In October 2023, the Pleasanton City Council unanimously adopted a new five-year Citywide Strategic Plan, which established five multiyear goals: Funding our Future, Optimizing our Organization, Investing in our Environment, Safeguarding our City, and Building a Community where Everyone Belongs. The goals support, among other things, sound fiscal policy, improved city services, protecting the infrastructure and focusing on environmental stewardship, fostering a safe and secure community, and fostering community engagement and effective planning.

On December 2, 2025, the Pleasanton City Council “advanced a series of initiatives that reflect the City’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the local economy, supporting businesses of all sizes, and making it easier for residents and businesses to invest in Pleasanton,” according to city officials. They say the actions are part of a significant effort over the past two years to advance the 2024–2028 Economic Development Strategic Plan. During this time, “the City has modernized its economic development approach, reorganized departments to better align planning and permitting with business needs, and implemented several new business recruitment and retention initiatives. Together, these efforts are creating a clearer, more predictable environment for economic investment while preserving the high quality of life that defines Pleasanton.”

Recent Accomplishments

Earlier this year, the City Council identified implementing the Economic Development Strategic Plan as one of seven top citywide priorities. “To deliver on that, we reorganized our internal structure and created the new Community and Economic Development Department,” according to Melinda Denis, Deputy Director of Community and Economic Development. “That brought economic development together with planning and permitting so we can better align land use decisions, infrastructure, and business needs.”

Denis says city officials have moved quickly on the policy side. Examples from the past year include adopting new zoning for Innovation-Based Businesses (IBB) such as life sciences and advanced tech to make it easier for those companies to locate and grow in Pleasanton. “Hacienda is one of the key locations where IBB uses fit well, and can contribute to our commercial business base,” Denis notes.

Additionally, officials have developed design review and appeals code changes to simplify and speed up commercial and residential projects; launched a citywide Retail Attraction Strategy, including a void analysis to identify retail areas we lack; and targeted outreach to brokers and retailers to fill gaps and strengthen Pleasanton’s retail base and local revenue. Officials have also expanded “Support Local” program efforts. They include an inPleasanton social media campaign and a refreshed Support Local Guide to the Gift Pleasanton bonus card promotion to keep dollars circulating in the local economy and highlight Pleasanton’s business community.

“We continue to maintain strong partnerships with the business community, including Hacienda, to help connect businesses with leasing opportunities, support projects through planning and permitting, and market Pleasanton as a great place to invest,” according to Denis. For example, city staff members meet monthly with Hacienda representatives “to review the status of current applications, troubleshoot issues, and receive updates on leasing and other activity that helps anticipate projects and allocate staff resources.”

“Over the past year, we’ve made some intentional changes to strengthen our economic development capacity to better align our team with the City Council’s priorities,” says Ellen Clark, Director of Community and Economic Development. “The city created the Community and Economic Development Department, bringing planning and economic development under one umbrella so we can connect land use, permitting, and business needs more directly. Within that structure, we established the Deputy Director for Economic Development role and are in the process of recruiting a new Economic Development Manager to round out the division. Looking ahead, we do expect these changes to result in more streamlined and coordinated service for businesses. With economic development, planning, and permitting working even more closely together, companies should see clearer guidance up front, more ‘one-team’ problem solving, and additional tools like the Pleasanton Playbook and concierge-style support as the new manager comes on board.”

Currently, City of Pleasanton officials support businesses on several fronts, through information, advocacy, and hands-on help navigating the system. In terms of information, the City of Pleasanton produces a monthly business newsletter with updates on programs, grants, and city decisions that affect businesses. It also holds bimonthly Business Organization Committee meetings with contact people at Hacienda, the Chamber of Commerce, the Pleasanton Downtown Association, Visit Tri-Valley, Stoneridge Shopping Center, and the Alameda County Fairgrounds to share information and align on opportunities. City officials also act as a liaison with the city’s Economic Vitality Committee and regional economic development organizations.

