Mayor Lisa Gillmor may have many shortcomings, but one of them isn’t a lack of imagination. Unable to get the City’s actual voters behind her agenda, she and her allies have invented a whole new class of voters in Santa Clara elections — voters who don’t live here. It’s a bold move that would earn … Read more
After lengthy public comment, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve a planned affordable housing complex at 1601 Civic Center Drive with several added conditions. More than 100 people wrote letters and called in to the Aug. 3 Planning Commission meeting to express their opinion about the project proposed by Charities Housing. The … Read more
In a rare occurrence, members of the Planning Commission and community both applauded a residential project slated for 3141-3155 El Camino Real. The El Camino Real residential project is a 60 condominium unit development made up of 40 townhomes and 20 flats. It will include private streets and landscaped open space. After a brief debate, … Read more
A plan to help Santa Clara deal with the implementation of SB 9, the new state law that allows single-family homeowners to divide their lots and create a second housing unit, stalled at the May 11 Planning Commission meeting. City staff presented commissioners with proposed amendments to the General Plan that would allow the City … Read more
What was supposed to be a routine item concerning a development proposal for two Santa Clara properties led to a larger discussion about the Planning Commission’s role within the City. The Planning Commission was asked to approve a tentative subdivision map for the properties at 1530 and 1540 Pomeroy Avenue. The developer wants to subdivide … Read more
With no planning items on the Planning Commission’s schedule, the commissioners used the Feb. 16 meeting to start looking at Santa Clara’s long-term planning goals. Several commissioners submitted ideas for topics they think the City Council should explore to deal with Santa Clara’s future growth. If the topics are still a topic of concern at … Read more
Santa Clara’s City Council will soon be asked to approve the Patrick Henry Drive Specific Plan. The City’s Planning Commission voted on Jan. 26 to approve four staff recommendations in the plan, pushing the entire document forward to the City Council for final approval. Recommendation 1 – Environmental Impact Report Commissioners unanimously approved Recommendation 1, … Read more
Santa Clara’s Jan. 10 Planning Commission meeting dealt with the Patrick Henry Drive Specific Plan, state housing laws implemented in 2021 and a proposed LED billboard visible from Hwy. 101. After much debate, the Planning Commission voted to recommend the Santa Clara City Council approve a single-sided LED billboard that can be seen from Hwy. … Read more
Santa Clara’s Planning Commission received one last update on the City’s zoning code changes before they are released to the public. The City’s Planning Department expects to have the changes posted online before Nov. 30. Santa Clara has not updated its zoning code for nearly 50 years, so this is a massive overhaul of the … Read more
Real estate developer Equity Residential submitted an application to the City of Santa Clara earlier this year with the aim of significantly increasing the size of the Laguna Clara Apartments at 3131 Homestead Rd. The housing development is on a 12.43-acre lot about midway between the San Tomas and Lawrence Expressways. The application is subject … Read more