REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project: Related applications on a 1.97-acre site:
MOFFETT PARK SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT: to demolish the existing one-story 25,820-square foot office building and construct an 8-story, 265-unit apartment building (297,406 square feet) with 217 parking spaces, and a 14,700-square foot neighborhood park.
Location: 1215 Bordeaux Dr. (APN: 110-25-017)
File #: PLNG-2025-0582
Zoning: Moffett Park - Residential (MP-R)
Applicant / Owner: Beam Reach (applicant) / Deerfield 1215 Bordeaux LLC (owner)
Environmental Review: Environmental impacts of the project are addressed in the Moffett Park Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR); no additional review required per CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.
Project Planner: Wendy Lao, (408) 730-7408, WLao@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
General Plan: Moffett Park
Existing Site Conditions: A one-story 25,820 square foot office building and surface parking lot.
Surrounding Land Uses
North: Research & Development/Office building in MP-R zoning district.
South: Research & Development/Office in MP-Mixed Use (MU) zoning district across 5th Ave.
East: Office in MP-R zoning district across Bordeaux Dr.
West: Office and associated parking lot in MP-MU and MP-R zoning districts, respectively.
Issues: Consistency with the Moffett Park Specific Plan
Staff Recommendation: Approve the Moffett Park Special Development Permit with the Recommended Findings in Attachment 2 and Recommended Conditions of Approval in Attachment 3.
BACKGROUND
Description of Proposed Project
The project site is 1.97 acres in size and is currently developed with a one-story, 25,820 square-foot office building. The proposed project consists of demolishing the existing building and constructing an eight-story residential building with 265 rental units, 217 parking spaces, and a 14,700-square foot privately-owned publicly accessible (POPA) neighborhood park. The project proposes to utilize the State Density Bonus Law and is requesting one concession and 11 waivers, as discussed in the Development Standards section of this staff report.
A Moffett Park Special Development Permit (MPSDP) is required for projects within the Moffett Park Specific Plan area. The findings to grant approval for a MPSDP are discussed in the Recommended Findings in Attachment 2.
See Attachment 1 for a vicinity map and mailed noticed area and Attachment 4 for the Project Data Table.
Previous Actions on the Site
The office building was constructed in 1973 and was previously used by Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Startech Semiconductor, Orbit Semiconductor, E Flow Incorporated, Mira Point Inc, Nissan Research Center, and most recently Google. Google vacated the building on March 31, 2025, and the building is currently vacant. Prior to development, the site was agricultural land.
The site is located in the Moffett Park Specific Plan (MPSP) area which was adopted in July 2023. The site was rezoned to MP-R as part of the MPSP adoption.
The applicant submitted and paid for an SB330 Preliminary Application on May 29, 2025, which locked in the development standards and fees for that fiscal year 2024/2025. There are no active neighborhood preservation complaints for the project site.
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan Goals and Policies: Key goals and policies from the Land Use and Transportation and Housing Chapters of the General Plan that pertain to the proposed project are provided in Attachment 2.
Moffett Park Specific Plan: Key goals and objectives from the MPSP that pertain to the proposed project are provided in Attachment 2.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A program-level Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared for the MPSP
(SCH# 2021080338) per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which was certified by the City Council on July 11, 2023 (the “MPSP EIR”) and identified broad environmental impacts resulting from the proposed development intensities. Certification of the EIR included adoption of a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) which requires the implementation of measures to reduce the potentially significant impacts to less than significant level. The applicable mitigation measures in the MMRP (see Attachment 8) have been incorporated into the Recommended Conditions of Approval in Attachment 3.
The City’s CEQA consultant, David J. Powers & Associates, prepared an environmental checklist (Attachment 7) to determine whether the environmental impacts of the proposed project are within the scope of the MPSP EIR, or if the project or changed environmental conditions result in new or substantially more severe environmental impacts, as compared to those considered in the MPSP EIR. The checklist also considered whether there is new information of substantial importance showing that new or substantially more severe environmental impacts would occur compared to that evaluated in the MPSP EIR.
Review of the project, including technical studies, confirmed the project is consistent with the certified MPSP EIR analyses and did not reveal new impacts that warranted further environmental review pursuant to Section 15183 of the CEQA Guidelines (consistency with the General Plan). The proposed 265 residential units are consistent with the residential density studied under the MPSP EIR. Therefore, staff finds that the environmental impacts of the project are addressed in the MPSP EIR and that no additional review is required as per CEQA Guidelines Section 15183. (See Attachment 14 for the website link to the MPSP EIR).
