Santa Clara City Zoning Code

To provide appropriate locations for a broad range of retail, service, and office uses that serve the entire community and surrounding region. The community commercial zone is allowed in areas where the relationship of the commercial area to surrounding development is determined to be compatible. Site design requirements are intended to protect adjacent residential zones and promote orderly development. (Ord. 2026-13: Ord. 2004-03 § 2)

The following uses may be allowed in new or existing structures, which have received site development plan approval by the city:

   Accessory uses and buildings, customarily incidental and subordinate to an approved permitted use.

   Animal hospital for small animals, conducted entirely within an enclosed building.

   Antique, import, or souvenir shop.

   Assisted Living Facility.

   Athletic and sporting goods store, excluding sale or repair of motor vehicles, motorboats, or off-road vehicles, or motorized vehicles in general.

   Athletic clubs.

   Automobile parts sales (new).

   Automobile repair, completely enclosed by solid walls including vehicle storage.

   Bakery.

   Bank or financial institution.

   Barber or beauty shop.

   Bicycle sales and service.

   Bookstore, retail.

   Cafe.

   Camera store.

   Candy store, confectionery.

   City facilities, including fire protection, power, police, public works, etc.

   Clinics, medical or dental.

   Clothing and accessory store.

   Coffee shop, drive-up.

   Convenience store, including sale of gasoline.

   Department store.

   Drugstore.

   Electronic equipment sales.

   Florist shop.

   Fruit and produce stand.

   Furniture sales.

   Gift store.

   Government buildings or uses.

   Grocery store.

   Hardware store.

   Health food store.

   Hobby and craft store.

   Home appliance sales, new.

   Ice cream parlor.

   Insurance agency.

   Interior decorating and designing business.

   Jewelry store sales and service.

   Laundry or dry cleaners.

   Legal office.

   Library.

   Locksmith.

   Medical or dental office or clinic.

   Mobile food vendor.

   Museum or art gallery.

   Music store.

   Non-Depository Institution.

   Office supply, office machines sales.

   Optometrist, optician, or ophthalmologist.

   Paint or wallpaper store.

   Pet and pet supply store.

   Pharmacy/drugstore.

   Professional office.

   Real estate agency.

   Restaurant, drive-up.

   Restaurant, sit down.

   Retail sales and service.

   Shoe store and repair.

   Soda Shop, drive-up.

   Tire sales and service.

   Travel agency. (Ord. 2026-13: Ord. 2007-01 § 1: Ord. 2004-03 § 2)

The following uses are subject to the conditional use approval process outlined in Chapter 17 of city code:

   Amusement enterprises, including miniature golf, batting cages, go karts, laser tag, bowling, and coin operated game machines, or other related activities.

   Bed and breakfast.

   Carwash.

   Charter or technical school.

   Child daycare or preschool center which meets all state and local regulations.

   Church, temples, and other places for religious worship.

   Convention center, meeting facility or similar use.

   Hospital or trauma center.

   Hotel/Motel.

   Indoor gun range, axe throwing facility, or other related activities.

   Mortuary and/or funeral home.

   Pawnshop.

   Public utility structures, including distribution lines, transformer stations, transmission towers, and other similar uses.

   Reception center and/or wedding chapel.

   Tattoo establishment.

   Theater.

Other uses, not listed as permitted or conditional uses may be determined to be compatible and in harmony with the intent of this zone, may be reviewed by the planning commission and approved by the city council. (Ord. 2026-13)

   A.   Minimum lot area: No minimum.

   B.   Minimum zone area: No minimum.

   C.   Minimum yard setbacks, unless otherwise approved by the planning commission:

      1.   Front: Twenty-five feet (25') (see subsection C5 of this section).

      2.   Side facing street: Twenty-five feet (25') (see subsection C5 of this section).

      3.   Interior side: Ten feet (10').

      4.   Rear: Ten feet (10').

      5.   The planning commission may reduce the front and side facing street setbacks to promote a more walkable, outdoor urban environment. The reduced front and/or side facing street setback area may be used for a combination of walkways, landscaping, and outdoor seating, but not parking. (Ord. 2026-13)

No building or structure shall be erected to a height greater than thirty-five feet (35') unless otherwise approved by the city council after planning commission review. (Ord. 2026-13)

All site design and building elevation elements are subject to review and approval by the planning commission.

   A.   An engineered site plan shall be submitted, drawn to scale, and of sufficient size and detail to show building location, required setbacks, ingress and egress drives, pedestrian access, parking areas, landscaped areas, building and parking lot lighting, dumpster enclosure location, and other improvements as may be required.

   B.   The site plan shall show utility locations, including water, power, cable TV, fiber, natural gas, sewer, fire hydrants, street improvements, and other public improvements may be required.

   C.   Building elevations shall be submitted, drawn to scale, and of sufficient size and detail to show building appearance. A building materials board and/or large material samples including colors for all sides of a proposed building is required. Additionally, a project narrative is required.

   D.   The planning commission shall review and approve all plans prior to the issuance of any building permit for site improvement, or construction permit for utility systems and building construction. (Ord. 2026-13)

   A.   All materials and merchandise, except vehicles in running order, shall be stored in an enclosed building or within an enclosure surrounded by a sight obscuring fence or wall of not less than six feet (6') in height and no material or merchandise shall be stored to a height of more than the height of the enclosing fence or wall.

   B.   No trash, rubbish, weeds, or other combustible material shall be allowed to remain on any lot outside of approved containers in any commercial zone. No junk, debris, abandoned or dismantled automobile or automobile parts or similar material shall be stored or allowed to remain on any lot in any commercial zone.

   C.   All solid waste storage facilities shall be located at the rear of the main building or behind a sight obscuring fence or wall which will prevent the facility from being seen from a public street.

   D.   Where a commercial development adjoins any lot or parcel of ground in any residential zone, or along the adjoining property line, a decorative sight obscuring fence, or a ten foot (10') wide planting strip or any combination of fencing or landscaping, which, in the opinion of the planning commission, adequately protects the adjoining residential property is required. (Ord. 2026-13)

   A.   A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the lot area shall be improved and maintained with landscaping. At least half of the landscaped area shall be in the form of live trees, shrubs or ground cover. A minimum six-foot (6) wide landscape strip with an overall average of ten feet (10') wide, is required for landscape strips within the private area of the lot and shall be installed and maintained along all street frontages, except for pedestrian and vehicular access to a site. Landscaping shall be installed and maintained along all building walls that face street frontages.

   B.   If a parking lot includes thirty (30) or more off-street parking spaces, at least five percent (5%) of the parking lot area shall contain interior parking lot landscaping.

   C.   Landscaping must comply with Chapter 17.92, Water Efficient Landscaping and Conservation Standards of city code. (Ord. 2026-13)