DRAFT Diridon Station Area Plan (DSAP) Amendments

The City of San José adopted the Diridon Station Area Plan (DSAP) in 2014 after years of community engagement. The DSAP sets forth a blueprint for the development of the Diridon Station Area, a 250-acre district surrounding San Jose Diridon Station on the western edge of downtown. Since adoption of the DSAP, several key planning assumptions have changed, such as:

  • The City is no longer planning for a major league ballpark.

  • Google began planning for a mixed-use development.

  • City Council directed City staff to prepare an Affordable Housing Implementation Plan for the Diridon area.

  • The City and its transit partners began work on the Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan.

  • City Council approved a policy to allow for greater height limits in Downtown, including the Diridon area.

  • City Council adopted comprehensive Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards in 2019.

  • There is a new focus on environmental sustainability through Climate Smart San José.

  • The City initiated the Downtown Transportation Plan process.

In early 2018, the City launched a community engagement process to gather input on the vision for the Diridon Station Area. In 2019, the City initiated an amendment process intended to: adapt the DSAP to current circumstances; align it with the other adopted and ongoing plans; integrate equity considerations; and support DSAP implementation through private development and public investments. The Draft Amended DSAP is now available for public review and comment here:

DSAP Community Meeting (December 3, 2020):

Staff requested and encouraged public comments on the Draft Amended DSAP by January 11, 2021. Staff is now considering the feedback while making changes to the draft plan and preparing recommendations for Planning Commission and City Council. Moving forward, please send any questions or comments to Jose Ruano, DSAP Project Manager, (408) 535-3803, Jose.Ruano@sanjoseca.gov. All comments will be included in the public record and provided to Planning Commission and City Council.

The Draft Amended DSAP retains the primary vision of the original DSAP and updates the objectives to reflect the community input received since the City’s engagement process began in early 2018. The most notable changes proposed in the Draft Amended DSAP include:

  • an expanded boundary;

  • a greater mix of land uses throughout the area;

  • additional development capacity through increased building height limits;

  • updated transportation concepts for the street and trail network, parking and transportation demand management, and future transit station

  • updated public space concepts, including the open space network, future parks and plazas, and links to the trail system

The City-initiated amendment process will require completion of an environmental analysis as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City is planning to release the draft environmental document later in 2020. This technical memo and context map describes the CEQA approach.

In addition, the City’s consultant HR&A Advisors, Inc. prepared this feasibility analysis of an “Incentive Zoning” program for the Diridon Station Area: HR&A memo.

The target for City Council consideration of the Amended DSAP is Spring 2021.