CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA PACKET 2-3-26

Page 1 of 4 Item #7 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT February 3, 2026 Community and Economic Development TITLE: CONSIDER DEVELOPING A POLICY FOR EVALUATION OF DEVELOPMENT- RELATED GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS AND RE-ZONING REQUESTS SUMMARY The City receives periodic inquiries from developers about potential re-zoning of property to allow for a change in use, with the volume and frequency of such requests increasing in the past year. Such approvals require legislative action (modifications to the General Plan and/or zoning), and are discretionary on the part of the City. There is currently no policy in place regarding whether or how the City should accept and process these types of applications, which typically require a significant investment of time and effort on the part of an applicant and the City to process. This agenda report provides background and recommends developing a policy to address these applications, which would provide a structured framework for early City Council review and direction on specific proposals, based on an evaluation of the merits, benefits and impacts of proposed projects and availability of staff resources. RECOMMENDATION Direct staff to develop a policy for evaluation of development-related General Plan amendments and re-zoning requests. BACKGROUND The City of Pleasanton periodically receives requests by property owners and developers to consider re-zoning of properties – most frequently for rezoning from non-residential to residential use, although on occasion for modification of zoning or annexation and pre-zoning of property for commercial use. There has been an increase in the frequency of these types of requests in the past one to two years, particularly since COVID, with the shift aligned with a significant downturn in demand for office space in Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley. Pleasanton has a large inventory of 40- to 50-year-old office buildings, most built during an era of substantial investment and expansion of Pleasanton’s office and business parks. With recent economic shifts, particularly the increased prevalence of work-from-home, many of these buildings have seen higher vacancy rates, prompting owners to consider whether to invest substantial sums in building updates and new amenities to compete with newer office space on the market. Repurposing these sites for other uses appears to be an attractive alternative for owners, prompting inquiries about the City’s interest or potential support for re- zoning. The City does not have an established policy or process for whether or how these types of requests should be considered, placing staff in a difficult position when approached by prospective developers. Outside the mandates of the Housing Element and certain State laws, discretionary re-zoning remains a policy choice for the City Council, not staff. Page 73 of 80