REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project: Related applications on a 0.21-acre site:
TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP to subdivide a 9,397 square foot lot into two lots (Lot 1 - 4,978 square feet and Lot 2 - 4,269 square feet);
USE PERMIT to allow lot area and lot widths less than the minimum required; and
DESIGN REVIEW to demolish an existing one-story single-family home and construct two new, two-story single-family homes resulting in 2,587 square feet for Lot 1 (2,184 square foot living area and 403 square foot garage); and 2,570 square feet for Lot 2 (2,166 square foot living area and 404 square foot garage), resulting in 55.7% total floor area ratio (FAR).
Location: 258 West California Avenue (APN: 204-51-005)
File #: 2019-7552
Zoning: R-2
Applicant / Owner: George Novitskiy (applicant) / Hanson America LLC (owner)
Environmental Review: A Class 3 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions.
Project Planner: Cindy Hom, (408) 730-7411, chom@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
General Plan: Low-Medium Density Residential
Existing Site Conditions: One-story single-family residence
Surrounding Land Uses
North: Two-story apartment buildings
South: Two-story single-family homes (approved for construction)
West: Two-story apartments
East: One-story single-family home and apartments
Issues: Neighborhood compatibility
Staff Recommendation: Alternative 1: Approve the Use Permit, Design Review, and Tentative Parcel Map based on the Recommended Findings in Attachment 3 and subject to the Recommended Conditions of Approval in Attachment 4.
BACKGROUND
On April 8, 2024, the Planning Commission continued the item to allow the applicant and staff additional time to complete the conditions of approval.
The project site is an interior lot located on the south side of West California Avenue between North Mathilda Avenue and San Anselmo Way. The subject site is designated in the General Plan as Low Medium Residential Density with an associated R-2 zoning, which allows up to 12 dwelling units per acre (du/ac). The applicant proposes to demolish the existing one-story single-family home and detached garage, subdivide the existing 9,397 square foot lot into two lots, and construct two new single-family homes with an overall floor area ratio (FAR) of 55.7%.
The project is required to dedicate three feet of the frontage along West California Avenue to widen the existing sidewalk, resulting in a 9,247 square foot net lot area. The setbacks, lot coverage and floor areas are calculated based on the net lot area.
The project includes the following applications:
• A Tentative Parcel Map is required for subdividing a parcel into four or fewer lots. Two separate lots with easements are proposed as part of this application.
• A Use Permit is required per Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) Table 19.30.020 as the lot areas and lot widths of the new individual lots are less than the minimum required for R-2 zoning district.
• Design Review is required for the construction of new homes to evaluate compliance with the City’s development standards and Single Family Home Design Techniques. Planning Commission review is required for homes exceeding 45% FAR.
See Attachment 1 for a map of the vicinity and mailing area for notices and Attachment 2 for the project data table.
Previous Actions on the Site
There was a previous planning application onsite for a tree removal permit. There were several Neighborhood Preservation cases for overgrown weeds, all of which have been closed.
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan Goals and Policies: The proposed project is consistent with the applicable goals and policies from the Land Use and Transportation Chapter of the General Plan which pertain to the proposed project. Applicable policies can be found in Attachment 3.
Applicable Design Guidelines: The City’s Single Family Home Design Techniques provide recommendations for site layout, architecture, and design. The proposed project is consistent with the Single Family Design Techniques noted in Attachment 3.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 3 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. A Class 3(a) Categorical Exemption includes new construction of up to three single-family residences in an urbanized area (CEQA Guidelines Section 15303).
DISCUSSION
Present Site Conditions
The project site is 9,397 square feet with a one-story single-family home and detached garage constructed in 1939. Surrounding uses include one and two-story single-family residences, duplexes, and apartments of varying architectural styles and dates of construction.
Development Standards
Aside from the reduced lot areas and widths of the proposed subdivision, the proposed project complies with applicable Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) development standards, including setbacks, height, parking, landscaping and usable open space. See Attachment 2 for the Project Data Table. No other deviations are proposed.
Lot Size and Lot Width
For subdivision of R-2 properties, SMC Section 19.30.020 requires a minimum lot area of 8,000 square feet with 3,600 minimum square feet per dwelling unit. The required minimum lot width is 76 feet at the front yard setback line. The same code section allows for consideration of reduced lot areas and widths through a Use Permit, provided the density is consistent with the respective zoning district (R-2, which allows up to 12 du/ac).
The proposed density is 9.5 du/ac, which is within the allowable range for the R-2 zoning district and consistent with the neighborhood pattern. The applicant proposes 4,978 square feet and a width of 50 feet for Lot 1 and 4,269 square feet and a width of 50 feet for Lot 2. There is at least 3,600 square feet of lot area per dwelling unit on each lot, but both lots do not meet the minimum area of 8,000 square feet, given the existing lot is 9,397 square feet. The lot widths are less than the 76-foot wide minimum for interior lots, but the existing lot is only 50 feet wide.
The project site is nearly identical in size and dimensions as properties along Beemer Avenue, which parallels California Avenue one block to the south. Five small-lot subdivisions on Beemer Avenue have been approved in past years through the Use Permit process with lot areas and widths less than the minimums required (see Attachment 6). The average lot sizes of these past projects are 4,236 square feet with average lot widths of 45 feet. The proposed lot areas and widths are consistent with the past approvals on Beemer Avenue. Therefore, staff finds the proposed lot area and widths are comparable to similar small-lot subdivisions in the neighborhood and meet the intent of the Use Permit process.
Floor Area Ratio
A single-family home proposing a gross floor area greater than 3,600 square feet or a FAR greater than 45% requires Planning Commission Review. The existing FAR of single-family homes in the neighborhood ranges from 16% to 50%, with an average of 30% with an average of 2,168 square feet gross floor area. See Attachment 6 for a neighborhood comparison of gross floor area and FAR.
The proposed 51.9% FAR for Lot 1 and 60.2% FAR for Lot 2, with an overall FAR of 55.7%, are within the existing range in the neighborhood. There are a few two-story residential buildings in the neighborhood that exceed 45% FAR. The project is also adjacent to other high-density two-story apartment buildings.
The mass and bulk of the proposed new homes are consistent with the existing two-story homes and apartment buildings in the neighborhood. Since the neighborhood is not predominantly single-story, the 35% second-floor to first-floor ratio design guideline is not applicable.
Site Layout and Architecture
The proposed subdivision includes a private driveway access easement for the proposed rear lot. Each lot includes a two-story single-family residence with an attached two-car garage with driveways leading to West California Avenue. The right-of-way along the frontage would be upgraded to comply with current City standards including new sidewalks and street trees. The frontage improvements require a three-foot sidewalk dedication in the form of an easement to widen the existing sidewalks.
The new home proposes a blend of Contemporary and Spanish architecture with traditional building forms that are treated a smooth stucco wall finish, stone veneer lining the garage door, front porch entry elements, a hipped roof design with an asphalt composition roof material, fiberglass windows, cast iron railings, and natural wood-stained garage doors. The two homes are distinguished by different roof forms, balcony designs over the garage doors, porch entry elements, and building colors. Overall, the proposed homes are similar in massing, scale, height, proportion, and orientation (See Attachment 5).
Staff recommends Condition PS-1 with several enhancements to improve the overall site and architectural design and consistency with the Single Family Home Design Techniques:
1. Utilize grass pavers and/or a combination of grass pavers and landscaping for the additional parking area for Lot 2. Staff is recommending this modification to help reduce the amount of hardscape and provide additional landscaping to help soften and frame views of the new home.
2. Incorporate additional stone veneer treatment on the front and side elevation on both homes to better define the base of the building, add visual interest, and provide an appropriate material transition.
3. Provide more definition over the porch entrance for Lot 2 such as installing a trellis, awning, or decorative trim/ eyebrow element.
4. Include a two-foot decorative lattice on top of the six-foot perimeter fence for increased privacy.
Parking
The project meets minimum parking standards by providing two covered and two uncovered parking spaces for each of the two homes. Each lot has a driveway with dimensions of 17 feet in width and 20 feet in depth, which count as two uncovered parking spaces for each home.
Landscaping and Tree Preservation
The project site includes ten existing on-site trees and one street tree. Two out of the ten trees proposed for removal are deemed protected because they have trunk circumferences of 38 inches or greater as measured 4.5 feet above grade. The applicant proposes to remove all existing trees and replace them with eight 24” box trees consisting of Japanese Maple, Marina Strawberry tree, Swan Hill Fruitless Olive trees, and one Shumard Oak street tree that will be placed along the West California Avenue frontage. The project complies with the City’s Tree Replacement standards and provides eight 24” box trees where the minimum requirement is four 24” box trees. As conditioned, the applicant is required to prepare a final landscaping plan for staff to review for consistency with the City’s water-efficient landscaping requirements in SMC Chapter 19.37.
Usable Open Space
A minimum of 500 square feet of usable open space is required per unit. The project complies by providing usable open space of 1,309 square feet for Lot 1 and 1,545 square feet for Lot 2. Each usable open space area also complies with the dimensional requirement of 12 feet minimum in any direction per SMC Section 19.37.100(d).
Solar Access
SMC Section 19.56.020 states that no permit shall be issued for any construction that would interfere with solar access by shading more than 10% of the roof of any structure on a nearby property. The project plans demonstrate that the project would have no shading impacts in the morning on the adjacent two-story residential building to the west and 7% shading on the adjacent existing one-story residential building to the east, which is consistent with code requirements. See Sheets A-6.0 through A-6.2 of Attachment 5.
Green Building Requirements
The project is required to meet Sunnyvale’s Green Building standards by achieving a minimum of 90 GreenPoint Rated Checklist points with verification by a GreenPoint Rater. The project will utilize water-efficient fixtures, landscaping, and energy-efficient appliances to help meet this requirement.
Neighborhood Compatibility
The surrounding neighborhood is an eclectic mix of densities, house styles, and rental and ownership housing. It contains one- and two-story single-family homes, duplex units, multi-family apartments, and small lot developments. The proposed project is consistent with the common site layout, density, and character of the neighborhood.
Fiscal Impact
No fiscal impacts other than standard fees and taxes are expected. The project is subject to Park In-Lieu fees, Traffic Impact fees, and School Impact fees.
Public Contact
Planning Commission Study Session
A Planning Commission Study Session was held on December 12, 2022. The applicant presented the proposed project and received the following feedback and questions from the Commission:
• Explore ways for the garage design to avoid dominating the streetscape.
• Explore ways to reduce hardscape/impervious surface.
• Ensure curb cut is similar to other properties and will not impact street parking.
• Consider upsizing trees to improve the landscaping treatment and consistency with the City’s Tree Replacement Standards.
• Explore ways to minimize privacy impacts from the balcony on Lot 2.
Based on the feedback, the applicant added stone veneer around the garages to help improve the streetscape; upsized the replacement trees to be 24” box trees to be consistent with the City’s Tree Replacement standards and provided solid screen walls on the side of the balcony as encouraged by the Single Family Home Design Techniques.
The curb cut and garage design on Lot 1 remain the same because the applicant wants to preserve the side-by-side two-car garage design. The applicant does not want to consider the following alternatives:
• Redesign the site layout to have two separate driveways for Lots 1 and 2 that would help reduce the need for a wide driveway apron.
• Pursue a variance to relocate the garage to the rear of the lot to allow for a consolidated curb cut for a shared driveway.
• Utilize a tandem parking garage or provide an additional offset to prevent the garage from dominating the front façade.
However, in review of the neighborhood context, the curb cuts on neighboring properties range from 24 to 30 feet in width. As such, the proposed curb cut would not be out of character.
Neighborhood Outreach
A neighborhood outreach meeting was held on October 25, 2023. Three people attended the meeting. The applicant was provided with the following comments and questions:
• What is the timing and duration of construction?
• What are the anticipated shadow impacts on the apartment complex to the west?
• What measures will be provided to minimize construction noise and dust?
• Will the applicant be proactive with rat abatement?
• Was there any consideration to building one home and preserving the backyard?
• What is the general permitting process?
Public contact was made by posting the Planning Commission meeting agenda on the City's official notice bulletin board at City Hall. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the NOVA Workforce Services reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
The City sent 205 notices to surrounding property owners and residents within 300 feet of the subject site in addition to standard noticing practices, including advertisement in the Sunnyvale Sun Newspaper and on-site posting. As of the date of staff report production, staff has not received any letters or calls from the public.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Use Permit, Design Review, and Tentative Parcel Map based on the Recommended Findings in Attachment 3 and subject to the Recommended Conditions of Approval in Attachment 4.
2. Approve the Use Permit, Design Review, and Tentative Parcel Map based on the Recommended Findings in Attachment 3 and with modified conditions.
3. Do not make the required findings and provide direction to staff and the applicant on where changes should be made.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Approve the Use Permit, Design Review, and the Tentative Parcel Map based on the Recommended Findings in Attachment 3 and subject to the Conditions of Approval in Attachment 4.
As noted above the proposed project meets the City’s development standards and generally complies with the Single Family Design Techniques.
Staff
Prepared by: Cindy Hom, Associate Planner
Reviewed by: George Schroeder, Principal Planner
Approved by: Shaunn Mendrin, Planning Officer
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity and Noticing Map
2. Project Data Table
3. Recommended Findings
4. Recommended Conditions of Approval
5. Site and Architectural Plans
6. FAR Analysis and Other Small Lot Subdivisions on Beemer Avenue