Envision San José 2040 Initiated by City Council – On June 26th, the City Council formally initiated the Envision San José 2040 General Plan Update by approving a set of guiding principles, work plan and community outreach program. The Council’s discussion centered on the implications for the Coyote Valley Specific Plan (CVSP), in particular the timing for considering changes to the “triggers” outlined in the current San José 2020 General Plan. These triggers specify that both employment and City fiscal stability milestones are to be satisfied prior to implementation of the CVSP. After lengthy debate, the Council approved Mayor Reed’s recommendations to proceed with completion of the CVSP and its Environmental Impact Report, and then consider whether to refer modification of the triggers to the new General Plan Update. In August, the Council will appoint a community task force to guide the creation of the Envision 2040 General Plan. The Task Force is expected to begin meeting in the fall. Interested community members can stay connected to the process in a variety of ways, including upcoming workshops and the General Plan Update website. To subscribe for e-mail updates about the process, click on “Get Involved” from the website.

San José Wins “Blue Ribbon” for 3D Buildings in Google Earth – San José is now “on the map,” – the Google Earth map, a virtual globe that depicts aerial photos and 3D terrain relief of the entire world. This cutting edge technology is taking hold worldwide as cities race to have their skylines built on the Web, literally creating a visual fly-over for everything from tourism to envisioning future development. The City’s Planning Division has been working with Google and interested people from around the world to render San José’s buildings in 3D, overlaid with amazing photo-texturing. Our Planning Division GIS staff used CAD data and SketchUp to create “building shells” to scale for all buildings downtown. Now, the buildings can be covered with photographs to achieve a realistic image. San José was also part of the launch of a new section of Google Earth’s site called Help Model a City, which solicits other virtual builders to create the photo-realistic buildings. Our initial efforts have won Google’s “Blue Ribbon” award and drawn interest from a builder from as far away as the United Kingdom who used photos from the Planning Divisions’ Picasa site to photo-texture the San Jose Marriott Hotel! Want to get involved and help us build San José?  Here’s how:

• View our City’s building shells in City of San José section in Google’s 3D Warehouse
• Take some pictures of your favorite building, add them to our models, and upload them to the 3D Warehouse
• We also have created a Picasa web page that has pictures of select buildings downtown that you can use to add to our 3D building shells

For more information, about how to help create photo-textured 3D buildings for San José, contact Greg Rose.

Stay Connected with Development-related News and Updates – With your subscription to the Development News electronic newsletter, you’re now among the first to hear about development process streamlining efforts, service enhancements, local development data and trends, project updates, training opportunities, and best practices. You can update your subscription information, to include changing your mailing list selections and profile information, any time by visiting our subscription page.  Simply type in your e-mail address and sign up to stay connected!

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Downtown High Rises Continue to Sprout – Construction began in June with pile drivers working on the new 360 Residences project by Mesa Development. This 23-story mixed use residential tower is located in the SOFA district at Market and San Salvador. Concrete foundation pours are anticipated in early July and delivery of the first unit is expected within two years. Elsewhere in downtown, the race to the top continues between CIM’s Tower 88 at Central Place, a 22-story tower located at San Fernando and South 2nd Streets, and KT Properties’ Axis project, a 22-story tower located at North Almaden and Notre Dame. Both projects are adding about a floor a week.

County Island Annexation Program Enters Second Phase – With twenty annexations now complete, San José is 160 acres larger and has about 480 more people. The City is now preparing for the second of three phases of annexations, which will bring the remainder of the smallest County pockets into the City’s jurisdiction. These are expected to go to Council for approval this fall, after which City planners will work on the first set of larger annexations. To find out more, visit the County Island Annexation Program website, or contact Justin Fried at (408) 535-7871.

First Three Residential Entitlements Approved for North San José – Development in North San José is well underway with 717 residential units entitled out of 8,000 allowed in the first phase of development. The First Community Housing project, 100 affordable housing units on ¾ acres, was approved for rezoning in March and for development permits on June 27th. At the old Hyundai site, the Legacy Partners project for up to 575 attached residential units and up to 5,000 square feet of commercial space, was approved for rezoning in April and for development permits on June 22nd. Finally, Essex Property Trust, a development for up to 42 attached residential units on just over ½ an acre, was approved for rezoning in May and for development permits on June 29th. For the latest information about current and pending projects, visit the City’s Vision North San José website.

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New Codes Bring Sweeping Changes to Building Areas and Story Limitations – When it becomes effective on January 1, 2008, the 2007 California Building Code (CBC) will offer some sweeping changes to building area and story limitations. For example, residential occupancies such as hotels and motels will benefit from a 16% to as much as 85% increase in basic allowable floor areas. For the same occupancies, the allowable number ofstories could increase by two, depending on the type of construction. Similarly, for B Occupancies (business), the basic allowable area increase from the 2001 CBC to the new 2007 CBC could be from 12% to 100% and the allowable number of stories could increase by two, depending on the type of construction. For more information, including charts that detail the story and floor area changes by construction type between the current and new codes, contact Homer Maiel (408-535-7765). Additional code information also can be found at the following websites:

International Code Council 
California Association of Building Officials 
California Building Standards Commission

City Prepares for Code Adoption with Ordinance and Customer, Staff Training – The State has now published the new California Building Codes which will become effective on January 1, 2008. Over the coming months, the City is preparing to adopt the new codes and offering training courses for the public. Continue to look here each month for the latest on the Code Adoption schedule.

We’d like to thank our many customers for taking the time to let us know when our service has impressed you. The following are excerpts from letters we’ve received:

I wanted to express my sincere appreciation to several members of your building inspection staff for their timely response and outstanding professionalism on a fire restoration project that our non-profit, Rebuilding Together was recently involved with.  Mr. Robert Queirolo and Mr. Mike Terwilliger went well beyond their normal scope of duties. They both provided much needed, yet last minute, construction assistance and positive personal attention, which insured key repairs could be satisfactorily completed on a tight weekend schedule. It’s gratifying to know we have such quality and knowledgeable people serving our community.  [letter excerpt from Volunteer Construction Leader & Board of Directors Member for Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley ]

Thank you, Suparna Saha, for all your help with zoning and sewer [issues during the annexation of my property to the City]. You were extremely helpful and I appreciate all you did. Thank you, thank you!   [letter excerpt from San José resident]

I am writing in regards to the most wonderful program every offered to low-income families with properties they cannot afford to keep up to code. It’s a true miracle; I have to really stress this. Code Enforcement Administrator Jamie Matthews came to my door one day after a neighbor complained that I had a blighted property and said he could help. He had a team come over and show me what they could do with planting and ground cover. This program involved volunteers from Westgate Church, Crossroads Bible Church, Church on the Hill and Green Valley Christian Church. They spent two full days completely reconstructing my yard, painting my house, repairing wood siding and gates, and trimming overgrown trees. And they were the best people, joyous and exuberant. I want to thank all the wonderful volunteers. [letter excerpt from San José residents]

We’re writing this letter to express our extreme satisfaction with your junior planner, Avril Baty. During the last several months, she has shown us several qualities that any employer would be proud of, such as:  a strong work ethic; attention to detail; and a clear and precise knowledge of planning issues. Avril’s wonderful work qualities are a credit to the Planning Department and to you, Lee Butler, as her Senior Planner.  [letter excerpt from Rockwell Homes Development Manager]

My husband and I would like to thank your department, particularly [Code Enforcement] inspectors John Hernandez and Lynn Romano, for helping to clean up our street in Willow Glen. The neighbors directly across from our home had collected four non-functioning cars that were becoming a blight to our neighborhood. Inspector Hernandez [did a wonderful job and was always very professional when he called to update us]. Inspector Romano personally towed away one of the cars during the clean up efforts. We were very impressed with your inspectors and the speed with which they helped us beautify our neighborhood. Keep up the good work!  [letter excerpt from San José residents]

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Improved Service in Mind with Consolidation of Long-range, Current Planning – The next phase of a department-wide reorganization was completed this week with the merger of two planning divisions into one. Long range and current planning functions have now been combined and will be headed by a new Planning Official, the recruitment for whom is underway. Resulting changes include merging clerical and support staff functions, consolidating the imaging and records team, adding a planner to support the General Plan Update, dedicating a planner to streamlining the process for small development projects, and adding a planner to assist with code changes that will result in an improved development process. In the coming months, additional changes will be announced including a department-wide technology team and Green Building and stormwater planners that will further the Department’s integration of its code enforcement, building and planning functions.

