REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project: Related applications on a 9,200 square feet site:
TENTATIVE MAP: to subdivide one parcel into two lots.
USE PERMIT: to allow lot area and lot width less than the minimum required.
DESIGN REVIEW: for two new two-story single family homes (2,128 square feet and 2,710 square foot gross floor area) resulting in an overall Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 53.5 percent.
Location: 331-333 Beemer Avenue (APN: 204-51-025)
File #: 2015-7886
Zoning: R-2
Applicant / Owner: Forte Construction and Design (applicant) /Richard S Shwe Trustee (owner)
Environmental Review: Class 3 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions that include new construction of up to three single-family residences in urbanized area (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15303).
Project Planner: Aastha Vashist, (408) 730-7458, avashist@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
General Plan: Low-Medium Density Residential
Existing Site Conditions: One-story Duplex
Surrounding Land Uses
North: One-story Single Family Residence
South: Single-family homes
East: Single-family homes
West: Two-story Single-Family homes
Issues: Neighborhood compatibility
Staff Recommendation: Alternative 1: Approve the Use Permit, Design Review and Parcel Map subject to recommended conditions of approval in Attachment 4.
BACKGROUND
The applicant proposes to subdivide the existing 9,200 square foot interior lot into two lots and construct two new single family residences with an overall FAR of 53.5%. The existing one-story duplex is proposed to be demolished as part of this project. This project requires a three-foot dedication in the form of an easement along the street frontage to widen the existing sidewalk, resulting in 9,050 square foot net lot area. The setbacks, lot coverage and floor areas are calculated based on the net lot area, which is portion of the lot exclusive of the dedicated public right-of-way.
Following are the details for the individual two lots:
|
|
Lot Size |
Living Area |
Garage |
Floor Area |
FAR |
|
Lot 1 (Front) |
3,799 s.f. |
1,707 s.f. |
421 s.f. |
2,128 s.f. |
56.0% |
|
Lot 2 (Rear) |
5,251 s.f. |
2,256 s.f. |
454 s.f. |
2,710 s.f. |
51.6% |
|
Total |
9,050 s.f. |
3,963 s.f. |
875 s.f. |
4,838 s.f. |
53.5% |
A Tentative Parcel Map is required for subdividing a parcel into four or fewer lots. Two separate lots with no common lot or easements are proposed as part of this application.
A Use Permit is required per Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) 19.30.020 as the lot areas and lot widths of the new individual lots are less than the minimum required for R-2 zoning district.
A Design Review is required for construction of new houses to evaluate compliance with the City’s development standards and Single Family Home Design Techniques. Planning Commission review is required for homes exceeding 45% FAR.
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
A Special Development Permit (SDP) was approved by the Planning Commission to allow an addition to the garage and relocation of house towards the front side of the property (Permit #1974-0166) on June 17, 1977.
There are no active Neighborhood Preservation complaints for this property.
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan Goals and Policies: The following are key goals and policies from the Land Use and Transportation Chapter of the General Plan which pertains to the proposed project:
POLICY LT-7.3: Encourage the development of housing options with the goal that the majority of housing is owner-occupied.
By providing two new single-family homes the proposed project provides ownership opportunities consistent with the General Plan policy.
Applicable Design Guidelines: The City’s Design Guidelines as noted in the Single-Family Home Design Techniques provide recommendations for site layout, architecture, and design. These guidelines are referenced in the discussion and analysis below. Refer to Attachment 3 for the required findings regarding Design Review.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 3 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions that include new construction of up to three single-family residences in urbanized area (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15303). Construction of two new single-family homes would be covered by this exemption.
DISCUSSION
Site Layout and Architecture
The property is located in the neighborhood north of the Downtown Sunnyvale between Mathilda Avenue and North Frances Street. The neighborhood is comprised of one and two-story residential structures with a mix of single family homes, duplexes and multi-family units.
