PROJECT DATA TABLE

 

 

Starred items indicate deviations from Sunnyvale Municipal Code requirements.

 

 ANALYSIS 

 

Description of Proposed Project

 

The applicant has proposed developing the currently vacant parcel with eight single-family homes on private lots with a common lot for the private street and guest parking.  The application involves changing the current R-3/PD zoning to R-2/PD to allow the project to meet density requirements.  Rezoning to a lower density is allowed by the California Government Code only if the loss of potential housing on the site is addressed elsewhere within the City, resulting in no net loss of housing.

 

Background

 

Planning Commission Hearing: This project was reviewed at a Planning Commission public hearing on Monday, January 24, 2005.  The primary issue discussed was the design of the private street.  The options were one straight street, which was the applicant’s preference, or a street with a road spur between lots 6 and 7, which allows better circulation.  Staff recommended the spur.  Other issues included the setback deviations including infringement on the vision triangle, width of the private street, and street trees.

 

The Planning Commission voted 4-2 to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration, and amend the General Plan from Medium to Low-Medium Density Residential, and introduce an Ordinance to Rezone 775 South Wolfe Road from R-3/PD to R-2/PD, and approve the Special Development Permit and Tentative Map with modified conditions.

 

The modifications to the Conditions of Approval (COA) were:

1)     Alternative 2 of the Site Plans, which included a road spur between Lots 6 and 7;

2)     Increasing the street and sidewalk width to 26 feet with a 5 foot sidewalk (the applicant had requested only 25 feet); and

3)     Modifying the addendum Condition of Approval on street trees to include “a minimum of two (2) and up to four (4) street trees along Wolfe Road based on the approval of the City Arborist” (incorporated as COA 10.E).

 

The Commissioners not supporting the motion indicated their concern with the design containing too many setback deviations and the obstruction of the Vision Triangle. 

 

Following the public hearing, the applicant indicated to staff that he concurred with Conditions of Approval as approved by the Planning Commission.  A revised site was developed to in corporate the changes and to mitigate the impact on the Vision Triangle.  This report references the revised design as the proposed site plan (Attachment E).  The initially proposed site plan is included in Attachment D for reference.

 

Previous Actions on the Site: The following table summarizes previous planning applications related to the subject site.

 

File Number	Brief Description	Hearing / Decision	Date
2004-0759	General Plan Amendment Initiation to change the Medium Density Residential Zoning to Low-Medium Density Residential.	City Council / Approved	11/09/2004
2001-0404	Special Development Permit to allow a 20-unit multi-family apartment building.	City Council / Approved	11/13/2001
2001-0403	Re-Zone to allow a R-3/PD.	City Council / Approved	11/13/2001

 

The project site currently has a General Plan designation of Residential Medium Density and is zoned R-3/PD.   The adjacent properties to the north and west of the site are designated Medium Density Residential.  The adjacent property to the south and the property east of the site across South Wolfe Road are designated Low Density (R-0).  The front yards of the one-story, single-family homes south and to the east of the project site face Wolfe Road. 

 

The subject lot was historically used for agricultural crops and is currently unimproved.  The site was re-zoned in 2001 from R-3 to R-3/PD to allow for construction of a 20-unit apartment complex; however, construction never occurred.

 

The applicant has requested that the City rezone the property to develop the site with eight single-family homes.  The applicant has indicated that the lower density would allow for a transition between the neighboring Low Density Residential (R-0) properties to the south and east of the site, and the adjacent Medium Density Residential (R-3) properties to the north and west of the site.  The applicant noted that the project would allow for development of homeownership units as opposed to the previously approved rental units.

 

Environmental Review

 

A Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act provisions and City Guidelines. An initial study has determined that the proposed project would not create any significant environmental impacts with implementation of the recommended interior and exterior mitigation measures for traffic noise from South Wolfe Road (see Attachment 3, Initial Study).  The mitigations include a solid, six foot high fence for the rear yard area for each lot and higher grade windows along Wolfe Road to reduce noise to the interior of the homes.

 

General Plan Amendment 

 

Change Under Consideration: The applicant has proposed amending the General Plan from a Medium Density Residential to a Low-Medium Density Residential.

 

Discussion of General Plan Amendment: Sunnyvale Municipal Code Section 19.92.020 authorizes only the City Council to initiate proceedings for adoption of an amendment to the General Plan.  On November 9, 2004, the City Council reviewed and approved a request to initiate a General Plan Amendment.

 

A survey of the existing General Plan policies indicates that the issues regarding this General Plan Amendment request are: the effect that the potential amendment and related subsequent zoning district change will have on the development pattern of the existing neighborhood, the number of housing units to be developed, and the development of homeownership units. 

 

Development Pattern:  The current General Plan designation would allow 16 to 21 units.  The slightly higher density would help the City achieve its goal of more housing to offset the housing/jobs imbalance; however, the previously approved 20-unit apartment complex would result in an increase in rental units, which runs counter to the City’s goal of promoting homeownership.

 

When an actual General Plan Amendment is considered there is adequate control by the City Council to restrict the zoning in order to achieve a lot pattern consistent with the existing neighborhood.  Applying a different zoning designation to the 39,088 square foot lot may allow for transition between the Low Density and Medium Density surrounding properties.

 

Number of Units:  Given the jobs/housing imbalance in Sunnyvale, the City usually does not encourage lowering permitted densities, as it results in fewer housing units; however, other sites within the city have been converted or approved for conversion to housing, resulting in the City being on target for development of housing goals. 

 

This density category provides transition between Low Density and Medium Density sites consistent with the General Plan policy to use density to transition between uses.

 

Homeownership Units:  The proposed single-family homes will be sold as ownership units which is in contrast to the previously approved apartments that were proposed as rental units.  The project site is currently vacant land.  The City’s Housing Element anticipated that all remaining vacant land would be developed with moderate or above-moderate income housing.

 

Rezoning

 

Change Under Consideration: The applicant has proposed amending the Zoning designation from an R-3/PD (Medium Density Residential / Planned Development) Zoning District to an R-2/PD (Low-Medium Density Residential / Planned Development).

 

Discussion of Rezoning: The primary issue in rezoning the property is the reduction in number of housing units, which will result in a net loss of potential housing for the City.  The California Government Code requires all cities to provide their “fair share” of housing to meet the state-wide need.  While most cities do not actually construct the housing, they make the option available to developers through the zoning of property.  The State only allows rezoning to lower densities if the loss of housing is addressed elsewhere within the City, resul