REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project:
SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT to allow a Public Service Building Use within an existing office building. No expansion or exterior modifications are proposed with this application.
Location: 298 S. Sunnyvale Avenue (APNs: 209-10-061)
File #: PLNG-2025-0507
Zoning: DSP-17 (Downtown Specific Plan, Block 7)
Applicant / Owner: Daniel Awogbemila (applicant) / SVCE Authority (owner)
Environmental Review: Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions.
Project Planner: Gino Victoria, 408-730-7430, GVictoria@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
BACKGROUND
The project site is currently developed with a 27,920-square foot commercial office building, surrounded by mature landscaping along the street frontages and building perimeter. The project area is 0.49 acres in size, located at the northeast corner of S. Sunnyvale Avenue and E. McKinley Avenue. The site is bordered by a public parking lot to the north and east, with an additional public parking lot across S. Sunnyvale Avenue. A residential development is located across E. McKinley Avenue.
The project site is zoned Downtown Specific Plan (DSP) with the Block 7 combining district and located in the Sunnyvale/Carroll District. The site is located in the Transit Mixed-Use (TMU) General Plan land use designation. Surrounding land uses include various commercial businesses, offices, and residential developments.
The property was recently acquired by SVCE Authority and they intend to relocate the primary operations of Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) to this building.
Description of Proposed Project
The proposed project includes a request to allow a Public Service Building use within an existing office building for SVCE. As described in the Project Description Letter (Attachment 5), SVCE proposes improvements to support their operational, community, and governance needs. The primary functions of the building will be to serve as the hybrid office for SVCE staff and as a formal chamber for SVCE’s Board of Directors and other publicly advertised meetings. SVCE will occupy the entire building: 17,565 square feet will be allocated to the Office use and 7,572 square feet will be allocated to the Public Service Building use. Significant exterior changes to the existing building are not proposed as part of this request.
Per Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) Table 19.28.070, a Special Development Permit is required for public service buildings and accessory uses in the DSP zoning district.
See Attachment 1 for a map of the vicinity and mailing area for notices.
Previous Actions on the Site
In 1977, a retail commercial and office building was approved at the subject site under the name of “De Anza Building” (SDP 3497). In 2022, the City approved a Miscellaneous Plan Permit (MPP) for the exterior renovations to the existing building, landscaping, and bicycle parking (2021-7838) and was renamed “Jewel Box”. There are no other previous planning projects related to the proposed use and no open Neighborhood Preservation complaints.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 1 Categorical Exemption (15301) relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. The Class 1 exemption applies to the operation, maintenance, or minor alterations of an existing building, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The project proposes a change of use which would not require or result in major physical alterations.
DISCUSSION
Proposed Use
The proposed Public Service Building would consist of two rooms: a community space and the board chamber. The remaining space is to be used as the offices and meeting rooms for SVCE staff and would not be accessible by the public. The proposed use would only take place in the evenings outside of normal business hours of the surrounding uses. Currently, the business hours of operations are Mondays through Fridays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the SVCE Board of Directors meetings occur on the second Wednesday of each month from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. There are approximately 68 employees, and typically 18 visitors during the board meetings. A condition of approval would prohibit SVCE from renting out the community space and board chamber to external parties for events. (See Attachment 3 for Conditions of Approval.)
Development Standards
The project does not propose any changes to the building footprint. As such, the project maintains existing building setbacks, building square footage and floor area ratio, lot coverage, and height. Minor improvements to the building include new rooftop mechanical equipment that is to be screened by the existing parapet wall. The proposed project complies with all applicable development standards, as set forth in the Sunnyvale Municipal Code.
Site Access, Circulation, and Parking
The project site does not contain a private parking lot. Instead, the property is in the Downtown Parking Maintenance Assessment District (PMAD), which manages public parking for uses that do not have sufficient on-site parking. The combination of the office and public service building uses typically requires a minimum of 68 parking spaces. Employees and the public will have access to the shared public parking lot, which contains 70 parking spaces.
The public parking lot can be accessed through two existing one-way driveways on S. Sunnyvale Avenue and E. McKinley Avenue. The building contains two entrances: one allowing access from the sidewalk along S. Sunnyvale Avenue and one allowing access from the public parking lot and connecting to E. McKinley Avenue.
Trees and Landscaping
The project does not propose landscaping modifications.
Staff finds that the proposed use of a Public Service Building meets the required findings for a Special Development Permit, as the use ensures that the general appearance of proposed structures, or the uses to be made of the property to which the application refers, will not impair either the orderly development of, or the existing uses being made of, adjacent properties.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS/COMPATIBILITY:
Located in the Sunnyvale/Carroll District in the DSP, the proposed use is compatible with the surrounding uses that consist of housing, neighborhood-serving commercial, office, and hotels. The use does not conflict with the commercial uses nearby during peak hours. The project complies with all development standards. No outdoor activity is proposed, and no exterior noise is anticipated that would exceed the existing ambient noise levels. In addition, the application represents a positive repurposing of a sizable office building that has remained unoccupied since its remodel in 2022. For these reasons, staff finds that the proposed use is compatible with the neighborhood and would not significantly impact neighboring uses.
See Attachment 5 for the Project Description Letter and Attachment 2 for the required Special Development Permit findings.
PUBLIC CONTACT
233 notices were sent to surrounding property owners and residents adjacent to the subject site. In addition, the notice of the Public Hearing was published in the Sun newspaper.
Public contact was made by posting the agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board at City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue and on the City’s website.
Staff has received no comments on the item as of the time of staff report production.
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 Conditions in Attachment 3.
Staff
Prepared by: Gino Victoria, Assistant Planner
Approved by: Momoko Ishijima, Senior Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity and Noticing Maps
2. Recommended Findings
3. Recommended Conditions of Approval
4. Site and Architectural Plans
5. Project Description Letter
6. Special Development Permit Justification Form