12/19/23 Item #t 3
City of Santa Clara
City Council
December 19, 2023
Item # 3 RTC 23-585
Zoning Code Update
1852
THE MISSION CIN
Andrew Crabtree, Director
Community Development Department
1 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Agenda
1. Purpose
2. Background & Need for Update
3. Outreach
4. Organization & Format of New Zoning Code
5. Implementing the General Plan
6. Streamlining Code Changes
7. Changes Required by Recent State Law & City's Housing Element
8. General Plan Amendments
9. Zoning Code Map Adoption
10. Next Steps
11. Recommendation
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POST MEETING MATERIAL
1 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Why a Zoning Code Update?
The goal of the Zoning Code Update is a Code that is:
• up-to-date
• readable
• relevant
• fully in alignment with the General Plan
• fully in alignment with recent changes in State law
3 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Planning Tools
General Plan
Long-term vision for the City's future
Zoning Code
Implements the General Plan; includes
allowed uses and development standards:
- Height
- Setback
- Parking
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
City Council Input
• November 7, 2017 - Approval of Consultant Contract - Mintier Harnish • July 10, 2018 - Council Study Session
• August 20, 2019 - Council & Planning Commission Joint Study Session • October 8, 2019 - Council & Planning Commission Joint Study Session • August 22, 2023 - Council Study Session
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Outreach
• 8 community meetings: general & specific Zoning Code Update topics (e.g., single family standards, short-term rentals)
• 2019 community survey (over 500 responses)
• Draft Zoning Code posted for comment Summer of 2022 (90 comments) • Other Commissions and Outside Organizations
- Historical & Landmarks Commission
- Neighborhood-University Relations Committee (NURC)
- Economic Development, Communications & Marketing Committee - Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)
- Silicon Valley Central Chamber of Commerce
- Old Quad Residents Association 6
3 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Organization of the Code
Tebe zo
Mixed-Use Zone Development Standards
User-friendly Formatting
• Uses and development standards
presented in tables
HUNG MURC Adational Regulations
• Districts of the same type in one chapter
None
1015 10/15 Nore
• Easier to compare districts noton 12.14043
Sten 150021
• Explanatory graphics (to explain signage Noce Noce
Section 19 30 030
regulations, setbacks, etc.)
Sacion sa 30060
7 Enzedby Section 13 30 060
7 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center o nats Possibie
Implementing the General Plan
City of Santa Clara
New Zoning Districts General Plan Ma
Land Use Diagram
• Mixed-use districts for mixed-use
corridors
• New office and industrial districts
• New Public/Quasi-Public district
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Planned Development Zonings
Reduce use of Planned Development (PD Zonings)
• Minimum project size of 25 acres
• Special consideration of the site and surroundings are necessary to allow creative development solutions that do not meet the allowed use regulations and/or development standards of the base zone • Enable Amendments to existing Planned Development Zonings • Must be in compliance with, and implement, the General Plan 9 9
Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Streamlining Processes / New Tools
• New administrative Special Permit process:
- Temporary outdoor uses (e.g., carnivals,
pumpkin patches, Christmas tree lots)
• New administrative Minor Use Permit process:
- Live entertainment away from residences
- Non-controversial projects
• Allowed by right:
- Incidental live entertainment at restaurants is
permitted during regular hours of food service
- Outdoor seating
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5 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Simplified Parking Regulations
Facilitate continued use of SALES
existing commercial buildings PARTS
YAMANA
• Base parking requirement on
area of a nonresidential building,
instead of other metrics
• Set higher thresholds before new
tenants of existing buildings need
additional parking
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Construction Parking Regulations
Require parking during construction
• Projects over 100 units (residential) or
100,000 sq. ft. (non-residential)
• Number of Spaces Required:
- Residential: 1 space per 4 units
- Non-residential: 1 space / 5,000 sq. ft.
• Spaces required throughout
construction
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
Data Centers Building Height
Increased height allowance for data centers
• Modern data centers have denser footprints
• Recently taller heights approved through
modifications, variances, & PD zonings
• Existing Code - allows up to 70 ft height
• Proposed Code - allows up to goft height
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Common Habitable Area
New Requirements for Single-Family and Duplexes
• 25% minimum common habitable area
• Habitable areas include dining rooms,
living rooms, kitchens, etc.
• Garages and hallways not considered
common use areas
• Applicable to new construction and
additions
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
Single-Family Standards - Porches
Allow covered porches
• Existing Code:
- Porches in front set back limited to 3 feet in height - May project 6 feet into front setback
- 3 foot side setback required
• Proposed:
- 6-foot encroachment allowed into front
setback for covered porches
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Proposed ADU Standards
Maximum Height
• Attached or detached: 25 ft
Maximum Size
• Attached: 50% of living area of main
dwelling (up to 1,000 sq. ft.)
