Office and Industrial Land Uses and Permit Requirements
Santa Clara City Code § 18.16.020
in effectA. Table 2-13 Office and Industrial Zone Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements. Table 2-13 indicates the Principal Uses allowed within each office and industrial zone and any permits required to establish the use, in compliance with Article 6 (Permit Processing Procedures) and Article 7 (Zoning Ordinance Administration).
B. Accessory Uses are allowed when customarily associated with and subordinate and incidental to the primary use, subject to Section 18.60.030 (Accessory Uses).
C. Additional Regulations. Where the last column in Table 2-12 includes a chapter or section number, the regulations in the referenced chapter or section shall apply to the use. Provisions in other sections of this Zoning Code may also apply.
D. Definitions. See Article 8 (Definitions) for land use definitions and explanations.
E. Zoning Clearance required. Each land use specified in the following land use table as allowed with a “P” as a use permitted-by-right that involves/contains construction activities (e.g., additions, alterations, constructions, reconstruction, or remodeling) shall require the issuance of a Zoning Clearance in compliance with Chapter 18.126 (Zoning Clearances).
F. Uses not Listed. Uses not listed below may be reviewed by the Director to determine if they are similar to those listed and appropriate in this zone and if so, what type of permit is required, in compliance with Section 18.04.040 (Uses Not Classified).
G. Temporary Uses. For all allowed temporary uses and specific standards see Chapter 18.122, Temporary Use Permits.
Table 2-14 Office and Industrial Zones Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements
Office and Industrial Zones
Permit Requirements
Table 2-14 Office and Industrial Zones Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements
Office and Industrial Zones
Permit Requirements
Table 2-14 Office and Industrial Zones Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements
Office and Industrial Zones
Permit Requirements
P | Allowed by Right
MUP | Minor Use Permit (Chapter 18.114)
CUP | Conditional Use Permit (Chapter 18.124)
TUP | Temporary Use Permit (Chapter 18.122)
- | Not allowed
Land Use
(see Article 8 for land use | Additional
LO-RD | HO-RD | LI | HI
definitions). | Regulations
Banks and Financial
Establishments, Stand-alone | P | P | - | -
ATM
Business Support Centers | P | P | P | P
Call Centers | P | P | CUP | -
Data Centers | CUP | CUP | CUP | CUP | Section 18.60.090
Data Centers, Ancillary | P | P | P | Section 18.60.090
Hotels and Motels | P | P | CUP | CUP
Kennels | P | - | P | -
Maintenance and Repair
P | P | P | -
Services
Medical Services | P | P | - | -
Mobile Food Vendors | P/MUP | P/MUP | P/MUP | P/MUP | 18.60.280
Offices | P | P | - | -
Outdoor Dining and Seating | Section 18.16.040(B)
P | P | CUP | -
(Ancillary) | Section 18.60.140
Personal Services (Ancillary) | P | P | - | - | Section 18.16.040(B)
Restaurants (Ancillary) | P | P | MUP | MUP | Section 18.16.040(B)
Retail Establishments
P | P | P | P | Section 18.16.040(B)
(Ancillary)
Vehicle Oriented Uses
Mobile Fueling Delivery | P | P | P | P
Transit Services and Dispatch | MUP | - | MUP | MUP
Vehicle Service Stations | - | - | - | CUP | Section 18.60.220
Vehicle Rental, General | MUP | - | P | -
Vehicle Repair Facilities, Minor | - | - | P | - | Section 18.60.200
Vehicle Repair Facilities, Major | - | - | CUP | P | Section 18.60.200
Vehicle Storage Facilities | MUP | MUP | MUP
Vehicle Dismantling Facilities | - | - | - | CUP
Vehicle Impound Facility | - | - | - | CUP
Industrial, Manufacturing, and Processing Uses
Freight Yards/Truck Terminals | - | - | CUP | CUP
Hazardous Material Storage
- | - | - | CUP
Facilities
Equipment Sales and Rental
P | P | P | P
Facilities
Industrial, Minor | P | P | P | P
Industrial, Major | - | - | CUP | P
Outdoor Storage, no on-site
- | - | CUP | MUP | Section 18.60.160
building
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning
- | - | P | P
Plants
Printing and Publishing
P | P | P | P
Facilities
Recycling Facilities
