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The Pleasanton City Council participated in a special workshop last week where the members told staff to begin assessing a number of projects to prioritize over the next couple of years, including the possible annexation of Castlewood, updating the Downtown Specific Plan and developing a citywide fiber-optic blueprint.
These projects, along with several others the council expressed support for, are just some of the 82 projects listed under the city’s five-year strategic plan’s fiscal year 2025-26 and 2026-27 project prioritization list. These projects range from ones that have already been identified as must do projects, to ones the city is committed on completing, to others that have been deferred for the time being,
The March 17 special council workshop served as a sort of check in with the council to gauge where its priorities lie and to see what projects the council would be willing to support financially moving into the next fiscal year.
“The purpose of tonight … is really to hear from the council about what you want to accomplish and for us to re-triage the list and come back to you with some options and a recommendation,” City Manager Gerry Beaudin said during the meeting. “A lot of folks want a lot of specific things for a variety of different reasons and we’re just trying to take limited resources and put them to the needs that are identified by the City Council.”
Back in 2023, the City Council adopted its ONE Pleasanton five-year citywide strategic plan, which replaced the city’s longstanding two-year priority setting process.
The plan established five strategic goals and 47 strategies to help guide city operations, service delivery and capital investment over a five-year period.
Its five multi-year goals include funding the city’s future through fiscal sustainability, optimizing the organization to ensure the city delivers quality services and programs, investing in the environment through eco-friendly and sustainable facility infrastructure, safeguarding the city through public safety and emergency preparedness, and community development.
Last week’s workshop not only provided an update on the implementation of the strategic plan, but it also introduced the city’s new “Strategic Plan Dashboard”, which serves as the city’s formal quarterly reporting tool where residents can see all the work the city is doing surrounding the strategic plan.
“This workshop marks an important shift from strategy development to structured implementation and accountability,” Sharon Petrehn, principal analyst for the city, told the council.
She added that the purpose of the workshop was to provide a progress update on the strategic plan and council priorities, to confirm the council’s strategic focus as the city approaches fiscal year 2026-27 and to ensure alignment between council priorities, staffing capacity and budget resources.
“This helps to ensure the city remains focused on initiatives that matter most to the community,” she said.
In the first three years of the five-year plan, the council identified seven strategies focusing on policy direction, staffing capacity and fiscal resources. Last week, the council reviewed these strategies and decided to remove the assessment of the city’s overall emergency preparedness, as substantial work in that area is already complete.
According to Petrehn’s presentation, the city completed two functional emergency operations center exercises and “strengthened coordination and response readiness”.
Councilmember Julie Testa also clarified with Beaudin that it doesn’t mean the city will completely abandon emergency preparedness.
“We will continue to focus on emergency preparedness within our organization,” Beaudin said.
The council showed initial support for continuing the other six council priority strategies but added that for the strategy regarding new revenue sources, they want the city to explore any and all new potential sources of funding to address infrastructure needs. Mayor Jack Balch also suggested folding in prioritizing downtown vitality and finding ways to further elevate its economy.
But the main topic during the special workshop was the list of priority projects.
As the city enters the final two years of the strategic plan, staff are looking to advance and begin clearing these various projects, which is why they needed to gather feedback from the council on which ones to prioritize first.
Prior to the council discussion, a number of people spoke during public comments to voice their support for certain projects they would like the city to focus on over the next two years.
Most of the people who spoke were there to support the annexation of the Castlewood-area neighborhoods, which are currently within the county’s boundaries, but others spoke up in support of other projects including allowing new land-uses so that cannabis stores can operate in the city, improving certain trails along the arroyos and investing in more climate action plans.
As a result of the public’s comments and further discussion from the council, the council voiced its support for the city to assess possibly moving forward with the following projects:
Updating the downtown specific plan, looking into urban growth boundary amendments, developing a framework to generate revenue from cellular installations on city-owned properties, investigating new allowable land uses across the city, annexing areas like Castlewood and East Pleasanton, revisiting the Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2.0 Implementation, and developing a city-wide fiber-optic blueprint that “pinpoints current gaps, forecasts future bandwidth demand, and outlines phased build-out options”.
The council also showed support for adding a project that looks at developing policy for residents who want to install sports courts in the backyards, a topic that first came up during a contentious application process where a family built a tennis court in their backyard.
Staff will now take last week’s feedback and develop a summary report incorporating the council’s comments that also affirms their priorities, which will then be used to inform the work planning for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
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Here is some concrete, no nonsense list of what Pleasanton should actually do between now and 2030 to land in that “good 2035” future you would feel proud of—grounded in what the city is already planning and what it is still avoiding.
