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Page 3 of 9 employee per 300 to 400 square feet, compared to one per 250 square feet for office Pleasanton is well-positioned to attract new IBBs, with a solid and diverse industrial base and 5.2 million square feet of current inventory. Unfortunately, Chapter 18 Zoning of the PMC is outdated, and as a result, it may create unnecessary barriers to IBBs that may impede this type of new investment in Pleasanton. Many of the IBBs noted above have specific facility requirements and typically need to build out their new space/facilities within a very tight schedule, because of the nature of their investment/capital funding and business models. Thus, cities that can offer them expedited review, certainty, and accommodation during the approval process are much more attractive locations for investment. Conversely, IBBs avoid locating where the zoning requirements could cause unnecessary delays, uncertainty, or impose unreasonable requirements that create barriers to investment. In 2023, the City Council, as part of their adoption of the updated Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP), approved a major initiative to attract the Life Sciences/Biotechnology sector and modernize the City’s Zoning and permit process to reduce regulatory barriers for those businesses. This initiative appears as Initiative 5.1 within the EDSP. In March, 2025, the City Council affirmed seven priority strategies for the 2025/26 Fiscal Year from the ONE Pleasanton Strategic Plan, including a focus on Economic Development and, specifically, Strategic Plan Goal E, Strategy 4 to implement the EDSP. As outlined in the July 23, 2025, Planning Commission Agenda Report (Attachment 2), staff worked with life sciences industry consultant Alex Greenwood Group to evaluate Pleasanton’s current zoning and identify updates to better support biotechnology and other IBBs. The review included: • Analyzing current industrial zoning for clarity and efficiency • Comparing Pleasanton’s zoning with industry needs against other successful cities that have successfully attracted IBB uses • Gathering input from local businesses and community leaders The assessment identified several issues that limit Pleasanton’s ability to attract and support IBBs as follows: • Outdated land use definitions that don’t account for newer innovation-based industries • Some zoning districts require unnecessary conditional use permits for low-impact businesses • Restrictions on complementary uses, like hotels, may limit business potential • Heavy reliance on PUD’s makes zoning unclear • There is no online, interactive zoning map for easy research by businesses • Development standards (height, setbacks, parking) need updating to reflect current industry needs • The PMC unnecessarily triggers Design Review in many cases Page 47 of 674