REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Direction on the Next Steps for the El Camino Real Specific Plan.
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing and Transportation Development
BACKGROUND
Following City Council direction staff has worked since 2017 with community members and a City Council appointed Community Advisory Committee to prepare a Specific Plan for the El Camino Real Focus Area identified in the General Plan. The intent of the Specific Plan is to provide policy direction for new land development along the El Camino Real Corridor, as well as for the future use of the El Camino Real road right-of-way.
A draft Specific Plan, including land uses as recommended by the Community Advisory Committee, was presented for City Council adoption at the June 15, 2021 City Council meeting. At the conclusion of the City Council's consideration of the item, the Council directed staff to modify the proposed General Plan Land Use Designations for the Specific Plan as follows:
* Corridor Residential - maximum height to be 2-story
* Corridor Mixed-Use - maximum height to be 3-story
* Regional Commercial Mixed-Use - maximum height to be 4-story
The City's costs for consultants to support preparation of the Specific Plan have been funded through a Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) grant awarded to the City of Santa Clara in the amount of $910,000. The City's ability to utilize this grant funding ended in June 2021 so that additional costs going forward will require the identification of additional funding sources.
DISCUSSION
The reduced maximum building heights directed by the City Council result in a significant change to the projected density and amount of new development that will be supported by the Specific Plan as discussed below. Note that the following density ranges for each designation are based on an approximate evaluation of what could fit on a typical site given the proposed height limits.
Corridor Residential (2-story)
A 2-sto...
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