Business-Friendly Hayward Workplan
Project Objectives
➢ Streamline entitlement and permitting processes for desirable businesses across the City’s commercial and mixed-use zoning districts.
➢ Activate vacant and underutilized properties and storefronts Downtown.
Applicable Strategic Roadmap Projects
➢ Grow the Economy E6: Provide an informational report to Council on older ordinances that may have an adverse impact on our local economy (such as the Cabaret Ordinance, the Alcohol ratio, and Happy Hour), and offer recommendations to update them. ➢ Grown the Economy E5: Provide a report on how midsized cities revitalized downtowns
Applicable Downtown Specific Plan Implementation Programs ➢ Program LU 2: Update zoning regulations to allow temporary uses such as temporary structures on vacant lots, temporary uses in existing structures, pop-up shops, fruit stands, and mobile businesses, especially in vacant or underutilized spaces (including vacant storefronts) to increase small-scale business opportunities and to temporarily fill gaps in the urban fabric.
➢ Program LU 4: Update zoning regulations to modernize land use regulations and allow uses consistent with the vision for Downtown; such as neighborhood and regional serving retail, destination dining, entertainment, and indoor recreation that serve a diverse population including students, families, seniors, creative class professionals, and artists. ➢ Program CD 2: Update use regulations to encourage pedestrian-oriented uses that can help to activate the Downtown, such as sidewalk dining, and outdoor seating. ➢ Program ED 2: Modify zoning regulations to allow on-site retailing with small-scale production or processing at the same location.
➢ Program ED 3: Modify zoning regulations to allow collaborative incubator and working spaces for emerging innovative start-ups or smaller companies that benefit from shared and more affordable working space.
➢ Program ED 6: Improve and streamline the entitlement process to attract investment and development and for projects involving the expansion and upgrades of existing Plan Area businesses, including for code-compliance upgrades.
Relevant New State Legislation
➢ AB 2085: Ministerial approval for community clinics in office/retail, parking, and health care zones)
➢ AB 2632: Prohibits cities from treating thrift stores differently from retail stores Data (To be collected by City Staff)
➢ Average time to process AUPs/CUPs (perhaps broken down by zoning district or use) ➢ Average costs of opening a restaurant and retail business Downtown ➢ Common space needs of different types of businesses
➢ Combine uses in commercial districts into consolidated use table ➢ Interview Police Department review staff to determine how standards/requirements for Downtown businesses are determined and applied
Products
➢ Analysis of Hayward Codes and Practices (Rincon)
o Review land uses tables in commercial and mixed use districts to identify which desirable business types are more restricted in Hayward than in other comparable or aspirational cities.
o Review cabaret regulations to determine which standards or requirements might be overly burdensome.
➢ Summary of Best Practices (Rincon)
o Review Downtown, Cabaret, and Temporary Use Permit/pop up regulations in nearby comparable and lively districts to identify best practices ➢ Commercial Analysis (Economic/Retail Sub-Consultant)
o Market analysis and
o Identify community preferences
o Identify impediments to business attraction and start up ➢ Outreach Summary (City Staff, possibly with limited support from Rincon to develop materials)
o Business/Development Community
▪ Chamber of Commerce
▪ Stakeholder interviews with recent applicants and new and established businesses, retail consultant, vacant property owners, retail brokers, etc. o Broader Community
▪ Pop ups at street parties/farmers markets/City events ▪ Instagram/social media surveys
▪ Walk-shop Downtown?
o Staff
▪ Planning
▪ Economic Development
➢ Revised Regulations (Draft and Final) - (Rincon/City Staff) o Redline revisions to Zoning Ordinance, Downtown Code, and Mission Boulevard Code
▪ Revise land use categories in commercial districts to be more consistent with the Industrial, Downtown, and Mission Boulevard districts ▪ Revise land use tables in all commercial and mixed-use districts to streamline processes for business types that Hayward would like to promote
Timeline
Timeframe Products Outreach Decision-Maker Mtgs
Nov/Dec 2024 • Data Collection • Planning and ED
Staff
Jan/Feb 2025 • Analysis of Hayward
Codes and Practices
• Summary of Best
Practices
• Chamber of
Commerce
• Stakeholder
interviews
• CEDC February
Meeting
Mar/April/May
2025
• Commercial
Analysis
• Pop ups
• Walk-shop
• Social media
outreach
• CEDC April Meeting
Jun/Jul/Aug 2025 • Draft Regulations
Sept/Oct 2025 • PC Work Session
• CC Work Session
Nov/Dec 2025 • Final Code Updates
Jan 2026 • PC Adoption Hearing
• CC Adoption
Hearing