DATE: August 28, 2025
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Elizabeth Blanton, Senior Planner and Sachiko Riddle, Assistant Planner
SUBJECT
Title
Business-Friendly Hayward Project Update: Work Session to Review the Summary of Best Practices Report, Analysis of Hayward Codes and Practices, Downtown Commercial Analysis, and Outreach Summary for the Business-Friendly Hayward project.
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the Planning Commission review the staff report and provide feedback 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 City's Planning and Economic Development Divisions, which aims to complete 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 soliciting feedback from businesses, the community, and other stakeholders. At this work session, staff is requesting feedback from the Planning Commission on the following:
1. Are there any 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...
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