REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Study Session on the Draft Revisions to the El Camino Real Specific Plan
Report
BACKGROUND
Staff is working with a consultant, Raimi & Associates, to complete preparation of a revised draft of the El Camino Real Specific Plan, per prior City Council direction. Initial preparation of the Specific Plan took place between 2017 and 2021, including multiple City Council check-ins. The first completed draft Specific Plan was presented to the City Council in June of 2021. The subsequent City Council actions are summarized below.
2021 City Council Action Summary
At the June 15, 2021 City Council meeting, the Council reviewed the draft El Camino Real Specific Plan and directed staff to significantly modify the three proposed Specific Plan General Plan Land Use Designations so that the maximum heights for the three designations would be two, three, and four stories, respectively, and to modify the allowed densities to correspond to these heights. At that time, there was concern from community members and some Council members that the proposed height and density would impact the surrounding single-family neighborhoods on the north side of El Camino.
On July 6, 2021, staff returned to the City Council to provide direction on the next steps for the El Camino Real Specific Plan. Staff explained that the revised height limits would likely correspond to significant reductions in land density from what had been previously studied in the project Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and require additional funding for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis. Based on this, the City Council voted to direct staff to move forward with the significant modification consistent with the reduced densities and height as directed by the Council at the June 15, 2021 hearing, including revision to and recirculation of the project EIR.
On September 28, 2021, staff provided the City Council with more specific information on the process and costs to revise the Specific Plan per the prior direction. The Council then further directed staff to proceed with the preparation of the new, reduced density Specific Plan while also continuing to consider the original draft Specific Plan and to prepare economic feasibility analyses for both alternatives. The City Council did not however, at that time, approve an accompanying amendment to the City’s budget to fund the work.
2022 City Council Action Summary
In June 2022, as part of the adoption of the FY 2022/23 and FY 2023/24 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget, the City Council approved funding of $1.0 million to proceed with preparation of the reduced density Specific Plan for El Camino Real and directed staff to return to the City Council with alternatives for the scope of the Specific Plan work, including consideration for how to reduce the overall cost.
In September 2022, the City Council directed staff to prepare a significantly modified Specific Plan that retains enough density (4,400 residential units) and elements (e.g., a range of densities that support mixed-use) of the prior Specific Plan so as to be consistent with the prior draft EIR, include the activity zones with building heights of up to six stories as proposed in the 2021 draft Specific Plan, and to prepare an economic feasibility analysis of both Plans.
2023 City Council Action Summary
In March 2023, the City Council approved the agreement with Raimi & Associates, Inc. for services to revise the El Camino Real Specific Plan as previously directed.
In August 2023, the City Council provided direction to staff to continue with the proposed land use plan that was presented, which included the addition of a fourth land use designation, Corridor Residential - Low (12-25 du/ac), that was applied to 60 properties along the corridor which are sensitive interfaces with proximity to single-family homes.
DISCUSSION
Since August 2023, staff and the consultant have drafted the updated Specific Plan with revised guidelines, standards, and policies to reflect the new land use designation and Council direction to further address taller buildings casting shadows on single-family lots. The El Camino Real Specific Plan Citizen Advisory Committee was reconvened to comment on the revised Draft Specific Plan document in December 2024. And additional community outreach was conducted between February and April of 2025 to receive feedback on the revised Specific Plan. A redlined version of the changes made to the Specific Plan can be found on the El Camino Real Specific Plan website for which a weblink is included in Attachment 1.
Community Outreach
Staff has conducted a range of community outreach to receive feedback on the revisions. On December 16, 2024 the El Camino Real Community Advisory Committee (ECR CAC) met and provided input on the added land use designation to allow for townhome units on specific sites. On February 24, 2025, an open house was held at the Mission Branch Library at which approximately 40 members of the community attended. Staff and the consultant took questions on parking, public right of way improvements on El Camino Real and there was general acknowledgement of the revisions. Staff held a second community meeting on April 2, 2025 at the Senior Center at which approximately 15 members of the public attended. There were no significant comments on the revisions from the public at either of the meetings. On March 25, 2025, staff attended the Silicon Valley Central Chamber Of Commerce and shared a summary of the Specific Plan. Staff has also conducted social media outreach posting on the City’s Instagram and Facebook pages information about the revision with a link to the Plan. Staff also provided information about the revisions to the Plan in the City Manager’s weekly email.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered for this study session does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organization or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City Council previously voted to fund $1.0 million for the consultant agreement through the FY 2022/23 and FY 2023/24 CIP Budget in June 2022. City Council approved the carryover of the project’s remaining balance ($0.7 million) as part of the adoption of the FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27 Biennial Operating Budget on June 10, 2025.
COORDINATION
This report was coordinated with the City Manager’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
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
Staff is requesting general feedback on moving forward with processing the original Specific Plan and its EIR or the revised Specific Plan and its EIR or both and the revised Objective Design Standards and the Standards for the new Corridor Residential - Low land Use designation for the draft El Camino Real Specific Plan and to note and file the report on the Study Session for the Draft Revisions to the El Camino Real Specific Plan.
Staff
Reviewed by: Afshan Hamid, Director, Community Development Department
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Web Links