REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Preparation of the Santa Clara Station Area Plan and Related Budget Amendment
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing and Transportation Development
BACKGROUND
The City's General Plan, adopted in 2010, included the Santa Clara Station Area as a Focus Area. Focus Areas signify areas where the General Plan supports future growth through redevelopment and intensification of existing land uses. These areas include major corridors and destinations, new centers of activity around transit stations, and new residential neighborhoods. Because of their integral location, changes in these areas offer an opportunity to implement the General Plan Major Strategies to enhance the City's quality of life and foster economic vitality. Focus Areas are divided into near-term and Future Focus Areas. While several prerequisites, including the preparation of a comprehensive plan or Specific Plan apply to the Future Focus Areas, development may proceed in the near-term Focus Areas without preparation of a Specific Plan.
The Santa Clara Station Focus Area consists of 244-acres generally bounded by De La Cruz Boulevard, Reed Street, and Martin Avenue to the northeast, and Franklin Street and El Camino Real to the southwest as shown in Attachment 1. At the center of this area is the existing Santa Clara Transit Station, which is served by Caltrain and Altamont Commuter Express rail lines and Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) bus service. The station will also become the terminus for the planned extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system to Downtown San Jos? and Santa Clara (BART Silicon Valley Phase II). The station will be thus become an increasingly important major transit hub for the Bay Area.
Existing development consists of predominantly low-intensity retail, office, and light industrial uses. Recent development approvals in the Focus Area include intensifications of key opportunity sites, the 575 Benton Street...
Click here for full text