They also oversee digital and print brochures that promote Pleasanton to prospective tenants and investors; produce the Support Local Guide, which was mailed to 34,000 Tri-Valley households; and created the Gift Pleasanton e-gift card program to drive spending to local businesses. Moreover, officials help with business navigation and problem-solving within the city through offering business owners prelease meetings with Planning, Building, Fire, and Economic Development staff so prospective tenants can understand requirements up front and avoid costly surprises.

Officials collaborate with Pleasanton Unified School District on youth apprenticeship and work-based learning. That helps build a future workforce for local employers and keeps more young talent connected to the region. They are also leaning into the city’s role as part of the Tri-Valley innovation hub.

“We’re partnering with Startup Tri-Valley, i-GATE, and the East Bay Small Business Development Center on capital summits, advising sessions, and sector-specific events like the Life Sciences Summit and the upcoming Women’s Health Series,” Denis notes. “That helps existing firms grow while also signaling that Pleasanton is a great place for start-ups and scale-ups.”

Additional Initiatives Planned

Looking ahead, officials are focusing on “making it easier to do business in Pleasanton and growing a healthy, diversified tax base that supports city services,” according to Denis. Key priorities include moving to the second phase of Pleasanton’s Retail Attraction Strategy, with “targeted outreach to retailers and brokers, hosting a broker breakfast, and launching proactive recruitment for key shopping centers and commercial corridors.” Streamlining commercial permitting is also in the works. City staff will be looking at additional opportunities to simplify tenant improvements and clarify use tables, and creating a so-called Pleasanton Playbook that will walk businesses through the permitting process step-by-step and make it easier to understand. That will allow business owners to spend more time running their companies and less time in the approval queue.

Officials will also continue to work with Visit Tri-Valley, the Alameda County Fairgrounds, and local hoteliers to position Pleasanton as a destination, especially around upcoming major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and World Cup, and explore a potential Transient Occupancy Tax adjustment in 2026. Finally, officials expect the new Deputy Director for Economic Development position and recruiting an Economic Development Manager will help city officials increase outreach, concierge-style support, and proactive problem-solving for businesses.

“The city’s goal is to provide clear information and timely support to all businesses that are doing business or considering doing business in Pleasanton,” Denis says. “Our approach is to make sure the inquiry reaches the right staff quickly and that businesses receive consistent guidance. We also continue to be proactive–meeting with major employers and shopping center representatives, participating in regional economic discussions, and bringing small-business resources and advising opportunities into Pleasanton. Our goal is to ensure that businesses don’t need to navigate the system alone and can access support and information when they need it.”

In short, economic development is a top-tier city priority. The City Council has elevated economic development to one of its core strategic initiatives, backed by a five-year plan, a department reorganization, and dedicated work plan projects focused on streamlining and retail attraction. In 2026, officials will launch an online Economic Development microsite that will bring together “data, resources, and success stories in one place, making it easier for businesses and brokers to see what’s happening and how to plug in,” Denis notes. “Pleasanton is making it easier to do business here. From new zoning for innovation-based businesses to upcoming permit streamlining and the Pleasanton Playbook, we’re trying to remove friction and provide clearer, more predictable paths for investment.”

Naturally, challenges remain. “The economy is not static and we need to be able to adapt,” Denis adds. “Just as the City and Hacienda have evolved since the development was built, so too has the economy. Our challenge is to be nimble and open to new opportunities as the market evolves–whether embracing new technologies, updating and modernizing codes, or using social media and business networks to improve the connections between local government and the business community. We see business as a partner in community success. Through ongoing partnerships with Hacienda and other business organizations, our Support Local campaigns, and our work with regional innovation and small-business groups, we view economic development as a shared effort that benefits residents, employers, and employees alike.”

For more information about the City of Pleasanton, please visit www.cityofpleasantonca.gov or @CityofPleasantonCA on Facebook and Instagram.

For more information about Pleasanton’s Community and Economic Development Department, please visit www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/our-government/community-and-economic-development.

For more information about City of Pleasanton Business Resources, please visit www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/our-government/economic-development/business-resources.