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Santa Clara County Land Use & Development Articles



San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
East San Jose Official Wants Funds to Fix Blighted Parks

San Jose city parks have a problem — there's a huge backlog of needed repairs and insufficient funds to bring them up to standard. One councilmember may have a solution, but it's going to take time.
District 5 Councilmember Peter …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Planning Commission Says No to Hospital Expansion

The San Jose Planning Commission recommended denying plans to expand Good Samaritan Hospital based on its controversial owner — a stunning decision for a hospital that has been part of the community for decades.
Commissioners voted 7-1 recommending against the …

Los Gatan logo LOCAL NEWS
Decision on 220 Belgatos Rd. Development Delayed as Environmental Review Continues

Since a Planning Commission item about a controversial development at 220 Belgatos Road was headed for tabling Wednesday evening, as an environmental review continues, Chair Steve Raspe asked staff for background into two laws that could affect the outcome: the …

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San Jose Leaders Approve Costco Amid Resident Uproar

San Jose officials have greenlit the long-planned Westgate West Costco warehouse in what some residents describe as a once-thriving shopping center.
While the San Jose City Council unanimously approved plans — with recusals from Councilmembers Pam Foley due to a …

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Cupertino Candidates Talk Housing, Budget Before Election

The next iteration of the Cupertino City Council is slated to make significant decisions about housing and the budget. Candidates recently shared their perspectives.
Cupertino voters attended a Thursday candidate forum, hosted by San José Spotlight, where six of the …

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San Jose Leaders Prime Old Golf Course for Development

A shuttered golf course in East San Jose is ready for a future mixed-use housing project following city leaders' recent adoption of development guidelines for the area.
Months of community engagement with District 5 and District 8 residents led the …

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Silicon Valley Water Agency Addresses Impact of Homelessness

Santa Clara County's largest water district is weighing how to address the hundreds of homeless people living along local waterways — including potential penalties for those camped on district land.
Valley Water officials on Friday hosted the Unhoused People and …

Hilltromper Silicon Valley logo LOCAL NEWS
Indigenous Activists Succeed in Monument Removal, Urge End to Genocide Symbols

As the re-creation of the 90-mile Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail is on its way, Indigenous activists are working to remove associated statues and plaques.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Amah Mutsun Land Trust Appoints New Board Members

The Amah Mutsun Land Trust recently announced that four new board members have been appointed to the Gilroy based nonprofit’s board of directors.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Glen Loma Ranch, City of Gilroy Agree on $7.2M Payment for New Fire Station

The City of Gilroy and the developer of Glen Loma Ranch this week resolved a standoff over the builder’s previous promises to pay for the construction of the Santa Teresa Fire Station.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
State Gives San Jose Millions to Clear Homeless Camps

The state plans to give San Jose $4.8 million to help clear encampments and provide support to unhoused residents. But it's a mere drop in the bucket compared to what the city needs to tackle homelessness.
Gov. Gavin Newsom doled …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
New Law Allows More Farmworker Housing Development in Santa Clara County

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a new state law that could lead to more farmworker housing development in Santa Clara County.

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
New Law Allows More Farmworker Housing Development in Santa Clara County

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a new state law that could lead to more farmworker housing development in Santa Clara County.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Leaders Sign Off on East Side Improvement Plan

San Jose is moving forward with establishing its sixth business improvement district, giving East Side leaders hope for a thriving economic sector and community going into 2025.
The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted in favor of starting …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Tiny Home Site to Double Beds for Homeless

After months of delay, a tiny home project in South San Jose is expanding to help more people off the streets.
By this time next year, 107 units will be added to the tiny home site at 5898 Rue Ferrari, …

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San Jose Landmark Status Saves Church From Demolition

An 83-year-old church in downtown San Jose has been granted historic landmark status after years of fighting invasive development proposals that could have demolished the house of worship.
Grace Baptist Church at 484 E. San Fernando St. has been designated …

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San Jose Considers Tax Breaks to Fill Downtown Offices

City leaders want to give new businesses a tax break and parking benefits to lure them into downtown.
A downtown office incentives policy is slated to pass at the City Council Tuesday in an effort to bring not just big …

Los Gatan logo LOCAL NEWS
Council Directs Staff to Prioritize Restroom Plan

Los Gatos is one step closer to having a permanent public potty downtown.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Residents Say Costco Too Big for Neighborhood

West San Jose residents say their community isn't the place for a massive Costco warehouse and its inevitable impact on traffic safety.
The Planning Commission is set to certify an environmental impact report on Wednesday for a potential sixth Costco …

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.
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