REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing: Recommendation On A Rezoning To Remove The Historic Combining District From 1341 Homestead Road (906 Monroe Street To Remain In Historic Combining District) In Connection With A Tentative Parcel Map Application To Subdivide The Property Into Two Parcels, Each Containing One Of The Existing Residences. CEQA Status: Determination of Consistency with the Downtown Precise Plan Final EIR
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
Applicant: Paul Tai
Owner: 950 Monroe St. REO, LLC
General Plan: Downtown Core - DT
Zoning: Downtown - DT
Site Area: 0.18 acres
Existing Site Conditions: Two single-family homes, the home addressed as 906 Monroe is on the Historic Resource Inventory, and the home addressed as 1341 Homestead is not on the Historic Resource Inventory.
Surrounding Land Uses:
• North: Single family residence, DT
• East: Franklin Square, commercial use, DT
• South: Single family residence, R3
• West: Single family residence, DT
BACKGROUND
On June 11, 2025, the Applicant, Paul Tai, representing 950 Monroe St. REO, LLC, submitted an application to rezone (File No. PLN25-00516) and subdivide (File No. PLN25-00304) the residences and underlying property addressed as 906 Monroe Street and 1341 Homestead Road. The residence addressed as 906 Monroe Street will remain on the Historical Resource Inventory (HRI) and will continue to be subject to an existing Mills Act Contract. At this time, the applicant does not propose any site improvements or construction. Approval of this application will enable the applicant to sell the two residences separately.
The project was deemed complete at the Project Clearance Committee (PCC) on February 24, 2026. The project was heard at a regularly scheduled Historical and Landmarks Commission (HLC) meeting on April 7, 2026. The HLC found that the proposed rezoning request to remove the Historic Combining District from 1341 Homestead Road (906 Monroe Street to Remain in Historic Combining District) would not destroy or have a significant adverse effect on the integrity of the HRI property. The HLC voted unanimously to recommend approval to the Planning Commission and the City Council.
Review by the Planning Commission and a recommendation to the City Council are required for Rezoning applications in accordance with SCCC Section 18.142.010.C.3. Both rezonings and Tentative Parcel Maps are subject to final action by the City Council pursuant to SCCC Chapters 17.05 (Subdivisions) and 18.142 (Amendments), although the Planning Commission does not make recommendations on subdivisions that result in less than 5 parcels. Following City Council approval of a Tentative Parcel Map, the applicant would be required to submit a final parcel map to by the City’s Engineering Division for ministerial review to confirm compliance with the approved Tentative Map.
DISCUSSION
Project Summary
The existing site is located within the boundaries of the Downtown Precise Plan and consists of one parcel zoned Downtown (DT) and Historic Combining (HT). The parcel contains two single-family residences addressed as 906 Monroe Street and 1341 Homestead Road. The residence at 906 Monroe Street is listed on the City’s Historic Resource Inventory; the residence at 1341 Homestead Road does not qualify to be listed on the City’s HRI.
The applicant proposes to subdivide the parcel, resulting in each residence sited on their own separate parcel. The residence at 906 Monroe Street will remain unchanged, while the residence at 1341 Homestead Road will be rezoned to remove the Historic Combining designation and will continue to be zoned as Downtown.
As a note, in 2020, the subject parcel at 906 Monroe Street was one of three parcels that were a part of a proposed mixed use multi-family development. However, in 2024 that proposed application was withdrawn. The current project is only for the rezoning and subdivision of the site to allow for each single-family residential unit to be located on its own property.
Consistency with General Plan, Zoning Code and Subdivision Map Act
Tentative Parcel Map applications are reviewed for General Plan consistency, conformance with the Zoning Code and Chapter 17.05 of the City Code (Subdivisions), and conformance with the Subdivision Map Act. Rezonings are reviewed for General Plan consistency and conformance with the Zoning Code. The rezoning process to amend the City’s zoning map is detailed in Chapter 18.142 of the City Code.
The Subdivision Map Act requires that all maps be consistent with the General Plan, Government Code § 66474(a). On February 24, 2026, the City’s Subdivision Clearance Committee reviewed the Tentative Parcel Map and determined it to be complete. The project is consistent with the General Plan, as it does not propose a change in use and does not include any site improvements.
Mills Act Update for 906 Monroe Street
The project at 906 Monroe Street has been the subject of Mills Act cancellation at City Council. On January 27, 2026, staff brought the request to the City Council and then subsequently removed the item from a scheduled hearing, as the property owner, 950 Monroe St. REO, LLC, stated they will work with staff on implementation of the required improvements.
Proposed Planning Commission Actions
The project is presented to the Planning Commission for consideration and action. The following specific actions are required:
1. Recommend that the City Council determine that the project is consistent with the previously adopted Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) that was approved for the Downtown Precise Plan on December 5, 2023. This is an administrative action, which is neither legislative nor quasi-judicial decision. The Council will need to find that the project falls within the scope of the Downtown Precise Plan EIR, and will not result in any new or more severe environmental impacts.
2. Recommend that the City Council approve the Rezone for 1341 Homestead Road from DT/HT to DT. This is a legislative action that does not require any specific findings, but all rezonings must be consistent with the General Plan. The proposed rezoning is illustrated in Attachment 2.
The City Council will also consider whether to approve the Tentative Parcel Map.
Attachment 4 includes the Tentative Parcel Map illustrating the proposed subdivision.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Rezoning action being considered is consistent with the previously adopted Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) that was approved for the Downtown Precise Plan on December 5, 2023, at a City Council meeting in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and no additional environmental review is required.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the City for processing the requested application other than administrative time and expense typically covered by processing fees paid by the applicant.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was 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.
On May 7, 2026, the notice of a public hearing to be held on May 20, 2026 was mailed to 278 property owners and tenants within 500 feet of the project site. Newspaper notice of the May 20 hearing was also published in The Weekly, a newspaper of general circulation, on April 29, 2026. On May 20, the Planning Commission opened the public hearing and then voted to continue the item to June 10, 2026. At the time of this staff report, no comments have been received by the Planning Division in support or opposition to the project.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation Staff recommends Planning Commission recommend approval to City Council for the rezoning and the tentative map as it is consistent with the General Plan and the Zoning Code
1) Recommend that the City Council determine the project to be consistent with the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) that the City Council adopted for the Downtown Precise Plan on December 5, 2023, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
2) Recommend the City Council approve a Rezoning to remove the Historic Combining District from 1341 Homestead Road (906 Monroe Street to remain in Historic Combining District)
Staff
Prepared by: Daniel Sobczak, Associate Planner, Community Development Department
Reviewed by: Alexander Abbe, Assistant City Attorney
Approved by: Lesley Xavier, Planning Manager, Community Development Department
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity Map
2. Proposed Zoning Map Update
3. Conditions of Approval
4. Tentative Parcel Map