8/19/25 Item #6
City Council
August 19, 2025
Item #6 RTC 25-643
Action on the Update to the
CI Public Outreach Policy for
Planning Applications
1852
THE MISSION CIT Sheldon Ah Sing
Development Review Officer
Afshan Hamid
Director of Community Development
1 City of
Santa Clara
Tin Copter of What: Possible
Overview
• Why are we revising the Policy?
• What are the changes?
• Public and Planning Commission
Feedback
• Planning Commission Recommendation
• Benchmarking with Other Jurisdictions
2 POST MEETING MATERIAL
1 8/19/25 Item #6
City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Postible
Background - 2017 Public Outreach Policy
• Exceeded State Requirements through
requiring:
- On-site posting
- Web site notifications
- Community meetings
• Purpose: Engage stakeholders early in
the process
3 City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Pussile
Why are we revising the Policy?
1. Community feedback to have
earlier notifications
2. Desire to better engage hard to
reach populations
3. Incorporation of Post COVID-19
best practices
4. Embrace new technologies for
outreach
5. Opportunity to clarify policy
language and set expectations
4 4
2 8/19/25 Item #6
City of
Santa Clara
The Conterof Whats Poysible
What are the changes?
• Revised definitions for clarity
• Early notification requirements for projects
without community meetings
• Encouragement to use 3rd party community
engagement specialist for hard-to-reach
populations
• Improved logistics for community meetings
• Initial visioning meeting for General Plan/Rezones
• Increased notification radius for large/Significant
interest projects
5 City of
Santa Clara
The Center of sluts. Pussible
Proposed Matrix B (Outreach Requirements)
Application Type Minor Small Standard Large Significant Interest
Architectural Review (Hearing) x X = required
Architectural Review (Admin)
Minor Use Permit
Off-Site Parking Permits noticing
Reasonable Accommodation requirements
Temporary Use Permit
Conditional Use Permit x
onforming Rezone w/ General Pla
Significant Property Alteration (Majo
General Plan Amendment
Rezoning/Text Amendment
Tentative Subdivision Map
inor Use Perr
Data Centers
Drive-In/Drive-Throughs
6 3
8/19/25 Item #6
City of
Santa Clara
The Center of Wion, Foegible
Public and Planning Commission Feedback
• Improve equity in the outreach process
• Increasing notification requirements
• Provide reminders for people of the options to stay informed • Requiring 3rd party engagement consultants for certain projects City of
Santa Clara
Tie Conter of what: Possible
Recommendations
The Planning Commission concurred with the staff recommendation with additional revisions:
Type of Project Current Staff Planning
Notification Recommendation Commissior
Radius Recommendatior
Standard Project 500 feet 500 feet ¼ mile
(1,320 feet)
Large/Significant 1,000 feet ¼ mile ½ mile
Project (1,320 feet) (2,640 feet)
• The policy is subject to review by the Planning Commission after four community meetings or six months, whichever occurs first.
8 8
4 8/19/25 Item #6
City of
Santa Clara
The Conter of What! Possible
Standard Project - 2455 Lawrence Expwy
500 Feet
Mile
9 City of
Santa Clara
The Centerol Whats Possible
Large/Significant Interest Project -
1100 Memorex Dr
500 Feet
a Mile
10 10
8/19/25 Item #6
City of
Santa Clara
The Center of Wlairs Positd:
Benchmarking with Other
Jurisdictions Notification Process
Jurisdiction Noticing Radius
State Requirement 300 feet minimum
Cupertino 500 feet
Palo Alto 600 feet
East Palo Alto 300 to 600 feet
San Jose 300 to 1,000 feet
Santa Clara (Existing) 300 feet to 1,000 feet
Santa Clara (Staff Recommend) 300 feet to ¼ mile (1,320 feet) Santa Clara (PC Recommend) 300 feet to ½ mile (2,640 feet) 11 11 City of
Santa Clara
The Center of Slots Possible
Summary
• Early notification of projects will allow people additional time to participate in the process and provide feedback when project revisions are more likely to occur.
Additional guidance for community meetings will help enrich the process.
Increasing the notification radius may not increase the interest in the project. It will increase the time and cost to process a project.
• The proposed Planning Commission recommended increases would make Santa Clara an outlier.
• Staff does not support the increase in notifications recommended by the Planning Commission.
• An alternative to increasing notices as recommended by the Commission is to gauge the public interest from the early notification and allow the Director to adjust the notification radius accordingly.
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6 8/19/25 Item #6
City of
Santa Clara
The Cooter of Whath Possiblu
Staff Recommendation
That the City Council adopt the updated Public Notification, Outreach & Engagement Policy tor Planning Applications, as modified by the Planning Commission except for the proposed increased notification distances.
Santa Clara (Existing) 300 feet to 1,000 feet
Santa Clara (Staff Recommend) 300 feet to ¼ mile (1,320 feet) Santa Clara (PC Recommend) 300 feet to ½ mile (2,640 feet) 13 13
City Council
August 19, 2025
SATA CLAPA CATA Item #6 RTC 25-643
CITY OF Action on the Update to the
Public Outreach Policy for
Planning Applications
1852
THE MISSION CITY Sheldon Ah Sing
Development Review Officer
Afshan Hamid
Director of Community Development
14