

Policies – Fiscally Sustainable Service Delivery

FS-5.1 Consistent with fiscal sustainability, prioritize the City’s urban service delivery as follows:

• Provide services and facilities designed to serve existing needs.

• Prevent the deterioration of existing levels of service.

• Upgrade City service levels whenever feasible.

FS-5.2 Carefully consider the fiscal implications of land use decisions that result in service expansions to avoid significant negative fiscal impacts unless necessary to achieve other critical City objectives. Support the development of compact communities that reduce the demand for service expansions, facilitate more efficient service delivery and generate greater revenue per acre relative to cost for the City.

FS-5.3 Be proactive to promote consolidation of geographically overlapping services between governmental jurisdictions where it would increase efficiency and quality of service delivery, both countywide and regionally.

FS-5.4 Seek opportunities to implement new technologies, more efficient management, or other improvements for the delivery of urban services to reduce the fiscal impact of providing those services while also meeting City service level goals.

FS-5.5 Allow residential development at urban densities (one dwelling unit per acre or greater) only where adequate services and facilities can be feasibly provided.

FS-5.6 When reviewing major land use or policy changes, consider the availability of police and fire protection, parks and recreation and library services to the affected area as well as the potential impacts of the project on existing service levels.

FS-5.7 Encourage school districts and residential developers to engage in early discussions regarding the nature and scope of proposed projects and possible fiscal impacts and mitigation measures early in the project planning stage, preferably immediately preceding or following land acquisition.

FS-5.8 To avoid any extraordinary maintenance and operating expenses, public improvements, communication facilities, and utilities should not be located in hillside areas with identified soils and/or geologic hazards, or other areas with similar hazards. When the location of such public improvements, communication facilities, and utilities in such areas cannot be avoided, effective mitigation measures should be implemented to maximize their potential to remain functional during and after a seismic event.

FS-5.9 Expansion of the Urban Service Area into the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve will not be considered until after 2040.

FS-5.10 Maintain the rural and agricultural character of Central Coyote Valley and do not expand the Urban Service Area to include it.

FS-5.11 Identify the most efficient use of available resources to maintain the City's infrastructure and to minimize the need to replace this infrastructure.

FS-5.12 Use the design review process to consider and weigh the long term maintenance,

resource needs, and costs of the design of private streets and other private infrastructure improvements.

Goal FS-6 – Fiscally Sustainable Waste Management

Maintain a sound financial model that will sustain the City’s Zero Waste programs and enable long-term delivery of quality solid waste management services to the community.

Policies – Fiscal Sustainability of Waste Management

FS-6.1 Evaluate and address potential impacts of program initiatives on system fees (hauling, tipping, and franchise).

FS-6.2 Explore alternative revenue streams such as implementing Solid Waste Development Impact Fees, Street Sweeping Fees, or Extended Producer Responsibility Fees.

FS-6.3 Examine the remaining capacity at local landfills to assess future alternatives to the Disposal Facility Tax.

FS-6.4 Continue to support a statewide landfill surcharge to fund local programs and facilities.

FS-6.5 Achieve 100% cost-recovery in commercial, residential, and construction and demolition programs.

FS-6.6 Minimize impact on customer rates while providing rate equity to all customers.

FS-6.7 Consider environmental and social costs in all decision-making and budget decisions.

FS-6.8 Continue to collaborate with other jurisdictions to increase recycling market development program funding at the State level.

FS-6.9 Support legislation to adopt a statewide landfill surcharge with an exemption for locally enacted landfill fees or other statewide solution for low cost regional landfill issue.

Action – Fiscal Sustainability of Waste Management

FS-6.10 Develop long-term alternative fee-based options to address the impact of waste diversion activities on the General Fund and Integrated Waste Management Fund.

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Environmental Leadership

CHAPTER 3

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San José’s commitment to environmental sustainability and environmental justice is embodied in its 30-year legacy of progressive land use planning, environmental protection, water and energy conservation programs. Recent actions, such as development of the City’s Green Vision (adopted in October 2007), the City’s adoption of the Urban Environmental Accords in 2005, and the Measurable Sustainability/Environmental Stewardship Major Strategy and incorporation of Environmental Leadership policies in the Envision San José 2040 General Plan extend that legacy.

As San José’s guide for future sustainable growth and development, the Envision San José 2040 General Plan is a foundation for implementation of Climate Smart San Jose and incorporates and expands on the goals of the Green Vision, the Environmental Accords and other City policies and initiatives related to environmental sustainability. The Envision General Plan also sets guiding policies for minimizing impacts on resources, and ensuring that the City is able to maintain the infrastructure and services necessary to sustain its economy and quality of life. To promote the implementation of these policies, the Envision General Plan includes measurement and tracking tools to monitor the City’s progress in achieving its sustainability goals.

The Environmental Leadership chapter of this Plan includes sections on measurable sustainability, environmental resources, environmental considerations/hazards, and infrastructure.

Measurable Environmental Sustainability

This section sets forth sustainability goals for San José through 2040, incorporating the areas of sustainability addressed in the City’s former Green Vision and its replacement Climate Smart San Jose, and establishing measurable standards within the Envision General Plan for the achievement of sustainable development practices. The intent is to use those practices to benefit the quality of life, the environment, and related economic opportunities available within San José.

Green Building Green Building is a whole systems approach to the design, construction, location, and operation of buildings and structures that helps to mitigate the environmental, economic, and social impacts of construction, demolition, and renovation. Green building practices recognize the relationship between the natural and built environments and seek to minimize the use of energy, water, and other natural resources and promote a healthful, productive indoor environment.

The City of San José recognizes the environmental, economic and health benefits of

sustainable building practices and the benefit that being a leader in this area can provide to the development of a sustainable economy. San José is committed to the promotion of green building practices to further bring them into common use within the city and to support the development of new green building industries that lead to continued economic development.

These policies reflect the importance of maximizing use of green building practices in the design, construction, maintenance and operation of new and existing buildings. This approach will meet multiple objectives, including achievement of the energy and water conservation and efficiency performance levels that will enable the greenhouse gas reductions necessary to meet the City's goals. Successful implementation of Green Building principles requires a major industry shift toward more extensive use of whole building design and integrated design practices involving multidisciplinary teams, including end users and managers, at every stage in the design and construction process. Establishing policies and implementing those policies in a way that encourages and potentially rewards builders and designers using new or innovative techniques or equipment is also important to the success of creating economic sustainability for local clean tech industries and sustainable work and living environments within San José.

Goal MS-1 – Green Building Policy Leadership

Demonstrate San José's commitment to local and global Environmental Leadership through progressive use of green building policies, practices, and technologies to achieve 100 million square feet of new or retrofitted green buildings by 2040.

Policies – Green Building Policy Leadership

MS-1.1 Demonstrate leadership in the development and implementation of green building policies and practices. Ensure that all projects are consistent with or exceed the City's Green Building Ordinance and City Council Policies as well as State and/or regional policies which require that projects incorporate various green building principles into their design and construction.

MS-1.2 Continually increase the number and proportion of buildings within San José that make use of green building practices by incorporating those practices into both new construction and retrofit of existing structures.

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MS-1.3 Continually update and strengthen the City's Green Building policies and ordinances for new construction and rehabilitation of existing buildings to provide flexibility for application of new technologies and innovative techniques that may develop in the green building field.

MS-1.4 Foster awareness in San José's business and residential communities of the economic and environmental benefits of green building practices. Encourage design and construction of environmentally responsible commercial and residential buildings that are also operated and maintained to reduce waste,

conserve water and meet other environmental objectives.

MS-1.5 Advocate for new or revised local, regional, state, or national policies and laws that further the use of green building techniques and to further the development of green building technology. Support the development and implementation of new and innovative technologies to achieve the construction of all types of environmentally high-performing buildings.

MS-1.6 Recognize the interconnected nature of green building systems, and, in the implementation of Green Building Policies, give priority to green building options that provide environmental benefit by reducing water and/or energy use and solid waste.

MS-1.7 Encourage retrofits for existing buildings throughout San José to use green building principles in order to mitigate the environmental, economic, and social impact of those buildings, to achieve greenhouse gas reductions, and to improve air and water quality.

Actions – Green Building Policy Leadership

MS-1.8 Document and report on green building new construction and retrofits as a means to show progress towards the Green Vision Goal of 50 million square feet of green buildings in San José by 2022 and 100 million square feet by 2040.

MS-1.9 Develop programs that encourage individuals or businesses to complete green building retrofits for their properties through incentives such as tax credits, financing opportunities, or other means.

