Adult Business Uses

Santa Clara City Code ch. 18.62

in effect

Santa Clara City Code § 18.62.010 Purpose and Applicability

It is the purpose of this Chapter to regulate the location, development, and operation of adult-oriented business uses, which tend to have judicially recognized adverse secondary effects on the community, including but not limited to increases in crime in the vicinity of adult businesses; increases in vacancies in residential and commercial areas in the vicinity of adult businesses; interference with residential property owners’ enjoyment of their properties when the properties are located in the vicinity of adult businesses as a result of increases in crime, litter, noise, and vandalism; and the deterioration of neighborhoods. Special regulation of these businesses is necessary to prevent these adverse secondary effects and the blighting or degradation of the neighborhoods in the vicinity of adult businesses while at the same time protecting the First Amendment rights of those individuals who desire to own, operate, or patronize adult businesses. This Chapter establishes reasonable and uniform location criteria for adult-oriented business uses.

Santa Clara City Code § 18.62.020 Location of Adult-Oriented Business Uses

A. C-R Zone. Adult-oriented business uses are only allowed with the approval of a Conditional Use Permit in the C-R zone as shown in Table 2-4 (Commercial Zones Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements). B. Distances. Notwithstanding the above, no adult bookstore, adult motion picture theater, adult cabaret, adult hotel/motel, or any other adult entertainment establishment or adult-oriented business use shall be established within certain specified distances of certain land uses or zones as specified below. No adult-oriented business uses shall be established or located within: 1. 500 feet from a parcel, located within or outside the City limits, situated in a Residential or a Mixed-Use zone. 2. 500 feet from another parcel, located within or outside the City limits, used for any adult-oriented business use. 3. 500 feet from another parcel, located within or outside the City limits, used for any restricted personal services use. 4. 500 feet from any other parcel, located within or outside the City limits, used for a public or private State-licensed child day care center and/or large family day care facility, nursery school, elementary school, secondary school, junior high school, high school, community college, or university). C. Measurement of Distances. The distance between two adult-oriented business uses or any of the other zones or land uses identified in Subsection B. (Distances), above, shall be measured in compliance with Section 18.04.050 (Measurement of Separation Requirements).

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