RESOLUTION NO. __________
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA APPROVING AND CERTIFYING A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, MAKING FINDINGS WITH RESPECT THERETO, AND ADOPTING THE MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM FOR THE UNIVERSITY STATION RESIDENTIAL PROJECT LOCATED AT 451 EL CAMINO REAL, SANTA CLARA PLN24-00279 (Architectural Review)
PLN24-00314 (Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map)
PLN24-00604 (Annexation)
PLN24-00603 (General Plan Pre-designation and Prezoning) Environmental Impact Report (SCH# 2025050963)
WHEREAS, on June 3, 2024, Bixby Land Company (“Applicant”) filed a development application for the 10.96-acre site located at 451 El Camino Real (APN: 230-09-020 and 230-09-021) in the Santa Clara Station Focus Area, which is developed with two retail buildings, commercial services, four research and development buildings and a three-story hotel (“Project Site”); WHEREAS, the Applicant proposes the detachment of the 0.94-acre parcel (APN: 230-09-021) from the City of San Jose and its annexation to the City of Santa Clara; a General Plan pre-designation of the 0.94-acre parcel as Regional Mixed-Use; a prezoning of the 0.94-acre parcel as Mixed-Use Regional Commercial (MU-RC); and a Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map application to allow the construction of a 297-unit apartment building and 111 townhouses with associated on- and off-site improvements (“Project”); as shown on the Development Plans and Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map; WHEREAS, a Draft EIR was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the City circulated copies of the DEIR to the public agencies which have jurisdiction by law with respect to the Project, as well as to other interested persons and agencies, and the City sought the comments of such persons and agencies for forty-five (45) days, beginning on April 10, 2026, and concluding on May 25, 2026 (“Comment Period”); WHEREAS, a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (“MMRP”), attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, has been prepared for implementation with Project development to reduce potentially significant impacts identified in the DEIR to less than significant; WHEREAS, the City prepared written responses to the comments received during the Comment Period and included these responses in a Final Environmental Impact Report. The FEIR consists of: a list of agencies and organizations to whom the DEIR was sent, a list of the comment letters received on the DEIR, responses to comments received on the DEIR, and copies of comment letters. The FEIR was distributed on August 7, 2026, in accordance with CEQA; WHEREAS, the EIR identified certain potentially significant adverse effects on the environment that would be caused by the Project as proposed; WHEREAS, the EIR outlined various mitigation measures that would substantially lessen or avoid the Project’s significant effects on the environment, as well as alternatives to the Project as proposed that would provide some environmental advantages; WHEREAS, the City is required, whenever possible, to adopt all feasible mitigation measures or feasible project alternatives that satisfy project objectives and that can substantially lessen or avoid any significant environmental effects of the Project; WHEREAS, Public Resources Code § 21081, subdivision (a) requires a lead agency, before approving a project for which an EIR has been prepared and certified, to adopt findings specifying whether mitigation measures and, in some instances, alternatives discussed in the EIR, have been adopted or rejected as infeasible; WHEREAS, the “CEQA Findings” attached to this Resolution and incorporated herein by this reference is a set of Findings of Fact prepared in order to satisfy the requirements of Public Resources Code § 21081 (a) and CEQA Guidelines § 15901(a); WHEREAS, as the CEQA Findings explain, the City Council, reflecting the advice of City staff and input from various state and local agencies, has expressed its intention to adopt the proposed Project as described; WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the alternatives addressed in the EIR would not be feasible and would not sufficiently satisfy the Project Objectives, and CEQA does not require a lead agency to consider an environmentally superior alternative when approving a project if mitigation measures will substantially reduce the project’s environmental impacts. The details supporting these determinations are set forth in the CEQA Findings; WHEREAS, all of the significant and potentially significant environmental effects associated with the Project, as approved, can either be substantially lessened or avoided through the inclusion of mitigation measures proposed in the EIR; WHEREAS, the City Council, in reviewing this Project, intends to adopt all Mitigation Measures set forth in the EIR and MMRP; WHEREAS, on August 5, 2026, a notice of the public hearing on the proposed General Plan Amendment was published in the Santa Clara Weekly, for the City Council Hearing to be conducted on September 22, 2026; WHEREAS, on August 5, 2026, the notice of public hearing for the September 22, 2026, City Council meeting for this item was mailed to 524 property owners and tenants within a 1,000-foot radius of the Project Site boundaries; WHEREAS, pursuant to SCCC Section 18.146.020, on August 5, 2026, notices of the public hearing of September 22, 2026, were posted at three public places, and on the City’s website; WHEREAS, on August 26 and September 2, 2026, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing to consider the EIR, CEQA Findings, MMRP and Project, at the conclusion of which, the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council certify and approve the EIR, adopt the CEQA Findings, and adopt the MMRP; and WHEREAS, on September 22, 2026, the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Project, EIR, CEQA Findings, 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:
1. That the City Council hereby finds that the above Recitals are true and correct and by this reference makes them a part hereof.
2. That the City Council hereby finds that the EIR has been completed in compliance with CEQA.
3. That the City Council hereby finds the EIR has been presented to the Council, which reviewed and considered the information and analysis contained therein.
4. That the City Council hereby finds that the EIR reflects the Council’s independent judgment and analysis.
5. That the City Council hereby finds, pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21081 and California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15091, that all of the proposed mitigation measures described in the EIR are feasible, and therefore will become binding upon the City and affected landowners and their assigns or successors in interest when the Project is approved.
6. That the City Council hereby finds that because all of the environmental impacts have been mitigated to a less than significant level, there is no obligation to adopt one of the Project Alternatives set forth in the EIR.
7. That, in order to comply with Public Resources Code Section 21081.6, the City Council hereby adopts the CEQA Findings and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program as set forth in the attached “MMRP”. The Program is designed to ensure that, during project implementation, the City, affected landowners, their assigns and successors in interest and any other responsible parties comply with the feasible mitigation measures identified. The MMRP identifies, for each mitigation measure, the party responsible for implementation.
8. Based on the findings set forth in this Resolution and the evidence in the City Staff Report, and the attached CEQA Findings, the City Council hereby approves and certifies the EIR, adopts the MMRP, and adopts the attached CEQA Findings, all in accordance with CEQA for the Project.
9. Pursuant to 14 Cal. Code of Regs. Section 15091(e), the City Council hereby designates the Director of Planning and Inspection as the Custodian of Records for the Project, and the Planning and Inspection Division at City Hall, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, California, is the location of the documents and other material that constitute the record of proceedings upon which this decision is based.
10. 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 22nd DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026, BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES: COUNCILORS:
NOES: COUNCILORS:
ABSENT: COUNCILORS:
ABSTAINED: COUNCILORS:
ATTEST:
NORA PIMENTEL, MMC
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
CITY OF SANTA CLARA
Attachments Incorporated by Reference:
1. CEQA Findings
2. Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP)
3. Response to FEIR Comments After the Close of the FEIR Review Period Resolution/ 451 El Camino Real EIR Page PAGE 1 of 5
Rev. 1/9/2024