MS-1.10 Develop new and expand existing programs to educate San José’s business and residential communities on the economic and environmental benefits of green building practices. Promote environmentally responsible design, construction, operation and maintenance of residential and non-residential buildings.

MS-1.11 Provide green building technical assistance and referral service to available resources as appropriate for the public.

Goal MS-2 – Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Use

Maximize the use of green building practices in new and existing development to maximize energy efficiency and conservation and to maximize the use of renewable energy sources.

Policies – Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Use

MS-2.1 Develop and maintain policies, zoning regulations, and guidelines that require energy conservation and use of renewable energy sources.

MS-2.2 Encourage maximized use of on-site generation of renewable energy for all new and existing buildings.

MS-2.3 Utilize solar orientation (i.e., building placement), landscaping, design, and

construction techniques for new construction to minimize energy consumption.

MS-2.4 Promote energy efficient construction industry practices.

MS-2.5 Encourage responsible forest management in wood material selections and encourage the use of rapidly renewable materials.

MS-2.6 Promote roofing design and surface treatments that reduce the heat island effect of new and existing development and support reduced energy use, reduced air pollution, and a healthy urban forest. Connect businesses and residents with cool roof rebate programs thorough City outreach efforts.

MS-2.7 Encourage the installation of solar panels or other clean energy power generation sources over parking areas.

Actions – Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Use

MS-2.8 Develop policies which promote energy reduction for energy-intensive industries. For facilities such as data centers, which have high energy demand and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, require evaluation of operational energy efficiency and inclusion of operational design measures as part of development review consistent with benchmarks such as those in EPA’s EnergyStar Program for new data centers. Also require consideration of distributed power production for these facilities to reduce energy losses from electricity transmission over long distances and energy production methods such as waste-heat reclamation or the purchase of renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

MS-2.9 Develop, implement, and utilize programs that help businesses and homeowners improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings and use of renewable energy sources, such as solar, through on-site generation or purchase of electricity from solar power programs in California.

MS-2.10 Develop policies to encourage the use of building materials extracted and/or manufactured in California, or within 500 miles of San José.

MS-2.11 Require new development to incorporate green building practices, including those required by the Green Building Ordinance. Specifically, target reduced energy use through construction techniques (e.g., design of building envelopes and systems to maximize energy performance), through architectural design (e.g., design to maximize cross ventilation and interior daylight) and through site design techniques (e.g., orienting buildings on sites to maximize the effectiveness of passive solar design).

MS-2.12 Update the Green Building Ordinance to require use of energy efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances that are WaterSense certified, Energy Star rated, or equivalent, in new construction and renovation projects.

Goal MS-3 – Water Conservation and Quality

Maximize the use of green building practices in new and existing development to minimize use of potable water and to reduce water pollution.

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Policies – Water Conservation and Quality

MS-3.1 Require water-efficient landscaping, which conforms to the State’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, for all new commercial, institutional, industrial, and developer-installed residential development unless for recreation needs or other area functions.

MS-3.2 Promote use of green building technology or techniques that can help reduce the depletion of the City’s potable water supply, as building codes permit. For example, promote the use of captured rainwater, graywater, or recycled water as the preferred source for non-potable water needs such as irrigation and building cooling, consistent with Building Codes or other regulations.

MS-3.3 Promote the use of drought tolerant plants and landscaping materials for non-residential and residential uses.

MS-3.4 Promote the use of greenroofs (i.e., roofs with vegetated cover), landscape-based treatment measures, pervious materials for hardscape, and other stormwater management practices to reduce water pollution.

MS-3.5 Minimize areas dedicated to surface parking to reduce rainwater that comes into contact with pollutants.

Actions – Water Conservation and Quality

MS-3.6 Develop and maintain policies, ordinances, and guidelines that require reduced use of potable water and that reduce water pollution.

MS-3.7 Update the Green Building Ordinance to require installation of water efficient fixtures and appliances that are WaterSense certified, Energy Star rated, or equivalent during construction or renovation of bathrooms, kitchens, laundry areas, and/or other areas with water fixtures/appliances that are proposed to be replaced.

MS-3.8 Continue programs to educate the community on water conserving landscaping methods and materials to discourage the use of turf when it is not required for a specific function.

MS-3.9 Develop policies to promote water use efficiency, particularly for water-intensive activities.

Goal MS-4 – Healthful Indoor Environment

Maximize the use of green building practices in new and existing development to promote a healthful indoor environment.

Policies – Healthful Indoor Environment

MS-4.1 Promote the use of building materials that maintain healthful indoor air quality in an effort to reduce irritation and exposure to toxins and allergens for building occupants.

MS-4.2 Encourage construction and pre-occupancy practices to improve indoor air quality upon occupancy of the structure.

Actions – Healthful Indoor Environment

MS-4.3 Develop and implement policies and ordinances to promote the use of building materials, furniture and paint that maintain healthful indoor air quality and to discourage the use of materials that degrade indoor air quality.

MS-4.4 Develop and implement policies and ordinances to promote beneficial construction and pre-occupancy practices such as sealing of the HVAC system during construction, air flush-outs prior to occupancy, and/or air quality testing and corrections prior to occupancy.

Recycling / Zero Waste

The ultimate goal of zero waste is to contribute to achieving a greener community. To achieve San José’s Zero Waste Strategy the City will maximize diversion from landfills and reduce generation of waste; provide environmental leadership and quality waste management service delivery; and ensure that the City’s zero waste programs are fiscally sustainable.

Goal MS-5 – Waste Diversion

Divert 100% of waste from landfills by 2022 and maintain 100% diversion through 2040.

Policies – Waste Diversion

MS-5.1 Encourage use of reusable products.

MS-5.2 Assess the opportunities for implementing material bans at landfills.

MS-5.3 Evaluate recycling collection strategies to improve marketability of cleaner materials.

MS-5.4 Increase program participation and reduce disposal of recyclable materials through intensive outreach, incentives, enforcement or mandates.

MS-5.5 Maximize recycling and composting from all residents, businesses, and institutions in the City.

MS-5.6 Enhance the construction and demolition debris recycling program to increase diversion from the building sector.

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Actions – Waste Diversion

MS-5.7 Develop ordinances to target reduction of single-use carryout bags and packaging that is difficult to recycle and not compostable in local programs. Adopt and implement new technologies that enable recycling of these materials.

MS-5.8 Revise landscaping specifications to align with state recommended guidelines that incorporate Integrated Pest Management and to support use of mulch and compost.

Goal MS-6 – Waste Reduction

Reduce generation of solid and hazardous waste.

Policies – Waste Reduction

MS-6.1 Support programs and incentives to reduce the manufacture and use of materials that are difficult to recycle, are non-compostable substitutes for compostables, or hazardous to people and the environment.

MS-6.2 Implement mixed-waste recycling of garbage and recycling processing residue to ensure that all recyclable and compostable materials are diverted from landfills.

MS-6.3 Encourage the use of locally extracted, manufactured or recycled and reused materials including construction materials and compost.

MS-6.4 Improve “downstream” reuse and recycling of end-of-life products and materials to ensure their highest and best use.

MS-6.5 Reduce the amount of waste disposed in landfills through waste prevention, reuse, and recycling of materials at venues, facilities, and special events.

MS-6.6 Promote the development of energy conversion technologies for converting residual wastes into energy.

MS-6.7 Support adoption of new technologies, including collection, sorting, and processing, that can maximize waste stream materials recovery.

MS-6.8 Maximize reuse, recycling, and composting citywide.

MS-6.9 Collaborate and partner with other local organizations to determine effective methods to reuse or recover potentially toxic or hard-to-recycle materials.

MS-6.10 Expand programs and facilities that accept hazardous and hard to recycle materials.

MS-6.11 Advocate at the State level for higher disposal fees for products that are designed for single use and for products that do not incorporate any post-consumer recycled content.

MS-6.12 Promote use of recycled materials, including reuse of existing building shells/elements, as part of new construction or renovations.

Goal MS-7 – Environmental Leadership and Innovation

Establish San José as a nationally recognized leader in reducing the amount of materials entering the solid waste stream.

Policies – Environmental Leadership and Innovation

MS-7.1 Support zero waste legislation locally, regionally, and statewide.

MS-7.2 Collaborate with providers of solid waste collection, recycling, and disposal services to ensure a level of service that promotes a clean environment.

MS-7.3 Support the development of green jobs through investment in zero waste programs and infrastructure.

MS-7.4 Support the development of technologies that harness and use biogas resources from landfills and diverted organics.

MS-7.5 Evaluate local ordinances or enforcement actions that would result in improved methane control and capture at landfills in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide an additional fuel source in the near-term.

