REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Action on the Revised El Camino Real Specific Plan, General Plan Amendment for the creation of five new General Plan land use designations, creation of the El Camino Real Zoning Districts, and an Environmental Impact Report and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Report
BACKGROUND
The El Camino Real Specific Plan Area is just over 250 acres and extends the entire 3.2-mile length of the El Camino Real corridor between the western City limits and Lafayette Street. There are approximately 2,500 existing residential units along the corridor and 2.8 million square feet of commercial uses.
The City of Santa Clara 2010-2035 General Plan identified specific geographic areas within the City as Focus Areas within Santa Clara, of which the El Camino Real is one. The purpose of a Focus Areas is to accommodate a significant amount of the City's long term growth. The General Plan vision for El Camino Real is to transform this Focus Area from a series of automobile-oriented strip malls to a tree lined, pedestrian and transit-oriented corridor with a mix of residential and retail uses with an emphasis on mixed use and higher intensity development. This type of redevelopment is an opportunity to support the City's changing quality of life and economic vitality.
The revised Specific Plan implements the General Plan's goals and policies for the El Camino Real Focus Area and establishes the land use and development regulations for the Plan Area. Its adoption will allow up to 4,390 residential units along the corridor, establish fine-grained land use designations and detailed land use policy beyond those in the General Plan, and provide objective design standards to streamline and regulate new development projects.
Staff, working with a consultant, Raimi & Associates, has completed a revised draft of the El Camino Real Specific Plan, per prior City Council direction. The Specific Plan was initially prepared between 2017 and 20...
Click here for full text