The following are links to information and application materials for various applications processed by the Planning Office. 

Information regarding building permits can be found at the Building Inspection Office site.

Administrative Permit
Staff-level procedure to review certain miscellaneous activities; such as bingo, public dances and entertainment events.

Agricultural Building Exemption 
Exemption from standard building permit requirements for certain agricultural buildings.

Appeal
Request for a higher review authority to reconsider a contested action or condition.

Architecture & Site Approval 
Committee (ASA) review procedure to evaluate site and structure design for various commercial, industrial and institutional uses. 

Building Site Approval
Staff-level procedure to comprehensively evaluate and condition an individual lot for single-family residential development. 

Business License Info
Santa Clara County does not issue business licences. Link to information about permitting requirements for businesses in unincorporated areas.

Certificate of Compliance
Review of historical documents to make a formal determination on lot legality. 

Design Review 
Staff-level review and hearing procedure to consider visual impact issues of proposed development.

Grading Permit
Staff-level procedure to evaluate projects where significant earth-moving is proposed.

Home Occupation
Staff-level evaluation of home occupation activity based on established home occupation criteria. 

Lot Line Adjustment
Staff-level procedure to evaluate and effect the minor adjustment of contiguous lot lines.

Lot Merger
Staff-level procedure to evaluate and effect the merger of contiguous lots.

Open Space Easement Compatible Use Determination
Staff-level evaluation of land as it may or may not comply with applicable open space easement criteria. 

Special Permit
Staff-level review and hearing procedure to consider certain exceptional or more intensive residential uses.

State License Clearance
Evaluation and documentation of County zoning and permitting requirements for a given use as required by a state licensing agency.

Subdivision
Review and hearing procedure to consider the subdivision of land.

Temporary Residence
Review and bonding procedure for limited temporary residence uses.

Tree Removal
Staff-level procedure to evaluate the proposed removal of a protected tree(s).

Underground Utility Waiver
Request for an evaluation of special circumstances that may warrant an an exception to the requirement for underground utility installation.

Use Permit
Review and hearing procedure to consider major projects; primarily commercial, industrial and institutional uses. 

Variance
Staff-level review and hearing procedure to consider requests for exceptions to certain development standards.

Williamson Act Compatible Use Determination
Staff-level evaluation of an agricultural operation as it may or may not comply with the established Williamson Act criteria. 

Zoning Interpretation
Formal evaluation of the precise meaning of a particular zoning provision(s) as it may apply to a given situation.

Zoning Text Amendment / Rezoning
Review and hearing procedure to consider the revision of a specific zoning regulation(s), or the rezoning of land. .