REPORT TO BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project: Forward Recommendation to the City Council:
to approve the MOFFETT PARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENTS
Location: Moffett Park Specific Plan Area (APN: Various)
File #: 2022-7673
Zoning: Various
Environmental Review: A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) has been prepared to evaluate the proposed project in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Project Planner: Michelle King, (408) 730-7463, mking@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
General Plan: Moffett Park Specific Plan (MPSP)
Zoning: Various Moffett Park zoning districts (MP-I, MP-TOD and MP-C)
Existing Site Conditions: Various Office, R&D and Commercial Buildings
Surrounding Land Uses
North: former/closed Sunnyvale landfill; Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station®; Donald M. Somers Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP); WPCP salt ponds for wastewater treatment (an open-water pond); and the San Francisco Bay
South: State Route (SR) 237
East: Twin Creeks Sports Complex and Baylands Park
West: Moffett Federal Airfield and The Golf Club at Moffett Field
Staff Recommendation: Recommend to the City Council:
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission recommend that the City Council approve the Moffett Park Specific Plan.
BACKGROUND
The Moffett Park Specific Plan Area is approximately 1,270 acres (hereinafter referred to as “Moffett Park”) and is located in the northernmost portion of the City. Moffett Park is generally bounded as noted above with the northernmost boundary ending at Caribbean Drive (except for some of the Lockheed owned property that extends slightly further north to the treatment ponds). The former/closed Sunnyvale landfill, Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station®, Donald M. Somers Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), WPCP salt ponds for wastewater treatment (an open-water pond) are outside the Plan boundary, but within the City’s limits.
A request for a General Plan Initiation (GPI) to consider updating the MPSP was submitted on May 10, 2017. On February 6, 2018, the City Council voted to initiate the study in accordance with the Planning Commission recommendation to prepare a work plan and project description after initial community outreach (RTC No. 18-0100). The study was to include any additional plan features, such as a bicycle and pedestrian improvements, connections across Highway 237 and access to and out of Mountain View, and to commence work on the studies (including staffing) only if fully paid for by the applicants.
Staff returned to Planning Commission on March 11, 2019 to report on the findings of the MPSP initial outreach, proposed work plan and project schedule. In addition, staff requested the Planning Commission make a recommendation to Council on a proposed set of Guiding Principles to inform and guide the update process. Key Guiding Principles include the study of housing in the plan area, redefining of the area as an “Ecological and Innovation District”, and the need to prepare and plan for future needed infrastructure. On April 9, 2019 (RTC No. 19-037), the City Council approved the project work program and Guiding Principles (Attachment 2) and directed staff to proceed with the update. In addition, a draft Vision Statement was prepared and shared with City Council at several study sessions and public workshops (Attachment 1). In 2021 a Community Priorities Survey was conducted regarding the public’s interest in future amenities and improvement in the plan area. The results were compiled, presented to City Council and posted on the project’s website (see link in Attachment 4).
Description of Project
The proposed project became a comprehensive, City-led update of the 2004 Moffett Park Specific Plan (which had several smaller updates to the land use and zoning maps) as the 2004 plan was nearly built to capacity; future development proposals would need to continue being considered as piecemeal amendments to the plan. The comprehensive update provides opportunities to consider and plan for new land uses such as housing, open space and other amenities for new residents and employees.
The proposed Moffett Park Specific Plan update provides a vision, guiding principles, development standards, and design guidelines for future development within the plan area. The Specific Plan would allow for the addition of residential uses with greater building heights than allowed in the existing Specific Plan; and an increase in the allowable square footage and heights for office/industrial/R&D, commercial, and institutional uses within Moffett Park. The updated Specific Plan would also allow for a net increase of 20,000 residential units (there are no residential units existing in Moffett Park today), 650,000 square feet of commercial uses, 10.0 million square feet of office/industrial/R&D uses, and 200,000 square feet of institutional uses beyond what is currently existing and recently approved. As a result, the buildout of the Specific Plan (which would include existing, recently approved, and proposed uses) would result in a total of 20,000 residential units and approximately 33.5 million square feet of commercial, office/industrial/R&D, and institutional uses.
DISCUSSION
Summary of Specific Plan and Preparation Process
In August 2020, Study Sessions were held for both Planning Commission and City Council to present the ongoing public outreach, overview of completed technical studies, initial land use concepts, and block configurations. In 2021 and 2022, additional public workshops and City Council Workshops and Study Sessions were held on key topics such as:
• Sea Level Rise and Climate Change
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Land Use
• Housing
• Open Space
• Economic and Market Conditions
• Community Benefit Priorities.
The Draft MPSP and Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) were released for public comment on December 9, 2022 and ended on February 10, 2023 (63 days, exceeding the minimum 45-day review period). Following release of the public documents, staff held a Moffett Park Specific Plan “Virtual Open House” on January 17, 2023. As of today’s date, there have been 18 public meetings and all presentation materials and data collected from these meetings can be found on the project website (see Attachment 4 for link to project website).