Early Contact with Applicants to Improve Project Review – Planning project managers are now contacting customers within three days of filing their development permit applications to introduce themselves and give the applicant an opportunity to describe and discuss their project. In addition, for major projects, the project manager will arrange a meeting with the applicant within two weeks so that they can better understand the project design and key objectives. We intend for this earlier communication between the City and applicant to minimize the number of review cycles by improving our working relationship with customers and enabling us to provide more meaningful initial design comments. This early contact with applicants falls within the State-mandated 30-day window the City has to provide an applicant with comprehensive project design comments.

SJSU, Planning Partnership Yields Spanish Version of Community Planning Guide – The City’s award-winning guide to land use planning and development is now available in Spanish through a continued partnership with San José State University (SJSU). Planning in San José: A Community Guide is an excellent resource for residents, business and property owners, and developers who want to learn more about the City’s process. SJSU’s Urban and Regional Planning Department helped the City’s Planning Division develop the English version of the Guide and subsequently translated it for the new Spanish version. This valuable resource will now help reach San José’s significant Hispanic population, furthering the City’s ability to actively engage its diverse communities in the planning process. Both versions of the Guide are currently available on the Planning website , and hard copies of the Spanish version will soon be available for purchase at City Hall.

First Anniversary of Zoning Code Change Celebrates Time Saved – Since the adoption of a Zoning Code change that allows building additions of up to 5,000 square feet with a permit adjustment as opposed to a development permit, the City has saved each of seven customers about three months of processing time. The permit adjustment allows customers to proceed to the Building permit process in several days when previously they were required to obtain approvals in a more lengthy process that often lasted several months. The change was approved by City Council in July 2006.

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Building Permit Activity for May – Residential activity was slow (137 units). Commercial activity was moderate and industrial activity dipped to its lowest point in three years with a total permit valuation (new construction and alterations) of $18.0 and $2.4 million, respectively. Construction highlights include:

• Groundbreaking occurred for Village Square Condos, a 95-unit redevelopment project by SummerHill Homes within the Burbank/Del Monte SNI Area and West San Carlos Street Neighborhood Business District.
• Groundbreaking occurred for Grandview Terrace Condos, a 45-unit project by Pinn Brothers at the northeast corner of North Capitol Avenue and Grandview Drive. The site was largely vacant and just annexed to the City late last year.
• A permit was issued to Sikh Temple for construction of an approximately 75,000-square foot multi-use building (worship, school, dining, minister residence) in the Evergreen Specific Plan area. 
• Construction is nearing completion at San José Market Center, a 356,000-square foot retail development at the southwest corner of Coleman Avenue and West Taylor Street that broke ground in June 2005.  The latest permits were for three satellite restaurant buildings to be occupied by Sweet Tomatoes, El Pollo Loco, and Carl’s Jr.
• A permit for tenant improvements was issued to Nextest Systems for first-time occupancy of a 128,000-square foot vacant space in the Edenvale Industrial Park that will become the company’s corporate headquarters.  Nextest is a leading manufacturer of automatic test equipment for semiconductors.

Expedited Zoning, Tree Processes Show Quick Results – Last month we launched a one-hour appointment process for Zoning Verification Letters which are needed for a number of permits issued by other agencies including Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Since mid-June when the program began, we’ve issued 18 letters and saved customers a total of about 54 weeks of processing time. In addition, the new over-the-counter permit issuance for removal of dead trees is very successful with 30 permits processed since May.

