RESOLUTION NO. _____
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA TO APPROVE A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO AMEND THE MAP AND TEXT OF THE GENERAL PLAN TO MODIFY THE DOWNTOWN CORE LAND USE DESIGNATION WHEREAS, on October 17, 2019, the City contracted with the planning consulting firm WRT to develop a Precise Plan for a 10-block area of the Downtown Focus Area as designated in the 2010-2035 General Plan; WHEREAS, the General Plan has a Downtown Core land use designation that is applied to seven acres of the Downtown Focus area, and as such a modification to the General Plan map and the General Plan text is required to allow for the designation to be applied to property within the boundary of the Precise Plan; WHEREAS, the text amendment modifies the “Downtown Core” land use designation to rename it as “Downtown” and apply only to a 10-block area of the Downtown Focus Area; WHEREAS, Santa Clara City Charter Section 1007 and Government Code Section 65353 require that the Planning Commission provide input to the City Council on any proposed General Plan Amendment; WHEREAS, on October 25, 2023 the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing and recommended that the Council approve the proposed General Plan Amendment; WHEREAS, Government Code Section 65355 requires the City Council to hold a public hearing prior to adopting an amendment of the General Plan; WHEREAS, notice of the public hearing on the proposed General Plan Amendment was published in the Santa Clara Weekly, a newspaper of general circulation for the City, on October 11, 2023; WHEREAS, before considering the subject General Plan Text Amendment, the City Council reviewed and considered the associated Environmental Impact Report for the Santa Clara Downtown Precise Plan; WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the General Plan Text Amendment; and WHEREAS, on December 5, 2023, the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing to consider the General Plan Amendment, at which time all interested persons were given an opportunity to give testimony and provide evidence in support of and in opposition to the proposed General Plan Amendment.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA AS FOLLOWS:
1. That the City Council hereby finds that the above Recitals are true and correct and by this reference makes them a part hereof.
2. General Plan Amendment Findings. That the City Council finds and determines that the General Plan Amendment is in the interest of the public good for the following reasons:
A. The proposed General Plan Amendment is deemed to be in the public interest, in that:
The proposed General Plan Amendment will align the proposed Precise Plan with the General Plan land use designation and map.
B. The proposed General Plan Amendment is consistent and compatible with the rest of the General Plan and any implementation programs that may be affected, in that:
The Project furthers and is consistent with the goals, policies and major strategies of the General Plan that enhance the City’s quality of life, promote sustainability, enhance City identity, support Focus Areas and community vitality, maintain the City’s fiscal health and quality of services, by allowing for an increase in density for a mix of residential, office, retail and civic office uses within 10 blocks of the Downtown Focus Area.
C. The proposed General Plan Amendment has been processed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the California Government Code and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), in that:
An Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) was prepared in accordance with CEQA. The City Council has read and considered the EIR.
D. The potential impacts of the proposed General Plan Amendment have been assessed and have been determined not to be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, in that:
A Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) has been prepared for implementation with Project development to reduce potentially significant impacts identified in the EIR to less than significant and a set of CEQA Findings and a Statement of Overriding Considerations have been prepared for the significant unavoidable impacts that cannot be mitigated to less than significant; and the City Council adopted these documents.
3. That the City Council hereby amends the General Plan by revising Section 5.2.2 Land Use Classifications and Diagram, Downtown land use designation of the General Plan with the following text:
“Downtown Core. This classification is exclusively for land so designated within the Downtown Precise Plan boundary that is bounded by Benton Street, Lafayette Street, Homestead Road, and Madison Street Focus Area. It covers the eight blocks of the University Redevelopment Project Area, approximately seven 25-acres, planned for high density residential, office, civic, cultural, hotel, and retail uses that will draw local and regional patrons and increase pedestrian activity in the City’s center. The Precise Plan provides goals, policies and implementation measures that governs development Development under this classification will result in approximately 400 residential units and 130,000 square feet of non‐residential development, excluding any space devoted to civic or public uses, as illustrated on Figure 5.4‐3.”
4. That pursuant to Government Code § 65356, the City Council hereby amends the General Plan by changing the General Plan Land Use Designation for the Project Site by modifying Figures modifying Figures 5.2-2 and 5.2-3 of the General Plan to the Downtown land use designation.
5. That based on the findings set forth in this Resolution, the EIR Resolution and the evidence in the City Staff Report and such other evidence as received at the public hearing on this matter, the City Council hereby approves the General Plan Amendment.
6. Effective date. This resolution shall become effective immediately.
I HEREBY CERTIFY THE FOREGOING TO BE A TRUE COPY OF A RESOLUTION PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, AT A REGULAR MEETING THEREOF HELD ON THE 5TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2023, BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES: COUNCILORS:
NOES: COUNCILORS:
ABSENT: COUNCILORS:
ABSTAINED: COUNCILORS:
ATTEST: ______________________________
NORA PIMENTEL, MMC
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
CITY OF SANTA CLARA
Attachments incorporated by reference: None
FILENAME \p S:\Attorney\RESOLUTIONS\Form Resolution-City.doc Resolution/Downtown Precise Plan General Plan Amendment Page PAGE 1 of 4 Rev: 7/27/2023
Ordinance/*Insert brief description Page PAGE 1 of *
Rev: 03-09-10; Typed: *Insert date