Technical Studies completed in the process of updating the plan and informing the DEIR are also available for public review on project website and include the following:
• Existing Conditions + Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats Report
• Urban Ecology Technical Study
• Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategy
• Air Quality Constraints Assessment for the Moffett Park Specific Plan
• Air Quality and Greenhous Gas Analysis
• Cultural Resources Literature Review and Background Reports
• Moffett Park Market Analysis
• Economic Impact Analysis
• Noise and Vibration Assessment
• Biology Report
• Hazardous Materials General Plan Review and Environmental Evaluation Reports
• Groundwater, Stormwater and Sea Level Rise Information
• Water Supply Assessment
• Wastewater Master Plan Report
• Water Master Plan Report
• Water Storage Memo
• Transportation Reports
Additional technical studies are underway to be completed prior to City Council Consideration:
• Moffett Park Transportation Impact Fee Nexus Study (MP TIF)
• Moffett Park Infrastructure Needs Assessment
The Moffett Park Specific Plan is divided into ten chapters, each one documenting a different aspect of development of the plan area based on analysis, policies, design guidelines and standard, circulation and implementation. Of particular interest to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) are Chapters VII (Mobility) and VIII (Transportation Demand and Parking). Staff reviewed the plan for consistency with the City’s Active Transportation Plan and other City mobility initiatives. Together these chapters are the basis of the plan’s goals to develop a complete streets network and the prioritization of active mobility.
The plan furthers the City’s Active Transportation Plan by requiring augmentation of the plan area’s bicycle and pedestrian networks. The plan has goals, policies and actions to reduce dependence on vehicles and single occupancy trips in and out of the plan area. The policies of the plan look to capitalize on and expand the existing transit network in the plan area by linking the land use goals and mobility goals with the placement of housing density near transit and by providing local serving uses for residents to walk and bike to.
Below is a summary of the plan chapters:
• Chapter I. Vision and Principles. This chapter establishes the Vision for the Moffett Park Specific Plan, and Guiding Principles that provide a foundation and regulatory framework for all future development proposals, design concepts, and capital improvements within Moffett Park.
• Chapter II. Planning Foundation. This chapter includes a brief overview of Moffett Park, existing conditions, and a summary of the planning process and development of this Specific Plan.
• Chapter III: Major Plan Strategies. This chapter highlights the Specific Plan’s major plan strategies including design and policy approaches to shape the future of Moffett Park. These strategies are detailed subsequently in Chapters IV through X.
• Chapter IV: Land Use. The Land Use Chapter describes Moffett Park’s neighborhoods and details the Land Use Districts across the entire plan area. It also provides a regulatory structure for density/intensity, community benefits, and transfer of development rights programs.
• Chapter V: Development Standards. This chapter includes standards to regulate site and building design and development. It establishes block standards, site design and lot standards, height, massing, building frontage design, building placement, and other aspects of architecture. The Development Standards chapter also includes cross-cutting standards, such as bird safe design and landscape design. Standards are requirements that must be adhered to for all development.
• Chapter VI: Open Space and Urban Ecology. The Open Space and Urban Ecology Chapter defines the goals, polices, standards and guidelines for the improvement and development of a high-quality public realm that will meet the needs of residents, workers, and visitors. It integrates the development of park and open space typologies with standards to protect and enhance key ecological resources. Standards are tailored to the unique conditions in Moffett Park and indicates the general location, scale, and type of open space to be developed. This chapter also includes an Ecological Combining District, channel setback requirements, and urban forestry.
• Chapter VII: Mobility. The Mobility Chapter establishes the multimodal strategies and districtwide policy to redesign the plan area around people rather than vehicles. The chapter defines a complete streets typology and network, and contains standards for designing bicycle, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure.
• Chapter VIII: Transportation Demand and Parking. The Transportation Demand Management and Parking Chapter aims to reduce single-occupancy vehicle travel, minimize peak period vehicle trips, and shift trips to transit, biking, walking, scooting, or rideshare. It establishes vehicular and bicycle parking requirements and standards, including on- and off-street parking and loading requirements.
• Chapter IX: Infrastructure and Utilities. The Infrastructure and Utilities Chapter guides future investment in sea level rise, water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, and district-scale infrastructure projects.
• Chapter X: Implementation. The Implementation Chapter includes a list of implementation actions to realize the Specific Plan vision.
Staff is requesting that BPAC review the Goals and Policies for Mobility (Chapter VII) and Transportation Demand and Parking (Chapter VIII) of the Draft Moffett Park Specific Plan and provide a recommendation to the City Council for any changes to these goals or policies and to approve the draft plan. In addition, the BPAC may wish to comment on other chapters as they related to bicycle and pedestrian matters. Attachment 3 is an excerpt of Mobility Goals and Policies.
PUBLIC COMMENT
As of the date of staff report preparation, staff has received 14 comment letters on the Draft Moffett Park Specific Plan and 21 letters on the DEIR. All public comment letters can be found on the project website (see link in Attachment 4).
There are several themes that were identified in the comment letters regarding Goals and Policies that relate to Mobility and to Transportation Demand and Parking. A summary of those topics is:
• Proposed parking maximums
• Shared parking facilities
• Location and feasibility of the Diagonal
• Flexibility of the location of the complete street network
• Route of Circulator Shuttle
A public hearing was held by the Planning Commission during the comment period for the DEIR. The public comment period for the Moffett Park Specific Plan Update DEIR ended on February 10, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.
ALTERNATIVES
Recommend to the City Council:
1. Approve the Moffett Park Specific Plan as proposed.
2. Approve the Moffett Park Specific Plan with modifications and/or suggestions provided by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Recommend to the City Council Alternative 1: Approve the Moffett Park Specific Plan as proposed.
Staff
Prepared by: Michelle King, Principal Planner
Reviewed by: Shaunn Mendrin, Planning Officer
Reviewed by: Trudi Ryan, Director of Community Development
Reviewed by: Connie Verceles, Deputy City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Moffett Park Specific Plan Vision
2. Moffett Park Specific Plan Guiding Principles
3. Table of Draft Moffett Park Specific Plan Mobility Goals and Policies
4. Links to Project Website, Draft Moffett Park Specific Plan, Draft EIR and Associated Documents, Public Comment Letters, and Community Priorities Survey Results