REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Update on Tasman East Specific Plan Implementation [Council Pillar: Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing and Transportation Development]
Report
BACKGROUND
On November 13, 2018, the City Council adopted the Tasman East Specific Plan (TESP) to guide the transition of an underutilized 45-acre industrial neighborhood immediately adjacent to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Lick Mill Light Rail station into a pedestrian-friendly and transit-oriented development with the addition of 4,500 new residential units near transit and jobs. The Specific Plan also incorporates approximately 100,000 square feet of neighborhood-oriented and convenience retail and 10 acres of open space including various outdoor recreational facilities and landscape features, a public plaza, pocket parks and paseos.
DISCUSSION
There has been strong development interest within the Specific Plan area since its adoption. As shown in Attachment #1, to date, there are currently five projects in the architectural review process and an additional six projects that have completed the architectural review process and submitted building permit applications. While all projects are subject to an inclusionary affordable housing requirement, the projects currently under construction also include a 100% affordable housing project with 196 rental units, developed by St. Anton Tasman East, LP. In total, 4,484 residential units are either approved or pending for development out of the 4,500 units of capacity available within the adopted Tasman East Specific Plan.
As staff works with the Tasman East developers on projects in the Specific Plan, hurdles relating to implementation of certain aspects of the Specific Plan were identified. On August 20, 2019, the City Council approved a contract amendment with the City’s planning and environmental consultant for Tasman East, Perkins + Will, to prepare an update to the Tasman East Specific Plan to analyze the replacement of a proposed street extension of Calle de Sol, which was adopted in the Specific Plan, with a pedestrian and bicycle paseo. This modification would allow the City to retain the existing Primavera sanitary sewer pump station at its current location.
In addition to the change to Calle del Sol, the update would address other issues. Developers have requested more flexibility in how best to determine additional site-wide Transit Demand Management options as a modification of those identified within the Specific Plan. Co-working and daycare activities are additional uses that can be added to the plan as desirable and developers are interested in locating these supporting businesses on second or third stories of their multistory buildings. While these uses would be complementary to the new residential neighborhood being created, the zoning district in Tasman East, Transit Neighborhood, limits these uses to the ground floor and thus an amendment to the zoning district is necessary. An Amendment to the Specific Plan (Amendment #1) and to the Transit Neighborhood Zoning District is scheduled to be considered on August 26, 2020 by the Planning Commission for their recommendation to the City Council. The items are tentatively scheduled to be considered by the City Council on September 29, 2020.
There is more potential to develop the Tasman East Specific Plan area as 12 acres within the Specific Plan boundaries are not yet proposed for redevelopment; however the capacity created through the Specific Plan is nearing its limit of 4,500 units. On November 19, 2019, the City Council approved the application and receipt of grant funds for the SB2 Planning Grants Program Year One issued by the California Department of Housing and Community Development for the purposes of amending the Tasman East Specific Plan to add up to 1,500 more residential units and analyze the associated environmental and infrastructure impacts and improvements. The work associated with that Specific Plan Amendment (Specific Plan Amendment #2) to increase development capacity has not yet begun. The City Council will consider, in late Fall 2020, an amendment to the contract with Perkins + Will to assist staff with the preparation of the Specific Plan Amendment #2 and the associated environmental analysis.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the review of this status update on the Tasman East Specific Plan. Implementation of adopted the Specific Plan is funded through private development applications. Consultant work associated with Amendment #1 to the Specific Plan is also funded by private developers through a reimbursement agreement with the City. The future Specific Plan Amendment # 2 referenced above is anticipated to be funded by a grant allocation from the State of California associated with Senate Bill 2. Following the grant announcement in Spring 2020 and should the City receive the grant award, staff will return to Council to recommend a Budget Amendment in order to appropriate funds.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov>
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Note and file the Update on Tasman East Specific Plan Implementation.
Staff
Reviewed by: Andrew Crabtree, Director, Community Development
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Taman East Specific Plan Projects Map
2. Tasman East Specific Plan Projects List