Developer presents 143‑unit, all‑electric housing plan for 1400 Coleman Ave in Santa Clara

City Ventures representative Pamela (developer representative) presented designs and a timeline for a proposed 143‑unit housing project on a 3.6‑acre site at 1400 Coleman Avenue in Santa Clara, saying the developer will provide substantially more on‑site affordable homeownership units than the city requires and that the project will be all‑electric.

The presentation outlined a mixed‑density plan the developer said is intended to tie into the station area plan near the existing train station and future BART service. City of Santa Clara project manager Nimisha (senior planner) told attendees the application is in the entitlement review stage and, if department comments are satisfied, the project is tentatively scheduled for hearings in the fall: "once they have satisfied all the comments from different departments, they will be scheduled for a hearing, tentatively in the fall of this year." No construction schedule was set.

Why it matters: the site is adjacent to the Industrial Innovation District and within walking distance of transit; the project will require a general plan amendment and rezoning and could affect current commercial tenants on the property and nearby pedestrian and transit access.

Key details from the presentation and question‑and‑answer session: City Ventures said the project would include 143 units at a density of about 37.1 dwelling units per acre. Unit types will include studios, one‑bedrooms (about 830 square feet), two‑bedroom one‑bath units (just under 1,000 sq. ft.), two‑bedroom two‑bath units (about 1,215 sq. ft.) and three‑bedrooms (about 1,750 sq. ft.). The developer said it will provide close to double the on‑site affordable housing that the city requires; the city'required baseline mentioned in the meeting is 15% at roughly 100% of area median income (AMI), and the developer did not state an exact percentage but said the project aims to exceed that requirement.

Pamela described design features intended to support walking and transit use, including a landscaped spine through the site, paseos, pocket parks and bike racks; she said the team is "looking at the charging for e‑bikes." On energy, the developer said, "We are an all electric developer, so there will be absolutely no gas lines and filling." Parking will include surface spaces and garages for the attached townhome units, and a mix of tandem and side‑by‑side parking.

Several attendees raised operational and design questions the developer said it will continue to refine: where rideshare drop‑offs and deliveries will occur, how sidewalks transition to neighboring curbs (one attendee suggested softening a right‑angle corner to a shallower angle for pedestrian flow), and whether the project team is coordinating with the ongoing station area plan. The developer said the project team has been engaging with station area planning and is attempting to align building heights and setbacks with that plan; a 15‑foot front setback requirement was cited and the site plan shows setbacks ranging from about 14 to 25 feet on different frontages.

Labor and tenant concerns: Lloyd Reber, representing NorCal Carpenters Local 405, urged the developer to hire responsible contractors who pay fair wages, provide health benefits, invest in apprenticeship programs and hire locally: "These aren't just boxes to check, they're standards that ensure that people building our homes and businesses can afford to live here too." Attendees who are current tenants asked about relocation timing; the developer and meeting facilitators said the property has been on sale for several years, the property manager has been notifying tenants, and there is no firm move‑out date set. Attendees reported they were told more information could come in April; the developer said move‑out timing is driven by the property owner and the entitlement and sale process.

Process and next steps: Nimisha (City of Santa Clara senior planner/project manager) described the permit path: after addressing departmental comments the applicant will be scheduled for hearings, including planning commission and city council because the project requires a general plan amendment and rezoning, then an architectural/development review. The developer said it is privately financing the project and is not seeking city, state or federal construction funding. The presentation and recording will be posted on the city's project webpage.

The meeting closed with the developer and city staff inviting further written comments and questions by email and promising to post materials from the session online.