Definitions of the ground floor active use area overlay (AUA).
San José Municipal Code § 20.70.520
in effectA. "Active Use Area" (AUA) means ground-floor, street frontage, building space. The area requires "active uses," store front style façade design, and window transparency. Permitted uses include general retail, education and training, entertainment and recreation, food service, personal services but not financial services, medical and veterinary services, other general services, public, quasi-public and assembly. Prohibit residential, and other uses not mentioned above (although a residential portal not exceeding 25 feet in width will be allowed). These design requirements and uses apply to the following street frontages: 1. Santa Clara Street from San Pedro Street to Fourth Street; 2. Post Street from Almaden Boulevard and to First Street; 3. San Fernando Street from Highway 87 to Second Street; 4. Park Avenue from Almaden Boulevard to First Street; 5. San Carlos Street from Market Street to Fourth Street; 6. San Pedro Street from St. John Street to San Fernando Street; and 7. First Street from Santa Clara Street to William Street. B. Tenant spaces in the Active Use Area shall conform with the San José Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards as approved by City Council on April 23, 2019. (Ords. 26326, 27091, 27441, 30290, 31329 .)
Source: San José Municipal Code (Municode library)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/san_jose/codes/code_of_ordinancesFetched: 7/25/2026