Adopted by the City Council in 2017, the Public Outreach Policy for Planning Applications describes the notification and outreach process and requirements for applicants and City staff for planning applications.

The purpose of the planning outreach policy is to share information to community members on development proposals, gather community input, improve projects through feedback, identify and resolve issues early, and elevate community concerns with applicants and decisionmakers. This includes activities such as on-site posting, website and social media outreach, community meetings, mailed notices, and public hearings.

Updates to Public Outreach Policy

Proposed updates to the current policy were brought to the City’s Planning Commission on Feb. 19, 2025, for their recommendation. The Planning Commission's recommendations were brought forward to the City Council on Aug. 19, 2025, where the Council directed Staff to further refine the Public Outreach Policy strategy. 

Provide Input on the Draft Public Outreach Policy

Staff conducted Community Meetings in 2022 and 2023. The public was invited to provide comments on the Draft Update in July 2023. Given the Council's direction at the Aug. 19, 2025, meeting, staff will be drafting a workplan to proceed that would likely mean substantial revisions to the current draft document.

To provide your input:

• View the Draft Update to Public Outreach Policy for Planning Applications
• Send comment via email to PlanningPublicComment@santaclaraca.gov

Additional Resources