November 22, 2005

REPORT IN BRIEF

This project is the second part of the Visual Streetscape Standards Council Study Issue that was ranked number one of eight in the Community Development Department for the 2005 study issue calendar. The purpose for this report is to provide the Council the opportunity to review a plan for streetscape revitalization of the 100 Block of South Murphy Avenue. This study also provides the City Council a chance to review new policies and guidelines regulating operational aspects of Murphy Avenue businesses.

This project was heard by the Heritage Preservation Commission on November 9, 2005 and Planning Commission on November 14, 2005. Both Commissions recommended approval of the project with modified conditions. Staff is recommending adoption of the Murphy Avenue Streetscape Revitalization preferred Design Plan with the added conditions suggested by the Heritage Preservation Commission and Planning Commission. Staff also recommends drafting new policy guidelines for Murphy Avenue and pursuing project implementation grant money.

BACKGROUND

In December 2004, the City Council ranked this item as the number one new Community Development Department study issue for the 2005 calendar year. This was in response to a variety of issues that have been raised on Murphy Avenue over the past few years as well as the City receiving a Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) grant to help complete the study.

The 100 Block of South Murphy Avenue is located in Sunnyvale’s Downtown area, east of Plaza Del Sol and south of the Sunnyvale Multimodal Station (see page 1 of Attachment C). The block, also known as Historic Murphy Avenue, has undergone one chapter of revitalization, from a remnant of a historic downtown to a vital commercial area. However, the current renovations began in the late 1980’s and peaked in the mid-1990’s. Since that time, as planning for the re-birth of the rest of the downtown has taken place, Murphy Avenue has begun to experience a slow decline in the streetscape. The purpose of the Murphy Avenue Streetscape study issue is to create a plan and set of policies to revitalize the streetscape. The primary goal is to integrate this vestige of Sunnyvale’s historic downtown and commercial/entertainment district with the new Sunnyvale Multimodal Station and the redeveloped Town Center Mall site, as well as to create a showcase environment for the rest of the downtown. The secondary goal of the project is to create a collaborative and inclusive planning process amongst the stakeholders of Murphy Avenue.

Outdoor Dining - The first part of this study issue was to update the City’s 1987 policy regulating outdoor dining on South Murphy Avenue. This was completed on April 26, 2005, when the City Council adopted Policy 1.1.10 Outdoor Dining on South Murphy Avenue.

EXISTING POLICY

The City of Sunnyvale currently uses the Murphy Avenue Design Guidelines to regulate any proposed changes to buildings in the historic Downtown area. These guidelines were first adopted in 1980 and last updated in 1994. The guidelines address signage, architecture, and any physical changes to the existing buildings. This study issue complements the existing Murphy Avenue Design Guidelines by focusing primarily on the view of the street (sidewalks, furniture, landscaping, parking lot areas, etc.) between the building faces on opposite sides of the street and does not review or regulate architecture on Murphy Avenue (which is covered in the Murphy Avenue Design Guidelines).

The Heritage Preservation Sub-Element

Policy 6.3A.6: Keep all informational materials, whether written, visual, or graphic, as current as possible.

Action Statement 6.3A.6c: Revise and republish the Murphy Avenue Design Guidelines every ten years or as needed.

Downtown Specific Plan Goals and Policies

The Goals and Policies of the Specific plan create the basic priorities for implementing the downtown vision. Goals are intended as “high level outcomes” desired for the community and policies are definite courses of actions to guide present and future decisions. The primary goals for the Downtown Specific Plan are:

·         Protect and enhance existing neighborhoods

·         Improve the street character

DISCUSSION

The plans in Attachment C identify the existing issues on Murphy Avenue and show the preferred Design Plan for the revitalization project. These plans were the result of collaboration between City staff, the consultant, and input from the public focus group. The plan is a long-term vision for revitalization of Murphy Avenue, one that will likely require multiple phases to fully implement. The following section discusses highlights of these plans and provides background information about the existing conditions on Murphy Avenue.