MS-7.6 Explore opportunities and methods to harvest buried resources from existing landfills.

MS-7.7 Promote City operations that serve as a model for achieving zero waste.

MS-7.8 Engage stakeholders to build consensus on zero waste programs and mandates.

Actions – Environmental Leadership and Innovation

MS-7.9 Adopt and implement programs that reduce the amount of materials entering the solid waste stream.

MS-7.10 Maintain and periodically update the Zero Waste Strategic Plan to establish criteria and strategies for achieving zero waste including reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

MS-7.11 Develop an incentives program to grow local markets for recyclable and reusable materials, including items such as paper, compost, and construction materials.

MS-7.12 Work with stakeholders to establish additional landfill gas-to-energy systems and waste heat recovery and prepare an ordinance requiring such action for San José City Council consideration.

MS-7.13 Develop a schedule to discontinue the use of disposable, toxic or non-renewable products as outlined in the Urban Environmental Accords. City use of at least one such item shall be discontinued each year throughout the planning period. In the near-term, staff will monitor the regulation of single-use carryout bags to ensure that their use in the City is reduced by at least 50%, or shall propose enhanced regulation or an alternate product. In the mid-term, staff will evaluate all such products for regulation or for use in energy recovery processes and shall recommend such regulations as are necessary to eliminate landfilling such products in the long-term (2022-2040).

MS-7.14 Provide on-going education about the environmental benefits of reducing wasteful consumption, which promotes the avoidance of products with excessive packaging, recycling, purchase of refills, separation of food and yard waste for composting, and using rechargeable batteries.

MS-7.15 Develop education and promotion programs to increase recycling by occupants of multi-family buildings.

Goal MS-8 – Environmental Stewardship

Establish San José as a local, regional, and statewide model for responsible management of resources.

Policies – Environmental Stewardship

MS-8.1 Incorporate Environmentally Preferable Procurement Policies (EP3), Environmental Management System (EMS), and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principles and practices into the City operations and at City-sponsored events.

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MS-8.2 Encourage businesses in San José to adopt EP3, EMS, and EPR principles and practices and recognize those that do.

MS-8.3 Encourage government and businesses to adopt “upstream” redesign strategies to reduce the volume and toxicity of discarded products and materials while promoting less wasteful practices.

MS-8.4 Collaborate with neighboring jurisdictions in the near-term to evaluate and consider regional landfill bans, particularly for organic materials such as food waste and yard trimmings that contribute to methane generation in landfills.

MS-8.5 Participate as a model city in development of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Organics Roadmap to minimize green waste disposed of in the landfill, such as compost market development, compost specification and use requirements.

MS-8.6 Participate in the development of climate change and carbon offset protocols, plans and regulations being developed by State and other agencies, such as the California Air Resources Board and California Climate Action Registry (CCAR), to ensure that recycling, composting and anaerobic digestion are appropriately measured for their climate change impacts.

MS-8.7 Manage wastes locally to the greatest extent feasible to minimize the export of wastes and pollution to our and other communities.

Action – Environmental Stewardship

MS-8.8 Prepare for San José City Council consideration an ordinance that would enact regional landfill bans during the near- and mid-terms for organic material such as food waste and yard trimmings that contribute to methane generation in landfills.

Goal MS-9 – Service Delivery

Operate a municipal solid waste management system that maximizes efficiencies in service delivery while protecting the environment, public health, and safety.

Policies – Service Delivery

MS-9.1 Periodically review the industrial land supply within the City’s Urban Service Area to accommodate anticipated zero waste facility needs.

MS-9.2 Collaborate with existing planning processes such as the Plant Master Plan to preserve industrial land and identify appropriate locations for waste management infrastructure and energy conversion facilities.

MS-9.3 Consider General Plan and zoning changes to facilitate relocation and establishment of materials recovery and waste-to-energy industries.

MS-9.4 Evaluate new collection and processing options, including co-collecting yard trimmings and food scraps for anaerobic digestion at the Regional Wastewater Facility.

MS-9.5 Collaborate with outside agencies and the solid waste management industry to develop innovative processing methods for waste processing residue.

MS-9.6 Provide convenient locations for collection of household hazardous wastes and bulk wastes.

MS-9.7 Improve customer convenience with a broad range of collection programs and service options.

MS-9.8 Improve customer service and call center responsiveness.

MS-9.9 Target control of litter and illegal dumping.

MS-9.10 Provide incentives to participate in, and maximize the effectiveness of, Zero Waste program initiatives.

MS-9.11 Strive to ensure that Zero Waste program services are convenient, accessible and appropriate.

MS-9.12 Strive to ensure that Recycle Plus services are provided equitably for all customers.

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Actions – Service Delivery

MS-9.13 Adopt standards that require new development to provide designated areas for garbage and recycling collection.

MS-9.14 Adopt standards that ensure adequate access for solid waste collection vehicles, including: vertical clearances, vehicle turn radiuses, appropriate street widths and curb lengths for container set-outs, and street inclines.

MS-9.15 Design and construct a centralized facility within the City that offers household hazardous waste collections, building materials re-use, and sustainability education and training.

Air Quality

Goal MS-10 – Air Pollutant Emission Reduction

Minimize air pollutant emissions from new and existing development.

Policies – Air Pollutant Emission Reduction

MS-10.1 Assess projected air emissions from new development in conformance with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) CEQA Guidelines and relative to state and federal standards. Identify and implement feasible air emission reduction measures.

MS-10.2 Consider the cumulative air quality impacts from proposed developments for proposed land use designation changes and new development, consistent with the region’s Clean Air Plan and State law.

MS-10.3 Promote the expansion and improvement of public transportation services and facilities, where appropriate, to both encourage energy conservation and reduce air pollution.

MS-10.4 Encourage effective regulation of mobile and stationary sources of air pollution, both inside and outside of San José. In particular, support Federal and State regulations to improve automobile emission controls.

MS-10.5 In order to reduce vehicle miles traveled and traffic congestion, require new development within 2,000 feet of an existing or planned transit station to encourage the use of public transit and minimize the dependence on the automobile through the application of site design guidelines and transit incentives.

MS-10.6 Encourage mixed land use development near transit lines and provide retail and other types of service oriented uses within walking distance to minimize automobile dependent development.

MS-10.7 Encourage regional and statewide air pollutant emission reduction through energy conservation to improve air quality.

MS-10.8 Minimize vegetation removal required for fire prevention. Require alternatives to discing, such as mowing, to the extent feasible. Where vegetation removal is required for property maintenance purposes, encourage alternatives that limit the exposure of bare soil.

MS-10.9 Foster educational programs about air pollution problems and solutions.

Actions – Air Pollutant Emission Reduction

MS-10.10 Actively enforce the City’s ozone-depleting compound ordinance and supporting policy to ban the use of chlorofluorocarbon compounds (CFCs) in packaging and in building construction and remodeling. The City may consider adopting other policies or ordinances to reinforce this effort to help reduce damage to the global atmospheric ozone layer.

MS-10.11 Enforce the City’s wood-burning appliance ordinance to limit air pollutant emissions from residential and commercial buildings.

MS-10.12 Increase the City’s alternative fuel vehicle fleet with the co-benefit of reducing local air emissions. Implement the City’s Environmentally Preferable Procurement Policy (Council Policy 4-6) and Pollution Prevention Policy (Council Policy 4-5) in a manner that reduces air emissions from municipal operations. Support policies that reduce vehicle use by City employees.

MS-10.13 As a part of City of San José Sustainable City efforts, educate the public about air polluting household consumer products and activities that generate air pollution. Increase public awareness about the alternative products and activities that reduce air pollutant emissions.

MS-10.14 Review and evaluate the effectiveness of site design measures, transit incentives, and new transportation technologies and encourage those that most successfully reduce air pollutant emissions.

Goal MS-11 – Toxic Air Contaminants

Minimize exposure of people to air pollution and toxic air contaminants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, lead, and particulate matter.

Policies – Toxic Air Contaminants

MS-11.1 Require completion of air quality modeling for sensitive land uses such as new residential developments that are located near sources of pollution such as freeways and industrial uses. Require new residential development projects and projects categorized as sensitive receptors to incorporate effective mitigation into project designs or be located an adequate distance from sources of toxic air contaminants (TACs) to avoid significant risks to health and safety.

MS-11.2 For projects that emit toxic air contaminants, require project proponents to prepare health risk assessments in accordance with BAAQMD-recommended procedures as part of environmental review and employ effective mitigation to reduce possible health risks to a less than significant level. Alternatively,

require new projects (such as, but not limited to, industrial, manufacturing, and processing facilities) that are sources of TACs to be located an adequate distance from residential areas and other sensitive receptors.

MS-11.3 Review projects generating significant heavy duty truck traffic to designate truck routes that minimize exposure of sensitive receptors to TACs and particulate matter.

MS-11.4 Encourage the installation of appropriate air filtration at existing schools, residences, and other sensitive receptor uses adversely affected by pollution sources.

MS-11.5 Encourage the use of pollution absorbing trees and vegetation in buffer areas between substantial sources of TACs and sensitive land uses.

Actions – Toxic Air Contaminants

MS-11.6 Develop and adopt a comprehensive Community Risk Reduction Plan that includes: baseline inventory of toxic air contaminants (TACs) and particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5), emissions from all sources, emissions reduction targets, and enforceable emission reduction strategies and performance measures. The Community Risk Reduction Plan will include enforcement and monitoring tools to ensure regular review of progress toward the emission reduction targets, progress reporting to the public and responsible agencies, and periodic updates of the plan, as appropriate.

MS-11.7 Consult with BAAQMD to identify stationary and mobile TAC sources and determine the need for and requirements of a health risk assessment for proposed developments.

MS-11.8 For new projects that generate truck traffic, require signage which reminds drivers that the State truck idling law limits truck idling to five minutes.

Goal MS-12 – Objectionable Odors

Minimize and avoid exposure of residents to objectionable odors.

Policies – Objectionable Odors

MS-12.1 For new, expanded, or modified facilities that are potential sources of objectionable odors (such as landfills, green waste and resource recovery facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, asphalt batch plants, and food processors), the City requires an analysis of possible odor impacts and the provision of odor minimization and control measures as mitigation.

MS-12.2 Require new residential development projects and projects categorized as sensitive receptors to be located an adequate distance from facilities that are existing and potential sources of odor. An adequate separation distance will be determined based upon the type, size and operations of the facility.

Goal MS-13 – Construction Air Emissions

Minimize air pollutant emissions during demolition and construction activities.

Policies – Construction Air Emissions

MS-13.1 Include dust, particulate matter, and construction equipment exhaust control measures as conditions of approval for subdivision maps, site development and planned development permits, grading permits, and demolition permits. At minimum, conditions shall conform to construction mitigation measures recommended in the current BAAQMD CEQA Guidelines for the relevant project size and type.

MS-13.2 Construction and/or demolition projects that have the potential to disturb asbestos (from soil or building material) shall comply with all the requirements of the California Air Resources Board’s air toxics control measures (ATCMs) for Construction, Grading, Quarrying, and Surface Mining Operations.

MS-13.3 Require subdivision designs and site planning to minimize grading and use landform grading in hillside areas.

Actions – Construction Air Emissions

MS-13.4 Adopt and periodically update dust, particulate, and exhaust control standard measures for demolition and grading activities to include on project plans as conditions of approval based upon construction mitigation measures in the BAAQMD CEQA Guidelines.

MS-13.5 Prevent silt loading on roadways that generates particulate matter air pollution by prohibiting unpaved or unprotected access to public roadways from construction sites.

MS-13.6 Revise the grading ordinance and condition grading permits to require that graded areas be stabilized from the completion of grading to commencement of construction.

Energy Conservation

San José will continue to conserve energy, reduce energy consumption per capita, and adopt renewable energy technologies so that, as the City develops, its total Carbon Footprint will remain the same or be reduced. All San José residents and businesses will have expanded access to clean, renewable, affordable, and reliable energy.

Goal MS-14 – Reduce Consumption and Increase Efficiency

Reduce per capita energy consumption by at least 50% compared to 2008 levels by 2022 and maintain or reduce net aggregate energy consumption levels equivalent to the 2022 (Green Vision) level through 2040.

Policies – Reduce Consumption and Increase Efficiency

MS-14.1 Promote job and housing growth in areas served by public transit and that have community amenities within a 20-minute walking distance.

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MS-14.2 Enhance existing neighborhoods by adding a mix of uses that facilitate biking, walking, or transit ridership through improved access to shopping, employment, community services, and gathering places.

MS-14.3 Consistent with the California Public Utilities Commission’s California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, as revised, and when technological advances make it feasible, require all new residential and commercial construction to be designed for zero net energy use.

MS-14.4 Implement the City’s Green Building Policies (see Green Building Section) so that new construction and rehabilitation of existing buildings fully implements industry best practices, including the use of optimized energy systems, selection of materials and resources, water efficiency, sustainable site selection, passive solar building design, and planting of trees and other landscape materials to reduce energy consumption.

MS-14.5 Consistent with State and Federal policies and best practices, require energy efficiency audits and retrofits prior to or at the same time as consideration of solar electric improvements.

Actions – Reduce Consumption and Increase Efficiency

MS-14.6 Replace 100% of the City’s traffic signals and streetlights with smart, zero emission lighting by 2022.

MS-14.7 Measure and report annually the shares of the City’s total Carbon Footprint resulting from energy use in the built environment, transportation, and waste management.

MS-14.8 Partner with public, private, and non-profit agencies to develop policies that require existing residents and businesses to undertake building and appliance energy saving retrofit improvements.

Goal MS-15 – Renewable Energy

Receive 100% of electrical power from clean renewable sources (e.g., solar, wind, hydrogen) by 2022 and to the greatest degree feasible increase generation of clean, renewable energy within the City to meet its own energy consumption needs.

Policies – Renewable Energy

MS-15.1 Promote removal of demand-side barriers to adoption of a diverse array of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. Demand-side barriers include:

• Cost (e.g., equipment, permitting, etc.)
• Difficulty getting small-scale products to market
• Workforce availability

• Lack of public awareness about the need for and availability of such products and technologies

• State and Federal policies not supporting a diverse array of technologies

MS-15.2 Lead globally in adopting technologies that transform solid waste and biosolids (i.e., the solids that remain after wastewater treatment) into usable energy.

MS-15.3 Facilitate the installation of at least 100,000 solar roofs in San José by 2022 and at least 200,000 solar roofs by 2040.

MS-15.4 Promote local innovation, research, development, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

MS-15.5 Showcase and apply innovative technologies within San José, including developments that achieve maximum energy efficiency or net zero energy, and renewable energy systems that generate energy equal to or greater than that consumed on site.

MS-15.6 Utilize municipal facilities to showcase the application of outstanding, innovative, and locally developed energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and practices, to demonstrate the effectiveness of these technologies and to highlight the City’s energy leadership.

Actions – Renewable Energy

MS-15.7 Host local competitions, high profile events, conferences, and symposia to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.

MS-15.8 Monitor building industry and workforce needs and provide robust professional training opportunities in renewable energy technology for City employees and the public, partnering with relevant local workforce and development industry partners.

MS-15.9 Train City code enforcement and development review staff in state-of-the-art renewable energy installations, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and insulation industry standards, best practices, and resources to ensure buildings are constructed in compliance with those industry standards and best practices.

Goal MS-16 – Energy Security

Provide access to clean, renewable, and reliable energy for all San José residents and businesses.

Policies – Energy Security

MS-16.1 Promote availability of a variety of tools and services for implementing energy conservation and renewable energy generation, including financing districts, energy auditing, and energy efficiency retrofit services to all residents and business owners.

MS-16.2 Promote neighborhood-based distributed clean/renewable energy generation to improve local energy security and to reduce the amount of energy wasted in transmitting electricity over long distances.

MS-16.3 Consider benefits and risks of alternative energy sources, and evaluate the City's position on alternative energy sources.

Actions – Energy Security

MS-16.4 Partner with public, private, and non-profit agencies on public outreach and education on energy efficiency programs and services.

MS-16.5 Establish minimum requirements for energy efficiency measures and onsite renewable energy generation capacity on all new housing developments.

MS-16.6 Create partnerships and governance structures that improve the overall efficiency and reliability of energy production and supply.

Water Supply, Conservation, Recycling, and Quality

The City of San José in its Envision San José 2040 General Plan is committed to providing a fiscally and environmentally sustainable water supply to meet its goals of a healthy habitat, healthy population and healthy economy. To accomplish these goals, San José leads through example and as an advocate for the continued development of effective local, regional and statewide partnerships and governance structures that enable fiscally and environmentally sustainable water management.

Goal MS-17 – Responsible Management of Water Supply

Demonstrate environmental leadership through responsible and fiscally and environmentally sustainable management of water to restore our environment, enhance our quality of life and provide an adequate water supply to meet the needs of our community now and in the future.

Policies – Responsible Management of Water Supply

MS-17.1 Manage the limited water supply in an environmentally, fiscally, and economically sustainable manner, by working with local, regional and statewide agencies to establish policies that promote water use efficiency programs, including recycled water programs to support the expanded use of recycled water within San José and neighboring jurisdictions.

