REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
FILE #: 2016-7968
Location: 150 E. McKinley Avenue and 330 S. Murphy Avenue; APNs: 209-35-014 and 209-35-015 (Block 5 of the Sunnyvale Town Center project bounded by McKinley, Sunnyvale, Iowa and Murphy Avenues)
Proposed Project:
SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT to modify the architectural design plans for the two-story cinema/retail building (“Building T”) and the adjacent public parking garage (“Penney’s Parking Structure”) of the Sunnyvale Town Center project from the original plans approved on August 13, 2007 (SDP 2007-0516).
Applicant/Owner: STC Venture LLC (applicant/owner)
Environmental Review: No additional environmental review is necessary; the proposed architectural modifications to Building T and the Penney’s Structure are within the scope of the previous environmental analysis for the Downtown Program Improvement Update, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168(c)(2).
Staff Contact: Hanson Hom, (408) 730-7450, hhom@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
General Plan: Downtown Specific Plan
Zoning: Downtown Specific Plan (DSP)
Existing Site Conditions: vacant lot at proposed cinema site; existing five-level public parking structure (one basement level) not currently open for public use
Surrounding Land Uses
North: (across McKinley Avenue) surface parking
South: (across Iowa Avenue) residential uses
East: (across Sunnyvale Avenue) commercial, office and residential uses
West: (across Murphy Avenue) Target store
Issues: architectural design; compatibility with surrounding area
Staff Recommendation: Find that the proposed modifications to Building T and the adjacent Penney’s Parking Structure do not require additional CEQA review, and approve the Special Development Permit with the attached findings and conditions of approval.
Proposed Project
BACKGROUND
Existing Land Use Entitlements
A master land use and site development plan for the Sunnyvale Town Center project that covers Block 18 of the DSP was approved on February 6, 2007 by the City Council (SDP 2007-0030). The land use plan envisioned a mixed use pedestrian-oriented development with Block 18 divided into six sub-blocks (commonly referred to as Blocks 1-6) by extending McKinley Avenue, Murphy Avenue and Taaffe Street through the project site. Block 5 was approved with a two-story cinema/retail building (“Building T”) along McKinley Avenue, with a screened loading dock along Sunnyvale Avenue to serve this building. The City’s existing public parking structure (“Penney’s Parking Structure”) was to remain, and townhomes were approved along Sunnyvale and Iowa Avenues to screen the parking structure.
The original architectural plans for Block 5 were approved by the Planning Commission on August 13, 2007 under Special Development Permit (SDP) 2007-0516. Building T would have retail uses on the ground floor and the cinema on the second level. Retail uses totaled 60,050 square feet, and the cinema totaled 58,700 square feet (not including mezzanine) with up to 14 screens and a maximum of 2,950 seats. The approved building height was 65 feet, while the Downtown Specific Plan allows up to 80 feet for a mid-block movie theater. The Penney’s Structure, an existing four-level parking structure (one level below grade), was to be repainted to blend in with the color palette for Building T.
Conditions of approval for the cinema building included the following:
A21. Architecture - Cinema Building
1) The marquee posters on the cinema building are not approved as part of the project and are subject to final approval of all signage for this project.
2) The marquee posters on the Sunnyvale Avenue side shall be replaced with similar architectural features.
On May 23, 2016, the Planning Commission approved SDP 2016-7290 that amended the Final Conditions of Approval for the Town Center project. The only amended conditions affecting Building T and the Penney’s Parking Structure pertain to green building requirements (Condition GB-1). For the Penney’s Parking Structure, the property owner must confer with the Chief Building Official to assess the feasibility of incorporating green building and energy efficiency measures into the renovation work for the structure. For Building T, the structure will be required to comply with the City’s Green Building Program in effect at time of submittal of a building permit application. Currently, a minimum of LEED Silver Level is required.
EXISTING POLICY
The following City goals and policies are relevant to the proposed Site Development Permit application:
Sunnyvale General Plan
POLICY LT-4.12 Permit more intense commercial and office development in the downtown, given its central location and accessibility to transit.
POLICY LT-7.4 Create a strong, identifiable central business district that provides regional and citywide shopping opportunities.
POLICY CC-1.2 Ensure that new development is comparable with the character of special districts and residential neighborhoods.
POLICY CC-1.8 Provide and encourage the incorporation of art - both functional and decorative - in public and private development.
POLICY CC-3.1 Place a priority on quality architecture and site design which will enhance the image of Sunnyvale and create a vital and attractive environment for businesses, residents and visitors, and be reasonably balanced with the need for economic development to assure Sunnyvale’s economic prosperity.
Downtown Specific Plan:
GOAL B Establish the Downtown as the cultural, retail, financial and entertainment center of the community, complemented by employment, housing and transit opportunities.
GOAL D Protect and enhance existing neighborhoods.
Overall Building Design Concept: An enhanced, traditional downtown serving the community with a variety of destinations in a pedestrian-friendly environment.
DISCUSSION
The proposed modifications to Building T and the Penney’s Parking Structure are shown in Attachment 4, which also includes a comparison between the architectural plans approved in 2007 and the current proposed plans. The cinema will continue to occupy the second level of the building, but instead of multiple tenants at the ground level, a single-tenant grocery store is proposed. A grocery store is a permitted retail use for Block 18 of the Downtown Specific Plan.
Cinema/Retail Building (Building T)
While the architectural design of the building has substantially changed, the building square footage remains similar. The table below compares the approved and proposed plans:
Building T - Cinema/Retail Building
|
Level |
Description |
2007 Plans |
2016 Proposal |
Comments |
|
1 |
Ground Level |
60,050 SF |
58,096 SF |
Footprint of ground level slightly reduced for outdoor stairways and seating; retail space 54,343 SF. |
|
2 |
Second Level |
58,700 SF Up to 14 screens and 2,950 seats |
54,091 SF 10 screens with 1,800 seats |
Main lobby; screens and seating reduced to provide more spacious theater seating; kitchen included at second level. |
|
3 |
Mezzanine Level |
Precise SF not defined |
25,003 SF |
Dining area with kitchen and balcony theater seating. |
|
TOTAL |
|
118,750 SF (w/o mezzanine) |
137,190 SF (w/ mezzanine) |
|
The total floor area of Building T has increased with an expanded mezzanine level, but the mass and height of the building have been slightly reduced. The building will continue to be a maximum of 65 feet tall, although the primary roofline of the building will be set at 58 feet. In comparison, the 2007 approved plans show a stepped roofline with the building core set at 65 feet in height. The number of theater seats has also been significantly reduced from a maximum of 2,950 seats and 14 screens to approximately 1,800 seats and 10 screens to accommodate the trend toward offering expanded food services and a more spacious and comfortable theater experience.
The building design reduces the mass of the building by incorporating architectural wall offsets/projections and a variety of exterior finishes, including vertical metal cladding, metal wall systems, horizontal wood siding and plaster finishes. The color palette emphasizes dark gray tones with white and blue accent colors and rich wood finishes. While the material and color combination provides a lively building facade, staff suggests lightening or altering the gray color on some of the surfaces, such as the large wall surfaces at the second level cinema space.
Accent features include a curved wall with glass panels at the Murphy/McKinley corner and a proposed art piece on the second level of the building along McKinley Avenue (no details submitted at this time, but the applicant suggests that it could be a kinetic sculpture, LED display or mural.) Conditions of approval will require submittal of details for staff review and referral to the Arts Commission if proposed to meet the Art in Private Development Sunnyvale Municipal Code requirement (SMC Chapter 19.52) .
The new building design will continue to exhibit a prominent pylon feature at the cinema entrance (approximately 100 feet tall.) However, the cinema entrance and pylon have been moved closer to Murphy Avenue to provide a strong visual terminus at the end of the extended street. In addition to providing an architectural accent element, shifting the cinema entrance is necessary to accommodate the grocery store. The 2007 approved plans had the cinema entrance located at mid-block in anticipation of retail tenants flanking the theater lobby. Along with the cinema entrance, the corner of Murphy/McKinley will include an entrance to the grocery store; however, the primary entrance with cart storage will be located next to the Penney’s Structure on Murphy Avenue.
The plans continue to show a truck loading dock along Sunnyvale Avenue. The loading dock is proposed to be screened with a decorative wall, although the developer will be required to submit details for staff approval to ensure that the service area will be screened from the street to the extent possible. Screening of the trash compactors and other outdoor equipment will also be required. Additionally, a condition of approval will be included to highlight the SMC Section 19.42.030(c) requirement that limits the hours of operations for loading and delivery activities to daytime hours only, from 7:00 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Staff also reviewed the proposed modifications to Building T for conformance with the applicable design guidelines in the Downtown Specific Plan. Staff believes that the findings can be made that the proposed redesign conforms to these guidelines and specific references are included in the Recommended Findings for Approval (Attachment 2).
The Tenant Design Guidelines for the Sunnyvale Town Center project do not address signage for individual tenants exceeding 10,000 square feet of leased space. A sign proposal for Building T will need to be submitted separately for review and approval by the Community Development Director. Each tenant will have to apply for a separate sign permit and comply with the applicable provisions of the Sign Code (SMC Chapter 19.44).
Penney’s Parking Structure
The City’s existing parking structure on Block 5 (“Penney’s Parking Structure”), located behind the future Building T, contains 924 parking spaces with 24 accessible parking spaces. This garage will provide the primary parking for the cinema and grocery store; convenient stairs, ramps and elevator access have been proposed from the garage to Building T. The garage is primarily four levels with an additional partial “parking ramp” level. One level of parking (basement level) is fully below grade, and the ground or street level is about four feet below the grade of the adjacent sidewalk. The garage is approximately 22 feet in height (or 30 feet at highest point of the upper parking ramp), which is generally equivalent to a two-story building. Thus, the visual mass of the structure is significantly reduced with two levels of parking fully or partially below grade.
Two vehicular access points are available to enter and exit the garage. A driveway on Murphy Avenue accesses the garage at the street or ground level. A second driveway on Sunnyvale Avenue ramps up and enters the garage at the second level. While all parking levels are interconnected with internal vehicle ramps, it is intended that the entrance on Murphy Avenue and the two lower levels of the garage will primarily serve the grocery store, and the entrance on Sunnyvale Avenue and the two upper levels will primarily serve the cinema.
While the garage is an existing structure, it is quite dated in appearance and a cosmetic upgrade is highly desirable. Staff reviewed the Parking Structure Design Guidelines (PSDG) for guidance. The garage is set back about 60 feet from Sunnyvale and Iowa Avenues as the approved plans for the Town Center project include building townhomes along both street frontages to screen the view of the garage. This treatment is consistent with the PSDG; however, at this time, it is not certain when the townhomes will be built.
The developer proposes to repaint the Penney’s Parking Structure and add living walls (landscaping) and metal louvers on portions of the solid surfaces. These design techniques are consistent with the PSDG and the added elements relate to the colors and materials proposed for Building T. However, because the structure is highly visible from Sunnyvale and Iowa Avenues, staff recommends expanding the use of decorative louvers and living walls along the Sunnyvale and Iowa frontages to further enhance these elevations. Similar to the comment for Building T, staff also suggests lightening the proposed gray wall color. The PSDG further recommends highlighting and emphasizing the pedestrian entrance to parking structures. Staff believes that the proposed garage improvements address this guideline; the design of the pedestrian entrance at Murphy Avenue is prominent and will exhibit multi-color horizontal accent panels along the stairway.
The garage plans do not show details for shopping cart storage, and conditions of approval will require submittal of details at the building permit stage. Plans will also be required for bike storage and interior lighting. Similar to the requirement for other parking structures within the Town Center project, staff will require installing a dynamic parking supply tracking system to identify the available spaces on each parking level. This will expand the use of “smart city technology” in the project for the convenience of users.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed modifications to Building T and the Penney’s Parking Structure fall within the scope of the Program EIR for the Downtown Program Improvement Update certified on June 17, 2003, as amended, and the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Special Development Permit adopted on August 17, 2004. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162, where an EIR has previously been certified or a negative declaration adopted, no subsequent environmental review is required unless certain circumstances have occurred, which do not apply here. Specifically, there are no substantial changes or new information that would require major revisions to the previously adopted environmental documents. The proposed architectural modifications conform to the design guidelines for the Downtown Specific Plan and will not result in new environmental impacts or require new mitigation measures or alternatives. Additionally, the building remains essentially the same size and the seating capacity of the cinema has been reduced. As a result, CEQA Guidelines 15168(c)(2) permits the City to approve the modifications as an activity within the scope of the Program EIR without further environmental review.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through placing a public notice in the Sunnyvale Sun on November 25, 2016, posting the agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board and the City’s website and having the agenda and report available in the Reference Section of the City Library. In addition, notice boards were posted along the project boundary. Notices were sent to all property owners and tenants within at least 500 feet of the site (2020 notices) (Attachment 1); email messages with notices were also sent to all neighborhood associations, Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce, Sunnyvale Downtown Association, Auto Dealer Association, and the Moffett Park Business and Transportation Association.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Find that the proposed architectural modifications to Building T and the adjacent Penney’s Parking Structure of the Sunnyvale Town Center project do not require additional environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the reasons stated in the staff report as the proposed modifications are within the scope of the previous environmental analysis for the Downtown Program Improvement Update, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168(c)(2).
2. Approve Site Development Permit 2016-7968 for architectural modifications to Building T and the Penney’s Parking Structure with the attached findings and conditions of approval.
3. Approve Site Development Permit 2016-7968 with modifications.
4. Do not approve Site Development Permit 2016-7968 and provide direction to staff.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1 and 2: Find that the proposed architectural modifications to Building T and the Penney’s Parking Structure of the Sunnyvale Town Center project do not require additional environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the reasons stated in the staff report as the proposed modifications are within the scope of the previous environmental analysis for the Downtown Program Improvement Update, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168(c)(2); and approve Site Development Permit 2016-7968 for architectural modifications to Building T and the Penney’s Parking Structure with the attached findings and conditions of approval.
Staff
Reviewed by: Andrew Miner, Planning Officer
Reviewed by: Trudi Ryan, Director of Community Development
Prepared and Approved by: Hanson Hom, Assistant City Manager/Chief of Downtown Planning
ATTACHMENTS
1. Public Noticing Radius Map
2. Recommended Findings for SDP 2016-7968
3. Recommended Conditions of Approval for SDP 2016-7968
4. Proposed Architectural Plans for Block 5 - Modifications to Building T and Penney’s Parking Structure