REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project:
VARIANCE: to allow 105 square feet of a single-family home garage with a front setback of 10 feet 2 inches, where 20 feet minimum is required.
Location: 938 West Cardinal Drive (APN: 198-41-030)
File #: PLNG-2024-0304
Zoning: R-0 (Low Density Residential)
Applicant / Owner: Lakshmi Subramanian (applicant) / Alvin Ching (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 demolish the existing two-vehicle garage, breezeway and shed on an existing single-family lot. A 430-square foot living area addition and a new 513-square foot attached garage are proposed. The proposed project will result in a 2,233 square foot house and 28.9% floor area ratio (FAR).
The applicant seeks a Variance approval to allow a deviation from Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) Section 19.34.030 for 105 square feet of the new garage (20%) to be located with a front setback of 10 feet 2 inches, where 20 feet minimum is required.
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
A 2021 Design Review and Variance application was withdrawn by the applicant. There are no active Neighborhood Preservation complaints for the subject site.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from CEQA provisions. Class 1 consists of minor alterations to existing structures, including additions that will not result in an increase of more than 50 percent of the existing floor area, or 2,500 square feet, whichever is less. The proposed additions are less than 50 percent of the existing floor area, and 2,500 square feet.
DISCUSSION
Site Layout and Architecture
The project site is located on the south side of West Cardinal Drive between East Cardinal Drive and West Knickerbocker Avenue. The property is located at a curve where West Cardinal Drive turns south toward the intersection with East Cardinal Drive. The property is triangular with a 117.6-foot long, curved front property line. The project site is surrounded by single-family residences all around and zoned R-0 (Low Density Residential). Most of the original homes in this neighborhood were constructed on standard sized lots with 20-foot front yard setbacks.
The subject property is 7,782 square feet in size and is currently developed with a 1,290-square foot one-story, single-family home, a 399-square foot garage attached by a 51-square foot breezeway, and a 191-square foot attached shed. The home was originally built in 1954 in the Ranch style. Due to the irregularly shaped lot, the existing house was built with a legal nonconforming front setback that ranges between approximately 16 to 18 feet. A portion of the existing garage also has a nonconforming rear yard setback of 9 feet.
The proposed addition to the house and new attached garage are located on the right side of the property to maximize the available land while maintaining a usable back yard in the rear of the house. The architecture of the addition and new garage are designed in the existing Ranch style and maintains the same plate height and overall height. The existing orientation and horizontal characteristic of the Ranch style will be enhanced with the addition and new garage. The exterior materials are consistent throughout with a modern interpretation introducing standing seam metal roof material, wood siding, and contemporary glass panel garage doors. The existing composition shingle roof material, vertical siding, and brick veneer base would be removed.
Development Standards
The proposed project, including the addition to the house, complies with most of the applicable development standards as set forth in the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, such as height, number of parking spaces, lot coverage, and side yard setback. The proposed garage has also been designed to comply with the required rear yard setback, thereby, eliminating the existing nonconformity. The project will also improve the uncovered parking dimensions on the driveway to conform with the requirements of 17 feet width and 20 feet depth to park two vehicles.
Front Setback Variance: The applicant requests a deviation to allow 105 square feet of the garage addition (20%) at a front setback of 10 feet 2 inches, where 20 feet minimum is required. The triangular shaped lot and expansive front property line makes it difficult to construct structures that comply with all development standards, while also providing a functional rear yard. The front yard encroachment area also functions like a reducible front yard with a required 9-foot minimum setback.
The deviation will not result in adverse impacts to the neighborhood. Negligible privacy and visual impacts are expected, as the addition is limited to one-story and much of the proposed garage will be located behind an existing wooden fence. In fact, the proposed garage addition helps eliminate existing rear yard and driveway depth deviations. In addition, the proposed garage will not obstruct vision triangles. Therefore, staff finds the proposed Variance request to be reasonable. See Attachment 3 for required Variance findings and Attachment 2 for Project Data Table.
Applicant’s Variance Justifications: The applicant has provided the following justifications to support the Variance request (see Attachment 6):
• The lot is a three-sided pie shaped lot with the existing house oriented toward the street frontage.
• Not able to enjoy or optimize the lot like the neighbors with standard rectangular lots.
• By locating the garage as proposed, the property can be maximized without affecting the privacy of the neighbors.
• Maintain the single-family home with a two-vehicle garage configuration similar to others in the neighborhood.
PUBLIC CONTACT
54 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 Variance with recommended Finding in Attachment 3 and recommended Conditions in Attachment 4.
2. Approve the Variance with modifications.
3. Deny the Variance Permit.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1. Approve the Variance with the recommended Findings in Attachment 3 and recommended Conditions in Attachment 4.
Staff
Prepared by: Momo Ishijima, Senior Planner
Approved by: Noren Caliva-Lepe, Principal 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. Variance Justifications by the Applicant