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Chapter 18.26 — Downtown Form-Based Code

8.2. Standards

Santa Clara Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Santa Clara

  • A. Facade Composition. Facade elements shall be organized by a grid ( Figure 8-1 ) Patterns of openings within each individual facade or Building Increment—when required per Section 7.2 —shall be organized into a grid per the standards below

1. Horizontal alignment of elements. Rooflines, openings, and materials within each facade or facade module must align horizontally, and be generally consistent in style across the entire width

2. Vertical alignment of openings into bays. The entirety of a building’s facade or Massing Increment shall be clearly divided into vertical bays, subject to the following:

  • a. Facade bays shall extend from the ground to the top of the facade and are defined by vertical structure (solid portions of wall, piers, etc ) which extends from the ground to the top of the facade (See §8.2.F for more on expressing structure)

  • b. Each bay must be between 15’ and 30’ wide

  • c. Openings shall be stacked within bays as illustrated below Openings should typically be arranged symmetrically within bays

  • B. Buildings shall have a base, middle, and top ( Figure 8-2 ). The building base should read as visually supportive, with materials that appear solid and strong Building base heights are scaled to the size of the building; their height is regulated alongside building heights in Section 6.3 and Table 6-2.

1. The building base is the primary portion of the facade observed from the street, so it should feature details and materials which are pleasing to the pedestrian The building base should be differentiated from the rest of the facade—whether by a string course, change in material, change in type of openings, or a combination of these elements

2. The middle of the building features floors which should be generally repetitive, with only minor variations between each floor

3. The top of the building should feature some form of capping element(s), such as a cornice, enhanced ornamentation, or a decorative parapet In larger buildings, the upper most floor may be visually incorporated into the building design of the top

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Bay
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FIGURE 8-1 | A GRID OF FLOORS & BAYS

Each bay in this example features a shopfront on the ground floor with 1 or 2 sets of upper floor windows stacked above. This pattern is especially appropriate for the Shopfront Overlay.

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BAYS —Facades can be organized into bays, regardless of style.

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Top
Middle
Base
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FIGURE 8-2 | BASE, MIDDLE, AND TOP

Building facades shall have a base, middle, and top.

18 Attachment 1:127

Publication, Apr 2026

SANTA CLARA CODE

37 | Chapter 8: Facade Design

C. Facade Fenestration.

1. Fenestration Area. Facades shall be designed with fenestration—openings on the facade, including windows and doors—in the amounts identified by Table 8-1

  • a. Fenestration amount is calculated as a percentage of openings—including all windows and doors on the facade—to an area of facade Each portion of the facade grid, as defined in Standard 8.2.A.3 , must have a fenestration percentage which falls within the range identified by Table 8-1 This is illustrated in the facade diagram to the right See Figure 8-3

  • b. Per Table 8-1 , the required fenestration amount varies by Zone and Overlay (where applicable) and by location on the facade

TABLE 8-1 | FENESTRATION

Facade Area Shopfront Retail-Ready General
Ground Floor 75% - 95% 65% - 95% 40% - 95%
Upper Floors 25% - 70%

FIGURE 8-3 | APPLYING THE FENESTRATION STANDARDS

Each portion of the facade grid must meet the applicable fenestration requirement. This example displays Shopfront overlay requirements.

2. General to all floors:

  • a. Except for shopfront or bay windows, window jambs shall be set in a minimum of 4 inches from the main facade plane Trim/moldings on the facade do not count toward this recess depth

  • b. Opaque or fogged windows are prohibited Windows and glazing on doors should have an external reflectance of less than 15%, and a transparency higher than 80%

  • c. Non-operable shutters—known as ‘faux shutters’—are prohibited

  • d. The horizontal distance between wall openings should not exceed 15 feet within a facade or massing increment

  • e. On street-facing facades, utility penetrations are prohibited (e g , exhaust vents)

3. Specific to ground floors:

  • a. The ground floor facade area is determined by multiplying the ground floor height (as regulated by Table 6-2 ) by its width

  • b. Structural elements (e g , columns and piers) shall be visible on the facade exterior, and the front face of such structural elements shall align with the face of the facade above in order to visually convey that they support the facade and floors above This is especially critical for ground floor facades with over 90% glass (to avoid the illusion that the upper floors are resting on a glass box)

  • c. Bedroom and bathroom windows along any new or existing street is prohibited

  • d. Display windows which block views into interior spaces may only comprise up to 25% of the required fenestration area

  • e. Section 9 establishes further ground floor fenestration requirements, beyond the base standards in Table 8-1 , to create a balance between privacy and transparency according to frontage type

25–70%
25–70%
25–70%
75–95%
25–70%
25–70%
25–70%
75–95%
25–70%
25–70%
25–70%
75–95%
25–70%
25–70%
25–70%
75–95%
25–70% 25–70% 25–70% 25–70%
25–70% 25–70% 25–70% 25–70%
25–70% 25–70% 25–70% 25–70%
75–95% 75–95% 75–95% 75–95%

4. Specific to upper floors:

  • a. Wall openings should generally not span across stories (vertically) or bays (horizontally)

