RESOLUTION NO. __________
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN TEXT AMENDMENT ADDING A POLICY TO THE FREEDOM CIRCLE FUTURE FOCUS AREA PLAN TO CLARIFY THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PREPARING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PRIOR TO ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLN24-00160 (General Plan Amendment and Rezone)
PLN24-00213 (Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map)
Addendum to the Future Freedom Circle Focus Area Plan Environmental Impact Report (SCH #2020060425) WHEREAS, on April 22, 2024, Irvine Company (“Applicant”), on behalf of Freedom Circle LLC (“Owner”) filed a development application for the 25.74-acre site located at 2518 Mission College Boulevard (APN:104-40-019), which is developed as a business park and consists of 12 two story commercial buildings with surface parking and site landscaping (“Project Site”); WHEREAS, the Owner simultaneously applied for a General Plan text amendment to add a new policy to the Freedom Circle Focus Area to clarify that a Planned Development rezone satisfies the requirement of a comprehensive plan; a rezone of the property from High Intensity Office and R&D (HO-RD) to Planned Development (PD); and a Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map application to allow the construction of Santa Clara Park residential development with 1,792 apartment units in five residential buildings, associated on- and off-site improvements and 4.225 acres of public parks (“Project”); WHEREAS, an Addendum was prepared for the Freedom Circle Future Focus Area Plan / Greystar Project General Plan Amendment Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (2022) (the “Addendum”) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) and it concluded that the proposed project would not cause substantial changes to the previously approved EIR and no further environmental evaluation is required; WHEREAS, a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (“MMRP”) has been prepared for implementation with Project development to reduce potentially significant impacts identified in the Freedom Circle Future Focus Area Plan EIR for the Project, along with the four refinements to 2022 EIR mitigation measures, which provide clarification and detailed protocols for Santa Clara Park project-specific implementation of the 2022 EIR mitigation measures; WHEREAS, on February 19, 2025, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing, at the conclusion of which, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the Addendum to EIR (2022), General Plan Amendment, Rezoning, and the Tentative Subdivision Map; WHEREAS, on February 5, 2025, a notice of the public hearing on the proposed General Plan Amendment was published in the Santa Clara Weekly, and on February 13, 2025, a notice was published in the San Jose Mercury News, for the City Council Hearing to be conducted on March 25, 2025; WHEREAS, on February 6 and 13, 2025, the notice of public hearing for the March 25, 2025, City Council meeting for this item was mailed to property owners within a 1,000 foot radius of the Project Site boundaries; WHEREAS, pursuant to SCCC Section 18.146.020, on February 13, 2025, notices of the public hearing of March 25, 2025 were posted at City Hall, the Central Park Library, the Mission Branch Library, the Northside Branch Library, and on the City’s website; and WHEREAS, on March 25, 2025, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Project, the Addendum, the MMRP, and all pertinent information in the record during which the City Council invited and considered any and all verbal and written testimony and evidence offered in favor of and in opposition to the Project.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA AS FOLLOWS:
That the City Council hereby finds that the above Recitals are true and correct and by this reference makes them a part hereof.
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 amendment is deemed to be in the public interest, in that the project provides 1,792 residential units in an urbanized area served by existing municipal services and invests in public services and infrastructure with on- and off-site improvements like a public park and complete streets along the project frontage; 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 proposal would be in alignment with the land use designation for the site in the Freedom Circle Future Focus Area Plan, and utilizes and develops an underutilized property into an apartment community; C. The potential impacts of the proposed amendment have been assessed and have been determined not to be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, in that as proposed, it includes all feasible mitigation to reduce the potential adverse environmental effects of the project to less-than-significant levels; and D. The proposed 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 Addendum to the Freedom Circle Future Focus Area Plan Environmental Impact Report and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program has been prepared.
3. That the City Council hereby amends the General Plan by adding a new Policy FC-P25 to Section 5.4.8 (“Freedom Circle Future Focus Area Goals and Policies”) of Subchapter 5.4 (“Focus Areas”) of Chapter 5 (“Goals and Policies”) to read as follows:
“FC-P25: For the 25.74-acre Santa Clara Park project located at 2518 Mission College Boulevard, a Planned Development Rezoning shall satisfy the comprehensive plan requirements of General Plan Policies 5.1.1-P8 and 5.4.7-P1 and Goal 5.4.7-G1.” 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 25TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025, BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES: COUNCILORS:
NOES: COUNCILORS:
ABSENT: COUNCILORS:
ABSTAINED: COUNCILORS:
Attachments Incorporated by Reference: None
ATTEST:
NORA PIMENTEL, MMC
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
CITY OF SANTA CLARA
Resolution/ Santa Clara Park Residential Project 2518 Mission College Boulevard– General Plan Amendment 1 of 5 Rev. Rev: 11/22/17