161 Rancho Drive Residential Project

The 161 Rancho Drive Residential Project is a site development initiative by the City of San Jose to construct a three-story, 50,331 square-foot multi-family apartment building featuring 14 residential units and a 31-space podium parking garage. Located on a 0.66-gross-acre site in San Jose, California, the project requires the demolition of existing buildings totaling approximately 5,366 square feet and the removal of 31 trees, while preserving one large redwood. The development includes the installation of a 40-kilowatt emergency back-up diesel generator and the implementation of ADA-compliant infrastructure, such as new ramps and a bulb-out curb at the intersection of Rancho Drive and Seven Trees Boulevard. The project is categorically exempt from CEQA under Guidelines Section 15332 as an In-Fill Development Project. Comprehensive preparatory assessments have been completed, including a geotechnical report, a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, and a historic evaluation confirming the site lacks historic significance. Environmental safeguards are mandated, including pre-demolition surveys for asbestos and lead-based paint, adherence to Cal/OSHA and NESHAP standards, and the development of a Health and Safety Plan to manage soil contamination identified in quality evaluations. Construction was scheduled to occur between January 2024 and June 2024, with the project adhering to Bay Area Air Quality Management District guidelines and the City of San Jose's 2030 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy.