Cities are required by State law to adopt General Plans that lay out plans for development and growth, with elements that cover housing, land use, open space, and other needs. When cities plan for development of a large parcel or area, they often choose to create specific plans, a tool included in California law that implements the General Plan, but allows for a customized set of development standards to be legally adopted for that specific area.
A specific plan can range from a set of broad policy concepts to a comprehensive plan that provides significant details about the land uses, infrastructure, and resources.
Precise plans are similar to specific plans, though they are more loosely defined, allowing more flexibility in defining the priorities for a selected area. Some cities may use the terms interchangeably.
While San Jose has adopted specific plans, including the Midtown Specific Plan and the Evergreen Specific Plan, in recent years it has adopted a new planning concept called Urban Villages.
Specific Plans
Sunnyvale – Moffett Park Specific Plan
Moffett Park in Sunnyvale is currently a suburban-style designed area dominated by office parks and…
Santa Clara- Patrick Henry Drive Specific Plan
This proposed specific plan in Santa Clara is for a 76-acre industrial park neighborhood bounded…
Santa Clara- El Camino Real Specific Plan
El Camino Real (ECR) is the City of Santa Clara’s most visible and identifiable commercial…
Santa Clara- Downtown Precise Plan
The 25 acres bounded by Benton Street, Lafayette Street, Homestead Road and Madison Street was,…
Transit Oriented Communities at BART Stations
Transit-oriented development (TOD) is high-density residential and non-residential development located near rail transit stations and stops…
Palo Alto- North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan
Back in 2017, the Palo Alto City Council initiated the preparation of a Coordinated Area…
Sunnyvale – El Camino Real Corridor Specific Plan
The City of Sunnyvale is underway with a community planning effort to refine and guide…
San Jose- Berryessa BART Urban Village Plan
As BART continues to make its way to the South Bay, it is critical that…
San Jose- Diridon Station Area Plan
In May 2021 the San José City Council unanimously adopted amendments to the Diridon Station…
Cupertino- Vallco Town Center
SV@Home is a strong supporter of the Vallco Town Center SB35 proposal, which will bring 1,201…
Approved Plans
Mountain View- North Bayshore Implementation
In 2017, SV@Home led a diverse coalition of housers in support of a housing-rich North…
Mountain View – Terra Bella Area
Mountain View undertook a Visioning and Guiding Principles Plan for this area on both sides…
Santa Clara- Tasman East Focus Area Specific Plan
On November 13, 2018, the Santa Clara City Council adopted a Specific Plan for Tasman…
Santa Clara- Lawrence Station Area Plan
On November 29, 2016, the City Council adopted the Lawrence Station Area Plan (a Specific…
Sunnyvale- Lawrence Station Area Plan
The City of Sunnyvale adopted the Lawrence Station Area Plan in 2016 to guide development…
Mountain View- East Whisman Precise Plan
In November 2019, the Mountain View City Council approved the East Whisman Precise Plan, an…
