Milpitas planning commission recommends zoning changes to create Housing Opportunity Districts, sends package to council

The Milpitas Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council approve a package of general plan and zoning amendments to create “Housing Opportunity Districts” (HODs) that would update Town Center and Neighborhood Commercial Mixed Use (NCMU) rules to make mixed‑use and multi‑family housing easier to build.

The action, forwarded to the City Council with an amendment adopting the citywide parking ratios in the comprehensive zoning update, passed on a roll call with five ayes and one abstention. Commissioners voting yes were Krishna Kong, Medina Ashby, Commissioner Albana, Vice Chair Calkins and Chair Gupta; Commissioner Galang recorded an abstention. The commission’s recommendation would send General Plan and text amendment GP 24‑0001 and zoning map/text amendment ZA 24‑0001 to the council, and includes the Housing Opportunity District addendum to the Milpitas General Plan 2040 FEIR and a supplemental letter.

The HOD package is designed to implement the city’s General Plan and the sixth‑cycle Housing Element adopted in January 2023, and to respond to recent state housing laws and the city’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Principal Planner Lillian Van Hoa summarized staff’s view in the presentation: “The housing opportunity districts will implement general plan goals and policies, incentivize affordable housing, help meet current and future regional housing goals, support the revitalization of aging shopping centers, support existing and future neighborhood‑serving retail and professional services, and create a net positive on city revenue.”

What the amendments would do

- Create subdistricts within the existing Town Center (TC1/2/3) and Neighborhood Commercial Mixed Use (NCMU 1/2/3) designations to clarify where mixed‑use, horizontal mixed‑use and residential‑only development are allowed. - Change maximum densities and heights in some areas: staff…