City Council reviews revisions to El Camino Real Specific Plan for mixed-use development

In a recent joint meeting of the Santa Clara City Council and the Stadium Authority, city officials discussed significant revisions to the El Camino Real Specific Plan, aimed at shaping the future of this vital corridor. The meeting, held on June 24, 2025, served as a platform for city staff to present updates based on community feedback and council directives from previous years.

The El Camino Real Specific Plan is designed to guide development along the corridor over the next 15 to 20 years, focusing on land use, infrastructure, and economic growth. The revisions reflect a shift towards reducing building heights and density, responding to community concerns about the impacts of higher density developments on adjacent neighborhoods. The plan now proposes a maximum of 4,400 residential units, down from an earlier estimate of 6,200, while still promoting mixed-use development.

City Manager and community development officials emphasized the importance of local control and streamlined processes for development review. The plan aims to transform El Camino Real from auto-oriented strip malls into a pedestrian-friendly corridor with a mix of residential and retail spaces. This vision aligns with the city’s general plan, which prioritizes community vitality and economic diversity.

Community engagement has been a cornerstone of the planning process, with multiple public meetings and outreach efforts conducted since late 2024. Feedback from residents highlighted concerns about maintaining retail spaces along the corridor, as many expressed a desire for a balanced mix of residential and commercial uses. The council members echoed these sentiments, stressing the need to incentivize retail development to prevent El Camino from becoming predominantly residential.

Key revisions to the plan include the introduction of a new lower-density land use designation for townhomes and updated development standards to ensure sensitive transitions between new developments and existing single-family neighborhoods. The plan also incorporates strategies to mitigate shading and privacy concerns for adjacent properties, including a revised 30-degree daylight plane standard.

As the city moves forward, the next steps involve releasing a public draft of the specific plan later this summer, followed by adoption hearings in the fall. The council's discussions underscored the ongoing balancing act between accommodating growth and preserving the character of the community, with many members expressing a commitment to ensuring that El Camino Real remains a vibrant and accessible corridor for all residents.