Planning staff reviews year of approvals and building pipeline in San Ramon

Assistant Planner Lucas Hoss presented the Planning Commission’s annual year-in-review, summarizing work roughly covering July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The presentation cataloged zoning-ordinance text amendments, public-art installations, and an extensive housing pipeline that includes both approved projects under construction and projects still in plan check or review.

Hoss noted several projects with active construction or permitting activity, including City Village at Bishop Ranch (404 units, construction underway with 66% of building permits issued), Pepper Grove (demolition underway), Avalon Bay Apartments (construction underway), Bartlett BR7, Bishop Branch 11, and ARIA/Deerwood Heights. He also described longer‑range projects such as Bella Village (a 131‑unit 100% affordable project approved by use-by-right) and projects with litigation or delayed starts (Marketplace mixed-use project has ongoing litigation). Hoss emphasized where demolition has begun, which projects are in plan check and which remain to be determined for construction timing.

In Q&A, staff explained that applicants for affordable housing commonly file building-permit applications and site-development materials concurrently to position projects as shovel-ready when state or federal funding (including tax credits) becomes available. Commissioners asked for clarification about which projects had active grading or demolition and whether site development applications were pending; staff confirmed the status of several sites and said they would follow up with more detailed timelines when available.

The commission received the report and used it as a planning overview rather than taking formal action. Staff also noted procedural items: the July 21 meeting likely will be canceled for lack of agenda items, the commission will elect a new chair and vice chair in August, and a previously noticed Toyota property item is on hold pending applicant resubmittal.