Connections and Edges

One of the most significant issues facing Murphy Avenue today is its isolation relative to adjacent uses (see page 2 of Attachment C). These adjacent uses include several major projects in various stages of completion, including the Sunnyvale Multimodal (Caltrain) Station, Plaza Del Sol, the future Town Center Mall Redevelopment project, the Evelyn Avenue bike lane completion, and the new VTA bus transit center on Frances Street. In addition, there are several existing developments near Murphy Avenue such as the Town and Country Shopping Center, the Murphy Square Building, Mozart office buildings, and the Villa Del Sol Apartments (a 124 unit high-density housing project). These uses combine to create a very active and thriving environment where cars, bicycles, public transit, and pedestrians all converge on Murphy Avenue as the physical center of activity in the Downtown area.

Murphy Avenue’s existing visual and physical connection with the surrounding uses is weak, particularly with regard to pedestrian traffic. The configuration of the area is predominantly auto-oriented since the surrounding uses have historically been automobile based. Today there are key opportunities to create greater visual and physical connection of Murphy Avenue with the surrounding uses, as the volumes of pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile traffic all continue to increase in the Downtown. The following are highlights of proposed changes in the preferred Design Plan in Attachment C.

·         Overall Pedestrian Connection – Presently there are not strong connection points for foot traffic entering and exiting Murphy Avenue. The boundaries of the street at Evelyn and Washington are open and busy with high volumes and speeds of cars. The pedestrian connection between the Multimodal Station and Murphy Avenue is especially weak because pedestrians either need to cross at the signalized intersection at Frances Street or at the uncontrolled intersection of Murphy and Evelyn. The Francis Street and Evelyn Avenue projects are currently addressing many of the issues with the street crossings by reducing the number of traffic lanes, adding center medians, adding left turn lanes, and constructing new crossings on Francis Street. The preferred Design Plan calls for new pedestrian crosswalks and pedestrian refuge islands at both Murphy Avenue intersections and for gateway entrance features in the east and west parking lots. These crosswalks will connect to mid-block crossings on Francis and the exit of the City’s underground parking garage. The intent is to make the street and parking lot crossings less formidable and safer for pedestrians. The total cost for the intersection improvements is approximately $500,000.

·         Pedestrian Breezeways – There are two pedestrian alleys leading from the east and west parking lots onto Murphy Avenue. They are both covered with a roof that was originally intended to provide protection from the elements. Unfortunately these roofs had the unintended consequence of creating a long dark alleyway that is not attractive to pedestrians. The alleys are currently underutilized and difficult for pedestrians to find. The preferred plan proposes to remove these roofs to open the breezeways to natural light and air. The intent is to encourage more pedestrian traffic by creating a stronger and safer link to the parking areas, as well as echoing the historic feel of the open storefronts on Murphy Avenue for shops fronting on the alleys. Gateway entrance trellis features are also proposed at both ends of the two breezeways to create prominent markers that would allow pedestrians to easily identify where the alleys are located. A detail of this proposal is shown in the Site Furnishing pages of the plans. The total cost for the breezeway improvements is approximately $678,000.

·         Identifying Murphy/Signage – One of the issues staff and the consultant heard during the public focus group meetings was that Murphy Avenue is difficult for customers to locate. When traveling by car on either Evelyn or Washington Avenues, there are no prominent signs, gateways, or other features to distinguish Murphy from other Downtown streets or the Town and Country Shopping Center. Merchants have heard repeatedly from customers that Murphy is obscured by trees, buildings, and the narrow street entrances. The preferred Design Plan proposes a series of marker posts to help identify the street and the parking lots. The posts are proposed at both entrances to Murphy Avenue and at both of the parking lot entrances (see pages 8 and 9 of Attachment C). The posts clearly delineate the entryways and can have banners or an archway installed in the future. The advantage of installing the archway at a later date is to ensure design consistency with the Downtown and redeveloped Mall area signage. The total cost for the signage is approximately $200,000.

