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Santa Clara County Land Use & Development Articles



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Affordable Housing Preserved for East San Jose Families

An affordable housing group is celebrating its biggest win to date after San Jose officials approved the permanent preservation of 18 homes.
The South Bay Community Land Trust has spent nearly two years engaging with residents, city leaders and the …

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Silicon Valley Advocates Pledge Funds to Save Historic Farmhouse

The Japanese American Museum of San Jose is teaming up with preservation advocates to save a farmhouse once home to a World War II internment camp survivor.
A 1,472-apartment development on Seely Avenue threatened the North San Jose farmhouse once …

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Mountain View Planning Commission Backs Affordable Housing Development With Little Parking

An affordable housing development in Mountain View is one step closer to getting built, although it is still raising concerns that there is not enough parking for the hundreds of residents who will be living there.
CRP Affordable, an affordable …

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Mountain View’s Future Development Plans Along Moffett Boulevard Just Got Bigger

Moffett Boulevard, a busy thoroughfare in Mountain View, is poised to undergo some major changes, possibly on a much larger scale than originally anticipated.
The boundaries of a precise plan that will guide future development along the corridor are being …

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Housing Options Expand for Ag Sector

A new family farmworker residential development celebrated its grand opening in Morgan Hill on Nov. 20, adding 73 more homes to the city’s stock of affordable housing.

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Major Santa Clara Housing Project Clears Development Hurdle

Santa Clara has been bulking up housing in its northern neighborhoods and officials just approved plans for thousands more homes.
The Santa Clara City Council unanimously approved an environmental impact report, rezoning and a developers agreement for a 48.6-acre mixed-use …

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San Jose Developer Pays Millions to Reduce Affordable Housing

Plans for a San Jose urban village have shifted, after developers agreed to pay millions to offset their decision to build more affordable homes.
The San Jose Planning Commission unanimously approved a downscaled plan for hundreds of apartments at the …

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Sunnyvale to Spruce Up Downtown Pedestrian Mall

Sunnyvale is taking steps to make its downtown more inviting for residents and visitors alike by beautifying its most historic block.
The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved concept plans to turn the historic Murphy Avenue block of downtown …

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San Jose Hits Some Homelessness Goals, Misses Others

San Jose is inching toward its housing and homelessness goals, but still has a ways to go before it can shelter thousands of unhoused residents.
The city released its latest annual homelessness report in early November detailing its progress in …

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San Jose Tow-Away Zones Threaten RV Residents

People living in RVs along Almaden Expressway are worried they'll be thrown onto the streets when San Jose begins its tow-away zone program next year.
Under a new pilot program, the city will choose up to 30 temporary tow-away zones …

Los Gatan logo LOCAL NEWS
Planning Commission Warms to Los Gatos Meadows Proposal

Back on Jan. 13, 2022, when Covia Communities’ Los Gatos Meadows senior living community redevelopment proposal came before Planning Commission, it faced unanimous opposition.

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West Valley Cities Want to Ban Gas Appliances Amid Legal Ruling

Leaders across the West Valley are pushing for a greener future in one of the country’s most polluted areas, but it could be more challenging after a controversial ruling on the use of gas.
Campbell and Los Gatos recently explored …

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Sunnyvale to Scout Sites for Safe Parking Program

Sunnyvale leaders want to lower the anxiety levels of residents living in their vehicles through a widely supported solution: giving them a safe place to park.
The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a policy to allow safe vehicle …

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East San Jose Development Could Add Hundreds of Affordable Homes

East San Jose could be home to one of the city’s largest affordable housing developments in recent history under a new proposal.
City leaders are hosting a Nov. 18 community meeting to discuss a proposed 100% affordable housing development at …

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San Jose Prefab Homeless Housing Delayed by Mounting Flaws

A troubled San Jose modular housing project for homeless residents has hit another snag.
The opening of a temporary housing site on Branham Lane has been delayed over difficulties ensuring the homes are structurally safe. The project was supposed to …

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Sierra Nevada May Hold Key to Meet California’s Ambitious 30×30 Goal

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – California's 30×30 goal was a topic at the Sierra Nevada Alliance Conservation Conference held at Lake Tahoe Community College, Nov. 7-8. In 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom committed the state to conserving 30% of lands …

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San Jose Advocates to Meet With Hospital Officials on Expansion Plans

San Jose residents have scored a win in their fight against a $1.2 billion proposal to expand Good Samaritan Hospital after securing a meeting with the hospital CEO over possible community benefits.
Members of the Rescue Our Medical Care campaign …

Hilltromper Silicon Valley logo LOCAL NEWS
Veteran Pacifica Surfers Hope Artificial Reef Can Quash the Need for a Beach-Destroying Seawall

Former Surfrider president and his allies propose an offshore reef to protect Sharp Park Beach—and create a nice wave for surf competitions.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Downtown San Jose Road Could Close for New Pedestrian Mall

San Jose officials want to recreate the success of downtown gathering spaces like San Pedro Square and Paseo de San Antonio by permanently closing off vehicle traffic in a third location.
The San Jose City Council voted on Nov. 5 …

Featured

Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society
Zoning is everywhere, but is it a way to regulate development or a tool for social engineering?
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission has ruled over the state’s shoreline.
California Coastal Commission: Where It Comes From, What It Does
How a nuclear plant, a real estate development and an oil spill led to a landmark law.
The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land
Starting in 1976, the legislature began creating agencies to buy up open land, and keep it open.
Does California’s signature environmental law protect the state’s scenic beauty, or cause more problems than it solves?
CEQA: The Surprising Story of CA’s Key Environmental Law
54-year-old environmental law is often blamed for causing the state’s housing crisis. Is it getting a bad rap?
The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.