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Santa Clara County Land Use & Development Overview



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Green Foothills protects the open spaces, farmlands, and natural resources of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties for the benefit of all through advocacy, education, and grassroots action.

California Local Pin Marker Local Land Use & Development Digest

Guided Tours of Stanford’s SLAC Accelerator Offer Visitors a Light-Speed Peek at Science

02/07/2025

COME VISIT THE SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (usually called SLAC), on the edge of the Stanford University campus, to learn about the inner workings of its 2-mile-long accelerator, which is used to smash atoms and now makes new discoveries about the universe.SLAC’s accelerator is so long that it crosses under Interstate 280.

Three-Story Office Building Proposed in Palo Alto

02/07/2025

Read on for more information about a three-story commercial development proposed for University Avenue in Palo Alto.

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San Jose Mayor Sees ADUs as Housing Crisis Quick Fix

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the Los Angeles wildfires created a rare opportunity for the state to build tens of thousands of new homes for displaced residents while simultaneously tackling the housing crisis.
Mahan made his proposal to the …

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Mountain View Looks to Update Its Plan to Tackle Homelessness

For nearly a decade, Mountain View has poured money into programs and services to try and turn the tide of homelessness in the city. But it still has not been enough to stave off housing insecurity for a large number …

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Silicon Valley Water Agency Flops on Outreach Ahead of Sweeps

Santa Clara County’s largest water agency has begun banning homeless encampments on its property, reversing a commitment to let nonprofits and advocates do outreach prior to enforcing its new policy.
Although Valley Water planned to start training nonprofit groups to …

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Los Gatos Senior Housing Development Back on Track

An older adult community in Los Gatos is on its way toward a major overhaul, providing what officials said are much-needed homes.
The Los Gatos Town Council unanimously approved the Los Gatos Meadows development Tuesday, a 209-home, multi-story project dedicated …

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Mountain View Strengthens Rent Control Protections for Mobile Homes

Mountain View’s mobile home park tenants scored a big win Tuesday evening, following a yearslong effort to get the city to offer more rent control protections and cap annual rent increases below the rate of inflation.
In a split 4-3 …

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The Next Santana Row? Council Has Big Plans for California Avenue

A new proposal to enhance car-free California Avenue with planters, road improvements and a playful “modern optimism” aesthetic won a warm reception on Monday night from Palo Alto’s elected leaders, whose chief regret was that the work hadn’t been done …

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San Jose Advances Plans for Downtown Music Pavilion

San Jose’s historic St. James Park is one step closer to joining a national nonprofit’s network of outdoor music venues fashioned from neglected public spaces.
The City Council unanimously authorized negotiations Tuesday for a three-party operating agreement for the future …

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Sunnyvale Eyes Former Hardware Store for Housing

Sunnyvale wants to replace a vacant Orchard Supply Hardware site with hundreds of new homes.
The Sunnyvale Planning Commission heard proposed plans on Jan. 27 for a 5.24-acre development at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road, which would include one 7-story building …

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San Jose State Plans Major Campus Redesign

San Jose State University wants to renovate its main and south campuses to make way for a projected enrollment increase of 8,000 students through 2040.
The San Jose State University Campus Master Plan has several facets. It will include 2 …

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Campbell Development Could Add to City’s Affordable Housing

A busy Campbell corner with multiple businesses could transform into more than 100 homes.
San Francisco-based City Ventures has submitted plans for a 173-home housing development with eight, 4-story buildings and another 5-story building at 700 W. Hamilton Ave. near …

Featured

Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society
Zoning is everywhere, but is it a way to regulate development or a tool for social engineering?
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission has ruled over the state’s shoreline.
California Coastal Commission: Where It Comes From, What It Does
How a nuclear plant, a real estate development and an oil spill led to a landmark law.
The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land
Starting in 1976, the legislature began creating agencies to buy up open land, and keep it open.
Does California’s signature environmental law protect the state’s scenic beauty, or cause more problems than it solves?
CEQA: The Surprising Story of CA’s Key Environmental Law
54-year-old environmental law is often blamed for causing the state’s housing crisis. Is it getting a bad rap?
The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.
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