Council Sets Sights On Big-Ticket Events, Bond Projects for 2025

The City of Santa Clara's priority setting session focused mostly on the two major sports events coming in 2026 and a few other key initiatives.

Sports and infrastructure will be Santa Clara’s focus over the next year. At the Santa Clara City Council’s priority setting session last month, the council emphasized the need to ensure big-ticket events at Levi’s Stadium go off without a hitch and that the city spends voter-approved bond money responsibly. Super Bowl LX and FIFA World … Read more

Swim Center To Get Long-Awaited Repairs 

The council approved plans for new work on the International Swim Center and agreed on a plan to choose members of the bond oversight committee.

Santa Clara’s George Haines International Swim Center (ISC) will finally get the facelift many have been waiting for since its closure early last year. At the Santa Clara City Council’s meeting Tuesday night, the council approved allocating $10 million for more comprehensive improvements to the ISC. In June last year, the council approved $1.86 million … Read more

Santa Clara Adds to Housing Stock, Council Approves Nearly 2K Apartments

The Santa Clara City Council approved two new housing developments, one on Mission College Boulevard and the other Stevens Creek Boulevard.

Santa Clara will get another massive housing development. At its most recent meeting, March 25, the Santa Clara City Council unanimously approved adding nearly 1,800 apartments to its housing stock. The Irvine Company development, located at 2518 Mission College Blvd., will feature a large swath of below-market-rate apartments. In addition to 75 apartments listed as … Read more

Council Narrowly Approves Bike Lane Road Modifications

A close call at the Santa Clara City Council meeting almost saw the city losing federal funding for bike improvements along three major corridors. At its Tuesday night meeting, the Santa Clara City Council almost failed to approve a bicycle improvement plan along De La Cruz, Lick Mill and Scott Boulevards. Micheal Liw, assistant director … Read more

Council’s “Hands Are Tied” in Cell Tower Approval

Despite an outcry from community members, the Santa Clara City Council confirmed a planning commission decision for cell towers at a local church.

Despite neighbors’ outcry, the Santa Clara City Council approved installation of three cell phone towers. After postponing the decision three times, the planning commission approved the towers, set to be installed at 3111 Benton St., last year. However, a man representing a group of more than 100 neighbors to the 40-foot poles appealed the matter … Read more

2024 Santa Clara Election Spending Topped $3M, But How Much Did it Matter?

With the elections now in the books, we're getting the final numbers of PAC spending in the City of Santa Clara elections.

Campaign spending in the 2024 Santa Clara city election came close to $3.1 million, with PACs spending $2.9 million, dwarfing the $205,000 spent by individual candidates. 49ers Maintain Historical Spending, Related and Police Union Pull Back The 49ers’ $2.4 million in spending was similar to what they spent in the 2022 election. Related spent $115,000 … Read more

Milestones – New Beginnings – Opinion

Publisher Miles Barber hopes that the newest members of the Santa Clara City Council will be independent thinkers free from internal and external influence.

A new year feels like a new beginning, a chance to start with a clean slate. In our everyday lives, we — most of us, anyway — make resolutions to do better in the coming year, exercise more, spend less or start a new endeavor. 2025 also brings to Santa Clara a new city council. … Read more

City To Offer Mental Health Services To Employees, Residents

The City of Santa Clara approved mental health services for city employees, a new incident vehicle for SCPD and a food vendor ordinance.

The Santa Clara City Council has approved a contract with a mental health provider. The three-year $390,000 contract works out to $1 per resident annually. “This effort is to provide connections to mental health care, and it is a priority of the city’s as we all know mental health significantly impacts not only the individual … Read more

Ambitious Environmental Goals Land Santa Clara on Shaky Legal Ground 

The Santa Clara City Council adjusted the reach code based on a recent ruling by a California Court and offered an update on the International Swim Center.

A legal ruling has caused Santa Clara to claw back rules requiring that all new construction be entirely electric. A 9th Circuit Court ruling against the city of Berkley found that such environmental regulations are illegal. Since Santa Clara’s regulations, known as its reach code, were modeled after Berkley’s, City Attorney Glen Googins said it … Read more

Santa Clara Seats New Elected Officials

The Santa Clara City Council swore in its newest members, Kelly Cox and Albert Gonzalez, as well the new city clerk and police chief.

The Santa Clara City Council swore in the winners of the November election. At its meeting on Dec. 17, Council Members Suds Jain and Kevin Park, new Council Members Albert Gonzalez and Kelly Cox, along with new Police Chief Cory Morgan and City Clerk Bob O’Keefe, took the oath of office. Outgoing elected officials Council … Read more