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Planning commission backs scheme C to add light‑industrial uses to City Place Santa Clara, requires data‑center review at commission level
Summary
The commission recommended the City Council adopt a CEQA addendum and amend the master community plan to add a Scheme C allowing light industrial uses on Parcels 1 and 2 of the City Place Santa Clara site, and directed that data centers be subject to conditional use permits heard by the Planning Commission rather than approved administratively.
The Planning Commission on June 11 voted to recommend that the City Council adopt an addendum to the City Place Santa Clara Environmental Impact Report and approve amendments to the Master Community Plan that add “Scheme C,” which would allow light industrial uses on Parcels 1 and 2 of the 240‑acre City Place Santa Clara site.
City staff summarized the applicant’s request to introduce a land‑use scenario that replaces some of the office capacity previously envisioned on Parcels 1 and 2 with light industrial development (including research and development, industrial R&D, assembly, commercial storage and related uses). Staff emphasized that the overall maximum development authorized by the MCP — 9,160,000 gross square feet — would remain unchanged; scheme C achieves that total by shifting some intensity to the City Center parcels and reducing intensity on Parcels 1 and 2.
Staff and the applicant said the project remains a multi‑phase plan implemented by development area plans (DAPs) for each phase; DAPs will return to the Planning Commission and City Council with parcel‑level details and environmental review as phases are proposed. Staff also said the CEQA addendum concludes scheme C does not create new significant environmental effects beyond those analyzed in the certified 2016 EIR.
Commissioners and members of the public raised extensive questions about the potential for data centers on Parcels 1 and 2, available electrical capacity, truck routing, buffers between industrial uses and nearby residential neighborhoods, and the level of public review for future projects on the site. Outside counsel and Silicon Valley Power staff explained there is currently limited power capacity for large data centers in the near term and that a new SVP substation (Esperanza) is scheduled to come online in late 2028.
In response to commissioners’ concerns, the Planning Commission amended the rezone recommendation language to remove small power plant exemption (SPPE) data centers from the list of permitted uses on Parcels 1 and 2 and to require that all data centers (SPPE, non‑SPPE, and ancillary data centers) be processed through a conditional use permit (CUP) procedure subject to Planning Commission review rather than approved administratively through a minor use permit. The proposed DA amendments and MCP scheme C include design guidelines, a 500‑foot separation standard for loading docks/power substations from residences, and other measures staff said are intended to protect adjacent residential areas.
The commission voted to recommend Council: adopt the EIR addendum, approve the General Plan amendment for the Urban Center/Entertainment District land‑use classification to add the specified light industrial uses on Parcels 1 and 2, approve the PDMC rezone to add Scheme C with the modification requiring CUP review for data centers, and approve amendment of the development agreement to implement scheme C. All four motions passed on majority votes.
Staff and the applicant said the item will go to City Council for final action on July 8. Commissioners said they expect to send additional guidance to Council on truck routing, landscape buffers and oversight of future data‑center and industrial proposals.
