The City has been working with chosen consultant, Raimi and Associates, to implement the community engagement strategy to ensure that citizens and stakeholders participate throughout the Specific Plan process. As part of this engagement strategy, outlined below, are the engagement activities that have occurred since the start of the planning process. 

Pop Up Events

Pop Up Event 1: Art and Wine Festival (September 16-17, 2017)
The Community Development Department hosted a booth at which we received over 400 responses from those that live, work and visit Santa Clara on their visions for the future of the El Camino Real.

Pop Up Event 2: Santa Clara Train Station (November 28, 2017)
The event was held near the entrance of Santa Clara Train Station. Just over 50 response were given from those that that live, work and visit Santa Clara on their vision for the future of the El Camino Real.

Pop Up Event 3: Santa Clara Farmers Market (December 2, 2017)
Over 130 responses on the vision for El Camino Real were received at this pop up event at the Santa Clara Farmers Market from those that live, work and visit Santa Clara.

Pop Up Event 4: Santa Clara University (January 26, 2018)
This event was held at Santa Clara University in collaboration with Santa Clara University's Associated Student Government. Over 260 responses were received on the vision for El Camino Real mostly from students at Santa Clara University. 

Pop Up Event 5: Art and Wine Festival (September 15-16, 2018)
The Community Development Department hosted a booth at the City of Santa Clara’s Art and Wine Festival and received additional responses for the right-of-way alternative and draft neighborhood transition plan.

Community Workshops

Raimi and Associates, on behalf of the City of Santa Clara, will host three community workshops for the project. These workshops are expected to be evening or weekends meetings lasting approximately 2-3 hours. Each workshop will include a presentation following interactive exercises.

Workshop 1:
The first workshop held on February, 28, 2018 was a success with over 65 participants. Staff provided a short presentation on the Specific Plan process, outreach conducted thus far and an overview of the existing conditions of the corridor. After the presentation, participants were invited to various stations to provide details and valuable information on preferred land uses, transportation and streetscape improvement and design standards for the corridor over the next 20- to 30- years. The final results of the workshop can be viewed below.

The posters from the workshop can be found below. If you were not able to attend but would still like to make comments, please send them directly to the Planning Department at planning@santaclaraca.gov.

• Community Workshop Station Boards
• Community Workshop 1 Powerpoint Presentation
• El Camino Real Existing Conditions Report
• Community Workshop 1 Summary

Workshop 2: 
The second workshop was held on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in the Redwood Room of the Santa Clara Central Library (2635 Homestead Road). Input on land use and transportation alternatives and strategies for the project area were gathered at this workshop. This input will allow the El Camino Real Specific Plan team to select a preferred alternative and prepare a framework for the plan. A summary of the workshop, including key takeaways, can be viewed below:   

• Workshop #2 Summary

The information presented at the workshop can be found below. If you were not able to attend but would still like to make comments, please send them directly to the Planning Department at planning@santaclaraca.gov.

• Workshop #2 Meeting Notice
• Workshop #2 Presentation
• Workshop #2 Activity Station Boards
  • Draft Desired Outcomes
  • Land Use Alternatives
  • Neighborhood Transportation 
  • Transportation Alternatives
  • Streetscape and Lighting

Community Meeting December 13, 2018
The third workshop was held on December 13, 2018 in the Redwood Room at the Central Library (2635 Homestead Road) from 6 p.m. Input was gathered on El Camino Real right-of-way alternatives including; (1) Minor Modifications (widen median, narrow traffic lanes, add landscaping, remove pork chop islands at intersections) AND (2) Minor Modifications AND the Removal On-Street Parking to accommodate a protected bike lane. This input will allow the El Camino Real Specific Plan team to select a preferred right-of-way alternative to study for the Plan.

The information presented at the workshop can be found below. If you were not able to attend but would still like to make comments, please send them directly to the Planning Department at planning@santaclaraca.gov.

• Community Meeting Notice
• Community Meeting 12/13/18 Presentation
• Community Meeting 12/13/18 Summary

Workshop 4: Community Open House
The City of Santa Clara hosted a virtual open house to present the Draft El Camino Real Specific Plan to the community on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. The following are the materials and video from the meeting.

• Presentation Slides
• Meeting Video

Open City Hall Online Forum

Open City Hall is an online forum that allows the community to provide input and comments at various stages of the El Camino Specific Plan and allows the community to view input provided by other community members.

The City of Santa Clara held an open survey from December 20, 2017 to February 7, 2018 and received nearly 700 responses. Staff has reviewed all feedback and has posted a summary of the results on the 'outcome' tab of the online forum. Click below to see the results.

Survey #1 Results

Survey #2:
A second survey was completed on October 29, 2018 to seek additional input for the proposed land use and transportation alternatives for the corridor. Click the link below to see the results.

Survey #2 Results

El Camino Real Community Advisory Committee (ECR CAC)

Approved at the City Council Meeting on January 23, 2018, the list of proposed El Camino Real Community Advisory Committee (ECR CAC) members include representation from a broad and diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives including, but not limited to local residents, businesses, community organizations and regional stakeholders. The ECR CAC is advisory, non-voting and will meet over the course of the Specific Plan and provide input on the vision, land use, transportation alternatives and key policy issues for the project area.

While participation in the ECR CAC meetings will be limited to appointees, the meetings will be public and members of the community are invited to sit in the audience.

ECR CAC Meeting 1:

Thursday, February 22, 2018 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers (1500 Warburton Avenue)

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary

ECR CAC Meeting 2:

Wednesday, August 1, 2018 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary

ECR CAC Meeting 3:

Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the City Hall Cafeteria (1500 Warburton Avenue)

• Agenda
• Meeting Materials
• Meeting Summary

ECR CAC Meeting 4:

Monday, December 17, 2018 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the City Hall Cafeteria

• Agenda
• Meeting Materials
• Meeting Summary

ECR CAC Meeting 5:

Thursday, March 21, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the City Council Chambers 

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• Appendix

ECR CAC Meeting 6: Joint CAC/PC Study Session: Market Feasibility of New Development

Wednesday, June 12, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the City Council Chambers

• Study Session Presentation
• Meeting Summary

ECR CAC Meeting #7

Thursday, November 14, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the City Council Chambers

• Presentation 
• Agenda
• Meeting Summary

ECR CAC Meeting #8

An ECR CAC meeting was held via Zoom on Thursday, September 17, 2020 at 5:30 pm. The purpose of this meeting was to review the draft Specific Plan with the ECR CAC and receive any final input before presenting the draft Plan to the Planning Commission and City Council. Below are the meeting materials.

• Presentation

The City of Santa Clara worked with senior students at Santa Clara University on their senior capstone project, which focused on a vision for a walkable El Camino Real (ECR). The project focused on a one-mile section of the ECR from Lafayette Street to Scott Boulevard (Santa Clara Town Centre). The students conducted a "walk audit" and GIS analysis of ECR  and surveyed the public about their perceptions of ECR. The students proposed recommendations to make ECR more environmentally sustainable, support the health of residents in surrounding neighborhoods and enable economic prosperity. A summary of these findings and the full report can be found below.

Toward a Walkable El Camino Real (summary of findings)
Toward a Walkable El Camino Real (full report)