Economic Development & Planning

SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOPS! Sponsored by the City of Newark, Chamber of Commerce, and the Alameda County Library

These are FREE informative workshops where small business owners and prospective small business owners will learn how SBA programs can help start, manage, and grow their business. Come hear speakers from SBA and its network of resource partners provide practical information on: Training and Counseling; Access to Financing; and Access to Federal Government Contracting. Program benefits, eligibility requirements, and application procedures will be covered. If you are thinking of starting a small business, or simply want to expand your existing business, these FREE workshops are for you!

Where: Newark Library, 6300 Civic Terrace Avenue, Newark
When: September 18, 2008

Why It's Smart to do Business in Newark
Newark is a thriving home for many smart and successful businesses. Located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay on 13 square miles near the water, Newark represents a diverse, bustling economy at the gateway to some of the world's most affluent markets. Newark is in the direct growth path converging from the north and south. Small town values remain, but lower housing and development costs, close proximity to skilled workforce and universities, a regionally strategic location, available land zoned for industrial use, and the offer of expeditious processing of development applications, make Newark a prime site for the new growth industries of the 21st Century.

Click here to see available industrial and commercial properties for both sale and lease.


Development Assets

Many of California's largest and fastest-growing companies are located in Newark for good reasons! We encourage you to examine closely how well Newark works for businesses. After careful examination, we think you'll want to join us here. Your first step should be to contact our ombudsman for new businesses, Clay Colvin. Clay is the City's Economic Development Manager and can get you the answers to your development questions. Give Clay at call at 510-578-4242 or e-mail at clay.colvin@newark.org.

Whether your project requires a Conditional Use Permit, Architectural and Site Plan Review, Joint Staff Committee Review or a Special Civic Review, it will be handled quickly and efficiently. If you'd like, you can view a typical project timeline for each of these reviews. If you're not certain what type of review your project will require, contact Clay Colvin, Economic Development Manager, at 510-578-4242 or via e-mail at clay.colvin@newark.org.

Major Employers (by number of employees)
Newark Unified School School District
Corporate Express
WorldPac
ADVO
Cargill Salt
Risk Management Solutions
City of Newark
LTD Ceramics
Home Depot
Nordstrom Distribution Center
Full Bloom Baking Company


Workforce Information

Mean Household Income(Source: ABAG Projections 2007)

2000: $94,800

2005: $95,400

2010: $99,300

2015: $104,600

Preliminary Plan Review
Let us help you! Newark prides itself on rapid, responsive development services. We have established a Preliminary Plan Review (PPR) process to help meet this commitment. It is a simple process that involves submitting six site plans, floor plans, and elevations of your project which are then routed to all City divisions for comments and proposed conditions of approval. Two weeks from the date you submit your plans, you will have a letter that describes what, if anything, you need to do to your plans to meet minimum code requirements, and a list of conditions of approval that staff will recommend to the Planning Commission and City Council. Included with this is a step-by-step description of the type of formal review, fees, and application requirements necessary to process your application. It's fast, simple, and eliminates any surprises down the line. Best of all, for all non-residential projects, this service is provided free of charge.

To begin the PPR process, call Clay Colvin, the City's Economic Development Manager, at 510-578-4242, or e-mail him at: clay.colvin@newark.org.

The City zoning and general plan land use maps identify how properties in Newark may be used and developed. Zoning assigns various "permitted" and "conditional" land uses to districts or "zones" in the City. Regulations governing development standards such as building placement (i.e., "setbacks"), height, and bulk are also established. The general plan land use map is an integral part of the City's General Plan, which is a comprehensive statement of the goals, policies, and programs that will guide the future growth of Newark.

Information on a property's zoning and general plan land use designation may be obtained by contacting Roxanne Muller of the Economic Development and Planning Division at 510-578-4330 or via e-mail at roxanne.muller@newark.org. Inquiries for zoning and general plan information can be expedited if you are able to provide both the street address and assessor's parcel number for the property in question.

The City zoning and general plan maps, as well as the complete Zoning Ordinance and General Plan, are available for purchase either through the mail or in person at City Hall. The cost for each map is $3.00. The Zoning Ordinance costs $14.30 and the General Plan (which includes the general plan map) is $25.00. All prices include postage. Purchase requests may be directed to Roxanne. Requests by mail should be addressed to: City of Newark, Planning Division, 37101 Newark Boulevard, Newark, CA, 94560. Please make checks payable to "City of Newark".

Click here for information on Housing. Click here to reach the Building Division.