• Detached:
- 1,000 sq. ft. for lots less than 5,500 sq. ft.
- 1,200 sq. ft for larger lots
Maximum Stories
• Attached: 2
• Detached: 1.5 16
16 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Nonconforming Setbacks
Allow additions within setbacks to match existing condition • Existing: Additions to residences need to meet current setbacks regardless of the existing legal nonconforming setbacks • Proposed: Additions may match the existing legal nonconforming side setback down to a minimum of 3 feet for one-story additions to the rear of the house
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Short-Term Rentals
Establish regulations for short-term rentals
• Applies to rentals ‹ 30 days in length
• Hosted rentals allowed year-round (where the host lives in the same unit as the rental)
• Un-hosted rentals (where the host isn't present) allowed for a cumulative 90 days per year
• Short-term rental of ADUs prohibited
• Effective 9 months after adoption of the Code in order to put a monitoring and compliance program in place
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9 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Changes Resulting from State Law
• Residential developments in commercial areas (AB2011 and SB6) • Relaxation of ADU standards
• Density Bonus enhancements, including for shared housing (AB682) and commercial projects (AB1551)
• Requiring cities to allow emergency shelters in more zoning districts and closer to transit (AB 2339)
• Prohibition on requiring public hearings for projects that only involve interior reconfigurations regarding bedroom count (AB916) • Prohibition on requiring parking within 42 mile of a major transit stop (AB2097) and for affordable housing (AB2334) 19
19 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Changes Resulting from the Housing Element
Add permitted uses in Multi-Family and Mixed-Use Zoning • Single-Room Occupancy buildings (SROs)
• Supportive Housing
• Low-barrier navigation centers
Add permitted uses in Public/Quasi-Public Zoning
• Overnight shelters
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10 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
General Plan Text Amendments
Support continued economic development
• Remove limitations on manufacturing
in Low- and High-Intensity
Office/R+D General Plan Designations
• Remove prohibition on Medical
Facilities in areas designated High
Intensity Office/R+D
• Clarify definition / calculation of Floor
Area Ratio (FAR) to exclude
basements and below-grade parking
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Contero Whats Possible
Timing of Zoning Code Actions
Two Steps for Adoption
• Zoning Code Text Adoption (tonight)
- New permit processes such as Minor Use Permits
- Simplified outdoor seating and entertainment permits
- Streamlined parking requirements
- Expanded legal-nonconforming provisions
- All single-family residential code changes
• Map Adoption (Spring 2024)
With exception of single-family provisions, sections related to Zoning Districts (Article 2) will only be effective after Map adoption 22 22
Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Zoning Code Map Adoption City of Santa Clara, California • State law now requires Zoning and
General Plan to match for charter cities
City of Sant:
(SB1333)
• For parcels with inconsistent Zoning and
GP designations, the higher density
residential controls (SB330)
• Change General Plan designations (where
necessary by State law to allow the higher
residential density)
Rezone properties with newly created
districts to match their General Plan
designation 23
23 Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Planning Commission Recommendations
1. Clarify the definition of "data center" so that it includes "data warehouses"
2. Add additional details as to what constitutes "ancillary uses" in the High Intensity Office/Research & Development Area with respect to data centers; Take into account both square footage and electrical demand Change standalone data centers from a Permitted use to a Conditionally Permitted Use in the LO-RD, HO-RD, LI and HI zones; Ancillary data centers below the square foot and power thresholds would be Permitted
4. Prohibit the use of Accessory Dwelling Units as short-term rentals
5. Add a new section on monitored electric perimeter security fencing, including the requirement that monitored perimeter security fence systems obtain a Use Permit in LI Light Industrial and HI Heavy Industrial zoning districts 24 24 12
Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Staff Recommendation
1. Adopt an addendum to the City's General Plan EIR for the Zoning Code Update.
2. Adopt a Resolution for General Plan Text Amendments related to the Zoning Code Update, including the removal of manufacturing limitations in the Low- and High-Intensity Office/R+D General Plan designations; allowing medical uses in the High-Intensity Office/R+D designation; and clarifying the definition of Floor Area Ratio.
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Zoning Code Update City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
Staff Recommendation (continued)
3. Waive first reading and Introduce the Ordinance amending Title 18 of the Santa Clara City Code to implement the Zoning Code Update including changes as recommended by the Planning Commission.
Direct staff to implement Articles 1 and 3-8 of the Zoning Code Update along with the single family provisions in Article 2, with the exception of Short-term Rental Regulations, Section 18.60.250 which is deferred for nine (9) months to develop a monitoring and compliance program.
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13 City of Santa Clara
City Council
ATTA CLARA DIE December 19, 2023
CITY OF Item # 3 RTC 23-585
0000000 Zoning Code Update
1852
THE MISSION CIT
Andrew Crabtree, Director
Community Development Department
27 14