11/18/2025 Item # 8
City Council
Action on Introduction of a "Special Event
Zone" Ordinance Regulating and Prohibiting
Certain Activities within a Protected Area ir
Connection with the 2026 Major Events at
Levi's® Stadium
1852
THE MISSION CITY
Elizabeth Klotz, Assistant City Manager
Agenda Item #8, (RTC # 25-1591)
November 18, 2025
City of
Santa Clara
Background
• Since opening in 2014, the Stadium has
hosted major national and international
events including Super Bowl 50(2016),
College Football Playoffs National
Championship (2019).
Historical challenges: congestion,
unpermitted vending, counterfeit
goods, emergency access constraints.
Special Event Zones, also known as
"Clean Zones", ', have been used
successfully in prior events.
POST MEETING MATERIAL
1 11/18/2025 Item # 8
City of
Santa Clara
The Corset of Whots Fostible
2026 Major Events Overview
• Super Bowl LX - February 2026.
• FIFA World Cup 2026 - six matches
June-July 2026.
• Global-scale events requiring large security and
operational areas.
• Coordination required among NFL, FIFA, City
departments, regional partners.
• The City through the League Event Agreement
agreed to consider the adoption of a Special
Event Ordinance to help protect the public
health safety and welfare during these events.
City of
Santa Clara
Why a Special Event Ordinance?
• Respond to Growing Event Demands: Accommodate the increasing scale and complexity of major events.
• Ensure Consistent Public Safety Standards: Establish predictable, uniform regulations for all event organizers.
• Promote Safe & Efficient Movement: Support the smooth flow of attendees, vehicles, and staff throughout events.
• Protect Public Safety: Maintain emergency access, prevent unsafe crowding, and reduce overall risk.
• Enhance Operational Coordination: Improve processes for load-in, credentialing, screening, media operations, and other logistics.
• Safeguard Consumers: Deter counterfeit merchandise and unsafe food sales to protect the public.
• Aesthetic Standards: Maintain City appearance during global events. 2 11/18/2025 Item # 8
City of
Santa Clara
The Center of Whats Possible
Overview of Special Event Ordinance
• Narrowly tailored regulations that are temporary, event-specific, and restricted to a defined geographic Special Event Zone. • In effect only during designated activation periods, covering event build-up, operations, and immediate post-event dispersal. • Intended to address heightened safety, mobility, and security risks associated with major, high-impact events.
• Targets only specific outdoor activities to reduce congestion, enhance emergency access, and support coordinated event operations.
City of
Santa Clara
Special Event
Zone Map
Crested by the CSC GAS Tair 6
035, 95Mos
3 11/18/2025 Item #8
City of
Santa Clara
They Cantee of Whors Possible:
Outdoor Commercial Activity Controls
• Temporary suspension of vending permits within the Special Event Zone during designated periods.
• No mobile-unit vending, including trucks, trailers, carts, pushcarts, bicycles, or other wheeled units.
• Outdoor merchandise sales prohibited unless conducted by an existing, fixed-location business.
City of
Santa Clara
Tara Conterol Whats Possible
Temporary Structures & Promotional
Restrictions
• Temporary structures require City approval, including tents, canopies, inflatables, wireless equipment, and similar
installations.
• No free product sampling or giveaways, including promotional items, coupons, or commercial services in outdoor or public areas. • Prohibits sale or distribution of illegal or counterfeit goods, regardless of permit status.
8 4
11/18/2025 Item #8
City of
Santa Clara
The Copter of Whats Possibles
Commercial Advertising and Promotional
Activity
• Prohibits unpermitted commercial advertising visible from public streets or rights-of-way, including banners, inflatables, LED displays, building wraps, and projected signage.
• Limits mobile advertising and pop-up marketing installations, unless exempt or expressly permitted under City regulations.
• Allows advertising incidental to ordinary business, such as transit vehicle ads (buses, taxis, delivery vehicles) and permitted fixed signs. • Police permit required for any parade, march, race, procession, or block event on public streets or public spaces.
City of
Santa Clara
SBLX and FIFA Special Event Ordinance
Time Periods
• Super Bowl LX: February 1, 2026 (8:00 a.m.) - February 10, 2026 (10:00 p.m.).
• FIFA World Cup 2026: June 12, 2026 through July 1, 2026, to allow for 24 hours prior to kick-off of the first match day through midnight on final match day.
Additional Special Events (if any): By separate Council resolution. 10 5
11/18/2025 Item # 8
City of
Santa Clara
Enforcement
• Administrative enforcement applies to all violations; with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense.
• Mobile-unit vending violations in the public right-of-way or City- owned parks are penalized under City Code § 5.05.420.
• All other violations may be enforced through administrative citations issued under City Code § 1.10.030.
• City may seek injunctive relief through the Superior Court when necessary to stop ongoing violations.
11 City of
Santa Clara
The Center of Whats Possible
Community and Business Outreach
• Advance notification to residents and businesses within the Special Event Zone, including email updates, city webpage and social media channels.
• Targeted outreach to the affected vendors and mobile businesses.
Coordination with hotels, event venues, and Chamber to provide understanding of the regulations, timelines and permitting requirements.
• Coordination between agencies public agencies including VTA and County Department of Environmental Health
• Multilingual communication materials
12 6
11/18/2025 Item # 8
City of
Santa Clara
The Conter of Pots Popsills
Recommendation
Introduce an uncodified ordinance entitled "An Ordinance of the City of Santa Clara, California, Regulating Certain Activities within a Protected Area in Connection with Major Events and Related Activities in the City of Santa Clara," waive first reading, and direct staff to return for final adoption at the next regular meeting, with authority for the City Attorney to make non-substantive edits. 13 City Council
Action on Introduction of a "Special Event
one" Ordinance Regulating and Prohibiting
Certain Activities within a Protected Area it
Connection with the 2026 Major Events at
Levis® Stadium
1852
THE MISSION CITY
Elizabeth Klotz, Assistant City Manager
Agenda Item #8, (RTC # 25-1591)
November 18, 2025
14 7