REPORT TO STADIUM NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONS AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE
SUBJECT
Title
Stadium Neighborhood Relations Ad Hoc Subcommittee Orientation
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara welcomed Levi’s® Stadium (Stadium) with the official ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 17, 2014; the inaugural Stadium event was a San Jose Earthquakes match that took place on August 2, 2014.
Since 2014, SCPD and allied partners have supported 200+ major events at Levi’s Stadium, serving 9 million+ attendees, with 40,000+ cumulative personnel deployments. Stadium deployments are complex, multi-agency operations addressing public safety, traffic and mobility, emergency response readiness, and neighborhood impacts. While quality-of-life concerns are important, they represent one component of a broader operational mission.
In the last decade that the Stadium has been in operation for National Football League (NFL) and non-NFL events, the City has established procedures and programs to help address impacts to the neighborhoods. These include the Neighborhood Protection Detail, a hotline for residents to report stadium-related issues, and the Police Department’s Community Response Team.
The City Council’s priority initiatives include establishing an ad hoc subcommittee focused on Stadium/community relations. The ad hoc subcommittee's focus is on evaluating current communication efforts with residents and businesses (Stadium Stakeholder) affected by stadium events and identifying opportunities to enhance outreach and communication practices. The intent is to help foster engagement and communication with the Stadium Stakeholders impacted in the neighboring areas.
Levi’s® Stadium will serve as a host venue for two internationally significant events in 2026: Super Bowl LX and FIFA World Cup 2026™. These events will bring substantial regional attention and economic activity to Santa Clara and will likely also result in temporary disruptions and neighborhood impacts, including traffic, parking, noise, and public safety concerns.
Staff recognize the importance of maintaining strong communication and collaboration between the City and the Stadium Stakeholders.
DISCUSSION
At the November 4, 2025, City Council meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution 25-9506 establishing the Stadium Neighborhood Relations Ad Hoc Subcommittee (Committee). The Committee is an Ad Hoc Subcommittee that is temporary to address a specific issue or project of limited scope and duration. An Ad Hoc committee can be comprised of up to three Councilmembers.
At the same Council meeting establishing the Committee, the Council appointed Councilmembers Albert Gonzalez, Karen Hardy, and Suds Jain, with Raj Chahal as the alternate.
Lastly, the City Council directed staff to expand the proposed boundary for the Committee. The Committee map includes all of Santa Clara north of the 101 Freeway (Committee Boundary Map is attached).
The first meeting of the Subcommittee will serve as an orientation and baseline briefing on current stadium-related outreach, communication, and neighborhood mitigation efforts, and will provide an overview of the City’s event-day operational framework and stakeholder support resources. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
• Neighborhood Protection Detail
• Stadium & Event-Related Non-Emergency Hotline
• Community Response Team
The City has developed the Neighborhood Protection Program that includes a Neighborhood Protection Detail that deploys officers in the surrounding neighborhoods on game and event days. Officers patrol the neighborhoods to mitigate traffic, parking, and other concerns raised by residents. The hotline number was created for residents to report stadium and event-related non-emergency issues. While having a hotline may not be unique, Santa Clara residents have an unprecedented level of access to call in concerns/issues. No other NFL stadium offers its residents a hotline that goes directly to the Stadium command post.
In addition, the Police Department has a full-time Community Response Team (CRT) to help mitigate quality-of-life impacts to the residential neighborhoods. The Stadium Operations team also does outreach to the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses.
Given Super Bowl LX is coming up during this meeting, we will give an update on road closures and the Special Event Zone:
• Super Bowl LX Sunday, February 8, 2026
As a forum to engage with the Stadium Stakeholders, this Committee is an ideal venue to provide updates on the anticipated impacts from hosting Super Bowl LX and Levi’s Stadium. Staff will share anticipated impacts from Super Bowl LX.
The City of Santa Clara is considering a Special Event Zone Ordinance that would apply temporarily during major 2026 events at Levi’s® Stadium, including Super Bowl LX and FIFA World Cup 2026™. The goal is to support public safety, emergency access, traffic flow, pedestrian mobility, and consumer protection during globally significant events.
The ordinance is temporary, event-specific, and geographically limited to the area surrounding the Stadium. It would apply only during designated activation periods and would not create new permanent regulations. Staff will provide information on the proposed Special Event Zone.
Staff have extensive operational experience and data identifying consistent drivers of stadium-related neighborhood impacts.
Throughout the Subcommittee meetings, staff will share existing data and operational observations regarding stadium-related neighborhood impacts and will gather stakeholder input to confirm priorities and refine solutions. Staff will provide the Subcommittee with policy and operational options as they are identified, including options that may be advanced immediately, and will return to City Council with recommendations on a rolling basis as appropriate. A final summary of findings and longer-term recommendations will also be presented at the conclusion of the Subcommittee process. Additionally, throughout the four scheduled Committee meetings, staff will administer surveys and gather feedback from Stadium Stakeholders on current issues and concerns. At the conclusion of the Committee process in September 2026, staff will work with the Committee to develop and present recommendations to improve communication and outreach with Stadium Stakeholders
Many of the most effective mitigations are policy-based and require City Council action. Any recommended policy changes will be evaluated for fiscal impact, enforcement feasibility, and legal considerations, and returned to Council for consideration.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This is an information report only, and no action is being taken by the City Council and no environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) is required.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated by the City Manager’s Office, and the Police Department.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Stadium Neighborhood Relations Ad Hoc Subcommittee 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
Receive and file this report and provide direction that the Subcommittee may bring forward near-term and rolling recommendations to City Council as they are identified, informed by twelve years of stadium operations experience and stakeholder input gathered through the Subcommittee process. Staff will support as needed and return with additional analysis as directed by Council.
Staff
Reviewed by: Paulina Morales, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Stadium Neighborhood Relations Ad Hoc Subcommittee Boundary Map