2025 Specific Plan amendments

Windy Hill Property Ventures is proposing the following amendments to the El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan (Specific Plan) to modify land uses allowed along Santa Cruz Avenue within the Downtown/Station Area “Main Street” Overlay (“Main Street Overlay”) land use designation. The Main Street Overlay land use designation is generally located along Santa Cruz Avenue between University Drive to the west and Merrill Street to the east. The Main Street Overlay currently promotes a retail emphasis by limiting non-retail ground floor uses on Santa Cruz Avenue. The proposal would also modify the definitions of certain land use classifications applicable throughout the entire Specific Plan area. 

  • Expanding allowed land uses along Santa Cruz Avenue to encourage more types of businesses between the Caltrain station and University Drive within the Downtown/Station Area "Main Street" Overlay; 
  • Updating and clarifying definitions for four land use types: business services, personal improvement services, personal services – general, and personal services – restricted, across the entire Specific Plan area; 
  • Revising the plan's public benefit requirements to allow existing buildings within the Main Street Overlay to satisfy their public benefit obligations through a public benefit agreement, where an existing building is requesting bonus level floor area ratio for office uses.

Current status

On June 23, 2026(PDF, 3MB), the City Council adopted and approved amendments to the El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan, with the following modifications, which are now effective.

 

Proposed Amendments

Following the City Council meeting, the proposed amendments to the Specific Plan include the following modifications:

Land Use  Previously adopted Adopted on June 23, 2026
Banks and financial institutions Not permitted Use permit required, and the total banks and financial institutions square footage cannot exceed 30,000 square feet, and individual square footage for future banks and financial institutions cannot exceed 5,000 square feet.
Business Services Not permitted Use permit required
Commercial recreation- small-scale   Not permitted Use permit required
Offices, Business and Professional Permitted when no greater than one-half the base or public benefit bonus floor area ratio (FAR) and upper floors only

Permitted when no greater than one-half the base or public benefit bonus floor area ratio (FAR) and upper floors only 

Additionally, existing buildings could be permitted no greater than two-thirds the public benefit bonus FAR, limited to the rear half of the ground floor and/or on the second floor, not containing ground-floor frontage on Santa Cruz Ave., and not increasing the overall square footage of the building; required to obtain a use permit and provide a public benefit, through an in-lieu payment.
Offices, Medical and Dental Permitted when no greater than one-half the base or public benefit bonus floor area ratio (FAR) and upper floors only

Permitted when no greater than one-half the base or public benefit bonus floor area ratio (FAR) and upper floors only. 

Additionally, existing buildings could be permitted no greater than two-thirds the public benefit bonus FAR, limited to the rear half of the ground floor and/or on the second floor, not containing ground-floor frontage on Santa Cruz Ave., and not increasing the overall square footage of the building; required to obtain a use permit and provide a public benefit, through an in-lieu payment.
Personal Improvement Services Permitted on upper floors only  Permitted
Personal Services – General Permitted on upper floors only  Permitted

 

Modifications have been adopted to the following land use classifications, which would apply across the entire Specific Plan: 

  • Business Services: Requested modifications would broaden the definition to include businesses that primarily provide goods and services to the public; 
  • Personal Improvement Services: Proposed modifications would involve the removal of a spa use; 
  • Personal Services – General: Proposed modifications would allow nail salons, as well as spa services (non-surgical and minimally-invasive cosmetic and aesthetic services, such as injectables, laser treatments, skin rejuvenation, and body contouring), and biometric screening.

Contact us

Matt Pruter
Associate Planner
Email

650-330-6703

Back to top