The Pleasanton Planning Commission has unanimously recommended that the City Council rezone three commercial properties for high-density residential housing. If developers proceed with construction at these locations, the project could yield nearly 1,500 new housing units. The recommendation was approved during a September 9 meeting, following significant debate among commissioners who felt the action was necessary to fulfill a settlement agreement.
The requirement stems from a dispute over the city’s 2023-2031 Housing Element, a state-mandated plan for accommodating new residents. After the California Department of Housing and Community Development certified the document in September 2023, the Housing Action Coalition, an affordable housing nonprofit, sent a letter claiming the plan was inadequate.
Shweta Bonn, a senior city planner, explained that the coalition’s primary concerns involved the inventory of available sites and the lack of property owner approvals for some locations, despite no legal requirement for such consent. The group also argued that some listed sites were not vacant, reducing the likelihood of development within the planned timeframe.
To avoid litigation, the city negotiated a settlement with the coalition. Katherine Wisinski, assistant city attorney, stated that while the city disagreed with the coalition’s findings, the council chose to enter the agreement to rezone and redesignate three specific sites. Commissioner Dave Jagoe noted during the meeting that the commission and staff did not originate the requirement but were tasked with selecting the appropriate locations.
The three sites are all located within the Hacienda Specific Plan area. The Hacienda West site, at 3825 and 3875 Hopyard Road, spans 14.19 acres and currently houses a 208,806-square-foot commercial building. It proposes a density of 30 to 40 units per acre, allowing for a maximum of 567 units.
The Metro 580 site at 4515 Rosewood Drive covers 10.52 acres and contains 167,441 square feet of retail space. With 30 to 60 units per acre, it could accommodate up to 631 net new units. The third location, at 5960 Inglewood Drive, is the smallest at six acres and currently holds a 103,600-square-foot office building.
