Midtown Specific Plan
According to the Midtown Specific Plan,, it was never the intent for this area to be converted to housing of any kind.. The plan recognized the need to ensure that the employment lands were kept intact instead of being broken up mid - bl ock.. The land was always intended as support for the new residential development and to serve those residents who are able to walk or ride light rail to downtown attractions or to their jobs at Adobe or Cisco..
Adopted by Council in December 1992,, the Midt own Specific Plan set out to balance the needs of infill development that would allow San Jose to grow in a sustainable manner.. The stated goal of the plan was to “……gguide the evolution of this 210 - acre industrial and commercial service area in a way that will encourage coordinated development,, responsive to citywide and regional objectives as well as local and neighborhood considerations....”” To do this meant outlining a clear set of guidelines that preserved at least 29%% of the land for commercial//iindustri al use while allowing up to 2,940 dwelling units that reflected diverse needs in a manner that complemented existing neighborhoods..
The plan also states,, “……IIt is not the intent of the plan to force existing businesses out of the area;; rather,, the plan prov ides policies and guidelines that encourage new development to complement and enhance existing uses,, allowing for these uses to remain as long as they wish....”” To accomplish this,, the plan broke up the area into zones or subareas with specific criteria in each subarea..
The Sunol Court project falls into the Cahill West subarea and notes that with the Union Pacific Railroad and outlines the reason for preserving the land as industrial by stating,, “……TThe relative isolation of this area,, between the UPRR and t he main line tracks,, and the viability of the existing businesses……mmake it less suitable for traditional residential development.. To achieve the planning principle of preserving and intensifying viable industrial uses within Midtown,, the plan calls for thi s portion of the Cahill West subarea to remain within a combined industrial - commercial land use designation,, encouraging existing businesses to remain and intensify and other suc h uses to locate within the area..””
Considering the need to preserve employment lands,, the amount of housing and mixed - use developments either completed or in the pipeline,, it would seem in the City’s best interest to preserve the intent and specifics of the plan to leave the proposed project zoned commercially..
Cahill West Section o f the Midtown Specific Plan
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