On May 25, 2021, the City Council unanimously approved the Amended Diridon Stations Area Plan (DSAP) along with the Google's Downtown West Project and the Diridon Affordable Housing Implementation Plan. See the Council Agenda webpage for May 25 for links to the Memorandum and presentations in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. 

On Aug. 31, 2021, the City held a special community meeting to discuss neighborhood building transition and buffer measures for the Diridon Station Area. 

For more details about the DSAP and its relationship to other major projects in the area, as well as public engagement, please visit www.diridonsj.org.

BACKGROUND

The City of San José first adopted the Diridon Station Area Plan (DSAP) in 2014 after years of community engagement. In 2019, the City initiated a process to amend the DSAP to align it to current market conditions and planning efforts. The DSAP reflects Google’s Downtown West Mixed Use Plan, incorporates and refers to the Diridon Affordable Housing Implementation Plan, integrates equity considerations, and provides a guide for private development and public investments.

The City-initiated amendment process includes a Diridon Station Area Plan Amendment Addendum to the Downtown Strategy 2040 Environmental Impact Report as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 

The City Council approved the amended DSAP on May 25, 2021, following a community engagement process. This included approving increased building height limits, among other changes.

Development within the DSAP (but outside Google’s Downtown West project) must comply with the Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards. The Amended DSAP also includes design standards for providing transitions between existing low-rise residential zones and future mid- and high-rise buildings. As part of the approval, the Council directed staff to explore additional neighborhood transition measures at these interfaces. The August 31, 2021 community meeting provides opportunity for public discussion of the approved neighborhood transition measures (buffers and building transitions) and to gather feedback from community members on potential changes or additions to these measures.