Joint Meeting for the Rules and Open Government Committee and Committee of the Whole
TL;DR
The San José City Council's Rules and Open Government Committee met on April 1, 2026, to review agendas for upcoming council meetings and approve routine business items. The committee advanced two community grants and special event approvals, and directed staff to develop an emergency interim housing siting policy and explore expanding the Al Fresco outdoor dining program.
Key Decisions
- Emergency Interim Housing Siting Policy Directed to City Manager
- $1,000 Grant to American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley Approved
- Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag Raising for April 30, 2026 Approved
- Al Fresco 2.0 - Outdoor Dining Program Expansion Directed to City Manager
- City Auditor's Monthly Report for March 2026 Approved
Agenda
- For live translations in over 50 languages, please go to https://attend.wordly.ai/join/FAYU-7105
- How to observe the Meeting (no public comment):
- 1) Cable Channel 26, 2) https://www.sanjoseca.gov/news-stories/watch-a-meeting, or 3) https://www.youtube.com/CityofSanJoseCalifornia 4) By phone 888 475 4499. Webinar ID: 941 1478 1397. Alternative phone numbers are: US: +1 (213) 338-8477 or +1 (408) 638-0968 or (877) 853-5257 (Toll Free) 5) By online https://sanjoseca.zoom.us/j/94114781397 Use a current, up-to-date browser: Chrome 30+, Firefox 27+, Microsoft Edge 12+, Safari 16+. Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer.
- How to submit written Public Comment for items on the agenda:
- 1) By email to city.clerk@sanjoseca.gov by 8:00 a.m. the day of the meeting.
- How to provide spoken Public Comment during the Committee Meeting:
- Fill out a Yellow Speaker's Card and submit it to boxes at the bottom of the Chambers.
- City Council (City Clerk)
- Review Final Agenda
- ROGC 26-128 Review April 7, 2026 Final Agenda. a. Add New Items to Final Agenda b. Assign "Time Certain" to Agenda Items (if needed) c. Review of Notice of Waiver Requirements for Agenda Items or Documents (if needed)Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals Consent
- Review Draft Agenda
- ROGC 26-129 Review April 14, 2026 Draft Agenda. a. Add New Items to Draft Agenda b. Assign "Time Certain" to Agenda Items (if needed) c. Review of Notice of Waiver Requirements for Agenda Items or Documents (if needed)Review Draft Agenda
- Notice to the public: There will be no separate discussion of individual Consent Calendar items as they are considered to be routine and will be adopted by one motion. If a member of the Committee requests debate, separate vote or recusal on a particular item, that item may be removed from the Consent Calendar by the Chair and considered separately. The public may comment on the entire Consent Calendar and any items removed from the Consent Calendar by the Chair.
- Consent Calendar
- 1. The Public Record for March 19, 2026 - March 26, 2026. (City Clerk)Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals Consent
Receive and file the Public Record for March 19, 2026 - March 26, 2026.
- 2. Monthly Report of Activities for March 2026. (City Auditor)Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals Consent
Approve the Auditor’s Office Monthly Report of Activities for the month of March 2026.
- 3. Approval of District 1 San José Sharks Community Funds Grant for American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley. (Kamei)Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals Consent
1. Approve a $1000 grant to American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley to support its leadership development programs. 2. Place the item on the April 7, 2026 City Council Agenda for action.
- 4. Approval of the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag Raising for District 7’s Black April Commemoration. (Doan)Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals Consent
1. Approve the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag Raising for District 7’s Black April commemoration on April 30, 2026. 2. Place the item on the April 7, 2026 City Council Agenda for action.
- Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals
- 1. Emergency Interim Housing Siting Policy. (Foley, Campos, Tordillos, Cohen, and Casey)Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals
Direct the City Manager to prepare and return to the City Council with an Emergency Interim Housing Siting Policy. [Referred from 3/11/26 - Item C.1 (ROGC 26-094)]
- 2. Al Fresco 2.0. (Ortiz, Tordillos, Kamei, Cohen, and Mulcahy)Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals Consent
1. Direct the City Manager’s Office to: a. Explore permanently re-establishing the Al Fresco outdoor dining program in the City of San José, for supporting economic development and small businesses in designated growth areas, including Greater Downtown San José, Urban Villages, and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). i. Evaluate opportunities to modernize and expand the program beyond basic table-and-chair setups by establishing a clear, predictable permitting pathway for more complex outdoor dining configurations: such as patios, railings, pergolas, and semi-permanent structures, while maintaining a low-barrier, by-right process for simpler installations, and review best practices from peer cities, including San Francisco’s Shared Spaces Manual, to inform the development of clear design standards and streamlined administrative processes. b. Designate Public Works staff to serve as a coordinator for Al Fresco and outdoor dining applications, responsible for facilitating interdepartmental review and ensuring timely coordination among Public Works, Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement, Fire, Transportation, and any other relevant departments, to reduce duplicative review, minimize delays, and provide applicants with an understandable and consistent permitting pathway.
- Open Forum
- Members of the Public are invited to speak on any item that does not appear on today’s Agenda and that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Committee.
- Adjournment
- The Code of Conduct (https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/12901/636670004966630000) is intended to promote open meetings that welcome debate of public policy issues being discussed by the City Council, their Committees, and City Boards and Commissions in an atmosphere of fairness, courtesy, and respect for differing points of view. The City of San José is committed to open and honest government and strives to consistently meet the community's expectations by providing excellent services, in a positive and timely manner, and in the full view of the public. The City Code of Ethics may be viewed online. The Levine Act requires a Party in a Proceeding before the City of San José that involves any action related to their contract, license, permit, or use entitlement to disclose any campaign contributions to City elected or appointed officials totaling more than $500 within the 12 months prior to the City decision. A Participant to a Proceeding may voluntarily report a campaign contribution. Please visit https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/appointees/city-clerk/levine-act for updated forms and information.
- All public records relating to an open session item on this agenda, which are not exempt from disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act, that are distributed to a majority of the legislative body will be available for public inspection at San José City Hall, Office of the City Clerk, 200 E. Santa Clara Street, 14th Floor, San José, CA 95113 at the same time that the public records are distributed or made available to the legislative body.
- To request an accommodation or alternative format for City-sponsored meetings, events or printed materials, please call the Office of the City Clerk 408-535-1260 as soon as possible, but at least three business days before the meeting/event.
- Access the video, the agenda and related reports for this meeting by visiting the City's website.