MS-17.2 Ensure that development within San José is planned and built in a manner consistent with fiscally and environmentally sustainable use of current and future water supplies by encouraging sustainable development practices, including low-impact development, water-efficient development and green building techniques. Support the location of new development within the vicinity of the recycled water system and promote expansion of the South Bay Water Recycling (SBWR) system to areas planned for new development. Residential development outside of the Urban Service Area can be approved only at minimal levels and only allowed to use non-recycled water at urban intensities. For residential development outside of the Urban Service Area, restrict water usage

to well water, rainwater collection, or other similar environmentally sustainable practice. Non-residential development may use the same sources and potentially make use of recycled water, provided that its use will not result in conflicts with other General Plan policies, including geologic or habitat impacts. To maximize the efficient and environmentally beneficial use of water outside of the Urban Service Area, limit water consumption for new development so that it does not diminish the water supply available for projected development in areas planned for urban uses within San José or other surrounding communities.

MS-17.3 Be a leader in educating the community about the challenges to the water supply system and the need for responsible water management.

MS-17.4 Create partnerships and governance structures that allow for a comprehensive approach to water supply management that improves the reliability of local and imported water supplies, explores new sources of water, and thereby protects and enhances the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta ecosystem.

Actions – Responsible Management of Water Supply

MS-17.5 Partner with the Santa Clara Valley Water District and other agencies to engage the public in an outreach program about the importance of water management to San José’s quality of life. Develop strategies with the public on how the City can help meet future water supply challenges and minimize the need for imported water by conserving our local water supplies and using recycled water whenever appropriate.

MS-17.6 Quantitatively track the City’s education program on the public use of water. Adjust the program as needed to meet Envision General Plan goals.

MS-17.7 Partner with other Bay Area cities to ensure that local, regional and statewide plans provide adequate water supplies to serve our community and protect the environment.

MS-17.8 Review and provide input to Urban Water Management Plans prepared by water suppliers to ensure that they maximize water conservation and reuse in order to fulfill San José’s water supply needs. Consider projected water supplies in updated Urban Water Management Plans as part of each Major Review of the Envision General Plan.

Goal MS-18 – Water Conservation

Continuously improve water conservation efforts in order to achieve best in class performance. Double the City’s annual water conservation savings by 2040 and achieve half of the Water District’s goal for Santa Clara County on an annual basis.

Policies – Water Conservation

MS-18.1 Demonstrate environmental leadership by adopting citywide policies that encourage or require new and existing development to incorporate measures to reduce potable water demand and/or increase water efficiency in order to reduce the City’s need for imported water.

MS-18.2 Require new development outside of the City’s Urban Service Area to incorporate measures to minimize water consumption.

MS-18.3 Demonstrate environmental leadership by encouraging the creation and use of new technologies that reduce potable water demand and/or increase the efficiency of water use.

MS-18.4 Retrofit existing development to improve water conservation.

MS-18.5 Reduce citywide per capita water consumption by 25% by 2040 from a baseline established using the 2010 Urban Water Management Plans of water retailers in San José.

MS-18.6 Achieve by 2040, 50 Million gallons per day of water conservation savings in San José, by reducing water use and increasing water use efficiency.

MS-18.7 Use the City’s 2008 Water Conservation Plan as the data source to determine San José’s baseline water conservation savings level.

Actions – Water Conservation

MS-18.8 Encourage state legislation to improve water use efficiency through statewide mandates and appropriate regulations to encourage water efficient development (for example, plumbing code, graywater code, and the green building policy).

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MS-18.9 Partner with other agencies to incentivize water conservation by developing cost-sharing agreements on rebates and other incentive programs.

MS-18.10 Partner with other agencies on education and outreach to engage the community in an ethic of efficient water use and the use of water-efficient practices and technologies.

MS-18.11 Adopt guidelines or ordinances that encourage or require Bay-friendly, water-efficient design, landscape and irrigation within San José.

MS-18.12 Encourage stormwater capture and encourage, when feasible and cost-effective, on-site rainwater catchment for new and existing development.

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MS-18.13 Encourage graywater use whenever appropriate and in areas that do not impact groundwater quality as determined through coordination with local agencies.

MS-18.14 Participate in regional efforts to develop codes and standards for stormwater capture and graywater reuse, whenever feasible and cost-effective, and in areas that do not impact groundwater quality as determined through coordination with local agencies.

MS-18.15 Adopt city water use efficiency codes and standards and work with local, regional, state and other public and private agencies to increase water use efficiency within San José and neighboring jurisdictions.

MS-18.16 Review and publicly report on the achievement of water conservation goals and policies on a regular basis to monitor and achieve success.

MS-18.17 Encourage the development of new water efficiency, conservation and reuse technologies by providing opportunities for pilot testing and evaluation and incentives for early adoption of such technologies within the community.

Goal MS-19 – Water Recycling

Recycle or beneficially reuse 100% of the City’s wastewater supply, including the indirect use of recycled water as part of the potable water supply.

Policies – Water Recycling

MS-19.1 Require new development to contribute to the cost-effective expansion of the recycled water system in proportion to the extent that it receives benefit from the development of a fiscally and environmentally sustainable local water supply.

MS-19.2 Support local, regional and statewide efforts to educate the community about the benefits, reliability and quality of recycled water and the critical role it plays in our water supply.

MS-19.3 Expand the use of recycled water to benefit the community and the environment.

MS-19.4 Require the use of recycled water wherever feasible and cost-effective to serve existing and new development.

MS-19.5 Improve the treatment of recycled water so that it can be used to help augment streams and recharge groundwater aquifers that provide a portion of the City’s potable water supply.

Actions – Water Recycling

MS-19.6 Develop and enact ordinance(s) that require new development to contribute to the improvement and expansion of the South Bay Water Recycling system.

MS-19.7 Partner with the Santa Clara Valley Water District and other appropriate agencies to establish an adaptive outreach program to involve the community in development of strategies to promote the value of recycled water as an important part of a fiscally and environmentally sustainable urban water use portfolio.

MS-19.8 Initiate and support statewide laws and policies that increase the percentage of recycled water included in the State’s water portfolio, encourage safe water recycling, promote community tolerance for the use of recycled water, and provide funding for regional and local recycled water projects.

MS-19.9 Work with public and private water wholesalers and retailers to cost-effectively expand the South Bay Water Recycling distribution system to serve new

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non-potable water demand with emphasis placed upon areas experiencing or planned for significant amounts of new development.

MS-19.10 Develop incentives to encourage the use of recycled water. Enact ordinances that ensure that new buildings in the vicinity of the SBWR pipeline are constructed in a manner suitable for connection to the recycled water system and that they use recycled water wherever appropriate.

MS-19.11 Provide technical assistance to industries and community businesses to facilitate the use of recycled water. Support recycled water research to increase understanding of all safe and viable uses for recycled water in our community.

MS-19.12 Adopt city recycled water use codes and standards and work with local, regional, state and other public and private agencies to substantially increase use of recycled water within San José and neighboring jurisdictions.

MS-19.13 Review and publicly report on the achievement of water recycling goals and policies on a regular basis to monitor and achieve success.

Goal MS-20 – Water Quality

Ensure that all water in San José is of the highest quality appropriate for its intended use.

Policies – Water Quality

MS-20.1 Lead through advocacy with local, regional and state agencies to ensure the protection and enhancement of the quality of San José's water sources.

MS-20.2 Avoid locating new development or authorizing activities with the potential to negatively impact groundwater quality in areas that have been identified as having a high degree of aquifer vulnerability by the Santa Clara Valley Water District or other authoritative public agency.

MS-20.3 Protect groundwater as a water supply source through flood protection measures and the use of stormwater infiltration practices that protect groundwater quality. In the event percolation facilities are modified for infrastructure projects, replacement percolation capacity will be provided.

Action – Water Quality

MS-20.4 Work with local, regional and state agencies to protect and enhance the watershed, including the protection of surface water and ground water supplies from pollution and degradation.

Community Forest

San José's Community Forest consists of trees growing on public lands, such as street trees (i.e., those in median islands and roadside landscape areas), parks, trails, community centers, libraries and schools; and trees growing on private property, including trees in the backyards of homes, shopping center parking lots, and within the landscaped areas of high-technology office buildings. The Community Forest provides scenic beauty, serves as a barrier to wind and as a visual buffer, and provides shade to reduce heat in urban

areas. It also removes pollutants (e.g., carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter) and absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, helps conserve energy and water use, replenishes oxygen, and protects against flood hazards, landslides, and soil erosion by absorbing rain water. Native and landscape trees within this Forest provide important wildlife habitat for birds and other animals living in urban areas. All large specimen and heritage trees, especially native oaks, have special aesthetic and historical value. Street trees promote neighborhood traffic safety by encouraging motorists to drive more slowly. San José’s Community Forest softens the effects of urban development, raises neighborhood and commercial property values, and contributes to the community’s identity and sense of place.

