Department Overview
Outside Agency Coordination
Planning for the future of the City of San Jose involves coordination of many different agencies with differing purposes. Four of the most important coordination activities are with congestion management, the county planning permit referral process, the school site reuse plan and the Open Space Authority.
In June 1990, California voters approved Proposition 111 (the gasoline sales tax increase), which provides new funding for the state's transportation system. This measure also triggered a requirement that countywide traffic Congestion Management Plans (CMP) be prepared in urban counties to formally coordinate county and regional efforts to manage traffic congestion. This effort involves planning for efficient read and transit networks and balancing land uses because the location and intensity of different land uses such as employment centers or residential areas can greatly affect traffic patterns and congestion, particularly at commute hours. As the largest city in Santa Clara County, San Jose plays a major role in implementing the CMP.
In 1983, the City of San Jose, the County of Santa Clara and the City of San Jose Redevelopment Agency entered into an agreement to allocate a portion of Redevelopment-derived property tax increment funds to the County. In exchange, the County agreed to follow the City’s General Plan when approving development in unincorporated areas throughout the City of San Jose's Urban Service Area. Implementation of the tax sharing agreement consists of a referral and comment procedure. The Division reviews County permit requests for conformity with San Jose's General Plan and/or annexation status.
The City maintains a current listing of surplus school properties and identifies sites which the City has an interest in purchasing or leasing for open space or some other public purpose. This School Site Reuse Plan is a guide to surplus sites which are potentially available for City use or acquisition. The Plan also fulfills a requirement of state law which allows the City to acquire school sites at below-market value.
Planning staff continues to work with Santa Clara County Open Space Authority to identifying priority open space sites for acquisition. Staff provides computer-generated maps, other materials and recommendations to the Authority to assist it in this process.
