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The Pleasanton Planning Commission will again be discussing a Pleasanton family’s proposal to build a multi-story residential development on Old Bernal Avenue, which includes some commercial aspects on the first floor.
Wednesday’s commission meeting marks the second time the dais will be reviewing the application, which aims to demolish an existing 6,160-square-foot commercial office building in order to construct a 34-foot-tall, three-story, four-unit residential building.
The approximately 21,384-square-foot building would be located at 231 Old Bernal Ave., between Augustine Street and Peters Avenue.Â
The last time the commission reviewed the project was back in August 2025 during a workshop which left commissioners undecided over whether they should make exceptions to the city’s Downtown Specific Plan — the proposed project does not meet many standards listed in the plan — to allow the project to move forward and lose that commercial space near downtown, or if they should deny the project, which some said might lead to undesirable projects in the future.
However, this time staff is urging the commission to officially reject the proposed project and adopt a resolution recommending that the City Council also deny the applications related to the proposed project.
According to the May 27 agenda report, staff said that the reasons for denying the application include incomplete and inconsistent project plans that do not align with the city’s policies, standards and guidelines listed under the General Plan and other city guidelines or regulations.
“The (Planned Unit Development) District is intended to promote well-planned projects that achieve high-quality design, superior site planning, and compatibility with surrounding uses while advancing adopted General Plan and specific plan goals,” staff noted in Wednesday’s report. “As proposed, staff finds the project does not meet these objectives, and that the number and extent of deviations from the applicable standards do not allow the necessary findings for approval to be made.”
The Planning Commission meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday (May 27). The full agenda can be accessed here.
In other business:
* The Planning Commission will also be discussing and voting on a resolution that would recommend the City Council to rezone two properties in order to allow up to 10 residential units per site. The properties in question are 1225 Hopyard Road, which is where the Trinity Lutheran Church is located, and 4100 First St., which is where the Rock Bible Church is located.
The recommendation, according to staff, is part of the city’s sixth cycle Housing Element program implementation. The Housing Element was first adopted by the council in 2023.
“The selected properties would be rezoned to Planned Unit Development (PUD) to establish capacity for up to 10 units each,” according to the staff report. “A development project would be subject to separate review in the future should an owner propose a project on the rezoned properties.”
* During its consent calendar portion of the meeting, the commission will also be voting on approving a conditional use permit (CUP) to allow Fusion Academy, a private middle and high school in Pleasanton, to expand into an adjacent suite.
Items listed under consent are considered routine in nature and are typically approved by a single vote with little to no discussion.
The private school, located at 4301 Hacienda Dr., is also looking to increase the number of students it serves from 40 to 65, and increase the number of faculty and staff from 20 to 33.
“As proposed and conditioned, staff believes the proposed private school is consistent with the General Plan, zoning district, and Hacienda’s regulations and will be compatible with the surrounding uses,” staff noted in Wednesday’s report. “Therefore, staff recommends approval of the CUP application.”
