Purpose of Office and Industrial Zones
Santa Clara City Code § 18.16.010
in effectA. The purpose of this Chapter is to describe the character and intent of the City’s office and industrial zones, identify any supplemental land use regulations applicable to office and industrial zones, describe allowed land uses and permit requirements in office and industrial zones, and establish development standards for the same.
B. The purpose of the individual office and industrial uses and the way they are applied are as follows:
1. Low-Intensity Office/Research and Development (LO-RD). The purpose of the RD-OL Office/Research and Development – Low Intensity Zone is to provide areas for the construction, use, and occupancy of office/research and development uses, data centers, limited manufacturing, and employee-serving retail. The intent of this zone is to encourage the development of a richly landscaped campus park like industrial setting. The maximum FAR is 1.00. This zone implements the Low-Intensity Office/Research and Development land use designation in the General Plan.
2. High-Intensity Office/Research and Development (HO-RD). The purpose of the HO-RD High-Intensity Office/Research and Development Zone is to provide areas for the construction, use, and occupancy of office/research and development uses, ancillary data centers, limited manufacturing, and other Minor Industrial Uses, and employee-serving retail. The intent of this zone is to encourage the development of compact and urbanized developments that include a mix of mid- to high-rise structures in a richly landscaped campus park like industrial setting. The maximum FAR is 2.00. This zone implements the High-Intensity Office/Research and Development land use designation in the General Plan.
3. Light Industrial Zone (LI). The purpose of the LI Light Industrial Zone is to provide areas for the construction, use, and occupancy of a broad range of industrial uses including manufacturing, warehousing (including data centers), and wholesale establishments, as well as ancillary office uses and employee-serving commercial uses. Due to the potential presence of noxious and hazardous materials associated with industrial processes, nonindustrial uses that attract sensitive receptors are strictly limited. The maximum FAR is 0.60. This zone implements the Light Industrial land use designation in the General Plan.
4. Heavy Industrial Zone (HI). The purpose of the HI Heavy Industrial Zone is to provide areas for the construction, use, and occupancy of a broad range of heavy industrial uses, including heavy manufacturing and other facilities that use and store noxious and hazardous materials, as well as ancillary office uses and employee-serving retail. Due to the presence of noxious and hazardous materials, nonindustrial uses that attract sensitive receptors are strictly limited. The maximum FAR is 0.45. This zone implements the Heavy Industrial land use designation in the General Plan.
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