At this time staff is currently working on the Downtown Wayfinding signage project, which is a project for signage in the greater Downtown area. The purpose of the project is to create a signage program that would direct people into the Downtown from surrounding arterial streets such as El Camino Real, Mathilda Avenue, Central Expressway, etc. The preferred Design Plan’s signage proposal will work in conjunction with the Wayfinding project by creating complementary and compatible signage.

Ground Plane

The street’s ground plane (sidewalks, trees, lighting, paving, etc.) is one of the greatest challenges that staff and the public focus group were presented. The challenge stems from Murphy Avenue’s use as a dual purpose street. During a majority of the day, the street is used by pedestrians and automobiles with outdoor dining activities as well as on-street parking. At other times, the street is transformed into a staging area for public events, such as the Summer Music and Market Series on Wednesday nights or the Farmer’s Market. As a result, Murphy Avenue should retain a flexible ground plane that can accommodate these dissimilar uses. The preferred Design Plan suggests a flexible streetscape approach that would reinforce Murphy Avenue’s historic character while accommodating the current dual uses of the street. The following are highlights of proposed changes in the preferred Design Plan in Attachment C.

·         Paving – The existing paving on Murphy Avenue is comprised mainly of black asphalt on the street with colored brick bands on the sidewalks. These materials are in disrepair and no longer enhance the historic character of the district. The preferred Design identifies new street and sidewalk paving to revitalize the street (see page 10 of Attachment C). New paving is proposed throughout with banding patterns to delineate parking as well as Farmer’s Market stall spaces. There are also diagonal patterns towards the center of the street that help define a pedestrian plaza area. The new paving is also proposed to be extended down the pedestrian breezeways and into the parking lot pedestrian promenades. The total cost for the sidewalk and street improvements is approximately $2,523,000.

·         Landscaping and Trees – The landscaping on Murphy is in the form of square planter boxes and ground level planter areas. Much of the existing landscaping is in disrepair or non-existent. This is due to many factors such as lack of irrigation, planter type, and public disregard. The preferred Design Plan proposes to raise all landscaping up from the street level and into urn-style planters. This approach will address the issue of pedestrians trampling the bushes and flowers as well as bring new landscaping closer to eye level. The new landscape urns will also be irrigated and drained. The plan suggests that all tree wells (i.e. all 38 existing trees) should be covered with the tree grates. Currently there are only about 10 tree grates covering the root area since most have vegetation planted in these areas. Approximately 20 trees are missing the tree grates. No trees are proposed for removal under this plan. The total cost for the landscaping improvements is approximately $856,000.

·         Benches - There are eleven public seating benches in various locations on Murphy Avenue today. All the benches have their backs towards the street and face inward toward the store fronts. Based on information from the consultant and the public stakeholder group it became apparent that many visitors to Murphy Avenue do not choose to use the public benches since they would sit with backs facing the street and vehicular traffic. This does not create a sense of security for visitors, who generally prefer to sit facing towards the street. The preferred Design Plan proposes up to 22 benches in locations throughout the street placed against the building facades or backed up to the landscape planters (perpendicular to the street). Ten of the benches are located along building facades.

·         News Racks - During the course of the public focus group meetings, it became apparent that news racks on Murphy Avenue have become an issue for many of the businesses on the street. There are approximately 27 freestanding news racks scattered throughout Murphy Avenue today. Most of these racks are chained to either light poles, trees, trash cans, or other racks. The high number of news racks has created a situation where they have become a physical and visual obstacle on the street. The preferred Design Plan proposes a consolidated news rack system that would be a single rack with a double row of newspaper holders (see page 12 of Attachment C). There would be several of these racks placed at key locations on the street by the City. A design and material would be chosen that would fit the historic context of Murphy Avenue, rather than the typical colored plastic boxes that exist today. The total cost for all street furnishings (benches, news racks, bicycle racks, etc.) is approximately $100,000.

The City Attorney has advised that news rack design and placement regulation can best be accomplished through the creation of a special district in the Downtown area. Since news racks are protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution, this special district must be formally adopted by the City Council. Staff has drafted a Study Issue for 2006 to proceed with the creation of this special district.