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July Winners of the Director’s Customer Service Award – Each month, we recognize employees who have distinguished themselves with their dedication and proactive, positive customer service-oriented approach to their jobs.  Cleon Eccles’ mentorship of Code Enforcement Inspectors and established rapport with property owners and managers demonstrate her leadership and dedication to the Multiple Housing Program which ensures our City’s tenants live in safe and sanitary rental housing.  José Federico’s exemplary work ethic and willingness to jump in and find solutions in the Development Services Permit Center has been well noted and appreciated by customers and coworkers alike. Finally, Suparna Saha has delivered excellent service to customers initiating annexation to the City from the County, expertly helping them navigate the process.   

Suparna Saha

José Federico

Cleon Eccles

Promotions Bring New Leadership to Plan Check and Inspection Divisions – The Building Division has promoted Kathryn Sedwick and John Ruch (photo not available) as the two new Division Managers to lead the Plan Check and Building Inspection Divisions, respectively. Since her career with the City began in 1998, Kathryn has served as a plan check engineer, manager of the Permit Center, and head of the City’s Small Business Ambassador Program. Previously, she spent 12 years in the private sector working in the field of Structural Engineering. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architectural Engineering from Cal Poly and is also a California registered Civil and Structural Engineer. John is no stranger to construction, having honed his skills as a Journeyman Carpenter and spending 15 years managing construction projects for private sector companies. Since joining the City in 1997, he has served as a Building Inspector, Supervising Building Inspector, and Acting Permit Center Manager. John holds an Associate of Science Degree in Engineering and Building Inspection Technology. Kathryn’s and John’s tenacity, wide-ranging experience, and commitment to public service and the development community are qualities they both bring to their new roles. In particular, their work with our Permit Center will allow them to bridge the many facets of our business and help us continue to be regarded as a leading Building Division. Congratulations Kathryn and John!

View from the observation deck of the Jin Mao Tower (an 88-story skyscraper that is the 5th tallest building in the world and currently the tallest building in China) located in the Lujiazui area of the Pudong District of Shanghai. Today, Pudong is the heart of Shanghai's financial district. A mere ten years ago this area was entirely rice paddies and farmland. In the foreground of the photo is the Oriental Pearl Tower, which is the centerpiece of the renowned Pudong skyline. Across the river, in the hazy distance, is the historic Bund waterfront area of Shanghai.

‘Yin-Yang’ Experience Touring China Impresses Senior Planner – “This was a truly amazing professional and personal experience,” raves Juan Borrelli about his recent visit to China. “I came back with a well-rounded understanding of the country and its philosophical yet pragmatic (‘yin-yang’) approach to planning and design.” During May and early June, Juan led a group of planners on an Urban Planning Tour of China to explore Chinese planning, urban design, architecture, food, history, music, art, and culture. Along the way, the group met with public and private-sector planners, architects, urban designers, historians, and artists in several cities including Hong Kong, Macao, Yangshuo, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing. They also experienced first-hand the serious air and water quality issues China is facing. China has strict environmental laws, but corruption has interfered with enforcement. In an attempt to improve air quality for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the government has mandated, under penalty of “heavy fines,” that all industrial and manufacturing companies in the province stop production for three months prior to the Games. All automobiles and trucks, except for taxis, public buses, and government vehicles, will be banned from Beijing during that same time. “Just imagine,” Juan recounts, “nearly everyone in an area of 14 million people will have to use public and alternative transportation for three months!” Juan is a Senior Planner with the City and is currently the Director of the Northern Section California Chapter of the American Planning Association. He has also experienced Cuba on a planning tour.

County Mediators Graduate 300 Employees From Dispute Resolution Course – “Our employees, whether out in the field or behind our public counters, work continually with customers to resolve project challenges,” says Joe Horwedel, Department Director for Planning, Building & Code Enforcement. “We want to give them the best set of tools to make sure their daily interactions are successful.” Enter the Santa Clara County Office of Human Relations which tailored a two-day dispute resolution program for the entire Department. Over the past nine months, every Department employee has attended one of 14 total sessions. The classes were a blend of lecture, discussion, and role-playing exercises designed to introduce and reinforce a variety of skills including active listening techniques, problem-solving steps, reframing questions, and “I” messages. Building inspector Patrick Lydon noted that, “My day is spent at construction sites where I’m the difference between a project going forward or not. I have to be able to get to resolution quickly and this training solidified the techniques I already use and gave me new ones to try. I’ve even been using them at home!”

