Photo Credit: City of San Ramon Agenda / Conceptual Site Rendering
(SAN RAMON, CA.) – The San Ramon Planning Commission will meet on Jul. 7 to review early plans for the Olive + Oak Housing Development. The project proposes clearing a 7.2-acre commercial site at 3150 - 3180 Crow Canyon Place to build a mix of multi-family townhomes and affordable apartment rentals.
According to city documents, the development would have a net density of 29.6 dwelling units per acre. If approved, the four existing office buildings on the site will be demolished to make way for 119 three-story for-sale townhomes featuring three and four bedrooms. The plan also features 16 optional accessory dwelling units (ADUs) built within the townhomes, alongside a five-story building containing 45 below-market-rate rental apartments.
The neighborhood would feature 285 total parking spaces, a private park with a play structure, and an 8-foot-tall sound wall along Interstate 680. Plans also show new private roadways on the property, including a through road connecting Crow Canyon Place directly to adjacent approved housing developments at Bishop Ranch 12 and Annabel Lane. An existing access easement to the neighboring Commons Office Park will be maintained.
Photo Credit: City of San Ramon Agenda / Project Site Map
Because of state laws regarding affordable housing, local officials have limited power to alter the development’s core layout. City staff confirmed in their report that the project bypasses traditional local oversight in favor of state-mandated guidelines: “The Project site is designated as a Housing Opportunity Site in the adopted San Ramon 2023-2031 Housing Element. The Project proposes 45 Below Market Rate (BMR) rental apartment units, totaling 27% of the proposed overall unit count with the following affordability levels, thus qualifying the Project for the streamlined ministerial review process.”
Under California Government Code Section 65583.2(i), the city cannot use discretionary reviews to block or alter the architectural plans or tree removal permits, as long as the project meets objective standards. The 45 affordable rental units are broken down by specific income brackets: 10% for extremely low-income households, 10% for very low-income households, 60% for lower-income households, and 20% for low-income households.
Since the project includes so much affordable housing, the developer is using California’s Density Bonus Law to bypass certain local rules. Specifically, they are requesting “one concession related to the requirement to provide affordable rental units to be comparable in size and type to the proposed market-rate units, and seven waivers related to objective design and development standards.”
The developer has split the project into two separate applications, setting up two distinct paths for approval. The city’s Planning Commission retains local control over the first phase, which is the legal subdivision of the land for condominiums, and will hold a formal public hearing and vote on the layout. However, under state law, the second phase covering housing design and tree removal will bypass the Planning Commission entirely, heading straight to the city’s Zoning Administrator for a standard administrative review.
Tuesday’s meeting is a study session designed for early feedback, which city staff noted will have no “Fiscal Impact on the City of San Ramon because no action is being requested at this time.” According to the meeting agenda, “This Study Session provides the Applicant the opportunity to share their project vision with the Planning Commission and public early in the review process. Likewise, this is an opportunity for the Commission to solicit public comment and to provide initial comments on the Project with the understanding that the Project applications have not been deemed complete for formal processing and may still be amended to address application requirements and review comments.”
On Jun. 26, city staff mailed notices of the upcoming Jul. 7 meeting to property owners well outside the standard 300-foot radius. Following Tuesday’s meeting, the developer will have the opportunity to incorporate the commission’s feedback while city staff continues to review the Olive + Oak Housing Development applications.
If you have any questions or comments, please email me at kathleen.p@lead4earth.org or comment below.
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