Goal MS-21 – Community Forest

Preserve and protect existing trees and increase planting of new trees within San José to create and maintain a thriving Community Forest that contributes to the City’s quality of life, its sense of community, and its economic and environmental well being.

Policies – Community Forest

MS-21.1 Manage the Community Forest to achieve San José’s environmental goals for water and energy conservation, wildlife habitat preservation, stormwater retention, heat reduction in urban areas, energy conservation, and the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

MS-21.2 Provide appropriate resources to preserve, protect and expand the City’s Community Forest.

MS-21.3 Ensure that San José’s Community Forest is comprised of species that have low water requirements and are well adapted to its Mediterranean climate. Select and plant diverse species to prevent monocultures that are vulnerable to pest invasions. Furthermore, consider the appropriate placement of tree species and their lifespan to ensure the perpetuation of the Community Forest.

MS-21.4 Encourage the maintenance of mature trees, especially natives, on public and private property as an integral part of the community forest. Prior to allowing the removal of any mature tree, pursue all reasonable measures to preserve it.

MS-21.5 As part of the development review process, preserve protected trees (as defined by the Municipal Code), and other significant trees. Avoid any adverse affect on the health and longevity of protected or other significant trees through appropriate design measures and construction practices. Special priority should be given to the preservation of native oaks and native sycamores. When tree preservation is not feasible, include appropriate tree replacement, both in number and spread of canopy.

MS-21.6 As a condition of new development, require the planting and maintenance of both street trees and trees on private property to achieve a level of tree coverage in compliance with and that implements City laws, policies or guidelines.

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MS-21.7 Manage infrastructure to ensure that the placement and maintenance of street trees, streetlights, signs and other infrastructure assets are integrated. Give priority to tree placement in designing or modifying streets.

MS-21.8 For Capital Improvement Plan or other public development projects, or through the entitlement process for private development projects, require landscaping including the selection and planting of new trees to achieve the following goals:

• Avoid conflicts with nearby power lines.
• Avoid potential conflicts between tree roots and developed areas.
• Avoid use of invasive, non-native trees.
• Remove existing invasive, non-native trees.
• Incorporate native trees into urban plantings in order to provide food and cover for native wildlife species.
• Plant native oak trees and native sycamores on sites which have adequately sized landscape areas and which historically supported these species.

MS-21.9 Where urban development occurs adjacent to natural plant communities (e.g., oak woodland, riparian forest), landscape plantings shall incorporate tree species native to the area and propagated from local sources (generally from within 5-10 miles and preferably from within the same watershed).

MS-21.10 Prohibit London plane trees from being planted in the Coyote Planning Area, which is located near the most significant stands of sycamore alluvial woodland in the City. Planting of this species is discouraged elsewhere, particularly near riparian areas. Prohibit holly-leaved oaks from being planted in areas containing stands of native oaks or in proximity to native oak woodland habitat.

Actions – Community Forest

MS-21.11 Create and maintain an inventory of the City’s street and park trees.

MS-21.12 Complete the development of a Community Forest Master Plan that provides a strategy to achieve the City’s Community Forest Goals; implement this Master Plan.

MS-21.13 Develop performance measures for tree planting and canopy coverage which measure the City’s success in achieving the Community Forest goals. These performance measures should inform tree planting goals for the years between 2022 (the horizon year for the Green Vision) and 2040.

MS-21.14 Secure adequate human and financial resources to oversee all City tree services, to implement policies and to address the deferred and on-going maintenance funding needs for the community forest.

MS-21.15 Expand the City’s existing partnership with Our City Forest, and develop new partnerships with other non-profits, businesses, other agencies and the community, to maximize available resources to maintain and expand the Community Forest.

MS-21.16 Collaborate with other government agencies – local, state and federal – to leverage resources to achieve the City’s Community Forest goal.

MS-21.17 Support volunteer urban forestry programs that encourage the participation of citizens in tree planting and maintenance in neighborhoods and parks throughout the City.

MS-21.18 Implement the Heritage Tree Ordinance to maintain and protect San José’s heritage trees.

MS-21.19 Periodically update the heritage tree list, identifying trees of special significance to the community.

MS-21.20 Explore development of a user-friendly, city managed in-lieu fee/tree planting program that provides applicants with an alternative way to provide required replacement trees.

Environmental Resources

San José boasts a plethora of environmental resources across its diverse landscape. San José celebrates its natural setting, including its hillsides, riparian corridors, lakes, the San Francisco Bay, and adjacent baylands. The goals and policies in this section protect San José’s terrestrial and aquatic assets, as well as the flora and fauna these natural resources support. They also recognize the importance of San José’s archaeological and extractive resources.

Natural Communities and Wildlife Habitat

The Natural Communities and Wildlife Habitat goals and policies provide guidance for how to balance resource conservation and urban development, so as to maximize the mutual achievement of environmental, economic and social objectives.

San José also recognizes the need for multiple jurisdictions to cooperate in the management of natural communities and wildlife habitat. Recognizing this interdependence, San José will demonstrate environmental leadership through advocacy and cooperative efforts with other jurisdictions.

Grassland, Oak Woodlands, Chaparral and Coastal Scrub Habitats

Oak woodlands, grasslands, chaparral and coastal scrub are the primary vegetative cover on the hillsides surrounding the Santa Clara Valley floor. In addition to providing grazing land, wildlife habitat, and rainwater capture, these areas also have direct scenic value.

Goal ER-1 – Grassland, Oak Woodlands, Chaparral and Coast Scrub Preserve, protect and restore the ecological integrity and scenic characteristics of grasslands, oak woodlands, chaparral and coastal scrub in hillside areas.

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Policies – Grassland, Oak Woodlands, Chaparral and Coast Scrub

ER-1.1 The nature and amount of public access to wooded areas, scrublands, and grasslands, when allowed, shall be consistent with the environmental characteristics of these areas.

ER-1.2 Prohibit the use of motorized off-road vehicles for recreation purposes in oak woodland, grassland, and hillside areas within the City to protect these limited resources.

ER-1.3 Cooperate with other agencies in the preservation and management of native hillside vegetation.

ER-1.4 Minimize the removal of ecologically valuable vegetation such as serpentine and non-serpentine grassland, oak woodland, chaparral, and coastal scrub during development and grading for projects within the City.

ER-1.5 Preserve and protect oak woodlands, and individual oak trees. Any loss of oak woodland and/or native oak trees must be fully mitigated.

ER-1.6 Preserve, protect, and manage serpentine grasslands and serpentine chaparral, particularly those supporting sensitive serpentine bunchgrass communities providing habitat for sensitive plant and animal species. Development will not be permitted on serpentine grasslands or chaparral supporting state or federal candidate or listed threatened or endangered plant or animal species. Appropriately managed grazing is encouraged on serpentine grasslands.

ER-1.7 Prohibit planting of invasive non-native plant species in oak woodlands, grasslands, chaparral and coastal scrub habitats, and in hillside areas.

Actions – Grassland, Oak Woodlands, Chaparral and Coast Scrub

ER-1.8 Work with Local Partners (the County of Santa Clara, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and the Cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill) and three Wildlife Agencies (the California Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS-NOAA Fisheries) on completion of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) project. Once completed and adopted, implement an HCP/NCCP that both mitigates for land and stream development impacts and provides additional conservation, restoration, and enhancement efforts.

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ER-1.9 In the event an HCP/NCCP which includes measures to off-set indirect impacts to serpentine grassland habitats is not adopted, as City resources allow, develop and implement a comparable City of San José program for preservation of serpentine grasslands based upon the strategies developed through the HCP/NCCP process.

<u>Riparian Corridors</u>

Streams and adjacent riparian lands within the City of San José are a vital natural resource supporting a diversity of habitats. They also provide open space resources and contribute to economic vitality.

Goal ER-2 – Riparian Corridors

Preserve, protect, and restore the City’s riparian resources in an environmentally responsible manner to protect them for habitat value and recreational purposes.

Policies – Riparian Corridors

ER-2.1 Ensure that new public and private development adjacent to riparian corridors in San José are consistent with the provisions of the City’s Riparian Corridor Policy Study and any adopted Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Communities Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP).