1. Turn the Housing Element from paper into buildings
Pleasanton already has a state certified 2023–2031 Housing Element and an EIR that assumes up to about 7,700 new homes citywide. The question now is whether those homes stay theoretical or become real.
• Prioritize BART and job center sites:
o Policy: Upzone and actively promote housing on the sites already identified in the Housing Element near BART, Hacienda, and major corridors.
o Why it matters: More homes where transit and jobs already exist means less freeway commuting and less pressure on older single family neighborhoods.
• Fast track lower income and workforce housing:
o Policy: Create a clear “priority processing” lane for projects with meaningful affordable units (teachers, nurses, service workers).
o Why it matters: Hitting the lower income RHNA targets is where most cities fall short; Pleasanton cannot just build market rate and call it a day.
• Lock in with robust design standards, not endless delays:
o Policy: Use the new Objective Design Standards from the Housing Element update so projects that meet the rules cannot be stalled on subjective “neighborhood character” arguments.
o Why it matters: You get well designed buildings and predictable approvals.
2. Treat PFAS and water as infrastructure to fix, not excuses to freeze
Pleasanton and Zone 7 are already moving on PFAS treatment—new facilities are being built to remove “forever chemicals” from groundwater.
Finish and expand PFAS treatment capacity:
o Policy: Commit to fully funding and completing PFAS treatment plants and plan for future expansion as demand grows.
• Why it matters: Clean, reliable local water lets Pleasanton grow safely instead of hiding behind water as a reason to say “no.” Tie new development to water upgrades:
o Policy: Require that large projects contribute to PFAS treatment, recycled water expansion, and conservation measures through impact fees or direct improvements.
o Why it matters: Growth helps pay for the fix, instead of being blamed for the problem.
• Scale up recycled and non potable water use:
o Policy: Expand purple pipe (recycled water) for parks, medians, and large landscapes; incentivize drought tolerant retrofits.
o Why it matters: Frees up more potable water for homes and reduces vulnerability in dry years.
3. Attack commute and freeway congestion at the source
The real congestion problem is the jobs–housing imbalance—too many people working in Pleasanton but living far away.
• Build more homes near jobs:
o Policy: Allow higher densities and mixed use in Hacienda, Stoneridge, and other job centers, not just around BART.
o Why it matters: Shorter commutes mean fewer cars on 580/680 and more workers who can actually live in town.
• Improve local alternatives to driving:
o Policy: Safer walking and biking routes to BART, downtown, and shopping; better local shuttles or on demand transit for seniors and workers.
o Why it matters: One does not bike at 80, but younger residents and workers will—if it is safe and convenient.
• Coordinate regionally on traffic:
o Policy: Work with Dublin, Livermore, and the county on corridor level planning for 580/680 and major arterials.
o Why it matters: Traffic does not stop at the city line; neither should the solutions.
4. Make Pleasanton a place where seniors and workers can both stay
Seniors have been here thirty plus years; the city should work for them and for the people who care for them, teach kids, and keep services running.
• Encourage senior friendly housing near services:
o Policy: Incentivize smaller, accessible units (elevators, no stairs) near downtown, medical offices, and transit.
o Why it matters: Gives you and your peers realistic options if you ever want to downsize without leaving Pleasanton.
• Protect and upgrade existing apartments:
o Policy: Programs to preserve older, more affordable rentals and prevent displacement as new projects come in.
o Why it matters: Keeps long time renters and workers from being pushed out just as the city improves.
5. Change how decisions are made, not just what is on paper
The biggest trap Pleasanton falls into is reactive politics—fighting each project instead of following a clear, agreed upon plan.
• Stick to the adopted Housing Element map:
o Policy: When a site is designated for housing in the Housing Element and meets the standards, the default answer should be “yes.”
o Why it matters: Avoids endless relitigation and keeps the city in good standing with the state.
• Be honest with residents about tradeoffs:
o Policy: City communications that clearly explain: “If we don’t build here, we risk state penalties, lawsuits, and worse traffic from longer commutes.”
o Why it matters: People deserve the truth, not the illusion that Pleasanton can freeze in time without consequences.
• Use regional plans as a guide, not a threat:
o Policy: Align local decisions with Tri Valley and ABAG planning on housing, climate, and transportation.
o Why it matters: Pleasanton is part of a bigger system; planning like it is an island is how it got into trouble before.