HR Recruiter Brought On Board to Help Fill Vacancies – Delanie LoFranco joined the Department in early June to manage and expedite the employee hiring process. Among Delanie’s current, priority recruitments are the Planning and Building Officials. Delanie is part of a pilot “matrix” program which houses an employee from the  City’s Department of Human Resources with client Departments to expedite hiring and ensure they have direct knowledge of jobs, operations, and hiring needs. Delanie worked for the City in the late 1990’s as an Analyst with the Departments of General Services and Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services. Most recently, she worked as an Employment Supervisor for King County Metro Transit in Seattle, Washington.

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Customer Forums

• July 13th, Developer’s Roundtable, City Hall Tower, Room T-332, 8:00 – 10:00 AM.

• July 17th, Neighborhood Roundtable, City Hall Tower, Room T-332, 7:00 - 9:00 AM.

• July 20th, Construction Roundtable, City Hall Tower, Room T-332, 8:30 – 10:00 AM.

Training Courses/Workshops

• Free energy-efficiency classes – Sign up for classes offered through the Silicon Valley Energy Watch Program, a partnership between the City of San José and PG&E. Visit www.pge.com/energyclasses for course and registration information. Coming up:

• July 31st OR August 1st, Retrocommissioning in Practice:  Finding Low-cost Energy-saving Opportunities in Your Building, San José City Hall (7/31) OR Pacific Energy Center, San Francisco (8/1), 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Free with registration

This workshop will help building and facility managers, energy managers, building engineers, O&M staff, and project managers understand how retrocommissioning (RCx) can fit into their organization’s energy management strategy. Identify operational energy saving improvements, utilize benchmarking tools, and access technical and financial assistance.

• August 15th, PG&E’s Residential New Construction Program, San José, 9:00 – 11:00 am, Free with registration

Learn about substantial incentives, such as rebates and potential federal tax credits, now available to builders of single family homes and multi-family dwellings throughout California.

Seminars/Events

• July 12th, Urban Renewal: An Insider’s Look at Millennium Park

What:  Director of Chicago’s Millennium Park, Edward Uhlir, will discuss the park’s development and impact, and the many aspects that have made it one of the most talked about urban development programs in the United States.
Where:  Le Petit Trianon Theater, 72 North Fifth Street, 7:00 PM
Cost:  FREE
Information:  Jennifer Easton (408-277-5144 x24)

• September 30th – October 3rd, 2007 CCAPA Conference – Transforming the Urban Fabric   

What:  Networking and educational opportunities for planners, urban designers, commissioners, and other planning-related professionals from around the world
Where:  Fairmont Hotel, Downtown San José
Keynote Speakers:  Carl Guardino, President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and Norman Y. Mineta, former City of San José Mayor, member of Congress, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Conference Highlights:  Opening reception at The Tech Museum of Innovation; Diversity Summit at the San José City Hall Rotunda; Over 110 conference sessions following ten “threads;” Eleven mobile workshops highlighting communities throughout the Bay Area; California Planning Foundation auction to fund planning student scholarships
Information/Registration:  2007 CCAPA Conference Home 
Get Involved:  Exhibit booths are sold out already, but opportunities for Sponsorship and Program Advertising are still available. 

• Neighborhood Clean-up Days – Looking to get rid of large, bulky items such as tires, mattresses, and appliances from your home in San José? Nearly every Saturday of the year, Code Enforcement employees take large dumpsters to designated locations in San José’s neighborhoods to help residents dispose of their unwanted items. Call (408) 277-4528 for a schedule of clean-up events for your Council district.

Recurring Meetings

Planning Director’s Hearing – Held every Wednesday (excluding holidays)

Planning Commission – Meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month (excluding holidays)

Historic Landmarks Commission – Meets the 1st Wednesday of every month (excluding holidays) 

For more upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit our Master Calendar.

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