REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project:
SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT to construct a 99-square foot first and second floor addition, and convert 275 square feet of existing atrium and portion of porch areas to living area, of an existing two-story single-family home. The project includes a request for deviation to encroach into the required front yard setback.
Location: 1227 Townsend Terrace (APN: 202-37-009)
File #: 2019-7554
Zoning: R-1.5/PD
Applicant / Owner: Christopher Tripoli / Christopher Lyon
Environmental Review: A Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions.
Project Planner: Shetal Divatia, 408-730-7637, sdivatia@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Recommendation: Approve the Special Development Permit subject to Recommended Conditions of Approval.
Report
BACKGROUND
Description of Proposed Project
The applicant proposes to construct a 99-square foot first and second floor addition towards the front yard. The project also includes the conversion of an existing 275 square foot atrium and portion of a porch into living area. The project complies with most development standards, with the exception of the minimum 20-foot front yard setback.
This Special Development Permit (SDP) application requires Zoning Administrator review for design modifications to an approved SDP project and to consider the requested front yard setback deviation.
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
The existing two-story, single-family home was constructed in 1997 as part of a 24-unit single-family development. This was one of the earlier projects developed with the R-1.5 zoning districts. The R-1.5 zoning district was created to allow smaller lots (4,200 square feet minimum) with smaller homes (50% FAR and 40% lot coverage) for a more affordable single-family detached home option. The Planned Development combining District allows for site design flexibility. No other Planning permits have been requested or issued for this site.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 1 Categorical Exemption (minor alteration to existing structures) relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions.
DISCUSSION
Site Layout and Architecture
The subject property is an interior lot, with a single-family home to the right (east) and a property owned by the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Stevens Creek) along the left side (west) and rear (north) property lines. The proposed project is a first and second floor addition towards the front yard, facing Townsend Terrace. The site layout, including driveway location, will generally be maintained.
The 24-unit development was designed in the California Craftsman Bungalow style
with horizontal shipboard lap siding or shake siding, gable roof forms with decorative rafter tails, front porches and masonry bases. The existing architecture of the home is similar to the other homes in the development with horizontal siding exterior and composition shingle roofing material. As proposed, the addition and conversion would match the existing materials and design of the house. The proposal reduces the size of the front porch and relocates the front door from side-facing to front-facing. The relocation of the front door allows it to be visible from the street to meet a design guideline noted in Single-Family Home Design Techniques. The project does not affect their neighbor’s privacy. Recommended Findings related to the Single-Family Home Design Techniques are in Attachment 3.
Development Standards
The project meets all applicable development standards, such as parking, height, Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and lot coverage. Overall setbacks are unchanged as the addition is occurring within the existing setbacks. See discussion below regarding front setback deviation.
Front Setback: The existing first and second floor front setback ranges from 15 feet to 19 feet 6 inches, where a minimum of 20 feet is required. The existing front setback is considered a legal non-conforming condition. The proposed addition reduces the front 19-foot 6-inch setback to 16 feet 9 inches on the first floor and second floor levels (addition extends out by 2 feet 9 inches). Therefore, the proposed first and second floor front setbacks are deficient.
Deviation: The proposed project is located on one of the larger lots in the development with an unusual shape. The lot is located along a bend and includes a large oak tree along the street frontage. This house is one of the few homes in this tract with this type of home orientation. The house is oriented towards the creek on the left side with Freeway 85 beyond the creek. The frontage along this lot does not include a sidewalk. Although this lot is not a corner lot, the home orientation lends the front yard to function more like a reducible front yard and the side yard adjacent to the creek as a front yard. The reduced front yard allows the house to keep its current orientation and continues to provide adequate yards. The proposed reduced front setback does not extend beyond the existing 15-foot setback line. Staff finds that the requested front yard deviation is reasonable due to the unique configuration of the lot, negligible privacy and visual impacts to the adjacent neighbors.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS/COMPATIBILITY
The proposed reduced front yard does not further reduce the existing 15-foot setback as the addition fills in recessed wall planes within this reduced setback. The existing three wall planes will be reduced to two wall planes; one located at a 15-foot setback and the second wall plane will be at 16 feet 9 inches’ setback. The proposal also removes a chimney element along this frontage. Visually, this lot is located along a bend and is not highly visible. Additionally, the large oak tree dominates the front yard of the lot and therefore the proposed project is not expected to have significant visual impact on the neighborhood. The proposal is expected to shade approximately 3 percent (52 square feet of the 1,697 square feet of total roof area) of the roof of the neighbor’s home on the east side on December 21, at 3 p.m. (longest shadow) and is within the 10% allowed by code. Therefore, staff finds that the impacts on the neighbors would be minimal.
PUBLIC CONTACT
91 notices were sent to surrounding property owners and residents within 300 feet radius of the subject site in addition to standard noticing practices, including advertisement in the Sunnyvale Sun Newspaper and on-site posting. No letters or calls were received from the public by staff.
The applicant has submitted a letter from the neighborhood association representatives that notes that they are not the typical Home Owners Association (HOA) and do not regulate home additions/modifications and therefore this project does not need their approval (Attachment 5).
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Special Development Permit with recommended Conditions in Attachment 4.
2. Approve the Special Development Permit with modifications.
3. Deny the Special Development Permit and provide direction to staff and the applicant where changes should be made.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1. Approve the Special Development Permit with recommended Conditions in Attachment 4.
Staff
Prepared by: Shétal Divatia, Senior Planner
Approved by: Noren Caliva-Lepe, Principal Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Site, vicinity and Noticing Map
2. Project Data Table
3. Recommended Findings
4. Standard Requirements and Recommended Conditions of Approval
5. Letter from Neighborhood Association
6. Letter from Applicant
7. Proposed Site and Architectural Plans