  • b. Upper-floor wall openings shall be square or taller than they are wide Individual vertically-proportioned windows can be grouped side by side to form a horizontal ensemble of windows

18 Attachment 1:128

Publication, Apr 2026

ZONING

38 | City of Santa Clara Downtown Form-Base Code

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▸ Contents — Santa Clara Zoning Code
Santa Clara Zoning Code
  1. Article 1 — Enactment and Applicability
  2. Chapter 18.02 — Purpose and Applicability of Zoning Code
  3. Chapter 18.04 — Interpretation of the Zoning Code Provisions
  4. Chapter 18.06 — Zoning Map and Zones
  5. Chapter 18.10 — Residential Zones (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, UC,…
  6. Chapter 18.12 — Commercial Zones (C-C, C-N, C-R)
  7. Chapter 18.14 — Mixed Use Zones (MU-NC, MU-CC, MU-RC, MU-MD, M…
  8. Chapter 18.16 — Office and Industrial Zones (LO-RD, HO-RD, LI,…
  9. Chapter 18.18 — Special Purpose Zones (OS, PQP)
  10. Chapter 18.20 — Planned Development Zone (PD)
  11. Chapter 18.22 — Lawrence Station Area Plan Zoning District (LS…
  12. Chapter 18.24 — Two-Unit Dwelling Residential Development and …
  13. ▸ Chapter 18.26 — Downtown Form-Based Code
    Overview
    1. 1.1. Introduction
    2. 1.2. Applicability
    3. 1.3. Rules of Construction
    4. 1.4. Architectural Review
    5. 1.5. Public Notice
    6. 1.6. Director Interpretations
    7. 1.7. Deviation from Standards
    8. 2.1. A New Code for Downtown Santa Clara
    9. 3.1. Summary of Regulating Topics
    10. 4.1. The Downtown Zone
    11. 4.2. Character Overlays
    12. 5.2. Applicability
    13. 5.1. Intent
    14. 5.3. Standards
    15. 6.1. Intent
    16. 6.2. Applicability
    17. 6.3. Standards
    18. 6.3 Standards (continued)
    19. 6.3 Standards (continued)
    20. 7.1. Intent
    21. 7.2. Applicability
    22. 7.3. Standards
    23. 7.3 Standards (continued)
    24. 7.3 Standards (continued)
    25. 8.1. Intent and Applicability
    26. 8.2. Standards
    27. 8.2 Standards (continued)
    28. 8.2 Standards (continued)
    29. 9.1. Intent
    30. 9.3. General Standards
    31. 9.2. Applicability
    32. 9.4. Standards by Frontage Type
    33. 10.1. Intent
    34. 10.2. Applicability
    35. 10.3. General Standards
    36. 10.4. Standards & Guidelines by Type
    37. 11.1. Intent and Applicability
    38. 11.2. General Standards
    39. 11.3. Standards & Guidelines by Type
    40. 12.1. Building Use
    41. 12.2. Specified Use Definitions
    42. 12.3. CUP Conditions of Approval
    43. 12.4. Parking Requirements
    44. 12.5. Parking Design Standards
    45. 13.1. Introduction
    46. 13.2. Specific to Waste and Utility Placement
    47. 13.3. Specific to Site Walls
    48. 13.4. Specific to Lighting
    49. 13.5. On-Site Open Space
    50. 13.6. Elevating a Place with Art
    51. Article 3 — Site Planning and General Development Standards
  14. Chapter 18.30 — Site Planning and General Development Standards
  15. Chapter 18.32 — Residential Accessory Structures
  16. Chapter 18.34 — Fences, Walls, Hedges, and Screens
  17. Chapter 18.36 — Landscaping Standards
  18. Chapter 18.38 — Off-Street Parking Regulations and Design Stan…
  19. Chapter 18.40 — Performance Standards
  20. Chapter 18.42 — Sign Standards
  21. Chapter 18.60 — Standards for Specific Land Uses
  22. Chapter 18.62 — Adult Business Uses
  23. Chapter 18.64 — Density Bonus and Affordable Housing
  24. Chapter 18.66 — Wireless Telecommunications Facilities
  25. Chapter 18.90 — General Nonconforming Provisions
  26. Chapter 18.92 — Nonconforming Structures
  27. Chapter 18.94 — Nonconforming Uses
  28. Chapter 18.96 — Nonconforming Parcels
  29. Chapter 18.98 — Other Specific Nonconforming Provisions
  30. Chapter 18.110 — General Provisions
  31. Chapter 18.112 — Application Processing Procedures
  32. Chapter 18.114 — Conditional and Minor Use Permits
  33. Chapter 18.116 — Off-Site Parking Permits
  34. Chapter 18.118 — Reasonable Accommodation
  35. Chapter 18.120 — Architectural Review
  36. Chapter 18.122 — Temporary Use Permits
  37. Chapter 18.124 — Variances and Minor Modifications
  38. Chapter 18.126 — Zoning Clearances
  39. Chapter 18.128 — Permit Implementation, Time Limits, and Exten…
  40. Chapter 18.130 — Historic Preservation
  41. Title 18 — Zoning Code

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