·         Fountain - The existing fountain is located on the sidewalk near the end of the western pedestrian breezeway. The fountain was placed in this area so as to be seen when both walking down the sidewalk as well as from the end of the breezeway. Several issues with the fountain were brought to staff’s attention during the public focus group hearings, such as the fountain is too large and the location blocks the sidewalk or meeting area. The preferred Design Plan proposes to have a new fountain designed and constructed that would be smaller and would better reflect the historic nature of Murphy Avenue. The total cost for a new fountain is approximately $25,000.

Parking Lots

The east and west parking lots on Murphy Avenue represent the greatest opportunity for significant change under the preferred Design Plan. The parking lots today are unattractive and lacking in the same character as Murphy Avenue. The opportunity is to enhance these areas so they become important features of the Historic District, rather than forgotten, utilitarian zones. The following are highlights of proposed changes in the preferred Design Plan in Attachment C. The total cost for the parking lot improvements is approximately $5,405,000, which includes the following four items.

·         Reconfiguring Parking Spaces - The existing parking lots are currently configured with 90 degree and 45 degree parking stalls with a total of 261 spaces. The preferred Design Plan proposes to reconfigure the lots with intermeshed 45 degree angled parking spaces in both lots, in order to reclaim space that is underutilized in the existing parking lot configuration (see page 6 of Attachment C). Angling the striping allows the spaces to be shorter and allows for one-way only vehicular circulation. The one-way circulation in the east lot will eliminate much of the driver confusion that occurs today. The reconfigured lots have a total of 257 spaces, which is a loss of four stalls.

·         Pedestrian Promenade - The preferred Design Plan proposes the reclaimed space would become a pedestrian promenade along the backs of the existing buildings (see page 7 of Attachment C). Presently the buildings front onto Murphy Avenue and turn their backs towards the parking lot areas. In the Frances Street lot, this unclaimed area will be increased from 3’6” up to 16’9”. In the Sunnyvale Avenue lot, the area will be increased up to 29’6”, which is enough room to add a double row of trees lining the promenade. The intent of the pedestrian promenade is to create backyard storefronts for expanded business opportunities and enhancement of the Historic District. The promenade proposal is similar to the small shop area by the end of the eastern pedestrian alleyway. It is also similar to the backyard storefronts in Los Gatos that line the public parking lot in the downtown area.

·         Perimeter Wall – As part of the Frances Street Transit Corridor project, low 18-inch walls are included in the conceptual design for the parking lot side of the street. These walls are intended as seating for people waiting at the VTA bus stop and to create a perimeter around the parking lot. The preferred Design Plan proposes similar 18-inch high walls with a metal filigree to be placed atop to better define the built edge of the parking areas. The perimeter wall will serve as a visual and physical barrier between pedestrians and cars, and will also serve as public seating. The perimeter wall is proposed for the edges of both the Frances Street parking lot and the Sunnyvale Avenue parking lot. The total cost for the perimeter wall improvements is approximately $83,000, which is included in the $5,405,000 total figure for all of the parking lot improvements.

·         Trees – There are lines of small trees in the parking lot areas today, most of which are in good condition but sparsely planted. Most trees are on the street-side perimeters of the lots, although there are also some trees down the centers of the lots. The plan proposes to add more trees near the front of the parking stalls and to add a double row of trees on the pedestrian promenade of the Sunnyvale Avenue lot. If the parking lots are reconfigured with angled parking, the existing trees currently located in the middle of the lots will be lost. This would be necessary in order to reclaim the underutilized space and reconfigure the drive aisles. This will constitute approximately 19 trees (mostly Magnolia trees) lost from the center of the lots. These trees are in fair to good health and small to medium sized. The trees on the perimeter of the lots will all be saved and approximately 96 new trees will be planted throughout.

Policy Framework

The Streetscape Revitalization Study Issue required that certain non-permanent features of the streetscape be addressed through new policy guidelines. These features are primarily A-frame signs, sandwich boards, merchandise displays, private planters, City benches, etc. Similar to the Ground Plane discussion, the preferred Design Plan proposes a flexible approach to allowing these features in the public right-of-way and allowing them to be moved. This approach would provide certain areas where businesses can temporarily place business enhancing or attracting features.

·         Benches – The preferred Design Plan proposes multiple locations for benches throughout the street, either against the building facades or backed up to the landscape planters (perpendicular to the street). Ten of these are located along building facades. This plan also allows for the benches to be moved by the individual tenant or business owners under certain conditions to predetermined receptor sites. The policy and process for moving street furniture could be addressed by a new Council policy. Responsibility for the cost of moving furniture would also be addressed in that policy.

·         Non-Moving Portion of the Sidewalk – One significant issue that staff and the consultant noted during the public focus group meetings was that of street level signage. Business owners on Murphy Avenue believe that street level signage, such as A-frames or sandwich board signs, are critical to their success as a business. Some retailers stated they felt the City was unfairly allowing restaurants to have outdoor seating in the public right-of-way but not allowing retailers to have signs or outdoor merchandise displays. Based on this feedback, the consultant included an area in the preferred Design Plan called the non-moving part of the sidewalk. This is the two-foot space on the public sidewalk closest to the building fronts where some City benches will be located. The two-foot area would be a linear strip along both sides of the street that can be used for the following displays, depending on the business type: outdoor seating, A-frame signs, sandwich board signs, outdoor display of merchandise (racks or tables), planters or landscape boxes, or ash cans.

If approved, Murphy Avenue would be the only area of Sunnyvale where this type of outdoor signage and display is allowed visible from the public right-of-way. In general this type of outdoor display/use is considered appropriate and in context with historic downtown areas. This is particularly true in places where there is a high concentration of pedestrian traffic such as Murphy Avenue. Traditionally stores and restaurants have used these features as a function of their businesses which created the effect of a marketplace. In newer areas of the city where the built environment is not set in a dense urban context, outdoor displays can have an opposite effect. It can create clutter or unsightly signage which detract from the built environment and creates an unwanted nuisance.

·         Interim Policy - If the City Council approves these new general guidelines, an interim policy should be adopted that outlines the specific conditions and restrictions for moving the existing street furniture. This policy will become effective immediately and will remain in place until the new revitalization plan has been implemented. It is intended to address concerns voiced by some of the Murphy Avenue business owners related to the existing street furniture. The interim policy will allow businesses owners to move or remove these furnishings at their own expense, provided that it is consistent with the adopted new plan and approved by City staff.

·         Permanent Policy - If the new guidelines are approved, a permanent policy should also be drafted that outlines conditions and restrictions for the non-moving portion of the sidewalk. This policy would return to Council for adoption at a later date. The new specific policy guidelines would contain requirements regarding sizes, heights, materials, areas of display, number, and design requirements. The guidelines would also address procedures for review of proposed uses on the sidewalk, similar to the outdoor dining policy guidelines.

Relationship to Other Downtown Projects

The preferred Design Plan is intended to restore Murphy Avenue’s historic character while taking advantage of opportunities to update the streetscape with features of the new Downtown area. The preferred plan is consistent with the Downtown Specific Plan’s standards for street details, design concepts, and site furnishings include, benches, light fixtures, trash receptacles, tree grates, etc. The Downtown Specific Plan’s standards will also apply to the Town Center Mall Redevelopment project when it is completed. The current mall plans do not have the street level of detail necessary to make a direct comparison at this time but a representative of the Forum Development Group has reviewed the preferred plan and has agreed that the redeveloped mall site will be consistent.

The preferred Design Plan’s signage proposal will work in conjunction with the Downtown Wayfinding signage project. The proposed gateway columns are intended to identify Murphy Avenue only as a separate entity within the greater Downtown area. These posts will be constructed so that banners or an arch can be added at a later date when the Wayfinding project is completed so that all signs in the Downtown area are unified.

FISCAL IMPACT

Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Grant - The City of Sunnyvale was awarded a grant to complete the Murphy Avenue Streetscape study from the MTC, Transportation for Livable Committees (TLC) Planning Grant program. The grant award is $75,000 and the City’s required match is $15,000, for a total project cost of $90,000. These funds were budgeted in the FY 2005/06 Projects Budget in the Murphy Avenue Enhancements Phase 1 project. Using the $75,000, the City retained the services of a consultant, Royston, Hanamoto, Alley, & Abey, for planning, design, and public outreach services for the Murphy Avenue Streetscape project. This money can only be used for planning purposes and is not eligible to be used for implementation of the design. The City’s $15,000 match was used to cover staff’s time on the project.

The MTC TLC grant process is typically a two part progression. The first part is the grant money to assist jurisdictions in the creation of a master plan. In this case, the $75,000 MTC grant the City received covers the consultant’s fees for preparation of plans, public meetings, and production of a final document. The second part typically entails the MTC TLC grant recipients applying for an implementation grant during the following calendar year. Initial grant recipients are usually well positioned or “in-line” to receive an implementation grant the following year. In this case, Sunnyvale is well positioned to receive a grant to help implement the Murphy Avenue revitalization plan. MTC generally awards implementation grants with a maximum amount of two to three million dollars, with the remainder of the project’s costs paid by the individual jurisdiction.

City Redevelopment Funds – Currently there are two funded capital projects related to Murphy Avenue area:

·         Murphy Ave Enhancement Phase I (project 825770) originally budget was $350,000, including the $75,000 MTC grant and $15,000 matching funds which were expended on the design project. This leaves $260,000 remaining for design, construction, and project administration of upgrades to the sidewalk features along the historic Murphy Avenue area.

·         Downtown Block 2 completion (825780) includes $695,000 for design, construction, and project administration to bring the entire Block 2 (along with the above Murphy Avenue upgrades and the Frances Street Transit Corridor Project) up to Downtown Streetscape Standards.

These two projects together provide $955,000 for design and construction purposes. These projects were identified in February 2005 when the City Council approved Downtown Public Improvements Project priorities in the Downtown area for approximately $1.5 million (RTC 05-017).

Project Implementation Cost Estimates - The preliminary cost estimate for the entire streetscape revitalization project far exceeds the potential grant funds from MTC and the City’s project amounts (see Attachment B) at this time. In the attached preliminary cost estimate, staff and the consultant have provided several options for streetscape improvement projects at different cost levels. These project scenarios are based on future amounts the City will realistically have available to implement the plan. The first is the lowest level project at $955,000, which is the money the City already has set aside for improvements. The second is a project at the $3,000,000 range which would occur if the City is awarded an MTC implementation grant in 2006. The final option is the complete project or grand scenario that staff anticipates could be implemented in phases over many years if additional funding were to be identified (i.e. 10 years). The following table provides more details about each of the three project levels.

City Cost of Maintenance – The level of maintenance for Murphy Avenue was reduced for the Department of Public Works in July 2005 due to budgetary constraints. This reduction was from the enhanced level of street maintenance at $122,777 per year to the current level cost for street maintenance of approximately $12,000 per year. This entails the staff time required to maintain the landscaping, including pruning, planting, watering, litter removal, etc. The projected cost of maintenance at the existing level of service for the new landscaping is approximately $9,800 per year. This equates to an approximate 20% cost savings to the City relative to landscape maintenance.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Public Outreach – One of the main focuses of this study issue and the MTC grant was involvement of the public in the process of planning the streetscape revival. In this case, staff focused on the stakeholders of Murphy Avenue, the business and property owners on the street; however, no interested party was precluded from participating in the process. Staff conducted three public outreach meetings (July 20, 2005, August 10, 2005, September 14, 2005) with the Murphy Avenue stakeholders and formed a focus group to lead the process. The focus group included business and property owners on Murphy Avenue as well as representatives from the Sunnyvale Downtown Association and Forum Development Group, the developer for redevelopment of Town Center Mall. At these meetings, the group was presented with a series of alternatives and ideas by the professional design consultant and City staff. At the conclusion of the third meeting, the focus group and staff agreed on the preferred Design Plan (Attachment C) to send through the public hearing process (Heritage Preservation Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council meetings).