Like the properties in the immediate neighborhood, the 9,200-square foot interior lot is long and narrow (187 feet in depth and 50 feet in width) with an access driveway leading to the detached garage in the rear side of the property. The proposed subdivision would result in a flag-lot configuration where Lot 1 will directly face the street and Lot 2 will be located towards the rear and accessed from the street by a 10-foot-wide driveway along the west side of the property. The applicants propose to retain the existing location of the driveway. The proposed subdivision is similar to the property at 305 Beemer Avenue which was approved by the Planning Commission in June 2018.
The proposed homes have similar designs including characteristics associated with Spanish-style architecture with asymmetrical rectangular floor layout, gable, or hip roof, with no overhang, stucco, arched entrance, ornate painted tiles, decorative lanterns, and ornamental wood door. All exterior material and finishes work together as a palette of earth tone colors creating a harmony with the surroundings. Staff finds the proposed design to be aesthetically pleasing and enhancing the existing streetscape of the neighborhood.
Refer to Attachment 6 for architectural and site plans.
Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
A single-family residential project with an FAR greater than 45% requires review by the Planning Commission. The existing FAR of the single-family homes in the neighborhood ranges from 15% to 68% with an average of 32%, while the gross Floor Area within the neighborhood range from 1,014 square feet to 2,797 square feet. See Attachment 5 for a neighborhood comparison of gross Floor Area and FAR.
The proposed 56% (Lot 1) and 51.6% (Lot 2) FAR, with an overall FAR of 53.6%, is well within the existing range in the neighborhood. The overall FAR is comparable to the 53.5% FAR of the recently approved two lot subdivision and single-family homes at 305 Beemer Avenue.
The mass and bulk of the proposed new homes is consistent with the existing two-story homes in the neighborhood. The proposed design with well-articulated building façades and combination of high quality materials helps in minimizing the visual impact of the project.
Since this neighborhood consist of several two-story homes and is not predominately one-story, the 35 percent second floor to first floor ratio design guideline is not applicable.
Development Standards: The proposed project complies with most applicable development standards, as set forth in the Sunnyvale Municipal Code. The proposed development meets the required setbacks for overall site and individual lots, except for the required side yard and combined side yard setback for Lot 1 (front lot).
Setbacks: Staff has utilized City Council Policy 1.1.12 (Maximum Standards for Small Lot Single Family Residential Developments) in reviewing the proposed project. City Council Policy 1.1.12 helps to guide the design of small-lot, single-family subdivisions of 4,200 square feet or smaller. The Council Policy can serve as a guide for evaluation of the development standards as proposed in this project. This approach has been used for similar projects, including the recently approved homes at 305 Beemer Avenue (File 2017-7219) and newly constructed homes at 363 and 365 Beemer Avenue (File 2014-7314), to understand the relationship to adjacent lots.
The overall perimeter setbacks of the entire site meet the R-2 Zoning District requirements and are consistent with the setbacks that would be required if only one home were to be built on the site or if two homes were to be built on the site without the subdivision of the parcel. Refer to Attachment 2 for Project Data Table.
The proposed setback for Lot 1 is zero feet at the first-floor level and three-and-a-half feet at the second-floor level from the internal side property line shared with Lot 2 (towards the east, along the driveway), where a minimum of five feet and seven feet are required for the first and second floor level, respectively. However, visually the side setback will be greater as the shared property line is adjacent to the 10-foot access driveway for Lot 2. The total ten feet distance at the first-floor level and thirteen-and-a-half feet at the second-floor level from the neighboring property at 347 Beemer Avenue exceeds the side and combined side yard setback requirements. Therefore, staff is supportive of the proposed side yard setback along the driveway as it does not have any negative visual and privacy impacts to the neighborhood.
Lot Area and Width: Through a Use Permit, SMC 19.30.020 allows for consideration of reduced lot areas and widths, provided the required density is met. The subject property meets the permitted density of 3,600 square feet lot area per dwelling unit, which allows for two units on a 9,200-square foot lot. However, the proposed project does not meet the per lot minimum area of 8,000 square feet and 72 feet lot width for R-2 zoned properties, and therefore, requires a Use Permit.