DISCUSSION
Present Site Conditions
The 1.97 acre project site is located in north Sunnyvale, north of State Route 237 and U.S. Route 101. The parcel is bounded by Bordeaux Drive to the east, 5th Avenue (a private street with a public access easement) to the south, and industrial office buildings to the west and north.
The existing one-story building is centrally located on the site, with surface parking areas to the north, west, and south, and landscaped areas to the east. There is an existing driveway to the northeast on Bordeaux Drive and two driveways to the south along 5th Avenue. There is a Class II on-street bicycle lane along Bordeaux Drive, and a Class IV physically separated bikeway to the south along the southern side of 5th Avenue. There are 58 trees existing around the perimeter of the project site.
Site Layout and Architecture
The proposed project consists of an eight-story, 265-unit residential building totaling approximately 297,406 square feet, with a building height of 91 feet measured to the top of the parapet. The building’s ground floor is designed as a double-height, rectangular-shaped podium containing parking, residential amenities, and building support functions, while the upper six residential stories are configured in an E-shaped layout.
The project includes 64 studio units, 160 one-bedroom units, and 41 two-bedroom units, ranging in size from 475 square feet to 1,129 square feet. Ground-floor residential amenities include a 4,380-square-foot leasing office and lobby, a 1,610-square-foot amenity room, a 2,595-square-foot bicycle room, and a 370-square-foot pet washing station. The third floor includes a 1,335-square-foot indoor amenity room and two outdoor residential courtyards with a swimming pool, tables, seating, and landscaping. An additional 540-square-foot amenity room is located on the eighth floor and includes a small rooftop terrace.
The garage on the ground floor would provide 217 unbundled parking spaces, including 212 mechanical lift spaces and five traditional spaces. Unbundling parking cost from the price of rent is encouraged in the MPSP and is a common Transportation Demand Management (TDM) best practice; it is also now required for new qualifying residential projects (more than 15 units) under California Civil Code Section 1947.1, effective in 2025. The rents of the project BMR units would be reduced to ensure the separate cost of parking does not result in the total cost exceeding affordable rents. West of the driveway along 5th Avenue is a dual-purpose trash staging and truck loading zone, which would also accommodate moving trucks during residential move-ins and move-outs. An additional standard-size residential loading space is located inside the garage. Each residential floor includes two dedicated trash rooms with trash, recycling, and food scrap chutes connected to two ground-floor trash rooms for consolidated waste management.
The primary building entrance is located at the southeast corner of the site and features an entry plaza with landscaping and seating. In addition, the project includes an approximately 0.3-acre privately owned, publicly accessible park (POPA) located north of the building. This park would serve as the first segment of the planned greater Bordeaux Neighborhood Park, which is anticipated to expand incrementally through future redevelopment of adjacent properties. The park on the project site includes a fenced dog park, picnic area, landscaping, walking paths, and seating areas. The POPA will be required to provide appropriate signage indicating that it is a public park and hours of operation that is 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
The project architecture is best characterized as contemporary in style. The building features a flat roof with slightly varying parapet heights. The building incorporates vertical projections and step-backs to help articulate the massing along the facades, with the most pronounced articulation occurring along the east elevation, and the west elevation generally presenting a more uniform plane. To better provide articulation on the west elevation, staff recommends adding an eave above the upper story windows on the right side, which the applicant has agreed to and is incorporated as a condition of approval.
The building includes balconies with glass or metal railings of varying colors along the exterior elevations. The ground floor utilizes a mix of materials, including board-form concrete, fluted concrete, storefront glazing, and stucco on the west elevation. The upper residential floors are clad in a combination of cementitious flat panels overlaid with cementitious board-and-batten siding, and stucco in varying colors. Additional design elements include eaves along the east and south elevations and tall, narrow louvered screening features at the ground level. The project will be required to comply with all bird safe standards as a condition of approval. See Attachment 5 for architectural and site plans.
Residential Density
The applicable residential density requirement (“base maximum density”) established by the Moffett Park Specific Plan (MPSP) requires a minimum of 70 dwelling units per acre and does not establish a maximum density limit. The proposed density of 134.7 dwelling units per acre complies with this requirement.
Development Standards
The project complies with several applicable development standards in the Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) and MPSP, such as height, density, and floor area. The applicant proposes to utilize the State Density Bonus Law for one concession and 11 waivers of development standards. The Project Data Table in Attachment 4 summarizes the project’s compliance with development standards.
State Density Bonus Law
The project will include 40 affordable units, of which 27 (10%) would be available for rent to low-income households and 13 (5%) to very low-income households. This affordability level qualifies the project for State Density Bonus Law provisions and allows the developer to request one concession and unlimited number of waivers of development standards.
