The Santa Clara City Council is the seven-member elected body that writes local ordinances, approves the city budget, and sets policy for this Silicon Valley city of roughly 130,000 people. It also sits as the board of the Santa Clara Stadium Authority, the public agency that owns Levi’s Stadium. If you want to follow a decision, weigh in on one, or just know when the council meets and where to find the agenda, the sections below walk through how the body is built and how residents plug into it.
Who Sits on the Council
The city charter sets the council at seven: a mayor elected citywide, plus six councilmembers elected from two geographic districts, three per district.1City of Santa Clara. Charter Amendment – Council Districts – Method of Election That two-district layout is unusual. Voters in District 1 choose three of their six councilmembers, and voters in District 2 choose the other three.
The mayor is a separately elected office but also a full voting member of the council, with the same vote as any other seat. The charter does not expand the council’s size to accommodate the mayor; the total stays at seven.1City of Santa Clara. Charter Amendment – Council Districts – Method of Election
Candidates must be residents of Santa Clara and registered to vote in the city.1City of Santa Clara. Charter Amendment – Council Districts – Method of Election
Terms and Term Limits
Council members and the mayor serve four-year terms. Elections fall in even-numbered years and are staggered so roughly half the seats are up each cycle, which keeps the full council from turning over at once.1City of Santa Clara. Charter Amendment – Council Districts – Method of Election
Voters passed Measure P in November 2016, capping service at two full terms per office. Once someone has served two full terms as a councilmember or two full terms as mayor, they cannot run for that same office again. A partial term longer than two years counts as a full term. Anything served before December 1, 2016 does not count toward the cap.
What the Council Decides
The charter gives the council authority to adopt ordinances and resolutions carrying the force of local law, approve the annual budget, create boards and commissions, and set rules for fiscal management, public works, and procurement.2City of Santa Clara. Charter Review Committee – Charter Project Those actions drive zoning and land use, police and fire funding, and infrastructure spending.
Santa Clara uses a council-manager form of government. The council appoints a city manager to run day-to-day operations and a city attorney to provide legal counsel. Both serve at the council’s pleasure and can be removed without cause, which lets elected members steer policy while leaving administration to professional staff.
The Council as the Stadium Authority Board
All seven council members also serve as the board of the Santa Clara Stadium Authority, with the mayor as chair. The city manager serves as executive director and the city attorney as general counsel.3City of Santa Clara. Santa Clara Stadium Authority
The Authority is legally separate from the city, and the city is not liable for its debts. Its responsibilities include leasing the stadium land from the city, issuing bonds for stadium financing, selling naming rights and stadium builder licenses, running operations for football games and other events, and carrying insurance for hazards and tort claims.3City of Santa Clara. Santa Clara Stadium Authority Stadium noise, parking, and traffic come up often at council meetings. Residents can also report problems directly to the Authority at 408-615-2280.
When and Where the Council Meets
Meetings happen in hybrid format at the City Hall Council Chambers, 1500 Warburton Avenue. The schedule shifts: recent sessions have been held on Tuesdays and occasionally Mondays, with start times between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.4City of Santa Clara. City of Santa Clara – Calendar Check the city’s Legistar portal before heading over.
California’s Ralph M. Brown Act requires the agenda for every regular meeting to be posted at least 72 hours in advance. It must briefly describe each item of business, state the time and location, appear in a freely accessible physical location and on the city website, and explain how someone with a disability can request accommodations.5California Legislative Information. California Government Code 54954.2 – Posting of Agenda Staff reports, maps, and financial analyses are uploaded with the agenda on Legistar. Paper copies are available at City Hall.
How to Speak or Submit Public Comment
The Brown Act guarantees the public a chance to speak on any matter within the council’s jurisdiction at regular meetings. The council can set reasonable time limits but cannot prohibit criticism of city policies or services.
Santa Clara offers three channels:
- In person. Attend the hybrid meeting at Council Chambers and speak during the public comment window for a specific agenda item, or during “Public Presentations” for topics not on the agenda.6City of Santa Clara. Watch and Participate in Public Meetings
- Virtually. Join through the hybrid platform and use the raise-hand feature when comment opens. The City Clerk’s office manages the queue and unmutes speakers in order.
- In writing. Email clerk@santaclaraca.gov. To get materials into the agenda packet distributed to councilmembers, send them by 10 a.m. one week before the meeting. Comments received by 12 p.m. on the day of the meeting are still accepted. The eComment tool opens when the agenda is posted, 72 hours before the meeting, and closes 15 minutes before the session starts.6City of Santa Clara. Watch and Participate in Public Meetings
Speaker time limits are set by Council Policy 029, and the mayor and council can adjust them during the meeting. For current guidelines, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov.6City of Santa Clara. Watch and Participate in Public Meetings If you plan to hand out written material, bring at least 15 copies so the clerk can distribute them to the council and staff.
Reaching Council Members Between Meetings
Use the city’s online feedback form at santaclaraca.gov on the “Contact City Council” page to send a general message. For something tied to a specific agenda item, emailing clerk@santaclaraca.gov puts the comment into the public record. Stadium-related concerns such as noise or game-day traffic go to the Stadium Authority line at 408-615-2280, which is staffed during and outside of business hours.3City of Santa Clara. Santa Clara Stadium Authority
Requesting Accessibility Accommodations
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires local governments to communicate as effectively with people with disabilities as with everyone else, which for council meetings can mean a sign language interpreter or other auxiliary aid.7ADA.gov. State and Local Governments California’s agenda-posting law reinforces that by requiring each agenda to explain how and when to request an accommodation.5California Legislative Information. California Government Code 54954.2 – Posting of Agenda Ask as early as possible before the meeting so the city has time to arrange it.