ER-2.2 Ensure that a 100-foot setback from riparian habitat is the standard to be achieved in all but a limited number of instances, only where no significant environmental impacts would occur.

ER-2.3 Design new development to protect adjacent riparian corridors from encroachment of lighting, exotic landscaping, noise and toxic substances into the riparian zone.

ER-2.4 When disturbances to riparian corridors cannot be avoided, implement appropriate measures to restore, and/or mitigate damage and allow for fish passage during construction.

ER-2.5 Restore riparian habitat through native plant restoration and removal of non-native/invasive plants along riparian corridors and adjacent areas.

Actions – Riparian Corridors

ER-2.6 Develop a City Council Policy based on the City’s Riparian Corridor Policy Study and HCP/NCCP to successfully implement the riparian goals and policies of the Envision General Plan, which recognizes that a 100-foot setback is the standard to be achieved in all but a limited number of instances, where no significant environmental impacts would occur.

ER-2.7 Partner with public, private, and non-profit agencies on public outreach and education on the importance of protecting our riparian corridor resources.

ER-2.8 Develop and require the use of a criteria checklist from the Riparian Corridor Policy Study to evaluate new developments that propose to use riparian setback exceptions.

<u>Bay and Baylands</u>

The San Francisco Bay and the baylands are a vital biotic, cultural and recreational open space resource.

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Goal ER-3 – Bay and Baylands

Preserve and restore natural characteristics of the Bay and adjacent lands, and recognize the role of the Bay’s vegetation and waters in maintaining a healthy regional ecosystem.

Policies – Bay and Baylands

ER-3.1 Protect, preserve and restore the baylands ecosystem in a manner consistent with the fragile environmental characteristics of this area and the interest of the citizens of San José in a healthful environment.

ER-3.2 Cooperate with the County, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, California Department of Fish and Game, Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), and other appropriate jurisdictions to prevent the degradation of baylands by discouraging new filling or dredging of Bay waters and baylands.

ER-3.3 In cooperation and, where appropriate, in consultation with other interested agencies and with projects such as the South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project, encourage the restoration of diked historic wetlands, including salt ponds, to their natural state by opening them to tidal action.

ER-3.4 Avoid new development which creates substantial adverse impacts on the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge or results in a net loss of baylands habitat value.

ER-3.5 Prohibit planting of invasive non-native plant species in or near baylands habitats.

<u>Special-Status Plants and Animals</u> Natural habitats and communities, including streams, oak woodlands, grassland, chaparral, riparian forest, salt marsh, freshwater wetlands, and others, harbor a number of species that are rare, declining, or particularly sensitive to human activities. These “special-status species” include plants and animals that are protected under State and Federal Endangered Species Acts, the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the California Fish and Game Code, and other species listed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the California Native Plant Society. (See Table ER-4: Special-Status Animal Species)

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Goal ER-4 – Special-Status Plants and Animals

Preserve, manage, and restore habitat suitable for special-status species, including threatened and endangered species.

Policies – Special Status Plants and Animals

ER-4.1 Preserve and restore, to the greatest extent feasible, habitat areas that support special-status species. Avoid development in such habitats unless no feasible alternatives exist and mitigation is provided of equivalent value.

ER-4.2 Limit recreational uses in wildlife refuges, nature preserves and wilderness areas in parks to those activities which have minimal impact on sensitive habitats.

ER-4.3 Prohibit planting of invasive non-native plant species in natural habitats that support special-status species.

ER-4.4 Require that development projects incorporate mitigation measures to avoid and minimize impacts to individuals of special-status species.

Action – Special Status Plants and Animals

ER-4.5 Where implementation of the Envision General Plan would result in impacts to burrowing owl habitat occupied by breeding owls in 2008 or later, providing mitigation of equivalent value shall consist of securing, protecting and managing nesting and foraging habitat in perpetuity for burrowing owls within the South Bay area such that there is no reduction in the local burrowing owl population. Mitigation shall be required for the largest number of breeding burrowing owls that have been identified nesting or foraging on a site in burrowing owl surveys since 2008. These measures are required to be implemented by individual projects unless the City develops an independent plan or participates in a regional conservation strategy (such as the Santa Clara Valley HCP) that would maintain or increase South Bay area burrowing owl populations.

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Table ER-4: Special-status Species in San Jose’s Sphere of Influence

<u>Migratory Birds</u>

More than 350 species of birds have been observed in the diverse array of habitats provided by the City.

Goal ER-5 – Migratory Birds

Protect migratory birds from injury or mortality.

Policies – Migratory Birds

ER-5.1 Avoid implementing activities that result in the loss of active native birds’ nests, including both direct loss and indirect loss through abandonment, of native birds. Avoidance of activities that could result in impacts to nests during the breeding season or maintenance of buffers between such activities and active nests would avoid such impacts.

ER-5.2 Require that development projects incorporate measures to avoid impacts to nesting migratory birds.

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<u>Urban Natural Interface</u>

Goal ER-6 – Urban Natural Interface

Minimize adverse effects of urbanization on natural lands adjacent to the City’s developed areas.

Policies – Urban Natural Interface

ER-6.1 Encourage fencing between residential areas and natural lands to minimize the encroachment of people, pets, and non-native vegetation into natural lands.

ER-6.2 Design development at the urban/natural community interface of the Greenline/ Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) to minimize the length of the shared boundary between urban development and natural areas by clustering and locating new development close to existing development. Key areas where natural communities are found adjacent to the UGB include the Baylands in Alviso, the Santa Teresa Hills, Alum Rock Park, and Evergreen.

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ER-6.3 Employ low-glare lighting in areas developed adjacent to natural areas, including riparian woodlands. Any high-intensity lighting used near natural areas will be placed as close to the ground as possible and directed downward or away from natural areas.

ER-6.4 Site public facilities such as ballparks and fields that require high-intensity night lighting at least 0.5 mile from sensitive habitats to minimize light pollution, unless it can be demonstrated that lighting systems will not substantially increase lighting within natural areas (e.g., due to screening topography or vegetation).

ER-6.5 Prohibit use of invasive species, citywide, in required landscaping as part of the discretionary review of proposed development.

ER-6.6 Encourage the use of native plants in the landscaping of developed areas adjacent to natural lands.

ER-6.7 Include barriers to animal movement within new development and, when possible, within existing development, to prevent movement of animals (e.g., pets and wildlife) between developed areas and natural habitat areas where such barriers will help to protect sensitive species.

ER-6.8 Design and construct development to avoid changes in drainage patterns across adjacent natural areas and for adjacent native trees, such as oaks.

Action - Urban Natural Interface

ER-6.9 Work with landowners, landscapers, nurseries, and the multi-agency Santa Clara County Weed Management Area to remove and prevent the spread of highly invasive and noxious weeds. Invasive plants are those plants listed in the State’s Noxious Weed List, the California Invasive Plant Council’s list of “Exotic Pest Plants of Greatest Ecological Concern in California,” and other priority species identified by the agricultural commissioner and California Department of Agriculture.

ER-6.10 Update the Riparian Corridor Policy Study and all City design guidelines based on guidance from Responsible Agencies on best practices for lighting to protect sensitive habitats and species, including birds and bats.

<u>Wildlife Movement</u>

Wildlife movement within or in the vicinity of San José takes many forms, and is different for the various species associated with these lands. Bird and bat species move readily over the landscape, foraging over and within both natural lands and landscaped areas of the City. Fish species move along the stream corridors, some as year-round residents, some as anadromous species that live in salt water and spawn in fresh water. Mammals of different species move within their home ranges, but also disperse between patches of high-quality habitat.

Movement of animals between the vast expanses of natural lands in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range is constrained by development that has occurred on the Santa Clara Valley floor. Consequently, it is important that wildlife be able to move between these two mountain ranges in the few areas where such movement still occurs. Within the City’s Sphere of Influence, the Coyote Valley and Almaden Valley still provides a landscape linkage between these two ranges. On-going acquisition and preservation of strategic lands by either public or non-profit agencies can further promote beneficial connectivity between wildlife habitat areas.

Goal ER-7 – Wildlife Movement

Minimize adverse effects of future development on wildlife movement and remove or reduce existing impediments to wildlife movement.

Policies – Wildlife Movement

ER-7.1 In the area north of Highway 237 design and construct buildings and structures using bird-friendly design and practices to reduce the potential for bird strikes for species associated with the baylands or the riparian habitats of lower Coyote Creek.

ER-7.2 In areas important to terrestrial wildlife movement, design new or improved existing roads so that they allow wildlife to continue to move across them (e.g., either over the road surface or through undercrossings or overcrossings designed for the animals moving through the areas). Enhance undercrossings used for wildlife movement (e.g., by enlargement) when roads are improved.