Concession: The project is entitled to one concession, which provides relief from compliance with an objective regulatory requirement that results in identifiable and actual cost reductions to the project. The applicant requests a concession to not provide 30% of the bundled parking as Level 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) ready nor the additional 30% of unbundled parking as Level 1 EV ready, as required by the Moffett Park Specific Plan, due to the costs required to achieve this requirement. Instead, the applicant will comply with the 2025 CalGreen Residential Mandatory Measures by providing two EV charging stations and three EV-ready spaces on the non-mechanical parking spaces. Refer to Attachment 6 for the applicant’s State Density Bonus Letter for more detailed explanation.
Waivers: Unlimited waivers (reduction in development standards) are permitted if the applicant can demonstrate that compliance with the development standards would physically preclude them from constructing the proposed development with the allowed number of units. The applicant has provided a letter (see Attachment 6), which provides these justifications. The applicant requests the following 11 waivers:
1. Setback (East): A minimum 18-foot setback is required for at least 60% of the building facing Bordeaux Drive. The project proposes a varied setback ranging from 5’-3” to 15’-9” as measured from back of sidewalk to the primary building façade. It should be noted that the building is setback approximately 50 feet at the southeast corner for the entry plaza and there is a 70 feet wide neighborhood park, which when combined provides visual breaks at both ends of the property.
2. Setback (South): A minimum 18-foot setback is required for at least 60% of the building facing 5th Avenue. The project proposes a reduced varied setback of 7 feet to 17 feet as measured from back of sidewalk to the primary building façade in order to accommodate the back of house functions (such as transformer room, trash/recycling and residential loading/unloading functions) for maximum efficiency and ease of access for service. It should be noted that concentrating back of house functions on 5th Avenue enables the project design to provide uninterrupted pedestrian and bicycle access and flow on Bordeaux Drive by avoiding new curb cuts, staging areas, and other activities. Additionally, this allows for more space for the neighborhood park on the north side of the property.
3. Setback (North): A minimum 10-foot setback is required for at least 60% of the building frontage facing the neighborhood park. The project proposes 0 setbacks, as the building proposes a 10-foot ground-floor encroachment into the required 80-foot wide neighborhood park. Beginning on the third floor, upper-story residential units would encroach an additional 2 feet into the park, and the balcony projections would encroach by an additional 8 feet. With the park, the ground floor would have the appearance of a 70-foot setback from the property line.
4. Setback (West): A minimum 10-foot setback is required for at least 60% of the building frontage facing the laneway. The project proposes a varied setback between 9’-10” and 10’-7”, which is a minor deviation from the requirement.
5. Façade Modulation (Major Break): The west building façade and east ground floor façade exceed 250 feet in length and are required to provide at least two major breaks, where the first major break shall be a minimum of 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep, and the second break shall be a minimum of 20 feet wide and 20 feet deep. The major break is required to extend from the finished ground floor for the full height of the building. The project proposes a façade of approximately 312’-9” on the west and 270’ on the eastern ground floor without the required major breaks.
6. Façade Modulation (Minor Break): The north building façade exceeds 150 feet in length and is required to provide a minimum break of 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep, starting from the top of the ground floor. On the north façade, the project proposes a break of 8 feet wide but only 1 foot deep on the upper residential levels. This request is reasonable to accommodate the floor plan with the unit sizes and balconies.
7. Residential Open Space: The northern courtyard is 44 feet wide where the courtyard is required to be greater than or equal to 80% of the highest height of the façade, or 51.8 feet wide minimum. This request is reasonable in that the courtyard would still provide functional and usable open space for residents, while the proposed project height of 90’-3” remains well below the building height limit of 160 feet.
8. Lockable Storage: 125 cubic feet of personal storage is required for each residential unit, and the project does not propose any storage. This request is reasonable because the project provides a mix of unit sizes and on-site amenities that reduce the need for dedicated personal storage space, while allowing additional building area to be utilized for residential units, amenity rooms, parking, and other site improvements. Generally, the closet space in the units is slightly larger than typical.
9. Green Roof: The project is required to cover at least 20% of its roof with a green roof, and the project does not provide one. This request is reasonable because the third-floor rooftop is designed as usable open space and accommodates upper-story residential units, while the eighth-floor rooftop will primarily accommodate mechanical equipment and potential solar installations.
10. Bordeaux Neighborhood Park: The project is required to provide an 80-foot wide park. The project proposes a 70-foot wide park on the double-height ground floor. Beginning on the third floor, upper-story residential units would encroach an additional 2 feet into the park, and the balcony projections would encroach by an additional 8 feet. This request is reasonable because the reduced park width allows the project to accommodate residential units, parking, amenity spaces, and other back of house functions, while still providing a usable neighborhood park with residential amenities, picnic areas, and landscaping.
