Pleasanton Weighs New Process To Screen Major Development Projects Earlier

PLEASANTON, CA — At its Tuesday meeting, the Pleasanton City Council will consider adopting a new “Early Project Review” process to create a clearer and more streamlined way of evaluating development proposals that require major policy changes.

The new policy would allow the City Council to weigh in early on whether a major project, such as rezoning or General Plan amendments, should move forward. The process would apply to most private development projects requiring legislative approval, though it would exempt 100% affordable housing projects and smaller developments, which are generally under one acre or below certain size thresholds.

Under the proposed process, applicants would need to submit detailed materials, such as project descriptions, fiscal impact analyses, and explanations of community benefits. At least once per year, the city would hold a public hearing to review submitted projects and decide whether to allocate staff resources to formally process them. The council could approve, delay, or reject proposals.

Early approval would not guarantee final project approval, which would still require a full review.

The proposal also introduces application fees of $14,500 for larger projects and $9,500 for smaller projects to cover staff time. Additional consultant costs will be billed separately.

See here to learn more and here for Tuesday’s full agenda.