Residential Development Land Dedication and/or Fees Due In-Lieu

The Santa Clara City Code ensures that new residential developments contribute to local parks and recreation.

• Chapter 17.35 ("Park and Recreational Land") requires anyone constructing residential property to either dedicate parkland and amenities, pay a fee in lieu thereof, or provide a combination of such dedication and fee, per the Quimby Act and Mitigation Fee Act (MFA).
• Chapter 3.15 ("Dwelling Unit Tax") also applies to residential projects.
• Fees are reviewed annually and set by the City Council.
• The Council has established in-lieu fees for three key areas: ZIP codes 95050, 95051, and 95054.

This structure helps fund and improve parks, ensuring that as the city grows, recreational spaces keep pace. Fee Resolution #25-9434 (April 29, 2025)

Annual Land Valuation Appraisal Reports

The City of Santa Clara conducts an annual land valuation study, based on property values as of December 31.

• The report is usually released to the public in Spring for a two-week review and comment period.
• After that, updated parkland dedication fees and the fee resolution are sent to the City Council for adoption, typically between May and June.
• For Quimby Act projects, new fees take effect immediately after adoption.
• For Mitigation Fee Act projects, implementation happens 60 days later, following California law.

This process ensures that park funding stays current and reflects changes in land value. 

Land Valuation Appraisal Report #25-365 (Dec. 31, 2024)
Land Valuation Appraisal Report (PDF) (Feb. 27, 2026)

Facility Condition Assessment

On April 24, 2018, the Parks & Recreation Facilities Condition Assessment Report, prepared by Kitchell CEM and conducted in 2017, was conveyed to Council. See Report to Council (RTC) #18-091, which includes the Executive Summary of the Report and explains the project, methodology, and results.