REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Waive Second Reading and Adopt Ordinance No. 2088 adopting the Zoning Code clean-up ordinance in the form presented
Report
BACKGROUND
At the August 18, 2026 Council meeting, proposed Ordinance No. 2088 was passed for the purpose of publication. Pursuant to City Charter Sections 808 and 812, a summary of proposed Ordinance No. 2088 was published to the Santa Clara Weekly on September 9, 2026, and copies were posted in three public places.
DISCUSSION
The proposed ordinance would make “cleanup” amendments to the Zoning Code, including incorporating the provisions of the legacy HT Historic Combining district into the updated Zoning Code; refining the definition of Smoke Shops; making the Zoning Code definition of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) consistent with the General Plan definition; allowing for fully unbundled parking for apartments greater than 15 units, per state law; revising minimum lot sizes in the R2 two-family zone; allowing the re-installation of wireless facilities following the redevelopment of a site; deleting the requirement for web posting of certain redundant public hearing notices; removing the public hearing requirement for architectural review of multi-family development projects; allowing additional height for institutional uses in the PQP public/quasi-public zone; adding definitions to clarify fence height requirements; modifying use tables to reflect the range of uses existing in commercial and industrial districts; updating figures and making terms more clear and internally consistent in Title 18 (“Zoning”); and updating the zoning map to reflect the applicable changes.
At the Council meeting on August 18, 2026, a Council Member asked questions regarding a section of the Code requiring that vehicles be parked perpendicular to the street. Currently, the Code provides the following restrictions on vehicles parked in required front yard areas of single- and two-family dwellings:
“All vehicles, boats, and trailers, in the required front yard shall be parked perpendicular to the street, unless the legal driveway configuration dictates otherwise.”
Because boats and trailers are a type of vehicle, Section 30 of the proposed ordinance included a clerical change to remove the comma after “boats” and insert the word “including” after “vehicles”:
“All vehicles, including boats, and trailers, in the required front yard shall be parked perpendicular to the street, unless the legal driveway configuration dictates otherwise.”
Upon reviewing this change to Section 30, several Councilmembers expressed concern that the perpendicular mandate was too restrictive, and thought that the Code should allow for angled parking as well. As a result, the motion included an amendment to Section 30 to prohibit parking that is parallel to the street, but to allow for other kinds of angled parking:
“All vehicles, including boats, and trailers, in the required front yard shall not be be parked perpendicular parallel to the street, unless the legal driveway configuration dictates otherwise.”
The ordinance proposed for adoption includes that change.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Given that the Zoning Code Update is an implementation action for the 2010 General Plan Update, the City prepared an Addendum to the 2010-2035 General Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to cover adoption of the Zoning Code, Zoning Map, and related General Plan Amendments. The Addendum indicated that the adoption of the Zoning Code Update would not result in environmental impacts beyond those described in the General Plan Update EIR. At the conclusion of the public hearing on November 15, 2023, the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council approve the Addendum, and on December 19, 2023, the City Council adopted the Addendum. The recommended actions all fall within the scope of the adopted Addendum.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of the Third Zoning Code Cleanup Ordinance and associated Zoning Map Amendments for the R6 District would fully implement the City’s General Plan land use diagram. These actions would involve no additional resources beyond those indicated at the time of Zoning Code adoption.
COORDINATION
This item was coordinated with the Community Development Department.
PUBLIC CONTACT
A summary of proposed Ordinance No. 2088 was published to the Santa Clara Weekly on September 9, 2026, and copies were posted in three public places and made available for public inspection at the City Clerk’s Office.
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Waive Second Reading and Adopt Ordinance No. 2088 adopting the Zoning Code clean-up ordinance in the form presented.
Staff
Reviewed by: Glen Googins, City Attorney
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance No. 2088 (Intro)