DATE: September 23, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Development Services
SUBJECT
Title
Business-Friendly Hayward Project Update: Review of Summary of Best Practices Report, Analysis of Hayward Codes and Practices, Downtown Commercial Analysis, and Outreach Summary
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the City Council provide feedback and direction on the Business-Friendly Hayward Project based on the Summary of Best Practices Report, Analysis of Hayward Codes and Practices, Downtown Commercial Analysis, and Outreach Summary.
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SUMMARY
The Business-Friendly Hayward Project is a joint effort of the Planning and Economic Development Divisions which aims to accomplish a series of Strategic Roadmap projects and Downtown Specific Plan implementation programs by focusing on the following objectives:
• Streamline entitlement and permitting processes for desirable businesses across the City’s commercial and mixed-use zoning districts.
• Activate vacant and underutilized properties and storefronts Downtown.
To date, the project team has reviewed best practices from nearby jurisdictions, analyzed Hayward’s codes and practices related to commercial and mixed-use districts, conducted a commercial analysis of the Downtown area, and facilitated a series of outreach efforts aimed at getting feedback from businesses, the community, and other stakeholders. Based on these efforts and feedback received from the Planning Commission and Council, revisions to the Municipal Code will be drafted and presented to stakeholders for review later this year.
At this stage of the project, staff would like the Council’s feedback on the following questions:
1. Are there any of the recommendations from the Analysis of Hayward Codes and Practices Report that you do not believe are appropriate for Hayward?
a. Making beer/wine sales more permissible.
b. Allowing small scale live entertainment activities with a simplified permitting process.
c. Identifying specified entertainment zones that potentially include open carry alcoholic beverages.
d. Allowing Accessory Commercial Units on residential properties in select locations Downtown and along Mission Boulevard.
e. Anything else?
Are there any other types of businesses we should consider streamlining the permitting process for?
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Summary of Best Practices Report
Attachment III Analysis of Hayward Codes and Practices
Attachment IV Outreach Summary