Campbell City Council adopts new General Plan

Housing element still to go before council later this November

By Erin Mayes

It's official--many businesses in the South of Campbell Avenue area (SOCA) will undergo zoning changes and will start operating as "legal non-conforming uses," in the city's effort to phase out industrial uses and instead designate the area for commercial and residential uses.

Campbell's city council members approved an amendment to the zoning map and amended several elements of the General Plan at the Nov. 6 city council meeting.

The SOCA area was added to the city's redevelopment project area about 20 years ago, Community Development Director Sharon Fierro said, and 10 years ago the zoning was changed to mixed-use, allowing residential, commercial and industrial developments. Now, because of the area's proximity to the planned light rail station, downtown area, Campbell Park and Los Gatos Creek Trail, city planners believe industrial should be phased out.

The Housing Element, which the planning commission approved Nov. 5 and will go before city council for approval Nov. 20, encourages about 95 new housing units in the SOCA area, further strengthening the argument for changing the zoning.

A change in zoning does not mean that businesses that do not conform to the zoning will be forced to leave, Fierro said.

Industrial businesses that are located on portions of streets such as Dillon, Gilman, Harrison, Central and Dell avenues and McGlincey Lane will be designated legal non-conforming, which means the owners may still operate from those locations, but with a few stipulations.

Expansions are not allowed once the zoning has been changed, and if the building is up to 75 percent destroyed, the owners have two years to rebuild or else forfeit the property. If the property is completely destroyed, industrial use will no longer be permitted for that property. If the building is vacant for one year, it will be allowed to be used for industrial use.

To business owners in the audience, Councilman Dan Furtado said he didn't want them to think the city wants them to take their companies elsewhere.

"It sounds like we're waiting, that we're hoping you might leave," Furtado said. "That's not true."

Councilwoman Jane Kennedy said she thinks the advantages of changing the zoning far outweigh the impacts.

Zoning changes will be implemented in early spring, city planners said.

Besides zoning changes, city council members approved amendments to certain elements in the General Plan, including land use, transportation, open space, noise, safety and conservation.

A traffic analyst told council members that there is no feasible way to improve certain roads in Campbell. Areas specified were the intersections at Hamilton and Bascom avenues, Union and Campbell avenues, Winchester Boulevard and Hacienda Avenue, Winchester Boulevard and Knowles Avenue, Bascom Avenue and McGlincey Lane and the area at N. Union Avenue between Apricot and Campbell avenues.

Furtado responded to staff's presentation of the General Plan.

"Traffic is, unfortunately, a fact of life," he said, adding that he doesn't see any way it can be mitigated.

The next step in the completion of the General Plan is the adoption of the housing element, which the city council will most likely adopt Nov. 20.

The General Plan sets a vision for growth and development in the city. State law requires cities to adopt general plans and to update them periodically. Campbell last amended its plan in 1993.

Members of the city council, planning commission, civic improvement commission, parks and recreation commission and historic preservation board have staffed the General Plan Task Force since May 1998 and are responsible for developing policies in the General Plan.

City Council adopts new General Plan

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