Table 2-14 Office and Industrial Zones Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements
Office and Industrial Zones
Permit Requirements
| P | Allowed by Right | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUP | Minor Use Permit (Chapter 18.114) | ||||
| CUP | Conditional Use Permit (Chapter 18.124) | ||||
| TUP | Temporary Use Permit (Chapter 18.122) | ||||
| - | Not allowed | ||||
| Land Use (see Article 8 for land use definitions). | LO-RD | HO-RD | LI | HI | Additional Regulations |
| Residential Uses | |||||
| Caretaker Housing | CUP | CUP | CUP | CUP | Section 18.60.060 |
| Transitional Housing Facilities | - | - | MUP | - | |
| Human Services Uses | |||||
| Community Care Facilities | MUP | - | - | - | |
| Low-barrier Navigation Centers | - | - | MUP | - | |
| Emergency Shelters | - | - | MUP | - | Section 18.60.110 |
| Recreation, Education, and Public Assembly Uses | |||||
| Cemeteries and Mausoleums | - | - | CUP | CUP | |
| Commercial Recreation Facilities, Indoor | MUP | MUP | - | - | Required to be located in a General Plan Exception Area |
| P | Allowed by Right | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUP | Minor Use Permit (Chapter 18.114) | ||||
| CUP | Conditional Use Permit (Chapter 18.124) | ||||
| TUP | Temporary Use Permit (Chapter 18.122) | ||||
| - | Not allowed | ||||
| Land Use (see Article 8 for land use definitions). | LO-RD | HO-RD | LI | HI | Additional Regulations |
| Commercial Recreation Facilities, Outdoor | MUP | MUP | - | - | Required to be located in a General Plan Exception Area |
| Commercial recreation Facilities, Outdoor Ancillary | P | P | - | - | |
| Crematories | - | - | CUP | CUP | |
| Fitness Facilities | P | P | - | - | |
| Parks and Public Plazas | P | P | P | P | |
| Public Schools | P | - | - | - | |
| Private Schools | CUP | - | - | - | |
| Public/Private Colleges and Universities | CUP | - | - | - | |
| Equipment/Machine/Vehicle Training Facilities | CUP | CUP | P | - | |
| Vocational/Trade Schools | CUP | - | - | - | |
| Utility, Transportation, and Communication Uses | |||||
| Broadcasting and Recording Studios | P | - | - | - | |
| Fuel Storage and Distribution Centers | - | - | - | CUP | |
| Park and Ride Facilities | P | P | P | P | |
| Parking Facilities | CUP | CUP | CUP | CUP | |
| Wireless Telecommunications Facilities and Towers, Co- location/Small Cell | P | P | P | P | Chapter 18.66 |
| Wireless Telecommunication Facilities and Towers, Minor (less than 70 feet) | MUP | MUP | MUP | MUP | Chapter 18.66 |
| Wireless Telecommunication Facilities and Towers, Major (70 feet or higher) | CUP | CUP | CUP | CUP | Chapter 18.66 |
| Transit Stations and Terminals | P | P | P | P | |
| Utility Facilities and Infrastructure | CUP | CUP | CUP | CUP | |
| Electric Power Plants | MUP | MUP | MUP | MUP | Section 18.60.260 |
| Diesel Back-up Generators | P | P | P | P | Section 18.60.260 |
| Water Wells | MUP | MUP | MUP | MUP | |
| Photovoltaic Systems | P | P | P | P | |
| Fuel Cells | P | P | P | P | |
| Retail, Service, and Office Uses | |||||
| Ambulance Services | P | P | P | - | |
| Banks and Financial Establishments, General | P | P | - | - |
| P | Allowed by Right | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUP | Minor Use Permit (Chapter 18.114) | ||||
| CUP | Conditional Use Permit (Chapter 18.124) | ||||
| TUP | Temporary Use Permit (Chapter 18.122) | ||||
| - | Not allowed | ||||
| Land Use (see Article 8 for land use definitions). | LO-RD | HO-RD | LI | HI | Additional Regulations |
| Reverse Vending and Collection Boxes Collection Small Collection, Processing, and Transfer | - | - | P | P | Section 18.60.180 |
| - | - | P | P | Section 18.60.180 | |
| - | - | MUP | MUP | Section 18.60.180 | |
| Research and Development Facilities | P | P | P | P | |
| Storage Personal Storage Facilities Warehouse | |||||
| CUP | - | CUP | - | ||
| P | P | P | P | ||
| Wholesaling and Distribution Centers | - | CUP | P | P |
Source: City of Santa Clara Zoning Code (santaclaraca.gov PDF)URL: https://www.santaclaraca.gov/our-city/departments-a-f/community-development/planning-division/zoningFetched: 10/24/2026