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Campbell planning commission approves six‑story housing project at 600 East Campbell Avenue
Summary
The commission voted 6–0 to approve a six‑story mixed‑use housing project at 600 East Campbell Avenue, allowing a 90‑unit building with a ministerial option to increase to 120 units via state and local density bonus provisions; commissioners debated parking impacts and retail frontage waivers before the unanimous vote.
The Campbell Planning Commission on Feb. 10 approved a minor housing development permit and vesting tentative subdivision map for a six‑story, mixed‑use building at 600 East Campbell Avenue.
Daniel, acting community development director, told the commission the project site is about one acre and that the primary proposal calls for 90 residential units, a 5,000‑square‑foot ground‑floor retail space and two levels of podium parking with 111 stalls; a condition would allow the community development director to approve up to 120 units through state and local density bonus provisions. Staff said the proposal qualifies for a Class 32 CEQA infill exemption and includes seven very‑low income units plus additional bonus units dispersed through the building.
The applicant described remediation and past entitlement work on the site and emphasized that the retooled proposal increases the number of units and affordable units. Ray of LPS, the project architect, said the design uses a mix of Spanish‑colonial and contemporary forms to break up long facades, adds pedestrian‑oriented ground‑floor elements and provides a roof deck and two levels of residential parking.
Commissioners questioned the unit mix, the mechanics of the small‑unit bonus (staff: developer must provide 30 small units of 625 sq ft or less to earn 30 bonus units), and operational details such as bike‑room access and trash handling. Several commissioners raised concerns about retail activation and the reduced retail frontage (staff noted the proposal reduces required ground‑floor retail from the city standard of 50% to 40% via density bonus waivers).
A notable point of contention was parking. Commissioner Olney asked whether staff had completed a 30‑day analysis to determine if existing on‑street or nearby commercial parking within a half‑mile would be "materially impacted" under the state provisions staff cited (the transcript references Government Code 65863.2 and related state density rules). Daniel said state law has removed the city's ability to impose minimum parking in many such projects and that a waiver would be hard to reject absent documented health or safety violations; he also said a preponderance of evidence would be required to make an adverse‑impact finding and that the application had been deemed complete for longer than 30 days.
Ken Johnson, executive director of the Campbell Chamber of Commerce, told the commission the Chamber supports the project and offered to help find retail tenants. An online commenter, Raja Palila, urged the city to watch for spillover parking into nearby park lots.
After deliberation, Commissioner Zisser moved to adopt a resolution approving the minor housing development project permit and vesting tentative subdivision map for a six‑story, mixed‑use condominium building with 5,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail and podium parking, allowing the director to approve an increase to a maximum of 120 units through the exercise of state and local density bonus law provisions. The motion was seconded and passed in a roll‑call vote of 6–0. Chair Davis Fields stated the planning commission’s decision is final unless appealed in writing to the city clerk within 10 calendar days.
What happens next: the approval allows the developer to proceed with final design and permit coordination; the applicant estimated construction could begin in 2027 with an approximate 22‑month construction schedule.