Public Focus Group - The three public focus group meetings were held on Murphy Avenue during morning hours, in order to best accommodate the availability of the business owners. At the meetings an average of 15 members of the public attended, along with staff and the professional consultant. Staff sent notices of the meetings to the focus group members and hand delivered notices of the initial meeting to all businesses on Murphy Avenue. The Sunnyvale Downtown Association and Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce were also noticed of the meetings.

The purpose of the first meeting was to introduce the project to the Murphy Avenue stakeholders and begin a public visioning process to gather comments, suggestions, and feedback. Background information on the project and the public process were presented by staff and the consultant, as well as an overview of the Town Center Mall redevelopment project. Analyses on Murphy Avenue’s connections, character and ground plane were presented, followed by a series of case studies that provide a variety of ideas and approaches towards revitalizing Murphy Avenue. The group’s initial comments encompassed a wide variety of concerns and ideas about the future of Murphy Avenue. Many of their suggestions related to streetscape enhancements and current problems facing business owners on Murphy. Some examples include landscape upgrades, pedestrian connectivity, eliminating on-street parking, making Murphy Avenue a pedestrian only corridor, a prohibition on loud motorcycles on the street, etc. At the conclusion of the meeting, a public focus group was formed, who committed to attending the following two meetings.

The purpose of the second meeting was to present conceptual design alternatives for Murphy Avenue to the focus group based on suggestions and concerns raised at the first meeting. Streetscape enhancement plans for Murphy Avenue were presented, including new visual and physical connections to the neighboring areas, revised parking and circulation routes, as well as three streetscape design alternatives. Site furnishings, paving materials, and planting schemes were also discussed. A variety of comments and suggestions from the community were recorded.

The purpose of this third and final public meeting was to present the developed preferred streetscape design alternative for Murphy Avenue, to the local business community. The designs presented at this meeting were based on comments and concerns raised during the prior two community meetings and based on City staff input. Enhancement plans for the district, including improved visual and physical connections with the neighboring areas, reconfigured parking and pedestrian routes, as well as the Murphy Avenue Streetscape Design, were presented. Paving materials, site furnishings, planting schemes, and policy issues were discussed at length throughout the presentation. Those attending the meeting made a variety of recommendations for further improving the plans developed to date. At the conclusion of this meeting, the public had reached a consensus on a majority of the design and policy issues encompassed in the preferred design alternative.

Public Notifications - Staff completed a display ad which was published in the Sunnyvale Sun and noticed Sunnyvale residents of the three public hearings in November. The agenda and the staff report were posted on the City's web site. Staff also sent an informational flyer regarding this study issue to 80 interested parties who had either expressed interest or were members of the public focus group. Staff received no telephone calls or emails regarding this item.

Heritage Preservation Commission Hearing – On November 9, 2005, the Heritage Commission reviewed this project and received testimony from several members of the public. Following presentations by staff and the City’s consultant, the Heritage Commission discussed the merits and impacts of the proposal and voted 4-0 to recommend approval of the project to the City Council with modifications. The Commission generally felt the project was well designed and is a good opportunity for Murphy Avenue today. The Heritage Commission added the following modifications to the plan:

1. The styling of the street features should be a designed to be consistent with a single theme or era in history. This includes the signs, sign posts, light posts, news racks, fountain, etc.,
2. Benches on the pedestrian promenade along the parking lots should face towards one another,
3. Fountain needs to be child friendly and an interactive water feature,
4. News racks need to have more ironworking detail and be consistent with the historic theme or era,
5. Archway signage shall state “Historic Murphy District” with “Sunnyvale” added where feasible,
6. The curb edge along Murphy Avenue should be strengthened for pedestrian safety,
7. The filigree should state “Historic Murphy District.”

Planning Commission Hearing – On November 14, 2005, the Planning Commission reviewed this application and received testimony from members of the public. The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval to the City Council with modifications. The Commission added the following modifications to the plan:

1. The perimeter parking wall shall be set at the appropriate height for civic seating,
2. The grant proposal for the MTC shall include a reference to the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Pedestrian Guidelines,
3. Explore the feasibility of a safe pedestrian, mid-block crossing on Sunnyvale Avenue between Evelyn and Washington Avenues,
4. Investigate the use of aesthetics and solid waste enclosures along the pedestrian promenades to remove the nuisance of the solid waste/recycling activities and shield pedestrian traffic to create a desirable atmosphere.