11. Loading: The project is required to provide an on-site loading zone of 12 feet wide and 40 feet length minimum. After discussion with staff, the applicant proposes a modified dual-use street loading zone of 10 feet wide and 70 feet length, which would also accommodate trash staging and moving trucks. This request is reasonable because consolidating loading and other back-of-house functions along 5th Avenue supports a more pedestrian- and bicycle-oriented frontage along Bordeaux Drive by avoiding additional curb cuts, staging areas, and service-related conflicts.
Overall, staff supports the requested concessions and waivers.
Floor Area Ratio
Residential projects in the MP-R zoning district do not have a maximum floor area ratio (FAR). The proposed FAR is 3.47, which is allowed. Staff finds that the proposed FAR is in line for the scale of the project with 265 residential units and provides reasonable living and outdoor area for future residents and is consistent with anticipated new residential developments as contemplated in the Moffett Park Specific Plan (MPSP).
Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
The project is located within the MPSP area and is required to prepare and implement a TDM plan that would achieve an initial TDM peak hour reduction rate of 15% with a long-term TDM reduction rate of 30%. Additionally, the project is subject to the City’s multifamily residential TDM requirements, with a minimum of 10 points required from the adopted TDM strategies list. The project will meet these two requirements through its proximity to transit and commercial uses, and by joining the future Transportation Management Association (TMA) within Moffett Park, designating an on-site TDM coordinator, distributing TDM informational materials to new residents, and providing bicycle and unbundled vehicular parking, and new metrics as needed and determined by the TMA. See Attachment 9 for more information.
Parking and Loading
The project provides a total of 217 unbundled parking spaces, which exceeds the state parking standards. Because the site is located within half mile of a major public transit stop, under AB 2097 the project is not subject to minimum parking requirements except as applicable to ADA and EV charging spaces. However, the project has proposed to provide 212 spaces through the mechanical parking systems and five as traditional parking spaces. The mechanical puzzle parking system is three levels high with spaces arranged in either side-by-side or tandem configuration, and the stalls will have automated vehicle release available to tenants during all hours of operation. The five remaining spaces are available as accessible parking spaces, of which two will include an electric vehicle charging station.
The site also includes a residential loading space of 10 feet width and 18 feet length inside the garage. As discussed above, an on-street dual-purpose trash staging and truck loading zone is also located along 5th Avenue, which would also accommodate rideshare vehicles and moving trucks during residential move-ins and move-outs outside of garbage collection hours.
Solid Waste and Recycling Access
The project includes multi-family garbage, recycling, and food scrap service, with individual bins to be staged in the 5th Avenue dual use loading zone area during trash collection. Each floor includes two dedicated trash rooms with trash, recycling, and food scrap chutes connected to the two ground-floor trash rooms for consolidated waste management. Landscape waste would be collected and hauled off-site by the landscape maintenance provider. The applicant has worked with Environmental Services Department (ESD) and Department of Public Works (DPW) staff to determine that the site plan satisfies the requirements for solid waste, recycling, and food scrap collection vehicles.
Bordeaux Neighborhood Park
The project includes a 70-foot wide, 14,700 square foot (0.3 acre) Bordeaux Neighborhood Park at the northern portion of the site. This park would serve as the first segment of the planned larger 3.5 acre Bordeaux Neighborhood Park, which is anticipated to expand incrementally through future redevelopment of adjacent properties to the north, west, and northwest. The park is designated as both a Neighborhood Park and a Habitat Patch in the MPSP which would serve both people and wildlife. As such, the park on the project site includes a fenced dog park, picnic area, landscaping, walking paths, and seating areas. The applicant is proposing that 80-100% of the total plantings will be native, which will be finalized during the building permit stage. The park would be privately owned and publicly accessible through a public access easement.
Usable Open Space
The MPSP requires a minimum of 50 square feet of usable open space for each residential unit, or 13,250 square feet total. The project provides 28,463 square feet of usable open space, of which 11,938 square feet is private including the balconies, and 16,525 square feet is common including the ground floor and third floor roof open space areas, which exceeds the minimum requirement. The common open space includes a swimming pool, seating, and a combination of trees and shrubs.
Landscaping and Tree Preservation
A Preliminary Arborist Report was prepared by H.T. Harvey & Associates on September 12, 2026, for the proposed project, which identified 58 trees on site. Due to conflicts with the proposed building location, circulation areas, and public improvements to various areas of the site, the project proposes to remove 14 existing trees, nine of which meet the city’s definition of Protected Tree per the SMC 19.94.030. The proposed project has been designed to accommodate 23 new trees throughout the site as shown on sheets L1.0 through L3.1 of the plans in Attachment 5.
