REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project:
USE PERMIT: to allow a religious institution (Place of Assembly - Community Serving) within an existing commercial building.
Location: 645 W. Fremont Avenue (APN:202-06-002)
File #: PLNG-2026-0312
Zoning: R-1 (Low Density Residential)
Applicant / Owner: Bryan Hassemer (applicant) / Chabad of Sunnyvale (owner)
Environmental Review: Categorical Exemption under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15301 (Class 1)
Project Planner: Christian Mendoza, 408-730-7429, cmendoza@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
BACKGROUND
Description of Proposed Project
The proposed project is a change of use for a new religious institution, Chabad of Sunnyvale, within an existing commercial building located on a 0.57-acre, R-1 zoned property. The new use would be filling the vacancy created by the departure of a childcare use. The project includes tenant modifications to create new rooms and hallways to improve the circulation within the structure. Other interior changes include the remodeling of the existing restrooms to make them more accessible. The project also proposes minimal exterior changes including the removal of existing playground equipment, existing protected trees, and providing a new trash enclosure on the site. The proposal will also provide an accessible parking stall within the existing parking lot. The proposed change of use for a Place of Assembly-community serving use requires a Use Permit per Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) Section 19.18.030.
See Attachment 1 for a map of the vicinity and mailing area for notices, and Attachment 2 for the Data Table of the project.
Previous Actions on the Site
The previous uses on the site include a Nursery school and Daycare facility that have since vacated the location as of June 2025. The latest planning permit (1992-0260) had proposed new signage and landscaping and was approved. There have been several building permits that include upkeep and replacement for the existing mechanical units and roofing on the site. There are currently no pending neighborhood preservation cases for this site.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Class 1 Categorical Exemption (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301, Existing Facilities) relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. Project does not propose any additions to the existing building.
DISCUSSION
Site Layout and Architecture
645 West Fremont Avenue is a concrete masonry unit (CMU) block building that was developed in the 1960’s as a nursery school and was eventually converted into a daycare facility. The location site is situated on the northside of Fremont Avenue between the intersections of Hollenbeck Avenue to the west, and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road to the east. The 24,915-square foot site is comprised of a rectangular single-story building that is positioned in the center of the property. Site access and parking are located to the south of the site facing Fremont Avenue. The north of the parcel is an open rear yard with landscape and vegetation. The surrounding land uses include single story residential uses to the east, north, and south across Fremont Avenue , and an existing religious center (church) to the west that is zoned Public Facilities (P-F).
Proposed Use
Chabad is a religious place of worship and currently has around 35 members in their Sunnyvale location. The organization offers opportunities for social gatherings, worship, religious counseling, and religious education. The applicant is requesting a Use Permit to allow for the operation of a 5,283-square foot Place of Assembly -community serving facility with a 725-square foot gathering space within the building for the members.
Besides the proposed tenant improvements to the building’s interior, the proposal will also include parking lot upgrades for accessibility, replacing existing protected trees that will be removed, and providing a new trash and recycling facility.
The details on the typical events/operations that will be conducted on the site are summarized in the table below.
|
Day |
Event |
Timing |
Frequency |
Members |
|
Monday - Friday |
Administrative office Teen study Youth study Adult Bible Study |
9:00am-2:00pm 12:00pm-2:00pm 3:00pm-5:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm |
All week Once weekly Once weekly 1-2 weekly |
2-5 10-20 10-20 5-15 |
|
Saturday |
Prayers Fellowship (Kiddush) |
10:00am-12:00pm 12:00pm |
Once weekly Once weekly |
20-35 20-35 |
|
Sunday |
Youth Teens |
9:30am-12:00pm 5:30pm-8:30pm |
Once weekly Once weekly |
10-20 10-20 |
Staff has also included a condition of approval to schedule special events beyond the hours that they have submitted so as not to impact the adjacent tenants and surrounding businesses (see Attachment 4). The project meets all other development standards.
Floor Plan
The proposed floor plan includes a primary gathering space, administrative and open offices, bible study, teen study, library, and fellowship rooms. All remaining spaces would include entry/foyer, storage, corridors, restrooms, snack/kitchen areas, and a utility room.
The proposed remodel includes interior alterations to reconfigure the building’s entry, primary gathering space, and adjacent rooms to accommodate new corridors and egress paths. The project also includes reconfiguration of the teen study area, removal of existing restroom fixtures and partitions, and conversion of the existing restrooms into four individual accessible restrooms. An additional existing restroom will also be renovated to comply with applicable accessibility requirements.
(See Attachment 5)
Architecture
No proposed exterior changes to the existing building are proposed in this permit; any proposed signage will be provided as a separate planning and building permit.
Development Standards
Staff finds that the proposed change of use from an unoccupied space to a Place of Assembly- community serving meets the required Use Permit findings. The use meets the General Plan policies that encourage a mix of uses that serve neighboring residential properties, complies with all development standards, and does not result in negative impacts to neighbors (See Attachment 3)
Parking
The existing surface parking lot has 20 parking spaces. The proposed parking lot upgrade includes providing an accessible van parking stall and the removal of a non-conforming parking stall within the existing driveway vision triangle (see attachment 5). The changes result in maintaining 20 parking spaces for the property, The property will also propose 1 Class II bicycle parking in compliance with Sunnyvale municipal code section19.46.0150; therefore, the site is compliant with the proposed use for this proposal.
|
Proposed Use |
Parking Rate |
Area |
Required parking |
|
Chabad |
25 paces per 1,000 square feet of primary gathering area |
725 s.f. (primary Gathering area) |
19 |
|
Bicycle Parking |
5% of the total number of vehicular parking spaces provided. |
|
1 Class two bicycle parking |
|
Total Proposed |
20 parking spaces 1 Class II Bicycle parking |
Landscaping and Parking Lot
The existing surface parking lot is a U-shaped one-way driveway with driveway access that enters and exits onto Fremont Avenue. The landscaping for the parking lot borders the sides of the driveway and includes a vegetation island in the center of the lot adjacent to the existing parking stalls. Additionally, six parking stalls are provided on the egress side of the driveway (see attachment 5).
The proposal removes a portion of the existing landscaping near the front of the building to provide a new accessible van parking stall, access aisle, and a path of travel to the main entry. The vegetation island is also reduced in size to allow traffic circulation. The landscaping that is to be removed for the accessible upgrades is provided in the rear yard of the property. The proposal also removes one parking stall that encroaches into the driveway vision triangle. The parking stall is to be striped to indicate that no parking is allowed. The landscaping meets the minimum 20% requirement for the lot.
In addition to these changes two protected trees will be removed as a part of this proposal. One of the trees will be removed for the new accessible parking space upgrade to be provided. The other will be removed from the rear of the property based on the arborist report (see attachment 5) that indicates that the trees’ condition is in poor health and the tree is dying. Two new trees will be provided in the rear of the property one 48-inch box tree and one 24-inch box tree to replace the existing trees that are to be removed. The applicant will also be submitting an exterior lighting plan and Photometric Plan during the building permit.
Trash and Recycling Facility
The applicant proposes a new trash and recycling facility. The enclosure will be in compliance with SMC Section 19.38.030, being fully screened and matching the main building. The enclosure will also be providing a solid steel enclosure door (see Attachment 5).
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS/COMPATIBILITY:
Minimal neighborhood impacts are anticipated, as the proposed use complies with parking requirements. The adjacent parcel also maintains a Place of Assembly use, and during events and noise generating activities involving music and classes, the doors and windows will be kept closed to minimize the noise impact on neighboring properties.
PUBLIC CONTACT
22 notices were sent to surrounding property owners and residents adjacent to the subject site in addition to standard noticing practices, including advertisement in the Sunnyvale Sun Newspaper and on-site posting. No letters or calls were received from the public by staff.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Use Permit based on the recommended Findings in Attachment 3 and with recommended Conditions in Attachment 4.
2. Approve the Use Permit with modifications.
3. Deny the Use Permit.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1. Approve the Use Permit based on the recommended Findings in Attachment 3 and with recommended Conditions in Attachment 4.
Staff
Prepared by: Christian Mendoza, Assistant Planner
Approved by: Momo Ishijima, Senior Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity and Noticing Maps
2. Project Data Table
3. Recommended Findings
4. Recommended Conditions of Approval
5. Site and Architectural Plans
6. Letter from the Applicant
7. Use Permit Justification