To:   HONORABLE MAYOR AND                   From:   Stephen M. Haase

                        CITY COUNCIL

 

   Subject:   SEE BELOW                                               date:   November 24, 2003

 

COUNCIL DISTRICT:  4

SNI AREA:  None

 

 

SUBJECT:     GP03-T-09: General Plan Text Amendment request to amend San Jose 2020 General Plan Urban Design Policy No. 10 to allow for a maximum building height of 210 feet on approximately 43.0 acres on a site located on the west side of North First Street at the terminus of Component Drive.

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

The Planning Commission voted (7-0-0) to recommend the adoption of the proposed General Plan text amendment to increase the height limit to 210 feet for the property on the west side of North First Street at the terminus of Component Drive.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On November 17, 2003, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider a privately initiated General Plan amendment request to amend Urban Design Policy No. 10 to allow for a maximum building height of 210 feet on approximately 43.0 acres on a site located on the west side of North First Street at the terminus of Component Drive.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would determine the ultimate building height during their review of a specific project.  It is possible that a building may not be able to built to the 210-foot height due to FAA regulations.

 

The Director of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement recommended approval of the General Plan Text Amendment on the subject site. As explained in the attached staff report, it is staff’s position that the proposed text amendment is consistent with the General Plan Major Strategies, goals and policies in that it would facilitate intensification of development opportunities in the important North San Jose employment center located directly adjacent to the Guadalupe Corridor light rail line and assist the City in retaining and expanding the development of job generating uses.

 

 

ANALYSIS

 

The applicant’s representative, Frank Jesse of BEA Systems, spoke in support of the text amendment.  BEA Systems relocated to San Jose from Sunnyvale in 1998 due to San Jose’s ability to accommodate the type of campus BEA Systems desired.  Mr. Jesse indicated that the intent of the proposed text amendment is to:

(1)   Consolidate BEA System’s core research and development division, now located at nine separate locations around the country, to the North San Jose location;

(2)   Locate its core business in the San Jose area that is able to provide desirable housing and community benefits for its 3,300 employees; and

(3)   Achieve the company’s desire for North San Jose to remain as the corporation’s primary headquarters

 

Commission Discussion

 

The Commission’s discussion focused on obtaining a better understanding of the project.

 

Commissioner Zito asked whether the requested 210-foot building height was necessary in order to achieve the build-out of BEA System’s existing 1.4 million square feet of research and development/office entitlements.  In response, staff indicated that BEA Systems would be able to build-out the existing entitlements with the existing 120-foot height limit, but the proposed amendment gives them flexibility in the overall urban design of the future project.

 

Commissioner Levy asked a follow-up question as to whether this was the first step by the applicant to eventually request additional development beyond the entitlements of 1.4 million square feet of research and development/office uses.  Tom Armstrong, representing the applicant, stated that the proposal was the first of several future steps to work with the City in an effort to consider entitlements to meet the company’s future expansion needs.

 

The Commission voted 7-0-0  to recommend to the City Council adoption of the General Plan Text Amendment.

 

PUBLIC OUTREACH

 

The property owners and occupants within a 1,000-foot radius were sent a newsletter regarding the community meetings that were held on October 14th and 15th.  They also received a notice of the public hearings to be held on the subject amendment before the Planning Commission in November and City Council in December.  In addition, the Department's web-site contains information regarding the General Plan process, amendments, staff reports, and hearing schedule.  This site is available to any member of the public and contains the most current information regarding the status of the amendments. 

 

CEQA

 

Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Revised Rincon de Los Esteros Redevelopment Plan in San Jose, Resolution No. 60197. 

 

 

STEPHEN M. HAASE, SECRETARY

Planning Commission