neighborhood concerns have done most, if not all, of the following:

1. Organize a Planning and Land Use Committee
   This committee focuses the volunteer efforts of those who have an interest, can work together, educate themselves about the issues and develop and discuss politically reasonable solutions.
2. Attend meetings and interact with public officials
   Leaders and members regularly attend Planning and Land Use workshops and Planning Commission and City Council meetings and meet with elected officials and city staff.
3. Work together with other neighborhood association groups and community groups
   The association works with other associations to address large projects or city policy proposals and to develop position papers and comprehensive proposals that address each neighborhood’s specific needs and the different types of neighborhoods (urban core, suburban and transit corridor), because each has neighborhood has different conditions, concerns and priorities. This prevents conflicts that arise when several neighborhood organizations adopt positions that conflict and force officials to adopt a “one size fits all” policy that does not address each neighborhood’s needs.
4. Support other neighborhood associations
   The association supports other neighborhood associations and their viewpoints and positions in public meetings, neighborhood associations. This builds consensus instead of causing other organizations to feel their valid concerns and positions are not supported.
5. Host a website and email list
   A website provides information through a list of current proposed development projects, educational information and references. An active email list alerts neighbors about important public meetings with developers, Planning Commission and City Councils and provides a forum for in-depth, factual discussions with reasonable alternative proposals.

Ensuring consistent, well-organized, educated volunteer efforts and using websites and email as your primary communication tools are the keys to successful organization and advocacy for neighborhood associations. The typical neighborhood association that has not been successful has done few of the above recommendations, has inconsistently implemented the recommendations, or has waited until a major proposal occurs, then emotionally reacted with poorly written objections that are easily dismissed by city staff or elected officials because they only know them as the group who always shows up angry with inappropriate or unreasonable objections.

If it were easy, every association would have quickly implemented these recommendations a long time ago. The significant neighborhood volunteer effort to organize and advocate for neighborhood concerns and positions on planning and land use issues is worth the effort to preserve, enhance and improve each neighborhood’s quality of life. This work allows your neighborhood to insist on great development and not accept poor or inappropriate development proposals and policies that will result in future neighborhood and city problems and infrastructure expenses. The work that you and many of your neighbors do will also protect your largest single investment, your home.

City of San Jose Online Planning/Santa Clara County County Property Information

• • City of San Jose Planning and Development Activity Email List
    www.sjpermits.org/permits/general/emailform.asp
    Sign up for email subscription notification service by City Council District or SNI neighborhood for San Jose proposed planning, general plan changes and development activity.

• • City of San Jose New Planning Applications
    www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=2051
    Access a list of planning project applications by week

• • City of San Jose Permits Online
    www.sjpermits.org/permits/
    Look up Permits by Address, Assessors Parcel Number (APN), City Council District, Permit number, SNI Neighborhood or general planning information
    Permits Online Questions – Call 408-277-4000
    Building Permits Questions – Call 408-277-454
    Planning Permits – Call 408-277-4576
    Email: OnlinePermits@sanjoseca.gov
    On Line Customer Help Form: www.sjpermits.org/permits/help/contact.asp

• • City of San Jose Online Permit Reports
    www.sjpermits.org/permits/general/reportdata.asp
    New Construction Activity Report, Chronology Permit Activity Report and Permit Data file are listings of all permits issued
    Questions: 408-277-4000
    Email: OnlinePermits@sanjoseca.gov
    On Line Customer Help Form: www.sjpermits.org/permits/help/contact.asp

• • San Clara County Assessors Property Information System
    www.sccassessor.org/index.php/online-services/property-search/real-property
    Look up property information and assessed values in San Jose and throughout Santa Clara County

• City of San Jose Capital Improvement Projects by Council district
  www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=295
  Look up City of San Jose Capital improvement projects by Council District

San Jose Planning and Land Use Publications & Information

• • San Jose Council Public Outreach Policy 6-30
    www.sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3892
    Do not assume that all city departments use the policy. The Parks Recreation and Neighborhood Services(PRNS) Departments have a separate policy. The Transportation Department, City Arborist, Public Works Department and other departments have not implemented the policy. As of August 2005, only the Planning Department and part of the Transportation Department use part of the policy.

• • Planning in San Jose: A Community Guide
    www.sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/317

• • 2010-2011 Bay Area Cost of Development Survey
    www.sanjoseca.gov/documentcenter/view/10566
    This report provides a city by city comparison of Development fees in the Bay Area and shows San Jose having below average fees compared to many other cities. The report lists individual city fees and development taxes (city development/zoning plan review), impact costs (street, sewer repairs/capacity additions etc) and capacity fees (park, library, street trees and sewage fees).

• • San Jose City Council District Maps
    www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=2039

• • City of San Jose Planning Maps & Data
    www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=1769

City of San Jose Residential Development Guidelines

• • Single Family (Residential) Design Guidelines
    www.sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/435

• • Historic Conservation Ordinance
    http://sanjose.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/California/sanjose_ca/title13streetssidewalksandpublicplaces*/chapter1348historicpreservation?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:sanjose_ca

• • Historic Design Guidelines (Your Old House: Guide for Preserving San Jose Homes)
    www.sanjoseca.gov/?nid=3301

• • San Jose Flag Lot Residential Policy
    www.sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/362

Please Note: UNSCC is 100% managed and staffed by our member volunteers who research and add the information to our web sites. If your city is not listed it is because no one has volunteered. Please volunteer to assist UNSCC in adding more Planning and land use information. Thank you.