Staff has included the Heritage Commission’s and Planning Commission’s recommendations in the recommended Design Plan.

ALTERNATIVES

Alternative 1: 

A.     Approve the preferred Design Plan with the Heritage Preservation Commission’s and Planning Commission’s added conditions as proposed, and

B.      Pursue a $3 million grant from MTC in 2006 for project implementation of the $3 million project scope, and

C.     Develop a policy regarding new public seating and the non-moving portion of the sidewalk for Council’s further consideration, and

D.     Draft a News Rack Special District Study Issue for 2006, and

E.      Approve an interim policy on moving street furniture on Murphy Avenue.

Alternative 2:

A.     Approve the preferred Design Plan with the Heritage Preservation Commission’s and Planning Commission’s added conditions as proposed, and

B.      Do not pursue a $3 million grant from MTC in 2006 for project implementation. Proceed with implementation of a $955,000 project, and

C.     Develop a policy regarding new public seating and the non-moving portion of the sidewalk for Council’s further consideration, and

D.     Draft a News Rack Special District Study Issue for 2006, and

E.      Approve an interim policy on moving street furniture on Murphy Avenue.

Alternative 3:

A.     Approve the preferred Design Plan with modifications, and

B.      Pursue a $3 million grant from MTC in 2006 for project implementation of a revised $3 million project scope, and

C.     Develop a policy regarding new public seating and the non-moving portion of the sidewalk for Council’s further consideration, and

D.     Draft a News Rack Special District Study Issue for 2006, and

E.      Approve an interim policy on moving street furniture on Murphy Avenue.

Alternative 4: Further work on the preferred Design Plan as determined by the City Council.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends the Planning Commission recommend Alternative 1 to the City Council.

At this time, many pieces of the livable community envisioned by Sunnyvale’s Downtown Specific Plan have become or are becoming a reality, including the Sunnyvale Multimodal (Caltrain) Station, Plaza Del Sol, Town Center Mall Redevelopment project, Evelyn Avenue bike lane completion, and the Frances Street Transit Corridor project. Murphy Avenue is the center of the Downtown area and historically has been the catalyst of economic and social activity for the City of Sunnyvale. This level of activity has been cyclical over time, with a dramatic fallout during the 1960’s and a rebirth during the 1980’s. Murphy Avenue has begun to dip towards another downturn in recent years, partially as a reflection of the greater Silicon Valley economy of today. A revitalization of Murphy Avenue is now needed to help it remain as the economic and social center of activity for the community and a cornerstone of Downtown Sunnyvale. This period of redevelopment in the Downtown area is a critical time for the future of Murphy Avenue. Staff believes the adoption of a new revitalization plan is the appropriate tool to address the long-term health of Murphy Avenue and recommends adoption of the preferred Design Plan.

Staff views the Murphy Avenue Streetscape Revitalization Plan as part of the long-term vision for the future of Downtown Sunnyvale and the community. The plan is meant to direct changes for Murphy Avenue over the next several years, as well as to guide changes during the next 10-20 years. Given the expense of the complete revitalization plan, it is not feasible to implement the entire vision at this time. It is, however, the appropriate time to begin some of the renovations proposed in the plan, as funding becomes available. Staff recommends that available grant funding be pursued from MTC to implement the initial changes to the streetscape. Staff also recommends drafting a new formal policy regarding new public seating and the non-moving portion of the sidewalk, in order to address the long-term use of the street.

Reviewed by:

Trudi Ryan, Planning Officer

Prepared by: Steve Lynch, Project Planner

Reviewed by:

Robert Paternoster

Director of Community Development Department

Approved by:
Amy Chan

City Manager

Attachments

A.     Visual Streetscape Standards for Murphy Avenue Study Issue Paper 2005 (.pdf)