RESOLUTION NO. __________
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA TO APPROVE A VESTING TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP TO SUBDIVIDE THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2518 MISSION COLLEGE BOULEVARD, SANTA CLARA, INTO SIX LOTS 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 the 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”), as shown on the attached Development Plans and Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map, incorporated herein by this reference; WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 17.05.210 of the Code of the City of Santa Clara (“SCCC”), a Tentative Subdivision Map shall be required for all divisions of land into five or more parcels; WHEREAS, consistent with the proposed uses under the development plan, the proposal includes the division of the site into six individual lots, as shown on the proposed Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map, attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference; WHEREAS, on December 10, 2024, the Subdivision Committee determined that the application was cleared and that the Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map be reviewed by the Planning Commission and the City Council in conformance with Section 17.05.300 of the SCCC as a Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map along with the 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, Planning Commission 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.
Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map Findings. Pursuant to California Government Code Sections 66426 and 66428 and SCCC Section 17.05.300(h), the City Council finds and determines that:
A. The Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map is consistent with the objectives, policies, general land use and programs specified in the City’s General Plan in that the proposed Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map is to allow the development of Santa Clara Park residential development with 1,792 apartment units, and on- and off-site improvements consistent with the Freedom Circle Future Focus Area Plan, and compatible with neighboring commercial development, subject to conditions set forth in the Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map Conditions of Approval, attached hereto and incorporated by this reference. The Project proposes a density of 69.6 dwelling units per acre, consistent with the Very High Residential Density General Plan designation in the Freedom Circle Future Focus Area Plan for the Project Site, which allows residential development between 51-100 dwelling units per acre.
B. The design and improvements of the proposed subdivision are consistent with the City’s General Plan in that the Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map would redevelop an underutilized and partially vacant property (Policy 5.3.1-P8), provides adequate landscaping and replaces trees at a 2:1 ratio (Policy 5.3.1-P10), includes sidewalks and consolidates curb cuts to minimize pedestrian/vehicle conflicts (Policies 5.3.1-P12 and P16), and provides a design that is compatible with and sensitive to neighboring residential development (Policy 5.3.1-P29).
C. The site is physically suitable for the proposed type of development in that the Project is designed to provide high quality housing consistent with existing and planned development in the surrounding area.
D. This site is physically suitable for the proposed density of development in that the Project Site is located in an urbanized area and allows for redevelopment consistent with the height, uses and development that are existing and planned in the surrounding area.
E. The design of the subdivision and type of improvements are not likely to cause serious health problems in that the impacts of the proposed residential subdivision have been analyzed in the previously certified Freedom Circle Future Focus Area Plan / Greystar Project General Plan Amendment EIR, and with mitigation, most impacts related to health were determined to be less than significant. For Air Quality, at the time the EIR was prepared, it did identify a significant unavoidable impact, explaining that “it cannot be definitively known or stated at this time that all development projects occurring under implementation of the Focus Area Plan would be able to reduce potential TAC emissions to levels that are below BAAQMD thresholds.” However, at a project level, the Addendum analyzed the potential emissions from the proposed Project and determined that the impacts would be less-than-significant with the use of low-VOC architectural coatings.
F. The design of the subdivision and type of improvements are not likely to cause substantial environmental damage and will not substantially or unavoidably injure fish or wildlife or their habitat in that the Project Site is located in an urbanized setting, on a previously developed site, and includes mitigation measures, as identified in the Addendum to the EIR and MMRP, that reduce impacts to wildlife habitat to less than significant levels.
G. The design of the subdivision and type of improvements will not conflict with easements acquired by the public at large or use of property within the proposed subdivision in that, the Project is designed to avoid encroachments and conflicts with public easements in the site design.
H. The Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map provides, to the extent feasible, for future passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities, in that it would allow flexibility in the development standards to maximize the benefits of green building standards for site and building design.
Based on the findings set forth in this Resolution and the evidence in the Staff Report, the Addendum, the MMRP, and such other evidence as received at the public hearings on this matter before the City Council, the City Council hereby approves the Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map, substantially in the form on file as shown in the attached Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map and Conditions of Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map Approval, incorporated herein by this reference.
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 MARCH 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– Vesting Tentative Map 1 of 5 Rev. Rev: 11/22/17