ER-7.3 Where new road crossings of streams are constructed, or existing culverts are replaced or improved, design them to allow movement of aquatic species present in any watercourse crossed by the road. Use clear-span bridges in place of culverts where feasible.

Action – Wildlife Movement

ER-7.4 To facilitate the movement of wildlife across Coyote Valley, work with the appropriate transportation agencies to replace portions of the median barrier on Monterey Road with a barrier that maintains human safety while being more permeable to wildlife movement and implement other improvements to benefit wildlife movement.

ER-7.5 Support the on-going identification and protection of critical linkages for wildlife movement in the Mid-Coyote Valley.

ER-7.6 Update the Riparian Corridor Policy Study and City design guidelines based on guidance from Responsible Agencies and other interested organizations on best practices for avoiding and minimizing bird strikes at new tall buildings.

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CHAPTER 3

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Stormwater

The City of San José is committed to responsible stormwater management to support healthy habitats, a healthy human population, and a healthy economy. To accomplish these goals, San José continues to implement policies and programs that manage its discharge into the City’s storm drain system to enhance the quality of local waterways.

Goal ER-8 - Stormwater

Minimize the adverse effects on ground and surface water quality and protect property and natural resources from stormwater runoff generated in the City of San José.

Policies - Stormwater

ER-8.1 Manage stormwater runoff in compliance with the City’s Post-Construction Urban Runoff (6-29) and Hydromodification Management (8-14) Policies.

ER-8.2 Coordinate with regional and local agencies and private landowners to plan, finance, construct, and maintain regional stormwater management facilities.

ER-8.3 Ensure that private development in San José includes adequate measures to treat stormwater runoff.

ER-8.4 Assess the potential for surface water and groundwater contamination and require appropriate preventative measures when new development is proposed in areas where storm runoff will be directed into creeks upstream from groundwater recharge facilities.

ER-8.5 Ensure that all development projects in San José maximize opportunities to filter, infiltrate, store and reuse or evaporate stormwater runoff onsite.

ER-8.6 Eliminate barriers to and enact policies in support of the reuse of stormwater runoff for beneficial uses in existing infrastructure and future development in San José.

ER-8.7 Encourage stormwater reuse for beneficial uses in existing infrastructure and future development through the installation of rain barrels, cisterns, or other water storage and reuse facilities.

ER-8.8 Consider the characteristics and condition of the local watershed and identify opportunities for water quality improvement when developing new or updating existing development plans or policies including, but not limited to, specific or area land use plans.

Actions - Stormwater

ER-8.9 Partner with public, private, and non-profit agencies on public outreach and education on the importance of responsible stormwater management.

ER-8.10 Participate in the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SVURPPP) and take other necessary actions to formulate and meet regional water quality standards which are implemented through the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and other measures.

Water Resources

The local water resource system consists of watershed lands, underground aquifers, groundwater recharge areas, recycled water, reservoirs, canals, streams, rivers, creeks, and the riparian vegetations associated with them. This local system is supplemented by the importation of water from external sources. Water is imported to Santa Clara County by the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) from state and federal water systems that flow through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) from the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Goal ER-9 – Water Resources

Protect water resources because they are vital to the ecological and economic health of the region and its residents.

Policies – Water Resources

ER-9.1 In consultation with the Santa Clara Valley Water District, other public agencies and the SCVWDs Water Resources Protection Guidelines and Standards (2006 or as amended), restrict or carefully regulate public and private development in streamside areas so as to protect and preserve the health, function and stability of streams and stream corridors.

ER-9.2 In consultation with the SCVWD restrict or carefully regulate public and private development in upland areas to prevent uncontrolled runoff that could impact the health and stability of streams.

ER-9.3 Utilize water resources in a manner that does not deplete the supply of surface or groundwater or cause overdrafting of the underground water basin.

ER-9.4 Work with the SCVWD to preserve water quality by establishing appropriate public access and recreational uses on land adjacent to rivers, creeks, wetlands, and other significant water courses.

ER-9.5 Protect groundwater recharge areas, particularly creeks and riparian corridors.

ER-9.6 Require the proper construction and monitoring of facilities that store hazardous materials in order to prevent contamination of the surface water, groundwater and underlying aquifers. In furtherance of this policy, design standards for such facilities should consider high groundwater tables and/or the potential for freshwater or tidal flooding.

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Archaeology and Paleontology

San José's long and colorful human and natural history provides a significant contribution to a sense of community identity. Native Americans represent a large part of that history, and artifacts from the Native American era and fossils of plants and animals have been discovered in various locations throughout San José. These artifacts provide an irreplaceable record of another civilization and the history of life on earth, so their protection is important.

CHAPTER 3

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Goal ER-10 – Archaeology and Paleontology

Preserve and conserve archaeologically significant structures, sites, districts and artifacts in order to promote a greater sense of historic awareness and community identity.

Policies – Archaeology and Paleontology

ER-10.1 For proposed development sites that have been identified as archaeologically or paleontologically sensitive, require investigation during the planning process in order to determine whether potentially significant archeological or paleontological information may be affected by the project and then require, if needed, that appropriate mitigation measures be incorporated into the project design.

ER-10.2 Recognizing that Native American human remains may be encountered at unexpected locations, impose a requirement on all development permits and tentative subdivision maps that upon their discovery during construction, development activity will cease until professional archaeological examination confirms whether the burial is human. If the remains are determined to be Native American, applicable state laws shall be enforced.

ER-10.3 Ensure that City, State, and Federal historic preservation laws, regulations, and codes are enforced, including laws related to archaeological and paleontological resources, to ensure the adequate protection of historic and pre-historic resources.

Action – Archaeology and Paleontology

ER-10.4 The City will maintain a file of archaeological and paleontological survey reports by location to make such information retrievable for research purposes over time.

Extractive Resources

Extractive resources known to exist in and near the Santa Clara Valley include cement, sand, gravel, crushed rock, clay, and limestone. All of these have provided building materials to the construction industry. Santa Clara County has also supplied a significant portion of the nation’s mercury over the past century.

Pursuant to the mandate of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA), the State Mining and Geology Board has designated: the Communications Hill Area (Sector EE), bounded generally by the Southern Pacific Railroad, Curtner Avenue, State Route 87, and Hillsdale Avenue, as containing mineral deposits which are of regional significance as a source of construction aggregate materials. Neither the State Geologist nor the State Mining and Geology Board has classified any other areas in San José as containing mineral deposits which are either of statewide significance or the significance of which requires further evaluation. Therefore, other than the Communications Hill area cited above, San José does not have mineral deposits subject to SMARA.

Goal ER-11 – Extractive Resources

Conserve and make prudent use of commercially usable extractive resources.

Policies – Extractive Resources

ER-11.1 When urban development is proposed on lands which have been identified as containing commercially usable extractive resources, consider the value of those resources.

ER-11.2 Encourage the conservation and development of SMARA-designated mineral deposits wherever economically feasible.

ER-11.3 When making land use decisions involving areas which have a SMARA designation of regional significance, balance mineral values against alternative land uses and consider the importance of these minerals to their market region as a whole and not just their importance to San José.

ER-11.4 Carefully regulate the quarrying of commercially usable resources, including sand and gravel, to mitigate potential environmental effects such as dust, noise and erosion.

ER-11.5 When approving quarrying operations, require the preparation and implementation of reclamation plans for the contouring and revegetation of sites after quarrying activities cease.

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Environmental Considerations / Hazards

San José’s Sphere of Influence includes many areas subject to varying degrees of naturally occurring hazards. Historically, as land becomes scarce, there is increased pressure to develop vacant land with a higher hazard potential. Development in hazardous areas, however, can result in significant costs to the community, including major property damage as well as potential loss of life. Another major consideration is the extraordinary expense borne by the City to repair and replace public utilities and facilities located in hazard areas.

Hazards obviously represent a risk to the community. The purpose of the goals and policies in this section is to incorporate safety considerations into the City’s planning and decision-making processes to reduce those risks. Since it is not possible to eliminate all such risks, the City and its residents must decide, based on personal, social, and economic costs and benefits, the degree of risk that is acceptable for various hazards. High risks in existing structures may be lowered to an acceptable level by physical alteration, relocation, demolition or changes in use. For new development, the emphasis of the Envision General Plan policies is to regulate construction so as to minimize identifiable risks.

The Natural Hazards policies in this Plan are based on substantial background data and analysis about existing conditions in the City of San José and in the Santa Clara Valley. The main sources for this information, incorporated into the Envision General Plan by reference, are: