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Animal Services
- Animal Licensing is administered by the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority. An online Animal License Application is available, as well as more information, by visiting Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority's website at www.svaca.com.
- The Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA) provides resources for reporting and searching of your lost pet. Please visit SVACA's website for more information
- General Provisions regarding animals may be found at Santa Clara City Code online.
- Animal services such as adoption, spay & neuter, vaccination are provided by the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA). More information about service may be found at SVACA's web site.
Vector Control is a function of the County of Santa Clara. For more information, please visit: https://www.sccgov.org/sites/vector/Pages/vcd.aspx
Bicycle Access to the Levi's Stadium
- Levi's® Stadium will feature approximately 750 bicycle parking spaces, via bike valet (700) and bike lockers (50). The preliminary plan creates bicycle parking near Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Center and in California Great America's parking lots.
Branding Initiative
Business Tax
- No, the Business Tax Certificate is for doing business in the City of Santa Clara only. If you plan on doing business in another city, you must contact them in order to obtain their requirements for a business license.
- Yes, a home-based business is required to obtain a Business Tax Certificate. Businesses operating out of the home are required to apply in-person at the Planning Department at City Hall.
- A written request and a fee are required to obtain a replacement copy of your certificate.
- No, unless a business is a corporation and the Tax ID is not changing, a Business Tax Certificate is non-transferrable. As a new owner, you are required to submit a new Business License Application to cover the business operation under your ownership.
- Expired Business Tax Certificates are automatically cancelled 90 days after the expiration date. We require written notification from the owner in the event of a closure or sale. Please mail your written notification to: City of Santa Clara, Business Tax Unit, 1500 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95050.
- Any changes to your business (i.e., location, type of business, business entity, ownership, etc.) will require a new Business License Application to be submitted. If the business is no longer located in the City of Santa Clara, written notification from the business owner must be submitted to close the Business Tax Certificate.
Cannabis Public Engagement and Outreach
The City encourages community input and participation to navigate the complex and dynamic implementation process for cannabis regulations. We welcome your participation in public meetings that will take place as listed under the Events section of the webpage.
If you are unable to attend meetings and would like to share your thoughts, please email email@example.com.
No, they are the same. "Marijuana" is a slang term of unclear origin and refers to the more technical Latin genus name "cannabis". Due to the unsavory connotation sometimes associated with the term "marijuana", the State legislature and many industry participants now prefer to use "cannabis".
The City's goals for cannabis-related businesses are:
- Establish reasonable and comprehensive regulations that preserve the health and safety of the community.
- Ensure compliance with cannabis-related State regulations.
- Reduce and eliminate nuisance, crime and "black market" cannabis sales.
Commercial cannabis businesses that will be licensed by the State include manufacturing, cultivation, distribution, retail sales and testing of the plants and related marijuana products. The Santa Clara City Council has directed staff to develop regulations to further explore retail, cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and testing in Zoning Districts were similar uses are already permitted. These draft regulations will be presented to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation to the City Council prior to their consideration of adopting the regulations.
What does Senate Bill 94, the Medicinal and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) allow?
- Adults 21 and older may possess, transport and use up to an ounce of dried marijuana flowers and 8 grams of cannabis concentrates. This includes out of state visitors.
- Adults 21 and older can grow up to six (6) marijuana plants at their home. Local jurisdictions can restrict outdoor cultivation, but cannot prohibit indoor cultivation of these six plants.
- A State excise tax and cultivation tax are levied on commercial cannabis activities. Some of the tax revenue will be used for research, law enforcement, education and local grants. Local jurisdictions may impose additional taxes on commercial cannabis activities. Local grants will not be available to jurisdictions that ban commercial cannabis activities.
- Click here for the full text of Senate Bill 94: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB94
Please refer to the timeline at www.santaclaraca.gov/cannabis for a complete list of upcoming dates. The City's goal is for all cannabis-related regulations to be in effect prior to December 31, 2018.
The City is considering cannabis-related activities located in zones appropriate for the described use. For example, a cannabis manufacturer may be permitted in a Zoning District that currently permits manufacturing uses. Local ordinances will clearly define zones that are allowable for commercial cannabis activity land use.
In 2016, the State Legislature passed the Medical Cannabis Regulatory Safety Act (MCRSA) and on November 8, 2016, California Voters passed Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA).
Now, the State legislature SB 94 (MAUCRSA) combines and unifies regulations for both medicinal and non-medicinal commercial cannabis activities and the personal use of cannabis.
As a result of the passage of these laws, the City must take steps to incorporate the medical and non-medical regulations for cannabis activities as described under each of the acts into local law.
City Attorney FAQ
No. The City Attorney cannot provide legal advice to private citizens. However, the following organizations in Santa Clara County may be helpful to citizens in seeking legal representation and/or answers to general legal questions:
- Santa Clara County Bar Association
Lawyer Referral
(408) 971-6822
- Project Sentinel
Landlord/Tenant Mediation
(408) 720-9888
- Santa Clara County District Attorney
(408) 299-7400
- Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
Civil Court Clerk's and Calendar Offices
(408) 882-2100
- Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
Self-Help Center
(408) 882-2926
- Santa Clara County Bar Association
- A copy of a particular section may be obtained from the City Clerk's Office, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, California 95050, (408) 615-2220. The Santa Clara Main Library also maintains a copy of the City Code for review. If you wish to, review the City Code online.
Any person disputing an administrative citation may contest the citation by completing a "Request for Hearing Form" and filing the form within thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of the citation at the City Clerk's Office, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, California 95050.
Appeal forms may be obtained:
• Online,
• By calling (408) 615-2220 and asking that a "Request for Hearing Form" be sent to you, or
• In person at the City Clerk's Office, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, California 95050.
If applicable, any person may also submit a Request for Financial Hardship Waiver Form.
- Claim forms and instructions are available online and from the City Clerk's Office, (408) 615-2220, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, California 95050. The claim form must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within six (6) months from the date of the incident. The City Clerk's Office will forward the claim form to the City Attorney's Office. All claims are administered by the City Attorney's Office and the City's Third Party Administrator.
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
- Superior Court
191 N. First St.
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 882-2100
City Manager FAQ
The City of Santa Clara, from its roots as The Mission City to the home of the new Levi's® Stadium, is revitalizing and reenergizing its brand. For more information, visit our Branding Initiative webpage.
City Parks and Schools
- No. However, patrol officers will monitor parks and schools during the course of their shift.
- Yes. The Traffic Plan will outline the best way to access the Youth Soccer Park during Levi's® Stadium events.
Code Enforcement FAQ
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
I believe that someone is using the office next door to my business as a residence. Is it legal for someone to live in a commercial space?There are two types of "occupancies" in the Building Code – residential, referring to structures intended to be used as dwellings, and commercial, buildings intended to be used for business. Only residential occupancy buildings are approved as a place to live.
Living in a commercial occupancy poses significant risks to the occupants while they are sleeping because these buildings frequently do not have required safety features, such as smoke detectors and sufficient exits that can be used for emergency egress. In a home, for example, each sleeping area must have at least two routes for escape. Additionally, commercial buildings may have hazardous materials, such as flammable liquids that could pose a fire hazard.
It is never safe to use a commercial occupancy as a dwelling. To report people living in a commercial occupancy, contact Code Enforcement at 408-615-2461 or the Fire Marshal's Office at 408-615-4970.
- The short answer to the question is yes, you can receive a ticket for parking in a red zone on private property and, in some cases, your vehicle may be towed away. It is never a good idea to park in a red zone anywhere.
There are many reasons why red zones may exist. The red zone is most commonly used to prevent vehicles from parking in areas where emergency access is required, such as adjacent to fire hydrants, other fire equipment or areas that provide only the minimum 20-foot access width for emergency vehicles. The red curbing can also be used in areas where a parked vehicle may obstruct or impede the normal vehicle flow throughout the property.
If the red curbing has been designated as an official fire lane intended to maintain Fire Department emergency access, then you may be ticketed. Property owners have the right to tow vehicles from their property, as long as they post a sign on their property.
Remember, it is never a good idea to park in a red zone because you may delay the response of the Fire Department in an emergency and that could endanger others.
- With high property values in the area and the need for more housing space, an increasing number of homeowners are considering the conversion of their garage to living space. While it may be legal to convert a garage to living space, the City of Santa Clara Planning and Inspection Department must grant approval prior to the conversion of the garage. All living spaces must conform to City Codes and Ordinances, and the City must take into account the requirement for covered parking and the impact a garage conversion might have on street parking.
The Planning and Inspection Department will review the plans of the proposed conversion of a garage to another use. Depending on the designated use of the conversion, items required for garage conversions include heating and ventilation, insulation, light, emergency egress windows, structural framing, electrical and/or plumbing systems and the installation of smoke detectors. After issuance of the building permit for the conversion, a building inspector will perform inspections before the space can legally be occupied.
If you have any questions regarding the conversion of a garage, please contact the Permit Center at (408) 615-2420.
Are the weeds a fire hazard?
While weeds are considered nuisances by most people, they may or may not be a fire hazard. Three main factors influence whether or not the weeds pose a fire hazard:
- How dry are the weeds?
Green, growing weeds are generally not considered a fire hazard since their moisture content would make them difficult to ignite and slow the spread of a fire. Weeds can dry out quickly as soon as the weather turns warm, increasing their fire hazard.
- What are the size and quantity of the weeds?
Tall, dry weeds pose a greater fire hazard than shorter weeds. Their size and quantity are directly proportionate to the size and intensity of any ensuing fire. Cutting weeds back and removing the cut weeds is the best method for reducing the fire hazard posed by the weeds.
- What's the weather like?
A few days of hot dry weather can quickly dry out the weeds and preheat them so that they can ignite easily. Add some wind, and the intensity of the fire involving the weeds can dramatically increase. Section 1103.2.4 of the Santa Clara Municipal Fire and Environmental Code requires "Cut or uncut weeds, grass, vines and other vegetation shall be removed when determined by the Chief to be a fire hazard."
The Santa Clara Fire Department, in an effort to reduce the fire hazard posed by weeds and dried vegetation, urges residents to clear any dried vegetation from their property that could pose a hazard. For further information, call the Santa Clara Fire Department's Division of Fire Prevention at (408) 615-4985.
- How dry are the weeds?
Community Garden
Within a week, the Garden Coordinator, Derek, will send you an email confirming receipt of the application (give them back the stapled checklist). On August 1st, we will be selecting Garden Members through a lottery process. If you are selected or placed on a waitlist, you will receive an email with your status on August 3rd. If accepted, you will pay your deposit and fees at your orientation.
Annual Use Fees (subject to change)
Santa Clara Resident - $75.00/year ($50 Deposit)
Senior Citizen/ADA Resident - $50.00/year ($50 Deposit)
Large Group Bed - $170/year ($100 Deposit)
Any Santa Clara based private group (i.e. a group of friends, boy/girl scouts, etc); Any Santa Clara based business or organization. Apply as normal and add your Group Name at the top. The Garden Coordinator will contact you to work out the details.
Visit www.SantaClaraCA.gov/CommunityGarden for updates or call Derek Bryant, Garden Coordinator, at (408) 615-3743 for more information.
Anyone who is a Santa Clara resident. They do not have to live with you (in this case you will be sharing the bed). You will not have to verify their residence (just check the box on the application, or ask for clarity). Primary and Secondary Garden members will each get a key. You do not have to choose a secondary garden member. Non-residents are only eligible if the Primary Garden Member is disabled.
To fit the City's sustainability goals, the following Santa Clara residents will get priority. The more categories you fit, the more likely you will become a member. It is NOT first-come-first –serve. We encourage ALL Santa Clara residents, private groups, and organizations to apply.
- City of Santa Clara Residents living within a half mile radius of Park
- City of Santa Clara Residents who receive Cal Fresh (WICC, SNAP) benefits
- City of Santa Clara Residents with children in SCUSD boundaries and Residents aged 55 and up
- All other City Residents over 18
Since this is a brand new program for the City, the lawyers (CAO), and Parks Commission are reviewing and editing it constantly. The documents you have now are very close to the final official documents and we do not anticipate any major changes.
Community Outreach - Levi's Stadium
The results of quantitative survey and qualitative community engagement activities will be analyzed separately, and then correlated into a comprehensive report that will be presented to the Stadium Authority Board. The report will provide information about the methodologies used, key results and findings, and a set of conclusions and recommendations that the Board can choose to use to make policy decisions related to issues surrounding Levi's Stadium.
Are the consultants going to include additional focus groups and expand community engagement beyond what is planned?The consultants have encouraged the Board and City to view this project as just the first step in a longer-term and ongoing effort to engage the community on these critical issues. As such, it is our hope that the Board and City continue its communications with the public on these matters and expand these activities to include some of the suggested groups.
Upcoming Community Engagement Meetings
• April 26, 6:00 p.m. Central Park Library, Redwood Rom, 2635 Homestead Ave
Please RSVP to attend: https://levistadium4-26-18.eventbrite.com
• April 28, 10:00 a.m. Community Recreation Center, 969 Kiely Boulevard
Please RSVP to attend: https://levistadium4-28-18.eventbrite.com
• May 9, 6:00 p.m. Northside Library Community Room, 695 Moreland Way
Please RSVP to attend: https://levistadium5-9-18.eventbrite.com
Provide your input on the Open City Hall Survey
To take the short survey, please visit https://www.peakdemocracy.com/5959
- Those who wish to utilize web-based engagement are required to register in order to use the online platform.
Some of us just received a question asking political questions about the stadium. Is this related to this project?
It has recently come to our attention that someone is contacting Santa Clara residents with survey questions of a seemingly political nature, including questions about elected officials and other political matters. These interviews are completely unrelated to the research project commissioned by the City, and the City is unaware of who is conducting these interviews, nor does it endorse them. The research project commissioned by the City solely seeks community perspectives on issues such as safety, parking, cleanliness, loitering, lighting, stadium performance curfews, and related items.
The project will launch in January and will end in late May or early June. A proposed workplan will be presented after the first of the year.
To ensure comprehensive data collection over a variety of communications modules used by different generations and backgrounds, current methods being planned include:
- Two-three telephone surveys comprising over 1,000 interviews of voters, residents, and businesses. These interviews will draw random, representative samples of the following target audiences identified by the Authority:
- City of Santa Clara
- Near/proximity-Stadium residents, businesses and regional residents
- Focus Groups
- As many as four scientific small-setting focus groups will be engaged
- As many as nine geographic/organizational focus groups will be engaged
- Community Meetings
- As many as three community meetings will be held
- Meetings will include small group discussions with trained facilitators
- One-on-One Interviews
- Every elected Authority Board Member will be interviewed
- As many as 100 on-on-one interviews with community members will be conducted
- Online Platform and Outreach Materials
- Additionally, an online platform will be created to enable members of the public in Santa Clara and its neighboring cities to provide input
- Two-three telephone surveys comprising over 1,000 interviews of voters, residents, and businesses. These interviews will draw random, representative samples of the following target audiences identified by the Authority:
Following a Request for Proposal process, Stadium Authority staff selected the following professionals to assist with this project:
- EMC Research, a full-service opinion research firm that has conducted thousands of highly regarded and cited quantitative research studies.
- The Lew Edwards Group, a nationally-recognized, award-winning firm specializing in services to local governments will be serving as Project Lead.
- Public Dialogue Consortium, a 501c3 nonprofit organization with extensive experience in cutting edge, qualitative community dialogue and collaboration.
All firms are based in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and are highly recognized professionals in their respective fields. None of the firms are lobbyists, and all three have never represented the 49'ers. The only objective of this effort is to gather impartial, unbiased community perspectives.
Yes, following the completion of each engagement module the results and methodology for each activity will be reported on in a transparent manner. However, the actual questions, methodology and data/interview design will not be disclosed in advance, as doing so biases or skews the collection of quantitative data from potential community participants.
Community Partnership
- The 49ers Stadium Management Company is managing and operating Levi's® Stadium. As a result, it will serve as the first line of communication for community members and patrons and will be responsible for relaying and responding to community input and issues related specifically to Levi's® Stadium operations.
For questions or concerns regarding Levi's® Stadium operations, including noise, parking and traffic, please contact the Stadium Management Company at 408-673-2100 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Crime, safety procedures and neighborhood protection issues will be addressed by the Santa Clara Police Department. Non-emergency situations can be communicated by calling 408-615-5580. In the case of an emergency, call 9-1-1.
The Levi's® Stadium event calendar can be obtained at www.levisstadium.com
Creek Trail
Yes. However, a portion of the Creek Trail is closed on event days. A detour (similar to the one that has been in place during the construction of the facility) will allow outdoor enthusiasts to access the trail during Levi's® Stadium events. Signage will be posted.
Bicyclists will be rerouted via Agnew Road, Lakeshore Drive, Gianera Street, the VTA Great America Train Station Parking lot, Stars and Stripes Drive and service road/trail along the rear of the Tasman Parking Garage where bicyclists will be able to locate the complimentary Bike Valet. Bicyclists continuing through can also get back on to the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail. More information about Levi's® Stadium Bicycle Policies can be found at www.levisstadium.com
Pedestrians will be rerouted via Agnew Road, Mission College Boulevard, Great America Parkway past the Santa Clara Convention Center, and then back to the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail.
It should be noted, the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail shall be closed one-half hour after sunset, until sunrise, per Santa Clara's Municipal Code.
It should be noted that all undercrossings may be subject to periodic closures during the rainy seasons when they are inundated by the water levels in the creek. For information on closures of the trail for maintenance or weather, call (408) 615-3080.
- It is SCPD's goal to limit the closure and therefore reduce the impact to the public.
For large events, SCPD generally closes Tasman Drive and begins to set up the security area and magnetometers just after Midnight on the day of a large event. Once this area has been swept and deemed secure, individuals cannot access this area without a ticket and proceeding through security. A portion of the bike trail is within this footprint. As a result, the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail is closed just after Midnight on the day of a large event.
The creek trail will be reopened as soon as possible following large events at the stadium.
- Yes. However, a portion of the Creek Trail is closed on event days. A detour (similar to the one that has been in place during the construction of the facility) will allow outdoor enthusiasts to access the trail during Levi's® Stadium events. Signage will be posted.
Curfew and Noise Control
The Santa Clara Police Department has received noise complaints regarding the airplanes towing banners above Levi's® Stadium. These planes are not hired by the City of Santa Clara or the San Francisco 49ers. The planes, which are called "Banner Towers", are hired by companies to advertise products and services. A representative of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was contacted and said these flight patterns are legal as long as the pilots stay 1,000 feet above the highest populated building.
According to the San Jose Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), the Banner Towers are operating legally and the San Jose Airport is monitoring noise levels. Residents interested in learning more or filing a complaint can do so at http://www.flysanjose.com. Click on "Environment", and choose "File a noise complaint". Once the e-form is submitted, San Jose Airport staff will review the form, investigate the situation and take action, as appropriate. Individuals can also call the Federal Aviation Administration at (408)291-7681.
- In order to control noise impacts to adjacent residential neighborhoods, noise restrictions have been imposed for Levi's® Stadium. In accordance with Section 9.10.070(c) of the Santa Clara City Code, and the recommendations of the noise analysis, sound levels shall be limited to 100 dBA for NFL games and other uses of the permanent sound system, and not more than 105 dBA for temporary concert speaker systems.
dBA is an abbreviation for decibel, the unit used to measure the intensity of sound. Sound engineers will collect decibel readings throughout live performances and can adjust their equipment to comply with the sound regulations.
For questions or concerns regarding noise, please contact the Stadium Management Company at 408-497-5577 or firstname.lastname@example.com
- Night outdoor non-NFL events shall be scheduled to end no later than 10pm Sunday through Thursday and 11pm Friday and Saturday, unless otherwise approved by the City Manager or their designee.
The Santa Clara City Council approved Resolution 10-7784 on November 9, 2010. This Resolution includes all of the Engineering Conditions of Approval.
- Please contact Ferdinand Pastrana at (408) 615-3006, or Kimchi Tran at (408) 615-3017 of the Design Division.
Disability Services
- A complete list of services for guests with special needs (e.g. directions to ADA parking and drop-off locations, courtesy shuttle to and from the parking lots, golf cart shuttles in the Main Lot, wheel chair service, assisted listening devices, accessible seating, etc.) can be found on line at http://www.levisstadium.com/stadium-info/stadium-az-guide/.
Election Information
No. If you are a registered voter in Santa Clara County, your ballot will automatically include the candidates for Council member if your Council District is up for election this year.
Election information is posted on the City Clerk's webpages and on the website of the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, SCCvote.org. Registered voters will receive a sample ballot in the mail that lists only the candidates and measures each voter is eligible to vote for.
- Go to the County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters website, SCCvote.org, and click on the box "Voter Registration Lookup." It will ask you to enter your home address and birthday and will inform you of your voter registration status.
- Look at the Council District map above. You can also go to the website of the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, SCCvote.org, and click on the box "Look Up Your Districts." It will ask you to enter your residential address and then provide district information for all jurisdictions (county, state, Congress, etc.), including the City of Santa Clara. If you still have questions, contact the Santa Clara City Clerk's office at 408-615-2220 or email@example.com.
- Previously, candidates for City Council ran for a specific Council seat, but all voters in the City of Santa Clara voted for all Council seats. In the new system, voters only vote for the Council member representing their district. The previously numbered City Council seats do not represent a district within the City; there is no relationship between the previous Council seat numbers and the new Council District numbers.
- Through an expedited process from the Court order, several options for dividing Santa Clara into Council Districts were developed by demographic consultants to the City in conjunction with multiple community outreach meetings and public hearings. It was important that each district contain approximately the same number of residents (about 20,000) and that each district take into account other demographic factors such as the ethnicity of residents. The court decided which of the Council District maps would be used for the November 2018 election.
- Yes, if your District Council seat is one of the two that will be on the Nov. 6 ballot – District 2 or District 3. Candidates for these Council Districts were required to file candidacy papers by Aug. 10. Candidates for District Council member seats that will be on the ballot in November 2020 – Districts 1, 4, 5 and 6 – will file their paperwork in the summer of 2020.
No. The Chief of Police will continue to be elected by all voters in the City of Santa Clara for a four-year term. The Chief of Police position will not be on the ballot until November, 2020, and the current Chief of Police stays in office until that time.
No. The City Clerk will continue to be elected at large by all voters in the City of Santa Clara. Since the position is currently vacant, it is on the November, 2018 ballot for a two-year partial term. The City Clerk position will also be on the November 2020 ballot for a full four-year term.
- No. The Mayor will continue to be elected by all voters in the City of Santa Clara for a four year term. The current Mayor's term of office ends this year, so the Mayor position is on the Nov. 6, 2018 ballot.
A court order has mandated that the City of Santa Clara be divided into six City Council Districts and that only residents of each district vote for one Council member to represent them. The court decision was in response to a lawsuit that claimed the City's previous election system violated the CA Voting Rights Act. Detailed information about the lawsuit and the court decisions are available on this page or www.santaclaraca.gov/districts
The new Council District election systemgoes into effect with the Nov. 6, 2018 election. Residents of two Council Districts – District 2 and District 3 – will vote for a Council member to represent them for the next four years. Current Council members who reside in the other four districts – Districts 1, 4, 5 and 6 – will remain in their positions until their current terms of office conclude in 2020 and then voters in these Council Districts will vote for their Council representatives in the November, 2020 election.
Only registered voters who reside in the district can run for the Council member representing that district.
Only registered voters who reside in the district can vote for a candidate running for Council member to represent that district.
- Yes. All six Council members have one vote each and all count the same. The Mayor also has one vote and it also has the same weight as a Council member vote.
Yes. Council members will vote on all City issues and policies brought before the City Council, no matter what district they represent.
Finance FAQ
- Questions regarding invoices should be directed to Accounts Payable, by calling (408) 615-2369, or please send an email to: firstname.lastname@example.com
Fire Prevention FAQs
- Although the Fire Department does not accept old or expired fire extinguishers, a Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event will.
- The Santa Clara Fire Department does not recharge extinguishers. A company that does can be found in your local advertisements phonebook, search engine, etc.
I have applied for a business license and have been told that the Fire Department needs to inspect my business. When will the Fire Department inspect my business?In most cases the Fire Department inspect most new businesses within 30 days of submitting your business license application. If for some reason, your business has not been inspected within 30 days, please call (408) 615-4970 and an inspection can be scheduled. For information regarding what the Fire Department will be inspecting, please refer to the New Business Fire Safety Inspection Checklist.
- Fire extinguishers when used properly are effective in controlling and extinguishing small fires that have not spread beyond their point of origin. It is recommended that you purchase a fire extinguisher that is rated for use on A, B and C type fires. This will ensure that the extinguisher that you purchase will effectively extinguish fires that can occur in your home even on charged electrical appliances. A fire extinguisher rated as 2A:10B:C is an extinguisher size that most people can operate and it will allow the operator to discharge the extinguisher from a safe distance allowing them to move closer as the fire is knocked down.
- Yes. The National Fire Protection Association's National Fire Alarm Code requires home smoke detectors to be replaced when they fail to respond or when they exceed 10 years from the date of manufacture. Most smoke detectors have the date of manufacture printed on the back of the detector. Working smoke detectors are the most important element in the protection of your family from fire that smoke detectors more than eight years old should be replaced to ensure that you and your family are protected. As a reminder smoke detectors should be tested once a month and their batteries should be replaced at least once a year.
- As of July 1, 2011 the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act (Senate Bill - SB 183) requires owners of all single-family homes with an attached garage or a fossil fuel source to install carbon monoxide detectors within the home by July 1, 2011. Owners of multi-family leased or rental dwellings, such as apartment buildings, have until January 1, 2013 to comply with the law. Please refer to the carbon monoxide page on the Cal Fire website for more information.
The adopted Fire Code contains regulations for the use and storage of barbecues on specified balconies, patios and decks of residential structures having more than two dwelling units. These include apartments, condominiums and townhouses (except for townhouses located on individual parcels).
The following are the applicable sections from the Fire Code:
308.1.4. Open-Flame Cooking Devices. Charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10' (3,048 mm) of combustible construction.
- One- and two-family dwellings.
- Where buildings, balconies and decks are protected by an automatic sprinkler system.
- LP-gas cooking devices having LP-gas container with a water capacity not greater than 2-1/2 pounds [nominal 1 pound (0.454 kg) LP-gas capacity].
Summary of the above code:
Charcoal Barbecues—It is acceptable to store the barbecue unit on a combustible balcony (i.e., wood) but it is not acceptable to operate it on a combustible balcony or within 10' of combustible construction (which includes the surrounding walls and overhangs above). It is acceptable to operate the barbecue on a balcony if the balcony, deck, overhangs and adjacent walls are of noncombustible construction or if the buildings, balconies, decks and overhangs are protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG/Propane) Barbecues—It is not acceptable to store or operate an LPG barbecue with a propane fuel container size greater than one pound on a combustible balcony or within 10' of combustible construction (which includes the surrounding walls and overhangs above). It is acceptable to operate the barbecue on a balcony if the balcony, deck, overhangs and adjacent walls are of noncombustible construction or if the buildings, balconies, decks and overhangs are protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system.
Please see this Fire Safety Regulations for Barbecues document for further information.
Fire Volunteer/Reserve FAQ's
- Volunteer/Reserves are issued the following equipment:
• Safety clothing (turnouts, helmet, gloves)
• Pager (with charger)
• Badge
• Identification card
• Nametag
- The Volunteer/Reserves conduct a test similar to that given for paid Firefighter applicants. The testing process includes the following:
• Physical ability test
• Oral interview
• Background exam
- •Obtain an application from the City of Santa Clara website.
You can also obtain an application from the Fire Administration office at 777 Benton Street.
• Return the completed application to the Fire Administration office at 777 Benton Street.
You will be notified by mail when the next test will occur.
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
- To become a certified Volunteer/Reserve, you must do the following:
• Complete one successful year as a Volunteer/Reserve.
• Attain CPR and First Aid certification.
• Pass a certification exam, which tests basic firefighting skills.
- Volunteer/Reserves are awarded preference points on SCFD paid Firefighter examinations according to the following guidelines:
• One point for first year of service.
• One point for certification.
• One point for each additional year of service for up to three years (if certification is maintained).
An individual may have up to five additional points added to their test score.
- Currently, testing for new Volunteer/Reserves occurs approximately twice a year. Frequency of testing is directly related to the number of positions available. There are currently 75 positions within the Volunteer/Reserve Division:
• 1 Volunteer/Reserve Assistant Fire Chief.
• 1 Volunteer/Reserve Battalion Chief.
• 1 Volunteer/Reserve Training Chief.
• 6 Volunteer/Reserve Captains.
• 6 Volunteer/Reserve Lieutenants.
• 60 Volunteer/Reserve Firefighters.
- As a Volunteer/Reserve, you are responsible for the following:
• Attend monthly training drills and company meetings as well as being available for extra-curricular activities.
• Earning the minimum number of required points:
* Calls = 24 points/year
* Drills = 24 points/year
* Activities = 72 points/year
* Meetings = 12 points/year
- Once you are sworn in as a Volunteer/Reserve, you are allowed to:
• Respond to emergency calls.
• Stay overnight at fire stations (with certification).
• Ride on fire apparatus as a fourth firefighter, providing support to the crew (with certification).
- All applicants must meet the following requirements:
• 18 to 55 years of age.
• Resident of the City of Santa Clara.
• A valid driver's license and current DMV printout.
• Proof of vehicle insurance.
• Current medical exam (within 3 months).
Food Scraps
No. Pilot areas will be serviced by a special truck designed to work with split carts. The split carts and collection truck both have dividers to keep collected food scraps and garbage separate. Emptying a regular garbage cart into the collection truck would contaminate the food scraps. Participation in the pilot residential food scraps recycling program will allow City staff to develop a food scraps recycling program best suited to the needs of our community.Residents experiencing challenges are encouraged to contact Environmental Programs for assistance. Environmental Programs staff is committed to listening to residents and providing technical assistance through this transition.
There is no opt-in option for the pilot program at this time. The City of Santa Clara partners with the University of California Cooperative Exchange Composting Education Program to teach residents how to build compost piles and worm bins, then how to apply the resulting material in their landscapes and gardens. Residents interested in recycling food scraps at home may attend a free workshop by registering online at cesantaclara.ucanr.edu/Home_Composting_Education/.
- No; you can reuse produce, bread or other plastic bags as long as they are clear or even wrap the food scraps in newspaper and place them into the cart. The plastic and paper will get screened out during the pre-processing or the food scraps, so they will not have an impact on the final product.
The State of California mandates separation and collection of organics for businesses in Assembly Bill 1826. Santa Clara implemented a Commercial Organics Recycling Program in 2016 which has collected and recycled more than 1,000 tons of food scraps material. For more information about the commercial organics recycling program visit our webpage www.SantaClaraCa.gov/organics.
After collection, the food scraps are transported to Sustainable Animal Feed Enterprises (SAFE) facility in Santa Clara for processing. The SAFE facility currently recycles residential and commercial food scraps from San Jose, Sunnyvale, Milpitas and Santa Clara. The collected food scraps are pre-processed through special equipment that removes plastic bags before grinding and shredding the material into small pieces to form a "mash." This mash is screened through a bio-press, sterilized, separated from fats and oils, and dehydrated. Each batch of product is meticulously tested to verify that it meets USDA requirements. The end result is a product that meets USDA feed requirements for non-ruminant animals including pigs, chicken and fish. To learn more about the SAFE process visit www.ForkToFeed.com.
City staff will be conducting two surveys to gather resident feedback about the program. Surveys include questions to obtain the overall opinion of the new carts, what issues customers are experiencing, what outreach has been most effective and how it can be improved. The second survey will be mailed to pilot households and posted online at Open City Hall in summer of 2018. Additionally, residents with questions or feedback may contact Environmental Programs staff by email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by calling (408) 615-3080.
The pilot area was designed to give a representative picture of the diversity in Santa Clara. Two garbage collection routes serving approximately one quarter of the single-family and small apartment complex homes (over 4,800 households) were selected. The large pilot area provides the opportunity for assessment and to determine whether or not this program can be improved and implemented citywide.
Most home composting processes do not include meat, bones or dairy products. The pilot food scraps recycling program pairs well with home composting efforts, because it accepts all food scraps including meat, bones, and dairy products. You may also recycle spoiled leftovers, and food from a refrigerator or pantry clean out in the food scraps side of your split-cart.
We do not expect or want residents to feel that they need to fill the food scraps side of the cart entirely for food scraps recycling to be worthwhile. Any amount of food scraps you are able to collect makes a difference. Most households generate food scraps at three peak times: during meal preparation; after meals; and/or during clean-outs of the refrigerator and pantry. Refrigerator clean-outs often produce the most food scraps. Spoiled fruit and vegetables from backyard trees and gardens can all be placed in the food scraps side of the cart. If you do not have any food scraps for the week, please leave the food scraps side of the cart empty.
Environmental Programs staff is conducting brief in-person outreach assessment appointments to assist with your individual situation and garbage capacity needs. After an outreach appointment staff may authorize changes deemed necessary at no additional charge. To schedule an outreach appointment, please contact Environmental Programs staff by email at email@example.com or call (408) 615-3080. For more information including videos, visit the pilot program webpage at www.santaclaraca.gov/foodscraps.
Yes, the collected food scraps material is sterilized in an industrial facility. Each batch of product is meticulously tested to verify that it meets USDA requirements. The end result is a product that meets USDA feed requirements for non-ruminant animals including pigs, chicken and fish. For more information on the SAFE process visit: www.forktofeed.com.
The pilot areas are serviced by a special truck designed to work with split-carts. The carts and collection truck both have dividers to keep collected food scraps and garbage separate. Residents take the time to separate food scraps and the truck keeps it that way. Emptying a regular garbage cart into the truck would mix garbage into the food scraps. A video of the collection process is available on our website www.SantaClaraCA.gov/foodscraps.
At first glance, it appears that most split carts are the same size. However, there are four split cart sizes: 20-gallon, 32-gallon, 64-gallon and 96-gallon. The difference between the carts can be seen by looking under the lid. The 20-gallon and 32-gallon carts are fit with a "bucket" insert, but the carts look the same from the outside.
Please place food scraps in a bag prior to placing them in the food scrap side of the cart. Any type of clear plastic bag (i.e. bread bag or produce bag) is acceptable to contain food scraps and can be placed in the food scraps side of the split cart. To keep your cart neat and tidy, be sure to tie-off bags before placing them in the food scraps side of the cart. The plastic will get screened out during the pre-processing of the food scraps. To see an example of how to use the kitchen pail provided, view our video at: https://youtu.be/2mCGCVobYoU.
Are you sure it is all garbage? One way to reduce garbage and associated costs is to maximize recycling (see the next page for Santa Clara's residential recycling guide). Residents with an occasional extra bag of garbage may purchase an Extra Garbage Bag Tag at the Utilities counter located in City Hall. For weekly garbage capacity issues, please call Environmental Programs staff for assistance at (408) 615-3080.
Separate collection of yard trimmings and food scraps preserves the highest and best use for each material. Santa Clara's yard trimmings (Clean Green) are used to produce high-grade compost at a processing rate that does not include food scraps. Mixing food scraps and yard trimmings degrades the value of both material types.Instead of composting food scraps, this pilot program will be transporting food scraps collected to the Sustainable Animal Feed Enterprises (SAFE) facility in Santa Clara to be processed into animal feed ingredient. According to the Environmental Protection Agency's Food Recovery Hierarchy, the SAFE method is a more efficient and a better use of the embedded resources in food scraps.
The goal of this program is to reduce the amount of materials sent to our landfill to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Landfills are the second largest source of methane generation in California. Specifically, food scraps produce methane gas as they decompose in landfills. In Santa Clara, food scraps make up about 18% of household garbage collected. California State Senate Bill 1383 requires municipalities to implement programs to reduce the amount of organics disposed of in landfills 50% by 2020 and 75% by 2025.
In addition to collecting food scraps in a split-cart container as being done in our pilot, there are other program options to meet the SB 1383 requirements. Other program options include: placing food scraps and food-soiled paper in yard waste containers; having a separate container for organics; and mixed waste processing of all garbage to remove organics with no source separation. All of the options have advantages and disadvantages. In comparison to a program that uses an additional container, or adds food scraps to yard waste containers, the split-cart collection method requires the same amount of effort to separate food scraps. However, the split-cart program is the most cost-effective option, because it doesn't require an additional collection vehicle, or additional container which increases program costs.
There is no cost associated with participating in the pilot program; rates will remain the same for participants as residents not participating in the pilot.
General Fire FAQ
- Each of our ten Fire Stations has a white bucket in front for citizens to drop off used batteries to be properly recycled. Please note: Lithium-ion batteries (cell phone batteries), vehicle batteries, and light bulbs are not accepted. 9-volt batteries should be placed in a separate bag.
- Unfortunately, we are not qualified to provide this service. The California Highway Patrol or your local AAA will be able to provide you with information and assistance with infant/child car seat installation. The website seatcheck.org may also be useful to help find a safety seat inspection location.
- No longer does the Fire Department handle bicycle licensing. However, citizens wishing to register their bicycles can go to the National Bike Registry website at www.nationalbikeregistry.com
- Requests for incident reports should be submitted to Fire Administration, (408) 615-4900, located at Fire Station 1. You will be asked to complete a Fire Department Form and to provide proper identification.
- Station tours and visits are scheduled through the Fire Training Division. A Station Tour Request can be submitted online.
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
- As of July 1, 2011 the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act (Senate Bill - SB 183) requires owners of all single-family homes with an attached garage or a fossil fuel source to install carbon monoxide detectors within the home by July 1, 2011. Owners of multi-family leased or rental dwellings, such as apartment buildings, have until January 1, 2013 to comply with the law. Please refer to the carbon monoxide page on the Cal Fire website for more information.
Human Resources FAQ
- No. Each position requires a separate application.
- Written examination items may be multiple choice and responses are marked with a pencil on Scantron answer sheets, or fill in the blank/short essay/writing samples.
- Some positions require a performance examination, such as a typing test or a physical agility test.
- Generally, the oral examination is conducted by a panel of interviewers who ask each candidate the same set of predetermined questions.
- When Human Resources conducts a recruitment process for a regular position, we establish a list of candidates who are qualified and eligible (based on performance, testing scores, or interviews) for the position. This list is called an "eligible list." This list is normally effective for one year.
- The scores from your examinations are calculated to obtain your Final Examination Score. If you receive a passing score, your name will be added to the Eligible List in score order, and you will be notified in writing of your rank and the next steps in the process.
- As vacancies occur, a specified number of ranked candidates will be certified or referred to the hiring department for a department interview.
- Eligible Lists generally expire after one year.
Do you keep applications on file so that I do not have to turn in a new application to apply for another position?No. You must submit a new application for each recruitment.
- Visiting the "Job Opportunities" section of this website, and filling out an online application. You can reach that by clicking here.
- Visit the Human Resources Department from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday at:
City of Santa Clara
Human Resources Department
1500 Warburton Ave [Map It]
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Phone: (408) 615-2080
Fax: (408) 247-JOBS (247-5627)
- Job postings are updated during the year as positions become available.
- Employees who are interested in applying for a Leave of Absence are encouraged to contact the Human Resources Department. Information on vacation requests, unpaid leaves, and job protected leaves (FMLA or CFRA) are available from the Human Resources Department or on the City's intranet under the Employee Corner. Employees are encouraged to select the Leaves tab to access the appropriate forms. Submit completed forms to your supervisor and the Human Resources Department.
- No, but you can submit a Job Interest Card to be notified by email when a position matching your interests is posted.
I'm considering applying for an opening with the City of Santa Clara. What would be helpful for me to know?It would be helpful to understand the City of Santa Clara – the values that drive us, the culture and some of our programs and products. That way, you will be able to determine whether there is a good match between what the City is looking for and what you have to offer. Take time to visit the Santa Clara website, download the MySantaClara app, or call the hiring department to schedule a site visit.
- Once you submit your application through NEOGOV, you cannot make any changes to your application materials. However, if you have additional information to submit, you may contact the Human Resources Department to add materials to your application packet. Additional materials may be submitted via fax, email or mail.
All City jobs have a salary range assigned to the position. Most jobs have five salary steps (5% between) and two longevity steps (2½% between). Candidates are usually employed at the first step. Appointment above Step 1 must be approved by City Council.
- The Human Resources Department is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday.
To fill the immediate opening, the department selects from the certified or referred candidates. During the life of the list, if another job opening occurs, the City will consider the next group of certified candidates on the list. You may also be considered for that same job in another department if an opening occurs.
- Applicants who submit their applications on-line through the City's website may check the status of their application by logging into their GovernmentJobs.com account (NEOGOV). Applications submitted on-line receive confirmation of the application receipt immediately. Applicants who submit materials via fax, mail or e-mail will not receive receipt of application. After the Final Filing Date, applications are reviewed against minimum qualifications, desirable qualifications, and additional application materials are screened. Applicants should hear from the City within two weeks of the Final Filing Date. If a test date has been established and included on the Job Opportunity Announcement, applicants who have not received notification the week prior to the test date are encouraged to contact the Human Resources Department.
- The Human Resources Department tries to notify every applicant of their status as soon as possible after the recruitment closes. For regular recruitments with a final filing date (the final date by which applications should be received), notification is normally within 2 weeks after the final filing date or the week before the first exam date. However, this time frame may be longer if there is a large candidate pool or other factors that impact the recruitment time frame. If you have not heard from a recruiter after two weeks, you may call our office at 408-615-2080.
- By visiting the "Job Opportunities" section of this website or by clicking here. You can apply for most job openings from the job announcement posting.
City of Santa Clara
Human Resources Department
1500 Warburton Ave [Map It]
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Phone: 408-615-2080
Fax: 408-985-0667
Arrests are not considered during the selection and evaluation process. Convictions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis depending on the date and nature of the conviction and the job duties to be performed. Please refer to the Civil Service Rules and Regulations Section 2.12 for additional information.
Land & Property
- You will need to apply for an Encroachment Permit. Please contact either Noel Lozano at (408) 615-3045, or Ramon Santos at (408) 615-3042 of the Land & Property Development Division.
- Please contact either Hung Luu at (408) 615-3047, or Nelson Damien at (408) 615-3046 of the Land & Property Development Division.
- Please contact either Viet Nguyen at (408) 615-3044, or Ramon Santos at (408) 615-3042."
Levi's Stadium Ownership and Use
- Levi's® Stadium will be used 10 to 12 times a year for 49er football games. Levi's®Stadium will also be host to other sporting events (e.g. college football, soccer, motocross, wrestling, etc.), concerts, conferences, conventions, trade shows, consumer events, philanthropic events, company meetings, social events and team building opportunities. A complete schedule for events will be located at www.levisstadium.com.
- The City of Santa Clara owns the land and the Santa Clara Stadium Authority (SCSA) owns Levi's® Stadium.
In June, 2010, Santa Clara voters approved a measure allowing the City to lease property for a professional football stadium.
SCSA was formed in February, 2011, and exists as a public body, separate and distinct from the City. It was established to design, finance and build Levi's® Stadium. The SCSA is structured so the City of Santa Clara is not liable for the debts or obligations of the SCSA. The seven elected members of the Santa Clara City Council serve as the governing board for the SCSA.
SCSA leases Levi's® Stadium to the 49ers Stadium Company, known as StadCo, for six months of the year (NFL season). SCSA and StadCo have contracted with ManagementCo, a subsidiary of the San Francisco 49ers, for Stadium Operations the other six months of the year.
ManagementCo is responsible for day-to-day operations of Levi's® Stadium, including maintenance, private security and securing off-site parking. ManagementCo will serve as the first point of contact to community members and patrons for Levi's® Stadium matters. ManagementCo is also responsible for booking non-NFL events on behalf of SCSA (e.g. company meetings, conferences, holiday parties, team building opportunities, trade shows, philanthropic events, social events, stadium tours, etc.).
ManagementCo will prepare reports for the City Manager, Santa Clara Police Department and Stadium Manager, organize an annual report for the SCSA, participate in pre and post operations and stakeholder meetings, manage stadium events and facilitate stadium outreach.
Mandatory Organics Recycling
California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1826, which requires commercial businesses to separate organic waste (food scraps, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper) and arrange for collection services. To learn more about AB 1826 and the responsibilities of your business please visit: www.calrecycle.ca.gov/recycle/commercial/organics/.
The mandatory organics recycling ordinance applies to most businesses, commercial property owners, managers and institutions. Commercial businesses include, but are not limited to: hotels, tech companies, restaurants, cafeterias, catering services and food service providers, industrial food manufacturers, processors and distributors, grocery stores and other food retailers, schools, large venues, stadiums, fairs, festivals, and healthcare institutions.
Neighborhood Protection
What is SCPD planning to do to minimize Levi's® Stadium goers attempting to park in nearby neighborhoods?The plans for restricted access signage and officer-controlled intersections are intended to deter Levi's® Stadium-goers from parking in non-designated areas. Staff will be assessing these measures after each event and will make adjustments as necessary.
Because they have privately managed streets, each of the mobile home communities in Sunnyvale has an established program to remove vehicles that are violating the community's regulations. Each mobile home community should review their established rules and tow company relationships to ensure they are up-to-date and will adequately address this concern.
Yes. However, due to the dense and varied mixed use housing in north Santa Clara, SCPD has developed a Neighborhood Protection Plan in response to events at Levi's Stadium. To minimize the impact on residential neighborhoods, the Traffic Plan places security or police personnel at all major intersections around the stadium. The Traffic Plan also establishes check points along with restricted access signage at key residential locations north of Highway 101 to deter vehicles from entering residential neighborhoods. Instead, stadium event attendees will be directed to pre-determined parking lots and/or freeways, away from residences.
Managing residential parking in a way that is both safe and fair is challenging. However, based on recommendations from several Santa Clara residents at Stadium Community meetings, SCPD is implementing a Vehicle Admission Sticker program.
The Vehicle Admission Sticker program is a means to assist in the identification of Santa Clara residents that live in the affected areas. Security or police personnel will use the sticker to help identify the vehicles of residents at various check points throughout the north side of the City and wave them through to expedite the process. All other vehicles without a sticker may be stopped for identification purposes.
Please note, this is not a Residential Permit Parking area designated by resolution of the City Council where a permit is required to park on the street.
Display of the Sticker
- Enclosed you will find three (3) free stickers;
- If you choose to participate in this program, please affix the sticker inside the vehicle's windshield on the lower, left side (driver's side);
- For motorcycles, place the sticker on the windshield in a location that will not obstruct the driver's view, or on the front fork;
- Sticker holders must continue to obey all traffic rules and follow directions from security and/or police personnel;
- No person shall sell, transfer or allow another person to use the Vehicle Admission Sticker; and,
- Replacement or additional stickers can be obtained by contacting the Santa Clara Police Department, (408) 615-4892.
- Parking on public streets is regulated by the California Vehicle Code and the City of Santa Clara Municipal Code.
- If non-resident vehicles access the residential neighborhood, there is not a prohibition to legally park on the street.
- Parking is prohibited in an intersection or a crosswalk, within 15 feet of a fire station driveway or fire hydrant, in front of a public or private driveway, on a sidewalk or parkway, on the roadway side of a parked vehicle (double parking), in a bus stop, or in such a manner that obstructs the free use of the street. To report illegal parking in your neighborhood, call the non-emergency phone number, 408-615-5580. In this situation, the vehicle will be cited and/or towed.
- The City of Santa Clara's Traffic Engineering Division (408-615-3000) oversees the Residential Permit Parking Program. When approached by residents requesting an area be zoned for Residential Permit Parking, City Engineers conduct an evaluation of the current conditions, assess whether the resident request is warranted and make a recommendation to the Santa Clara City Council. A Public Hearing is noticed to all residents in the proposed for Residential Permit Parking area and the City Council takes action based on the information provided in the Staff Report and Public Hearing. Based on the action taken, if any, the Traffic Engineering Division installs the appropriate signage and/or striping.
The regulation and enforcement of the Residential Permit Parking program is performed by the Santa Clara Police Department
The City of Santa Clara's City Code contains all ordinances adopted by the Santa Clara City Council. The Residential Permit Parking program is located in Chapter 10.40 which can be found at … http://www.codepublishing.com/ca/santaclara/mobile/?pg=santaclara10/santaclara1040.html
- The use policies vary from parking lot to parking lot based on the Agreement with the property owner For specific details, refer to www.levisstadium.com and/or the signage in the various parking lots.
- SCPD has developed a Neighborhood Protection Plan in response to events at Levi's Stadium. Should vehicles penetrate this system, it is appropriate to call SCPD's non-emergency phone number (408-615-5580). Although it is not illegal to park on a public street, staff will evaluate the need to redistribute resources in the plan
If a vehicle is blocking a driveway, please call SCPD's non-emergency phone number (408-615-5580). In this situation, the vehicle will be cited and/or towed.
- Parking costs range from $40-$50. The number of parking lots offering this service will vary according to the event size, however cash lots will also be available to guests and will be communicated through www.levisstadium.com.
- Public parking lots have been secured west and north of Levi's® Stadium. More than 21,000 parking spaces are located within a short walking distance of Levi's® Stadium. Patrons are also expected to utilize public transportation, hire private transportation (e.g. charter bus, taxi, limousine, etc.) or bike to Levi's® Stadium.
Approximately 30 changeable message boards will guide guest from major thoroughfares to the parking lots. These message boards can be changed from Levi's® Stadium Command Post as needed on the day of an event.
Levi's® Stadium employees will be parking at Oracle and will be shuttled to the facility.
- Yes. To locate a cash lot, log onto www.levisstadium.com.
- Yes. Parking will be pre-sold via the Levi's® Stadium app and online. The app will then provide directions to the ticket holder on how to access that lot. To date, 12,000 parking passes have been pre-sold for 49er football games.
Will the parking lot at David's Restaurant at the Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Club be available on event days?David's Restaurant patrons will have access to the parking lot at Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Center. The golf course will be closed on event days and utilized for event parking.
Planning and Zoning
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
Planning FAQ
First, you will need to determine the zoning district your property is located in. This can be done by entering in your address or Assessor's Parcel Number in our Interactive Map. Once you know your Zoning District, you look up the permitted uses (that is, to verify whether conducting a business is allowed in your district).
If your residence is located in a residential zoning district that allows Home Occupations, you may conduct business from your home as long as you comply with a few regulations. For more information on the regulations for conducting a business from home within a single-family zoning district, please see Chapter 18.100 of the Zoning Code.
If your intended use is not listed, or if you are unable to determine your zoning district or permitted uses within your zoning district, please contact the Planning Division at (408) 615-2450 or email@example.com.
You may make an appointment with a Planner for a specific project by directly contacting a Planner or stopping by the Permit Center during counter hours. Permit Center counter hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (except the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month from 9:00 a.m. - 10: 30 a.m. when staff meetings are held and staff are not available).
Yes, but with some exceptions. For more information, please contact the Planning Division at (408) 615-2450 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
The City welcomes public comment on land use items. While public notices are sent to nearby properties with information on the pending project and how to provide comments, all members of the public may provide comment and/or view project plans by contacting the project planner. For more information on public noticing requirements, please view our Noticing Requirements Summary.
To submit comments for a Public Hearing:
Written comments and/or materials or comments in electronic format for specific projects can be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com. Comments may also be submitted in person at the Community Development Department (1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050). You can also send an e-mail to the planner assigned to a project by checking our Current Developments webpage.
It is encouraged to submit public comments early to allow the Planning Commission adequate review time. Written public comments will be received up until 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Oral public comments may be made during the corresponding public hearing.
If you have questions about accessing links or commenting issues, please call us at (408) 615-2450.
A pre-application review process is required prior to architectural review and the formal consideration of a development proposal. For a listing of associated fees, please review the Planning Fee Schedule.
Individuals may discuss proposals in person with a Planner at the Permit Center. For more information, contact the Planning Division at (408) 615-2450 or email@example.com for more information.
General Plan and Zoning Code information may be obtained in any of the following ways:
- View the General Plan and Specific Plans on this website.
- View the Zoning Code on this website.
- Visit us at the Permit Counter at City Hall (1500 Warburton Avenue) or contact us at (408) 615-2450 or email@example.com.
For corner lots, the narrowest street frontage of the lot is the front property line, and the longest street frontage of the lot is the side property line, regardless of location of the entrance into the house or orientation of the house to either street.
I see a development posting sign at a property near my home or in an area of interest to me. Can I see the plans or comment on the proposed construction?
Plans are available for review at the Community Development Department. Interested individuals are welcome to contact the Planning Division at (408) 615-2450 or firstname.lastname@example.com, or stop by to speak to the project planner regarding the proposed project.
To view information on major projects, visit the Development Activity webpage.
What are the regulations for "accessory units" (for example: garages, sheds, etc.) and "accessory structures" (for example: gazebos, trellises, arbors, etc.)?
An accessory unit may be attached to or detached from the existing single-family home. Regulations and requirements differ for each. For more information, please refer to the Accessory Unit Administrative Review handout and see Chapters 18.10.030 and 18.12.030 of the Zoning Code. You may also contact the Planning Division at (408) 615-2450 or email@example.com for any additional questions.
For single-family residential properties, fences are generally limited to three (3) feet in height in the required front yard or street. Behind the required front yards and corner street side yards, fences are generally limited to six (6) feet in height with one (1) foot of open/non-solid lattice material on top. However, corner lots, unusually shaped lots, and Planned Development (PD) zones have different requirements.
For more information, please refer to the Regulations Covering Erection of Fences handout or Chapter 18.64 of the Zoning Code or contact the Planning Division at (408) 615-2450 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
A use of land or a structure which was legally established according to the zoning and building laws of the time, but which does not meet current zoning and building regulations. In other words, a use of land or a structure that was legal at the time but not anymore. As such, no change or further action is necessary. However, if a change is proposed by the property owner, then the new land use or structure must comply with the current laws. Please refer to Chapter 18.94 of the Zoning Code for more information.
Using the interactive Map Santa Clara, along with the street address or Assessor's Parcel Number (APN), you can find the zoning and general plan information, along with contours, aerials, and other property-related information.
You will need Architectural Review Approval and a sign permit, in addition to applicable building and electronic permits. For more information, please refer to Chapter 18.80 of the Zoning Code or contact the Permit Center at (408) 615-2420.
Size additions are dependent on a formula called maximum building coverage. This formula refers to the percentage of the total area of your lot that is covered by any buildings. Per Chapter 18.12.110 of the Zoning Code, a single-family residence's maximum building coverage is 40%. Therefore, you may make an addition to your home as long as it does not cause your maximum building coverage to exceed 40% and meets all other relevant regulations.
If you have any questions on what your current building coverage is or how to calculate your maximum building coverage, please contact the Planning Division at (408) 615-2450 or email@example.com.
Where can I find information on parking space dimensions, parking stripe regulations, and number of required parking spaces?
Please refer to the Development Entitlement document itself, and specifically the section entitled, "conditions", "permit expiration", "time limit", or "term."
Santa Clara City Hall is located at 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050.
Police FAQ
The Santa Clara Police Department has received noise complaints regarding the airplanes towing banners above Levi's® Stadium. These planes are not hired by the City of Santa Clara or the San Francisco 49ers. The planes, which are called "Banner Towers", are hired by companies to advertise products and services. A representative of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was contacted and said these flight patterns are legal as long as the pilots stay 1,000 feet above the highest populated building.
According to the San Jose Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), the Banner Towers are operating legally and the San Jose Airport is monitoring noise levels. Residents interested in learning more or filing a complaint can do so at http://www.flysanjose.com. Click on "Environment", and choose "File a noise complaint". Once the e-form is submitted, San Jose Airport staff will review the form, investigate the situation and take action, as appropriate. Individuals can also call the Federal Aviation Administration at (408)291-7681.
- Does a resident or business with an alarm have to notify the Police Department?
Yes, all alarmed premises must obtain an alarm permit. An application can be obtained by contacting CSO Thomas in the Alarm Unit at 408 615 4871 or on our website by clicking under forms. There is a one-time $20.00 fee.
- It is the policy of the Santa Clara Police Department to investigate all complaints against employees. The process for filing a complaint is on our website. If you have additional questions, please contact our Professional Standards Unit at 408 615 4888.
- Noise disturbances are regulated in Santa Clara by the Santa Clara Municipal Code and California Penal Code. These violations can be enforced by a citation and/or arrest at the discretion of any police officer. Please refer to the following municipal codes and penal codes for exact definitions, phrasings and times.
- The Santa Clara Police department participates in Crimereports.com. By accessing this website, and entering your address, you will be able to see what crimes have occurred in your area.
- In order to retrieve your vehicle, you will need to first obtain a vehicle release form from the Santa Clara Police Department. When you arrive at the Santa Clara Police Department, we will determine if your vehicle is eligible for release. Once the vehicle has been authorized for release, the registered owner will be asked to provide a valid driver license. If the registered owner's driver license is not valid, we are able to release the vehicle to a third party (friend, family, etc) if the registered owner is present. However, the registered owner must be present at the time of release. A vehicle release fee is required at the time of this transaction.
It should be noted that your vehicle's registration needs to be current in order for the vehicle to be released. Contact the California DMV if you have questions regarding your vehicle's registration.
Santa Clara DMV
3665 Flora Vista Ave.
Santa Clara, Ca 95051
(800) 777–0133
We ask that you please remember that every case is unique in its own way. We at the SCPD will try our best to help you through this process. If you have any questions please feel free to call us at (408) 615–4700.
- This is a governed by the City of Santa Clara Municipal Codes Section 10.40.010 - 10.40.100.
- If you would like to report a traffic related issue in the City of Santa Clara, please visit our website and complete an online traffic issue form.
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
- A crime MUST have occurred in the City of Santa Clara to be reported online. For more information, please visit our website.
If your vehicle has been towed in Santa Clara by a Santa Clara City Police Officer or Community Service Officer your vehicle will be at one of the following locations:
Finish Line Towing
1517 Memorex Drive
Santa Clara, Ca 9505
(408) 980 – 9777
Lima Towing
3591 Thomas Rd.
Santa Clara, Ca 95054
(408) 986 – 8267
Unique Towing
416 Aldo Ave.
Santa Clara, Ca 95054
(408) 249 – 5253
- To be eligible for the CPA, you must live or work in the City of Santa Clara. For more details and an application, please visit our website.
Police Records Unit
Noise disturbances are regulated in Santa Clara by the Santa Clara Municipal Code and California Penal Code. These violations can be enforced by a citation and/or arrest at the discretion of any police officer. Please refer to the following municipal codes and penal codes for exact definitions, phrasings and times:
S.C.M.C. 9.10.040 – Noise and sound regulation in residential, commercial and industrial areas must commence and end at the following times:
Residential – Commence at 7:00 AM and end at 10:00 PM.
Commercial – Commence at 7:00 AM and end at 10:00 PM.
Industrial – Anytime day or night
S.C.M.C. 9.10.230 - No person shall engage or authorize others to engage in construction of any building or related road or walkway, pool or landscape improvement, or in construction operations related thereto, including delivery of construction materials, supplies, or improvements on or to a construction site within three hundred (300) feet of any residentially zoned property except within the hours of 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. following on weekdays other than holidays, Monday through Friday, inclusive; and within the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. following, inclusive, on any Saturday which is not a holiday. A holiday, for the purpose of this section, is each day or part thereof upon which any of the following holidays are observed pursuant to California law:
- January 1st.
- The third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day).
- The third Monday in February.
- The last Monday in May.
- July 4th.
- The first Monday in September.
- The Thursday in November appointed as Thanksgiving Day and the day immediately following.
- December 25th.
PC 415(2) – Any person who maliciously and willfully disturbs another person by loud and unreasonable noise.
If you have questions regarding these violations and wish to speak to a police officer, contact the SCPD front desk at (408) 615 – 4700. The SCPD front desk is open from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, seven days a week.
If at any time you need a police officer to respond and address one of these violations in person, please contact our non-emergency line at (408) 615-5580. Our non-emergency is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In order to retrieve your vehicle, you will need to first obtain a vehicle release form from the Santa Clara Police Department. When you arrive at the Santa Clara Police Department, we will determine if your vehicle is eligible for release. Once the vehicle has been authorized for release, the registered owner will be asked to provide a valid driver license. If the registered owner's driver license is not valid, we are able to release the vehicle to a third party (friend, family, etc) if the registered owner is present. However, the registered owner must be present at the time of release. A vehicle release fee is required at the time of this transaction.
It should be noted that your vehicle's registration needs to be current in order for the vehicle to be released. Contact the California DMV if you have questions regarding your vehicle's registration.
Santa Clara DMV
3665 Flora Vista Ave.
Santa Clara, Ca 95051
(800) 777–0133
We ask that you please remember that every case is unique in its own way. We at the SCPD will try our best to help you through this process. If you have any questions please feel free to call us at (408) 615–4700.
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
If your vehicle has been towed in Santa Clara by a Santa Clara City Police Officer or Community Service Officer your vehicle will be at one of the following locations:
Finish Line Towing Lima Towing Unique Towing 1517 Memorex Drive
Santa Clara, Ca 95050
(408) 980 – 9777
3591 Thomas Rd.
Santa Clara, Ca 95054
(408) 986 – 8267
416 Aldo Ave.
Santa Clara, Ca 95054
(408) 249 – 5253
Police Recruiting
- City of Santa Clara
Human Resources Department
1500 Warburton Ave.
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 615-2080
- To be scheduled for the written examination, applicants must possess the education and/or experience requirements as listed on the job announcement. Lateral candidates out of California or candidates who have not completed a California POST-certified Police Academy should apply for the Recruit Police Officer position.
- The selection process may take from 3-6 months. However, the time frame may vary depending on test dates and availability of background investigators.
- Candidates who pass the written exam and the oral board will be placed on the eligible list. Since the Police Officer and Recruit Police Officer positions are on a continuous basis, your name may be merged with other eligible candidates who have tested before you or will test after you.
Candidates remain on the eligible list for six months from the eligible list date, unless they fail to pass the physical ability exam or one of the components of the background process.
- The Police Department works with the Human Resources Department to schedule testing for Police Officer and Recruit Police Officer approximately every three to four months. The examination is posted on a continuous basis, which means that applications are accepted throughout the year. However, applicants who have applied by the cut-off date will be scheduled for the next written test, if they meet the minimum qualifications.
- Typically, the Police Department contacts candidates who obtain a final score of 85% or higher on the Recruit Police Officer eligible list and 90% or higher on the Police Officer eligible list to participate in the background process.
- We do not currently have an out of state exam process.
- We have a recruiting section on our website - Santa Clara Police Department Recruiting, along with an interest form. Included on the site you will also find information regarding interview tips and qualifications.
The background process includes:
- background investigation;
- pre-offer polygraph and psychological exams;
- departmental oral interview with the Chief of Police;
- post-offer polygraph and psychological exams; and
- pre-employment medical exam.
- If you are unable to attend on your scheduled written test date, please contact the Human Resources Department at (408) 615-2080 prior to your test date to request to be scheduled for the next examination date.
If you are unable to attend on your scheduled oral board date, please contact the Human Resources Department immediately to determine if there is another available date and time for your oral interview or to be scheduled for the next testing cycle.
The Santa Clara Police Department does not have an "out of state" examination process.
- Candidates who do not receive a passing score on any of the test components must wait six months from their test date to apply again pursuant to the City of Santa Clara Civil Service Rules and Regulations.
- The Oral Board is a panel interview conducted by two to three sworn officers from the Santa Clara Police Department. The Oral Board is designed to measure job-related skills and abilities such as decision-making and oral communication skills through a series of oral questions and a hypothetical situation.
- The Police Department conducts the physical ability exam during the background process. Candidates may practice at their own risk with the permanent fence structures located at Townsend Field, located at Monroe St. and Rip Miller Way, adjacent to Buchser Middle School, 1111 Bellomy Street, Santa Clara, CA.
The physical ability exam includes:
1) Six-foot chain link fence climb,
2) Six foot solid fence climb,
3) Dummy drag,
4) Ninety-nine yard obstacle course, and
5) 500-yard run (on the track).
Public Transportation
- Yes. VTA is adding light rail service to Levi's® Stadium, based on projected event attendance, to the Great America Light Rail Station. For details, log on to www.vta.org/levisstadium
- Yes. VTA is adding bus service to Levi's® Stadium, based on projected event attendance, with stops within a short walking distance to Levi's® Stadium. For details, log on to www.vta.org/levisstadium.
How many people does Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) estimate will utilize public transportation?VTA reviewed public transportation plans for stadiums throughout the country, gained feedback from a survey conducted among 49er season ticket holders and has taken information from the Environmental Impact Report produced for the SCSA. Analysis of this information indicates about 20% of the guests attending Levi's®Stadium for 49er games will do so via public transportation.
VTA has developed a robust plan for getting fans to and from all events at Levi's Stadium, including the Super Bowl in 2016. VTA expects to carry over 10,000 people to each 49ers game with a combination of light rail and bus service, as well as promotion and utilization of VTA park and ride lots to encourage public transit use. VTA's normal Sunday light rail service carries about 16,000 people, so we will be deploying more buses, trains and staff to meet the extra demands.
- While game and event attendees may enter Levi's® Stadium over the span of several hours, they will all want to leave at once. We'll speed up the boarding process by encouraging everyone to use Clipper cards, the quick and easy electronic fare system used by transit agencies throughout the Bay Area.
VTA is also implementing a mobile ticketing smartphone app for major special events which would allow attendees to buy a day pass to get to and from the game whenever and wherever they want. They would activate it before heading to the game and then show the operator or fare inspector a visual validation on their mobile device screen when requested.
VTA and Caltrain are also implementing a joint pass for events to make travel using these two systems more convenient. This pass will be available at Caltrain ticket vending machines.
- The new BART extension into Santa Clara County will have stations at Milpitas and Berryessa. Once BART opens in 2017, passengers can transfer from the Milpitas BART Station onto VTA's light rail for a direct trip to Levi's® Stadium.
- A pedestrian walking plan has been developed to guide guests from the various parking lots to Levi's® Stadium. The plan is intended to keep pedestrians out of residential neighborhoods and away from rail tracks.
- Yes. Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) and Capitol Corridor trains will be servicing Levi's Stadium for 49ers games. These services will transport fans from the Central Valley (Sacramento, Stockton, Tracy) and the East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland, Fremont) to the Great America Station located on Stars and Stripes Drive.
Caltrain will run from San Francisco , with two special trains for 49er games. Caltrain connects with VTA light rail in Mountain View. VTA's Great America Light Rail Station is right in front of the stadium site.
A number of access improvements are underway in anticipation of the volume of riders, including:
- New eastbound platform at Great America Station for stadium event service
- Queuing areas for departing stadium attendees on closed lanes of Tasman Drive
- Fencing of LRT Right-of-Way near stadium
- Event only pedestrian at-grade crossing of LRT tracks on Tasman Drive
- New Light Rail Storage and Turnback tracks on Tasman Drive, west of Old Ironsides
Public Utilities
- No, Mission Trail is the only company contracted to provide garbage service in the City of Santa Clara.
- Only City of Santa Clara bills can be processed at City Hall.
- The City residential water and sewer rates are the lowest in the Bay Area. Therefore, the City does not have a low income rate for these services at this time. For information about the possibility of obtaining a low income garbage rate, call 615-2300. The municipal Electric Utility, Silicon Valley Power, has a Rate Assistance Program (RAP) for City of Santa Clara utility bills. RAP provides a 25% discount off the electric portion of the Municipal Utilities bill to qualified Santa Clara residents of certain income levels. See the information found on Silicon Valley Power's website.
- To increase service, call Mission Trail at 727-5365 or you may purchase garbage stickers for $4.00 each bag at City Hall.
You have following choices to pay your Public utility bill.
Pay online
Sign up for My Account to access your account online and pay your bill.
Automatic credit card payment
Have your payments automatically charged to your credit card on the very last day of our grace period. Download the Automatic Credit Card Enrollment form (PDF: 73.3k), and mail it to us at the address below.
Automatic direct payment from checking or savings account
Have your payments automatically deducted from your checking or savings account. Download the Automatic Direct Payment Enrollment form (PDF: 92.96k), and mail it to us at the address below.
Home banking
Pay with online home banking through your personal financial institution or bank.
Pay by phone
Pay with your credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) over the phone anytime day or night, 408-615-2300.
Pay by mail
Pay with a check or money order made out to the City of Santa Clara. Mail your payment to the address below.
Pay in person
Pay with cash, check, money order, credit or debit card in person at the Municipal Service counter on the upper level of City Hall's west wing at 1500 Warburton Avenue; Santa Clara, CA. Their hours are 8:00 a.m. - 4:55 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Drive-up after hours: There is a drop box at City Hall in the small parking lot on the corner of Warburton and Lincoln at the Warburton Driveway. Envelopes are picked up once a day at 8:00 a.m. Please do not leave cash in the drop box.
Municipal Utilities Mailing Address
City of Santa Clara Municipal Utilities
P.O. Box 49067
Santa Clara, CA 95161-9067
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
- Generally it takes one full work day.
- Call the Water/Sewer Department at 615-2000 (8am-5pm weekdays) or 615-5640 (after hours and weekends).
- The City of Santa Clara Electric Department only services up to the electric meter outside your home or business. You need to call an electrician or repairman for electric repairs inside.
- 1 (800) 743-5000
- Start with the City's Permit Center. Their telephone number is 615-2420.
- Call the Service Center at 615-5600.
- The City of Santa Clara provides most utility services, including electricity. PG&E provides the gas.
Santa Clara Police Department
How will emergency vehicles be able to travel through areas with heavy traffic or access neighborhoods that have controlled intersections?The additional officers assigned to work during Levi's® Stadium events will be responsible for ensuring that emergency vehicles have safe and expedient passage to emergencies. In addition, the officers or security personnel assigned to the controlled intersections also will ensure emergency vehicles have access to areas needing a response.
How will Santa Clara's Police Department manage additional calls for service as a result of events at Levi's® Stadium?SCPD is preparing for an increase in calls for service. To augment our regular staffing levels for police and fire services, funding is being provided through the SCSA for SCPD to assign additional officers at no cost to the City of Santa Clara on event days. The number of officers will depend on the size of the event. These officers will be patrolling areas near Levi's® Stadium to identify and respond to any event-related incidents. This will ensure the community receives the same high level of public safety services throughout the city before, during and after Levi's® Stadium events.
- The Santa Clara Police Department (SCPD) has been intimately involved in the design and construction of Levi's Stadium to ensure the SCSA – the public body formed by the City of Santa Clara to develop and operate the Levi's® Stadium – is adequately addressing traffic, parking and public safety.
SCPD has been tasked with creating a safe and enjoyable environment for Levi's® Stadium attendees while maintaining its commitment to protect and serve the residents of Santa Clara. With an August, 2014 opening date, SCPD is utilizing stadium best practices from throughout the United States to create management tools for handling traffic flow, parking lot incidents, scalpers, gate entry issues, medical emergencies, alcohol-related incidents, disorderly behavior, theft and vandalism in Levi's® Stadium and the surrounding neighborhood, as well as terrorist threats.
Stadium Authority
Santa Clara has over $9B in development projects on the horizon, including a 9 million square foot project, City Place, directly across from the stadium:
- $6.5 billion in value
- 5.7 M square feet of office space
- 1.1 M square feet of retail space
- 1,360 residential units
- 700 hotel rooms
- 250,000 square feet of food and beverage
- 190,000 square feet of entertainment
The noise monitoring presentation to City Council on December 19, 2017 can be found at the link below.
Stadium Location
- Levi's® Stadium is adjacent to California's Great America theme park, the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Center, the City's Youth Soccer Park and parallels the San Tomas Aquino Trail. It is located near several major highways and expressways including Highways 101, 237, 880, Lawrence Expressway, and San Tomas Expressway. Once arriving in the Santa Clara area, attendees will find eleven (11) different highway interchange options to get to Levi's® Stadium parking lots.
More than 21,000 parking spaces are located within a short walking distance of Levi's® Stadium. A variety of public transportation options (e.g. bus, VTA light rail, ACE and Capitol Corridor trains, and Calrain) are available to patrons. Levi's® Stadium also includes bicycle and ADA parking.
Stadium Name
- San Francisco jeans maker Levi Strauss® agreed to purchase naming rights from the SCSA for $220.3 million, over 20 years for sponsorship and naming rights to Levi's® Stadium.
Levi Strauss® will have the option of extending the deal for another five years for an additional $75 million.
Street FAQ
- Call Household Hazardous Waste Program at 408-299-7300.
- Call the Santa Clara County Recycling Hotline at (408) 924-5453, or go to www.recyclestuff.org for information.
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
- A computerized pavement management system is used to store the condition data of all roads. The system utilizes a computer model, which predicts the proper time to perform preventive maintenance work. To keep the system up to date, maintenance personnel periodically survey the condition of major streets to determine the condition of the pavement. The most cost effective pavement maintenance application is selected based on the amount of funding available each year and street need.
A well-maintained pavement system reduces and postpones the need for reconstruction. Roadway reconstruction uses large amounts of non-renewable resources, oil and rock, as well as creates noise, dust and traffic disruptions. One of the responsibilities of the City of Santa Clara, Street Department is pavement maintenance. The goal of this service is to effectively and economically preserve the City's 220 plus miles of streets. Roads generally break up if preventive maintenance work is not done in a timely manner, or if there is more and heavier traffic on the roadway than it was built to handle, or when the soil beneath the roadway fails. Pavement maintenance services are provided under three programs to preserve and repair roadways:
- Preventive Maintenance
- Pavement Reconstruction
- Emergency Services
For more information, see Pavement Maintenance Program.
- Tree roots, settling, and traffic may cause areas of settlement. Depending on the severity, the City may not take immediate action. Generally, repair work is limited to areas causing an immediate hazard - such as water ponding in the gutter that extends significantly into the asphalt. If there is an immediate hazard, repair work will be scheduled. Call the Public Works Inspector at (408) 615-3080 to schedule a field investigation.
For garbage and clean green missed pickups, call Mission Trail Waste Systems at 408-727-5365.
For recycling missed pickups, call Recology at 408-970-5100.
- Bumps and ruts at intersections are caused by vehicle tires shoving the asphalt as they turn, stop or accelerate, especially during hot weather when the asphalt is soft. Buses are very heavy vehicles, which place great stress on the pavement as they brake and accelerate. The County Transit Agency, as funds become available, has been replacing the pavement at bus stops with structural concrete to correct this problem. Intersection failures are fixed by the City, County, or State when a road is resurfaced.
Road closures are common during preventative maintenance activities. To minimize the inconvenience, posting of "No Parking" will be in place a minimum of 48 hours prior to work. In addition, each home will be notified by a door hanger specifying the exact date of work. Anticipate that road closures will occur for the following duration, depending on the preventative maintenance activity, and weather conditions. See preventative maintenance activities for information about:
- Crack Sealing
- Fog Sealing
- Slurry Sealing
- Chip Sealing
- Resurfacing
Vehicles left in the street will be towed. Your assistance in clearing the street is greatly appreciated. Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times.
Street Maintenance Tips
- Dispose of old TV antennas through the Annual Clean-Up Campaign or through a scrap metal dealer.
- Clean Up Leaves To Protect Creeks From Storm Drain Pollution
Thorough yard clean-ups can do more than improve the looks of the neighborhood. Keeping leaves out of the street, gutter and storm drains will help to protect local creeks from storm drain pollution year-round, and help to prevent flooding in winter. The City of Santa Clara Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program recommends that residents keep gutters clear all year long, and that they complete a thorough yard cleanup before winter rains begin. Properties with multiple trees may need more than one clean-up during the fall and winter seasons.
Sweep or rake fallen leaves and yard debris into piles and place them in the Clean Green cart for curbside collection. Do not blow or rake leaves into the street. Clogged storm drains and catch basins are a major cause of neighborhood flooding during winter rainstorms. And in the fall, if the wet weather begins before all clean-up projects are complete, please cover or contain the piles of leaves, dirt, sand or other materials so that they are not washed into the street or gutter. All fertilizers and pesticides should be stored indoors or under cover.
For more information on yard waste, go to Garbage and Clean Green, or contact Mission Trail Waste Systems at (408) 727-5365. To report a clogged storm drain, or for more information on ways to prevent storm drain pollution, call the Street Department Corporation Yard at (408) 615-3080.
- Old computer monitors, televisions, some camcorders and other electronic devices contain cathode ray tubes (CRTs), often called "picture tubes," which convert an electronic signal into a visual image. They cannot be disposed of in the garbage or trash. A typical CRT contains between two and five pounds of lead. Lead is a toxic substance, which may cause lead poisoning and can be especially harmful to young children. If products containing lead are disposed of in the trash, the lead can potentially contaminate the soil and our water supplies.
When tested, most CRTs exceed the regulatory threshold for lead and are identified as universal waste when discarded. Waste CRTs are subject to universal waste regulations that went into effect August 3, 2001. The regulations protect the environment by promoting the safe collection and recycling of waste CRTs. Disposing of CRTs to the trash or the municipal landfill is prohibited. Residents should take their unwanted CRTs to a collection facility.
Working televisions or computer monitors can be donated to various organizations or disposed of through the County Household Hazardous Waste Program. To make an appointment for one of the Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Offs, call (408) 299-7300.
- In with the new, out with the old - phone directories. Outdated or unwanted telephone books may be recycled any time during the year. Place old directories in blue Recycling cart for curbside collection, or drop them off at Recology located at 650 Martin Ave., in Santa Clara. Businesses are limited to dropping off 10 phone books at one time. Telephone book recycling is a cooperative effort of Pacific Bell, haulers, and the City of Santa Clara.
For more information, go to Recycling, or call Recology at (408) 970-5100, or the City's Environmental programs staff at (408) 615-3080.
Park picnic areas throughout the city are open to the public without reservation, on a first come-first served basis, except in Central Park located at 909 Kiely Boulevard. A summary of the City's Municipal Codes frequently addressed in Santa Clara parks, include:
- No vehicles are allowed in the parks.
- No amplified music is allowed in any park or building without a permit.
- Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the parks (exception, beer, wine and champagne with a permit in Central Park).
- Portable barbecues are not allowed in any of the parks.
- Groups of 25 persons or more must have a permit to use a park.
Violations of these regulations can result in a citation and/or being asked to leave the park.
For more information about picnic areas, parks buildings and/or fields, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at (408)615-3140.
- A detailed map will be provided to season ticket holders regarding what is and is not allowed in each parking lot. This map is available at www.levisstadium.com.
- The City of Santa Clara has 35 locations of Video detection cameras. They are NOT used for enforcement but only for monitoring traffic flow and detecting vehicles.
These are low resolution cameras only used for monitoring purposes and detection of vehicles. The City does not have the capability to record camera feeds for archiving.
If there's unexpected slowdown, engineers use these cameras to get a visual on what's going on.
- Please contact Pratyush Bhatia at (408) 615-3026, or Nguyen Cam at (408) 615-3043 of our Traffic Division."
Traffic Plan
SCPD will use the Nixle messaging system to notify residents about events and any related issues such as traffic congestion. You can sign up for this free service by visiting … http://scpd.org/index.aspx?page=2619
Intersections along Lawrence Expressway are operated by Santa Clara County and live traffic camera feeds can be viewed at … http://www.sccgov.org/sites/scc/Pages/SCC-Live-Traffic.aspx
Freeway traffic conditions and other useful trip planning tools can be found at … www.511.org
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) provides transit services to Santa Clara County. Transit planning tools and real-time maps are available at … www.vta.org
As additional camera locations at key intersections are added, we will update them to this list of resources.
- The City of San Jose oversees the area in Alviso near Levi's® Stadium. SCPD has communicated the Traffic Plan to the City of San Jose, particularly access on and off Highway 237 and North First Street.
- For a 1pm football game, attendees are expected to begin to arrive at approximately 9am. However, we anticipate the majority of the ticket holders will arrive between 10:30-11:30am. There should be a significant break in traffic from 1:30-4pm. The egress (exit) is expected to take approximately one hour.
Multiple agencies and the public have contributed to a Traffic Management and Operations Plan (TMOP) to minimize the duration of traffic congestion throughout the stadium area, provide adequate parking facilities, facilitate trips by non-automobile uses, encourage transit use, prevent intrusion into neighborhoods while maintaining access to neighboring business properties, and ensure safe travel for all event patrons and local traffic. The TMOP is flexible and will evolve through experience, post event evaluations and feedback from event attendees, local businesses and residents.
Attached is the link to the City Council agenda for the meeting of July 15, which is when the TMOP dated July 11 was considered: http://sireweb.santaclaraca.gov/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=summary&itemid=43511
Specific ingress (pre-event) and egress (post-event) plans aim to provide the safest route to and from major thoroughfares and parking lots. These plans are intended to keep stadium-goers away from residential neighborhoods.
Levi's Stadium Ingress Travel
Following each event, staff will evaluate the security and traffic control measures and make adjustments as necessary.
- Non-NFL event traffic plans will follow the same model as an NFL event. The number of parking lots utilized will be determined based projected event attendance.
- Private buses will use Democracy Way to drop off and pick up event attendees.
- 49er season ticket holders will receive communication regarding the only way to access the parking lot to which they are assigned. SCPD will be leading traffic enforcement on event days.
- Cab companies will stage for fares on Calle de Luna. Cab companies are going to be given a set of instructions and protocols on appropriate routes to take. Cab companies that are permitted with the City of Santa Clara and do not follow instructions may have consequences of limited licenses and/or revocation of license.
- SCPD will screen traffic inbound on Lick Mill Boulevard. Immediately following Levi's® Stadium events, the right turn lane on Lick Mill Boulevard will be blocked to outflow vehicles.
- Click the 'X' at the top right of the translation tool bar.
- Click the 'Show original' button in the translation tool bar at the top of the page to revert the text back to English.
- Select a language from the dropdown box in the footer of any webpage on the City, library or police websites.
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- Yes. Utility services can be provided at multiple addresses. A connection fee will be charged for each meter at each location.
- Yes. We offer programs for customers who qualify for financial assistance. For more information, visit My Utilities Account or contact Municipal Services at (408) 615-2300 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays.
- We offer many options to pay your bill. Please visit My Utilities Account or contact Municipal Services at (408) 615-2300 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays.
- To start or stop utility services, you will need to contact us at least one business day in advance. You may do so by visiting My Utilities Account or call 408-615-2300 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays.
You may submit a public records request through the City Clerk's Office - Request Public Records page.
We read meters and bill customers monthly.
- Yes. When the new responsible party moves into a property, they are fully responsible for the bill. Per Municipal Services Rules & Regulations, the new responsible party must notify Municipal Services within five (5) business days of any change in name and/or ownership of a property.
- Yes. There is a one-time connection fee charged for each meter located on the property. This charge will appear on your first bill.
If you are the only one in your area experiencing an outage, check to see if your circuit breakers or fuses in the main electric box have blown. If that is not the case, contact Municipal Services at (408) 615-2300. If your neighborhood appears to be out of power, contact Silicon Valley Power at (408) 615-5640.
- The City of Santa Clara provides electric, water, garbage, recycling, and sewer services. PG&E provides gas service and can be reached at (800) 743-5000.
- Yes, you can access secure web sites when using the Santa Clara Metro_WiFi network. Typically the site will show the lock on the browser ensuring that your information is encrypted. However, please be aware that the Santa Clara Metro_WiFi network is only your transport to the public internet . While the City does use 128-bit Access Encrypted Security within the network, the network does not provide any additional security measures between your computer and the network when you are broadcasting your information.
- Yes, currently you can connect your PDA or other wireless-enabled devices to the network.
- Yes, you can connect any wireless-enabled computer to the Santa Clara Metro_WiFi network. Any wireless connection using 802.11 b/g technologies, which can receive the SSID with open security and strong signal strength, should connect. You can also connect to the network with most 3G smart phones and PDA's.
- If residents or visitors are within the Santa Clara coverage area, they may be able to connect to the Santa Clara network, indoors, by simply finding and selecting the Metro_WiFi network ID. However, in many cases, distance from our access points and interference from walls and other devices can affect the ability to connect inside. Again, we strongly recommend that residents use an indoor "WiFi booster,"a.k.a. "Wireless Bridge" if they plan to use Metro_WiFi inside their home or office. There are a variety of products available to boost the WiFi signal. Residents can purchase those products at several local computer stores in Santa Clara. Be sure to tell the store sales person that you need a Booster or Bridge and not an access point. Let them know it is a device to strengthen the signal from the Metro_WiFi network, not an access oint (AP) to broadcast a private home network.
- Yes, standard web based e-mail services can be accessed using the Metro_WiFi network. However, non web-based email --where you connect directly to your Internet Service Provider with program like Outlook --is not allowed. This feature is an anti-spam measure that is part of the City's free service offering.
For Microsoft Windows Users; what does, "Windows unable to find certificate to log you on the network "Metro_WiFi", and unable to connect to "Metro_WiFi" mean?When connecting to a new unsecure network, Windows XP displays a prompt asking if you wish to connect to the Metro_WiFi network.
After checking the box to allow the connection, hit the connect button, and then you should be able to surf the Internet. If you are receiving poor signal or surfing speed, then you may need a wireless adapter to boost your signal or an outdoor solution.
Here is what you'll need:
- A wireless enabled computer or other device - Most laptop computers have built-in wireless capability. If your computer doesn't have built in WiFi, you can purchase a wireless network card or modem.
- A wireless modem. Using a modem is optional, but will improve the signal if you plan to use the service indoors.
- A web browser on the computer or device you wish to use - Your computer likely have an Internet browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari. You will not be able to access the network without a browser.
How to connect:
- Connect. Use the connection program in your computer to find and connect to the network. You can access the Metro_WiFi network manually by connecting to the SSID network name "Metro_WiFi".
- Open Your Browser. Once you are connected to the Metro_WiFi network, open your Internet browser and connect.
- Microsoft XP allows multiple wireless networks to exist on your machine and allows you to switch between them. To switch between Metro_WiFi and your home network or to change the order of your preferred networks do the following:
Start -> Control Panel -> Network Connections -> (right click) Wireless Network Connection -> Properties -> click Wireless Networks tab. Otherwise, search for wireless connections by clicking the "view wireless networks" button and switch by connecting to other available wireless networks.
- The reliability of your connection is affected by several factors: distance from the access point, obstructions such as walls, buildings, trees, other tall objects, the use of cordless telephones and microwave ovens all may interfere with your signal.
Additionally, we operate in what is referred to as the unlicensed frequency spectrum under the FCC Part 15 guidelines. Consequently, our transmission signal is working within a spectrum shared amongst a variety of service providers and products, and as a result, our ability to turn up the power for your specific location is restricted. Typically if you can see our signal on your computer it means our signal is strong enough to reach it. However if your computer cannot connect, it indicates that you need a WiFi booster or wireless bridge to strengthen the signal coming from your laptop, computer, or 3G phone, and connect to the network.
- Mozilla Firefox 1.5 or newer
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or newer
- Netscape 7.0 or newer
- Mozilla Firefox 1.5 or newer
- Safari 3.0 or newer
- Netscape 7.0 or newer
- The Metro_Wifi signal strength will depend on your distance from an access point. Check your signal strength often, and if possible, test different locations as the signal may be greater at certain locations. Santa Clara's Free Metro_Wifi network is an outdoor network, and you may need a wireless modem to access WiFi indoors.
Operating System:
- PC: Microsoft Windows 98 or higher recommended
- Mac: OS 9 or OS X
- Linux
If your WiFi-enabled computer or WiFi modem does not connect, there are three possible reasons:
- The unit is too far away from a Metro_WiFi access point or radio that is broadcasting a signal,
- Your computer is not configured to automatically have an IP address assigned by the network; or,
- There could be another problem with the device and you should contact Trilliantinc via e-mail for support: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Things to check:
First, find out where the access point (AP) or radio is in relation to your home or business. Metro_Wifi radios are connected to the top of street light poles. In order to access a signal, your wireless-enabled computer needs to be within 300-500 feet of the radio. Place the wireless modem in a window pointing towards the radio. This will help you get the possible signal. In fact, move the modem around to find the best place. Remember to let the modem sit at least 90 seconds before checking the signal strength.
If you are connected to a modem with the Ethernet cable, be sure to disable or turn off your wireless card (if you have one). If there are 2 connections trying to connect to the internet, your computer will not connect.
- A WiFi modem is a wireless receiver that improves access to a Wi-Fi signal from indoors using a special antenna and software. WiFi modems connect a single laptop or desktop computer. Wireless modems are available from most any computer retail store. Since wireless access requires a line-of-sight from the radio to the WiFi receiver, it is best used outdoors or near a window. Even with a WiFi modem, the laptop or desktop computer needs to be within 300-500 ft to access signal, otherwise a WiFi signal booster is also required (this device can be purchased at any local computer store).
- The Santa Clara Metro_WiFi network is a not-for-profit network currently operated by the City of Santa Clara as a free service for residents and visitors. This network is in transition from a privately owned and operated network to city control and Santa Clara is still defining the long term plan for the network.
- Resident WiFi support is available via email through: email@example.com.
- While you can use your laptop's internal WiFi modem, the wireless capability of most laptops is usually low-powered and often cannot transmit strong enough signals through wall windows, trees or other barriers to connect to the network reliably.
- The City of Santa Clara, acquired the old Metrofi WiFi network work that covers most of zip codes 95050 and 95051. The network was acquired to support its electric utility, Silicon Valley Power, an advanced metering initiative currently under development. As part of the meter initiative, the City of Santa Clara will maintain the existing network through next year.
- The Metro_WiFi network should not interfere with your personal wireless network, and can even be used in conjunction with the Metro_WiFi service if correctly setup. The 802.11 WiFi standard provides for a number of non-interfering channel frequencies which all certified devices can use. If you suspect interference between your network and Metro_WiFi, change the channel of your home access point.
Santa Clara's 2.4Ghz network access points (APs) broadcast on one of three non-overlapping channels, which are 1, 6, or 11, to minimize self-interference between those APs. If you scan for nearby networks and see which channels those APs are broadcasting on you can set your own network up to broadcast on a different channel further up or down the spectrum to help minimize other wireless networks from interfering with your own wireless network and vice versa. Your local store or IT administrator can advise you on implementing this solution as needed.
YAC Walter E. Schmidt Youth Activity Center
The following special events are held at the YAC. Please check the City Calendar for more special events.
Kids Rock, K - 5th grades - Santa Clara kids in grammar school are rocking all night long! Held on select Friday nights from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, each Kids Rock has a different theme and is packed full of games and fun activities. A light snack is included each night. Entrance into Kids Rock is $10.00 for residents and $13.00 for non-residents. Pre-registration is required. Kids Rock events are held during the school year.
Teen Zone, 6th – 8th grades - Come join the action at the YAC! TEEN ZONE Dances are for students who attend a middle school in SCUSD or who live in Santa Clara, and want something fun to do on select Friday nights from 6:30 pm—9 pm. Teen Zone's main event will vary with both active and passive activities. Food is always a part of the night. Photo ID (Resident Youth Card or current SCUSD student body card) required @ the door; admission $5.00. Teen Zone events are held during the school year.
Halloween Party, preschool – 5th grade - Start your Halloween celebration with this annual event. Come and have a SPOOKTACULAR time at the YAC's Halloween Party. Admission is FREE! The party includes entertainment, treats, pumpkin walk, carnival games, tiny tots play area, and arts & crafts. Pre-school age children through 5th grade are welcome and are encouraged to come in costume.
There are volunteer opportunities to help during the After School Program (school year only, interview required), the Children's Halloween Party (October 31st), and Sports Camps (summer, LITE program).
For more information about volunteer opportunities at the YAC or to make an appointment for an interview, please call (408) 615-3760.
- The YAC's After School Program is open to City of Santa Clara resident youth in grades K through 8th. Eighth graders are also allowed to participate in the Teen Center's After School Program. A Resident Youth Card is required to participate in programs at the YAC, Teen Center, and Skate Park. Open Gym is available to participants in all grades and their parents.
The following youth basketball programs are offered at the YAC.
Little Dunkers - co-ed, ages 3.5-4 years
This class is designed to introduce children to the fundamentals of basketball.
Saturday Basketball Program - co-ed, ages 5-11 years
This program is designed to introduce the fundamentals of basketball. Held in January and February, these 3-week programs emphasize skill acquisition, teamwork, sportsmanship, and FUN! Each week consists of fundamental drills and a game.
Gametime Basketball – co-ed, ages 7-18 years
Gametime Basketball is dedicated to redefining the standards; to build self-confidence, perseverance, enthusiasm, teamwork, and fun!
BMGBall Skills Academy - co-ed, ages 7-14 years
BMGBall Skills Academy is designed to help improve offensive ability and understanding.
For more information on class times, days, and locations, please check out the latest Recreation Activity Guide.
The Skate Park is open to Santa Clara residents. Santa Clara Resident Youth Card or CA driver's license required for access. Non-residents are allowed to use the park as guests. All skaters must submit a signed liability form and provide emergency contacts. There is no cost to use the Skate Park. Maximum capacity of the Skate Park is 75 people.
To skate you must:
• Be a City of Santa Clara resident of all ages. A valid photo ID, such as a resident youth card or drivers license, is required.
• Complete a Participant Information Form.
• Be supervised by an adult if you are under 5 years of age.
• Be a skateboarder or inline skater.
• Wear protective equipment: helmet, kneepads, and elbow pads. Inline skaters must also wear wrist guards.
• Wear a shirt and shoes.
Not allowed:
• Bicycles, scooters
• Food, gum, or drinks
• Smoking
• Graffiti or littering (SCMC 18-10)
• Possession of aerosol paint; misdemeanor (COC 5941 (d))
• Amplified music (SCMS 18-10)
• Alcoholic beverages (SCMC 18-9)
• Pets (SCMC 415)
The park is staffed by City employees. Failure to obey rules and regulations may result in ejection from Skate Park (SCMC 1394, 18-10).
For Skate Park hours, see the YAC Calendar.
- The YAC After School Program is a free program. Participants must register at the beginning of each school year. A Resident Youth Card is issued to each participant and is used to check in and out of programs. The cost for the Resident Youth Card is $5.00; replacement cards cost $3.00.
- The City of Santa Clara Walter E. Schmidt Youth Activity Center (YAC) is available for use by the City of Santa Clara, Santa Clara Unified School District, other public/government agencies, and youth organizations. For information on facility rentals, visit our Rentals page.
Please see the YAC Monthly Calendar for detailed program hours.
After School Program
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 2:30 pm –6:00 pm
Wednesday 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Open Gym
Monday through Friday, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Skate Park
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 3:00 pm – ½ hour prior to dusk
Wednesday 2:00 pm – ½ hour prior to dusk
Saturday and Sunday – 1:00 pm – ½ hour prior to dusk
The YAC's daily after school program offers a wide variety of FREE sports related activities, homework area, and computer lab for elementary and middle school age students.
Homework Room & Computer Lab - Open during the after-school program, the homework room is a quiet area where kids can get a head start on their homework. Participants can get help with their homework in the Homework Room. Textbooks from elementary and middle schools are available for kids to use, and can be checked out with their YAC card. The computer lab features 10 workstations with Microsoft Office program and internet access.
Organized Sports & Games - Organized Sports & Games are planned each week, Monday through Friday. A variety of recreation from high energy games to more passive activities is offered.
Open Gym - Open Gym is available to resident youth, in grades K through 12th, and their parents. Parents must sign a release of liability form to participate in Open Gym.
Your summer will be packed from beginning to end with outrageous fun, sports, weekly field trips, excursions to Warburton Pool, and sports-related arts & crafts projects!
Sports Camps– Co-ed, ages 5-13 years
- Sport Adventure Camp is for participants 5 – 7 years
- Sports Jam Camp is for participants 8 – 10 years
- Sport Escape Camp is for participants 11- 13 years
- Registration is by the week. You can register for all weeks of camp or just the weeks that fit your needs. Pre-registration is encouraged, as camps fill up quickly.
- Sports Camp hours: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Morning care: 7:30 am – 9 am (pre-registration required)
- Free After Camp Care*: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Monday through Thursday, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Friday
- Unless otherwise specified, campers bring their lunch each day.
- Campers are given a newsletter at the end of the first day. The newsletter lists what the camp will be doing each day that week.
- Weekly activities include a swim day and a field trip.
- Registration fees include supervision, field trip admission, bus transportation, and a camp t-shirt.
*After camp program is also open for drop in for participants with Resident Youth Cards.
During the summer, the Skate Park opens at 1:00 pm.
For more information on sports classes, check out the current Recreation Activity Guide.
A Resident Youth Card (YAC Card) is a photo ID that participants use to check in and out of programs at the YAC, Teen Center, and Skate Park.
- Obtain a Resident Youth Card Registration packet from the YAC, Teen Center, or online . You may also create an account online, to register for a Resident Youth Card, prior to submitting your application.
- Parent reviews the Behavior Standard and Discipline Plan with their child. Parent signs the liability release and behavioral agreement. All participants sign the behavioral agreement, and those older than 13 also sign the liability release.
- Application is submitted in person to the YAC with proof of Santa Clara residency.
- Once fee is paid, the participant's photo is taken and a Resident Youth Card is issued.
- Resident Youth Cards are valid for the school year and the following summer; cards are renewed at the beginning of each school year. The first Resident Youth Card costs $5.00; replacement cards cost $3.00.
A Santa Clara resident youth is defined as:
- Youth who attend an elementary, middle, or high school in the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD); or,
- Youth who attend an elementary, middle, or high school NOT in the SCUSD, but reside in the City of Santa Clara or within the SCUSD boundaries; or,
- Youth who attend an elementary, middle, or high school and whose parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent reside in the City of Santa Clara or SCUSD boundaries, or own property in the City of Santa Clara.
- Federal Tax ID #: 94-6000-426
State Tax ID #: 800-3864-9
- The Walter E. Schmidt Youth Activity Center (YAC) offers various recreation programs for Santa Clara youth: classes, After School Program , Open Gym, Sports Camps , skate park , and special events. A Resident Youth Card is required to participate in the after school program and skate park.
Classes are offered through the Parks and Recreation Department year round and for all age groups. Below are some classes that are offered at the YAC. Please note that not all classes are offered every session. For complete information on class times, fee, and locations, please refer to the current Recreation Activity Guide.
Infants & Toddlers - 1 month - 4 years
Teacher Sean's Music Factory, Little Dunkers Basketball, Lil Sluggers Baseball, Mommy/Daddy & Me Soccer
Pre-School - 4-5 years
Little Dunkers Basketball, Kidz Love Soccer; Skateboarding (5 years), Teacher Sean's Music Factory, Teacher Sean's Kid Sing
School Age - 5 years and up
Teacher Sean Music Factory, Kidz Love Soccer; BMGametime Basketball; Lil Sluggers Baseball, Skateboarding; Futsal Indoor Soccer, Sol Jumpers
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