REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing: Recommendations related to the adoption of the Third Zoning Code Cleanup Ordinance and Rezoning of Properties Currently Designated TN (Transit Neighborhood) to R6 (Transit Neighborhood Residential)
Report
BACKGROUND
At the January 9, 2024 City Council meeting, the City Council adopted the first comprehensive Zoning Code Update in over 50 years, which was a major City initiative. The Zoning Code is the primary regulatory tool that implements the General Plan. The City Council adopted the accompanying Zoning Map on July 16, 2024, and adopted the first Zoning Code clean-up ordinance on August 20, 2024, which included the advisory that subsequent clean-up ordinances would be on the horizon. A second cleanup ordinance was adopted on June 10, 2025. The Zoning Code Update was a substantial body of work. As an on-going update, staff periodically brings clean-up ordinances to address clerical inconsistencies within the document or areas needing further clarification based on implementation of the new zoning code and to be consistent with recent changes in State Law. Staff tracks the necessary updates over time and then periodically brings them forward as one clean up document. This report and resolution represent the third minor code clean-up ordinance.
DISCUSSION
The City is bringing forward its third “clean-up” ordinance for the Zoning Code Update, primarily to address consistency concerns. As such, the proposed revisions are not considered substantial modifications. The ordinance clean-up includes:
Policy changes:
- Incorporating the provisions of the (HT) Historic Combining Districts into the Updated Zoning Code;
- Deleting the requirement for web posting of public hearing notices, which has not been the City’s practice and is not a part of the Public Outreach Policy;
- Removing the public hearing requirement for architectural review of multi-family development projects;
- Allowing additional height for institutional uses and differentiating them from assembly uses in the (PQP) public/quasi-public district;
- Adding definitions to clarify fence height requirements;
- Revising public bike parking standards to require bike parking in commercial districts to be closer to the front door than the closest non-handicapped space;
- Requiring uncovered parking on residential parcels to be perpendicular to the street;
- Requiring automobile service bays to not be visible from the street;
- Modifying use tables to reflect the range of uses existing in commercial and industrial districts, including the differentiation of specialized instruction (e.g., painting and pottery classes) from vocational schools
Errata:
- Rezoning the Tasman East district from TN (this was a holdover district from the previous Zoning Code) to R6, which is now part of the current code;
- Updating the definition of Major Transit Stop to be consistent with recent changes to state law;
- Adding a definition for the term “Dwelling Unit”;
- Revising the definition of the term “Demolition” to square with the term presented in the Administration Chapter
- Updating the Visibility Clearance Diagram following feedback from the Department of Public Works
- Updating zoning districts in the City’s Noise Ordinance;
- Refining the definition of Smoke Shops;
- Making the General Plan and Zoning Code definitions of Floor Area Ratio consistent with each other;
- Allowing for fully unbundled parking for apartments greater than 15 units per State law;
- Allowing for unbundled parking for parking spaces for commercial uses
- Revising minimum lot sizes in the R2 two-family zone;
- Making the R5 district maximum density consistent throughout the document;
- Updating any citations to the California Government Code;
- Correcting cross-references and spelling and punctuation mistakes;
- Updating figures and making terms internally consistent in Title 18 (“Zoning”), and
- Updating the zoning map to reflect the applicable changes.
The Planning Commission resolution recommending approval of the clean-up ordinance is included as Attachment 1, and all tables that have are proposed to be changed are included as Attachment 2. The proposed Zoning Code Amendment is included as Attachment 3, with code changes presented in strikethrough and underline or highlighted as part of a table.
The adoption of the cleanup ordinance is a legislative act, not requiring any specific findings.
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 City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
Due to the nature of this minor code clean up, only a newspaper notice and posting requirements are required to be conducted.
PUBLIC CONTACT
A newspaper notice of the April 8, 2026 public hearing was published in the March 18, 2026 issue of the Santa Clara Weekly, describing the proposed adoption of the Third Zoning Code Cleanup Ordinance and the proposed changes to the Zoning Map. On April 8, 2026, the Planning Commission opened the public hearing and voted to continue the item to the May 20, 2026 Commission meeting. On May 20, 2026, the Commission reconvened the public hearing and then again voted to continue the item, this time to the June 10, 2026 Commission meeting.
Public contact was also made by posting the Planning Commission 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 <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Provide an alternate recommendation to the City Council different from adopting the Zoning Code clean-up ordinance and applying the revised R6 Transit Neighborhood District, or any of its additional provisions.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Planning Commission recommend to the City Council updates to the Zoning Code to be consistent with the General Plan and State Law
1. Recommend that the City Council adopt the Zoning Code clean-up ordinance; and
2. Recommend that the City Council apply the R6 Transit Neighborhood District to the properties currently zoned TN on the Zoning Map, consistent with the General Plan.
Staff
Prepared by: John Davidson, Principal Planner, Community Development
Reviewed by: Alexander Abbe, Assistant City Attorney
Approved by: Afshan Hamid, Director of Community Development
ATTACHMENTS
1. Planning Commission Zoning Code Clean-Up Recommendation Resolution
2. Attachment A - Zoning Code Amended Tables
3. Zoning Map Recommendation Resolution