The MPSP requires a minimum of 20% of the net lot area be landscaped, or 12,115 square feet total. The project provides 16,940 square feet of landscape area, which exceeds the minimum requirement.
Green Building and Reach Code Requirements
In accordance with Green Building Program and MPSP requirements, the project would be required to achieve a minimum of 120 points on the GreenPoint Rated checklist, which will be confirmed at the building permit stage.
In May 2024, the City suspended enforcement of the all-electric provisions in the Reach Code, which means that projects approved during the suspension would not be required to build all-electric. In September 2025, the City adopted the 2025 California Building Codes with new Reach Code provisions designed to encourage, but not mandate, all-electric construction.
At building permit stage, the applicant shall be required to verify that the project is designed to achieve 120 points on the GreenPoint Rated Checklist and comply with the Reach Code requirements with the exception of the all-electric provision.
Hazardous Materials
The site was historically used as agricultural land then industrial/research and the existing building has been used for CAD design purposes, semiconductor design work, and self-driving car research. The applicant has prepared a Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment. The report finds that the project site and future residential use would be appropriately protected through installation of vapor barriers and passive venting, and the project will include implementation of a Vapor Intrusion Mitigation System (VIMS) to ensure that future residences would not be affected by potential vapor intrusion from onsite affected soils. Please see Attachment 15 for more details.
Fiscal Impact
No fiscal impacts other than normal fees and taxes are expected. The project will be subject to additional fees including school impact fees as noted in the Conditions of Approval.
Public Contact
Neighborhood Outreach Meeting
The applicant hosted a neighborhood outreach meeting on March 3, 2026, with five members of the public present. The members of the public generally supported the project, and also raised questions and concerns about parking, the visual impact from a nearby cellular tower, and the construction timeline.
Planning Commission Study Session
The Planning Commission reviewed the project plans and received public comments at a study session on March 9, 2026. The Planning Commission was generally supportive of the direction of project while providing comments about the building facades and neighborhood park.
Public Noticing
Public contact was made by posting the Planning Commission meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the NOVA Workforce Services 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.
261 notices were sent to surrounding property owners and residents within 2,000 feet of the subject site in addition to standard noticing practices, including advertisement in the Sunnyvale Sun Newspaper, a courtesy email to interested parties that were identified since the application was submitted, and on-site posting. No letters or calls were received from the public by staff.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Moffett Park Special Development Permit with the Recommended Findings in Attachment 2 and Recommended Conditions of Approval in Attachment 3.
2. Approve the Moffett Park Special Development Permit with the Recommended Findings in Attachment 2 and with modified Conditions of Approval.
3. Do not make the required findings and direct staff where changes should be made.
4. Deny the project.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Approve the Moffett Park Special Development Permit with the Recommended Findings in Attachment 2 and Recommended Conditions of Approval in Attachment 3.
The project provides housing opportunities within the City. The project is consistent with the MP-R zoning district by providing 265 residential units. The proposed project is consistent with the neighborhood character. Staff finds that the overall project meets the objectives of the General Plan, Moffett Park Specific Plan, Zoning District, and relevant objective design guidelines.
JUSTIFICATION FOR RECOMMENDATION
The proposed project furthers the goals and objectives of the General Plan and Moffett Park Specific Plan by providing 265 residential units, including 40 below-market-rate units. The proposed project includes land uses/intensities and a project design that contributes towards an improved quality of life and increased housing supply. The project also complies with many MPSP standards, contributes to a sense of place, and provides enhanced pedestrian and cyclist opportunities. The applicant’s justifications for the requested concession and waivers are reasonable as they still result in a well-designed project. No new significant environmental impacts would occur with implementation of the project.
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
_X_ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
___ Labor or personal employment contract
___ Contract under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contract between public agencies
___ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: Wendy Lao, Senior Planner
Reviewed by: Julia Klein, Principal Planner
Approved by: Shaunn Mendrin, Planning Officer
ATTACHMENTS
1. Noticing and Vicinity Map
2. Recommended Findings
3. Recommended Conditions of Approval
4. Project Data Table
5. Site and Architectural Plans
6. State Density Bonus Law Request Letter from Applicant
7. CEQA Environmental Checklist
8. MPSP EIR Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP)
9. Draft Transportation Demand Management Plan
10. Air Quality Report
11. Arborist Report
12. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Preliminary Checklist
13. Bird Safe Design Review
14. Link to MPSP EIR
15. Link to Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments