REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project:
SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT: to allow a recreational and athletic facility use (padel ball) in the Moffett Park Specific Plan area.
Location: 1365 Geneva Drive (APN: 110-33-028)
File #: PLNG-2024-0763
Zoning: MP-MU (Moffett Park Specific Plan - Mixed Use)
Applicant / Owner: Bay Padel (applicant) / Google LLC (owner)
Environmental Review: Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions.
Project Planner: Momo Ishijima, 408-730-7532, mishijima@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
BACKGROUND
Description of Proposed Project
The project proposes to occupy 16,689 square feet of a 33,745-square foot building for a recreational and athletic facility use. The proposed use is for a padel ball facility (Bay Padel) with four indoor padel ball courts and an incidental area for retail and refreshments. No exterior modifications other than signage are proposed. Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) Section 19.29.060 requires a Special Development Permit (SDP) for a recreational and athletic facility use with approval at a public hearing.
The proposed project also requires a Parking Adjustment to consider reduced parking.
See Attachment 1 for a map of the vicinity and mailing area for notices.
Previous Actions on the Site
The existing industrial building was constructed in 1979. On October 2, 2003, Miscellaneous Plan Permit (MPP) file number 2003-0709 was approved for a recreational and athletic facility use (badminton club). Bintang Badminton Academy closed on April 30, 2023 and the MPP became expired. City Council adopted an update to the Moffett Park Specific Plan on July 11, 2023 and the property was rezoned from MP-I (Moffett Park Specific Plan - Industrial) to MP-MU (Moffett Park Specific Plan - Mixed Use). The current MPSP requires an SDP for recreational and athletic facilities.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. Class 1 consists of existing facilities with negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.
DISCUSSION
Proposed Use
The project site is located mid-block on the west side of Geneva Drive between Caribbean Drive and Caspian Court in the MPSP. The project site is occupied with a 33,807-square foot industrial building. The applicant proposes a recreational and athletic facility use, a padel ball facility, on the north side occupying 16,689 square feet. The south side of the building is occupied by corporate office uses. As stated before, the project site operated a similar recreational and athletic facility for 20 years with 11 badminton courts inside the space.
The proposed padel ball use, which is similar to pickle ball with a different type of ball, will have four courts. Each court is approximately 34 feet wide by 66 feet length and will be separated by netting, seating area, and pedestrian access all around. The facility also includes an incidental retail area (pro shop) of 390 square feet, refreshment and break area of 150 square feet, and seating, check-in and office areas.
Padel ball is played with up to four players at a time which is 16 players total with four courts. The facility proposes up to 15 staff members. The operation includes reserved play, lessons, tournaments, and special events (private and corporate).
The proposed hours of operation is:
Monday through Friday 7:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M.
Saturday and Sunday 8:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M.
Site Layout and Architecture
The site is accessed by driveways on Geneva Drive. There are vehicle access and parking all around the building. There is an existing fence and a gate on the north side of the lot which will be closed when the facility is not in operation. The entrance to the padel ball facility is located on the west side, not facing Geneva Drive. An approximately 20-foot by 20 foot, padel ball character (black/white) is proposed on the west wall. No other improvements to the exterior building, site landscaping, parking layout, or any other site conditions are proposed as part of the SDP.
All other signage will be reviewed under a separate Sign Permit.
Development Standards
As shown on the site plan (Attachment 4), the project site has a total of 89 parking spaces. The adjacent office use requires 35 parking spaces, which leaves 54 parking spaces available for the proposed use.
SMC Section 19.46.100(c) requires a minimum of five spaces per 1,000 square feet and 20 spaces per 1,000 square feet for classroom area for recreational and athletic facility use. If this parking rate is applied, 219 parking spaces would be required for the padel ball facility.
SMC Section 19.46.130(d)(1) allows approval of a Parking Adjustment when one of the following findings can be made:
A. There are parking agreements with off-site properties; or
B. There is a parking management plan that includes valet parking, off-site employee parking, parking agreements, or other demand management tools; or
C. The uses on a site have complementary peak hours; or
D. The use is commercial in nature and is intended to serve adjacent employment centers. The use provides adequate pedestrian connections to the site from nearby properties and businesses; or
E. The use is within one-half mile of a walk from a rail station, light rail station, or major bus stop. A major bus stop is defined as a stop where six or more buses per hour from the same or different routes stop during the peak period in core, corridor or station areas; or
F. The proposed use has an unusual characteristic that results in less parking demand. This characteristic shall be described and limited in applicable conditions of approval for a discretionary land use permit. Land uses that are permitted by right may not apply for adjustment because of this criterion of unusual characteristics.
Findings E and F can be made. The site is located less than ¼ mile away from Valley Transportation Agency’s (VTA) light rail station on Java Drive. The use does not warrant 219 parking spaces, as 31 people would be in the building at any given time (16 players plus maximum 15 employees). The previous badminton facility had 11 courts, which would have resulted in more people in the building at any given time. There does not appear to have been a parking concerns with the previous use.
Staff has included a conditions of approval to schedule tournaments and events after hours and on weekends so as not to impact the adjacent tenant and surrounding businesses and to require submission of an MPP 6 months after commencement of use to assess the parking (see Attachment 3). The project meets all other development standards.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS/COMPATIBILITY:
Staff finds that the proposed recreational and athletic facility use meets the required SDP findings, as the project meets the objectives of the General Plan policies that encourage a mix of uses that serve neighboring businesses and residential properties. The project retains a recreational and athletic facility use that operated for 20 years at the site with padel ball replacing badminton. The proposed business supports City policies to diversify and enhance community-serving commercial. The Parking Adjustment is also warranted, as the property is located 1/4 mile away from VTA’s light rail station and the on-site parking supply can accommodate the parking demand associated with the specific uses on site.
Moreover, the project complies with all remaining development standards, and does not result in negative impacts to neighboring businesses. See Attachment 2 for required SDP findings.
PUBLIC CONTACT
32 notices were sent to surrounding property owners and residents adjacent to the subject site. Staff has received no comments on the item. In addition, the notice of the Public Hearing was published in the Sun newspaper.
Public contact was made by posting the meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the City Hall 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.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Special Development Permit with recommended Findings in Attachment 2 and Recommended Conditions in Attachment 3.
2. Approve the Special Development Permit with modifications.
3. Deny the Special Development Permit.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1. Approve the Special Development Permit with recommended Findings in Attachment 2 and recommended Conditions in Attachment 3.
Staff
Prepared by: Momo Ishijima, Senior Planner
Approved by: Noren Caliva-Lepe, Principal Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity and Noticing Maps
2. Recommended Findings
3. Standard Requirements and Recommended Conditions of Approval
4. Site and Architectural Plans
5. Applicant Project Description Letter
6. Applicant Special Development Permit Justifications