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San José planners say outreach reached hundreds; public favors more housing and walkable, transit‑oriented neighborhoods
Summary
Staff reported extensive outreach for the four‑year General Plan review — five in‑person open houses and robust online engagement — and said comments showed broad support for more housing, mixed‑use development and protecting neighborhood character, while raising infrastructure and displacement concerns.
Michelle Flores, a planner with the Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement, told the task force that staff conducted a multi‑pronged outreach program for the four‑year General Plan review that included five in‑person open houses, 16 stakeholder meetings and additional neighborhood and focus‑group sessions.
Flores said more than 800 people attended in‑person open houses and staff received hundreds of written comments across virtual and in‑person events: “We received over 422 comments in the virtual open house” and roughly 610 comments from other activities, with responses in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese. She also said 272 people signed up for the project email list and staff distributed flyers at 11 community centers and all city libraries.
The presentation summarized recurring themes from community input: a general recognition of the need for more housing and affordable units; support for mixed‑use, transit‑oriented development to reduce car dependence; requests for ground‑floor commercial uses and community spaces; and concerns about the effects of new housing on neighborhood character, traffic, parking and infrastructure capacity. Flores said the outreach effort emphasized accessibility for people unfamiliar with the General Plan, including short informational videos posted on the project website and social media.
Commissioners and staff discussed next steps for outreach. Staff said targeted engagement would continue through the fall to inform development standards for missing‑middle housing and proposed targeted General Plan amendments, and that environmental review and formal draft policy language would follow the Planning Commission’s recommendation to City Council.
The task force will return recommendations to the Planning Commission next week before the Council considers staff proposals on August 18; staff said outreach and public input will continue during the drafting and CEQA phases.
