Planning commission recommends city council approve amended affordable-apartment design at 1355 California Circle

The Milpitas Planning Commission voted unanimously on a recommendation that the City Council approve a site development permit amendment and a density bonus permit for a revised 75‑unit affordable apartment building at 1355 California Circle.

City planning staff presented the amendment and related permits for the project originally approved in November 2023. Michael Fosati, senior planner for the City of Milpitas, told the commission the previously approved development included 131 townhomes plus a six‑story, 75‑unit apartment building; Pulte Homes, now the project owner, proposes a redesigned five‑story apartment building with a different unit mix and deeper affordability. Fosati said the proposed building would continue to provide 75 affordable units and that the developer and Milpitas Unified School District had discussed a local preference arrangement for district employees but that any separate private agreement between the developer and the district would not be part of the city’s permit documents.

The project team described the changes and reasons for them. Jim Sullivan, representing Pulte Homes, said Pulte acquired the entire site after the previously approved apartment developer could not proceed and that Pulte is partnering with Waterford Property Company and KTGY (architects) on the new design. Sullivan said the new building is lower in height (five stories instead of six), retains 75 apartments, increases on‑site outdoor…