Staff finds the proposed lot area and widths reasonable as the lot area and widths are comparable to similar flag-lot properties along the street (see table below).
|
Address |
Location |
Lot Area (in square feet) |
Lot Width |
Project No. |
|
349 Beemer |
Front |
2,778 |
36’ |
1984-1295 |
|
351 Beemer |
Rear |
4,646 |
50’ |
1984-1295 |
|
363 Beemer |
Front |
5,366 |
50’ |
2014-7314 |
|
365 Beemer |
Rear |
3,833 |
36’ |
2014-7314 |
|
350 Beemer |
Front |
3,750 |
44’ |
2000-0204 |
|
352 Beemer |
Rear |
3,750 |
50’ |
2000-0204 |
|
347 Beemer |
Front |
4,600 |
44’ |
2000-0788 |
|
343 Beemer |
Rear |
4,600 |
50’ |
2000-0788 |
|
305 Beemer (Building Permit under review) |
|
Lot 1 |
Front |
3,852 |
36’ |
2017-7219 |
|
Lot 2 |
Rear |
5,198 |
50’ |
2017-7219 |
|
331/333 Beemer (Proposed Project) |
|
Lot 1 |
Front |
3,799 |
36’ |
2015-7886 |
|
Lot 2 |
Rear |
5,251 |
50’ |
2015-7886 |
Usable Open Space: Both lots meet the minimum useable open space requirement of 500 square feet per unit. Lot 1 has a 523 square feet and Lot 2 has 707 square feet of backyard to meet this requirement.
Parking and Circulation
The home at the rear (Lot 2) is accessed by a shared driveway along the west side of the property. A shared curb-cut allows retention of a street parking space and adequate area for staging trash carts for both the units.
The site meets the parking standards by providing two covered and two uncovered parking spaces for each of the two homes. Staff has included a Condition of Approval to disallow a fence on the east side of the driveway between Lot 1 and 2 and include a 4-inch curb between the two lots to ensure that cars stay on the driveway and not damage structures (Condition of Approval PS -1, Attachment 4).
Tree Preservation
No protected trees are proposed to be removed as part of this application. The project includes landscaping improvements to the site including addition of ten trees.
Solar Access
SMC 19.56.020 states that no permit shall be issued for any construction which would interfere with solar access by shading more than 10% of the roof of any structure on a nearby property. The project plans demonstrate that the shading would comply with this requirement.
Expected Impact on the Surrounding Neighborhood
The surrounding neighborhood is eclectic with a mix of densities and house styles. It contains single family homes, duplexes and multi-family apartments, includes one and two-story structures, flag lots with front and rear units, and multi-unit developments with shared driveways. The proposed project is consistent with the common site layout, density and character of the neighborhood.
The immediate neighborhood has a mix of ranch style, modern and Spanish architecture. Staff finds the proposed Ranch style architecture with characteristics of Spanish architecture to be compatible with the neighborhood and that it enhances the existing streetscape. The proposed homes, with overall height of around 24 feet (Lot 1) and 23 feet (Lot 2), also have compatible mass, scale and heights as the surrounding two-story structures. The use of roof segments and wall offsets further help in minimizing the visual bulk of the proposed house.
The proposed homes exceed the minimum required side yard setbacks from the neighboring properties. The second-floor windows facing the side yards (except those required for egress) will have high sills to minimize the privacy impacts of the neighbors. Based on the setback and location of the second-floor window, staff does not find privacy impacts to the neighbors.
Green Building Requirements
The project is required to meet Sunnyvale’s Green Building standards by achieving a minimum of 80 GreenPoint Rated Checklist points with verification by a Green Point Rater.
Fiscal Impact
No fiscal impacts other than normal fees and taxes are expected.
Public Contact
Neighborhood Outreach Meeting
A neighborhood outreach meeting was hosted by the applicant, and attended by the project planner, at the project site, on January 24, 2019. This meeting was not attended by any neighbors.
Notice of Public Hearing
• Published in the Sun newspaper
• Posted on the site
• 229 notices mailed to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project site
Staff Report
• Posted on the City’s website
• Provided at the Reference Section of the City’s Public Library
Agenda
• Posted on the City’s official notice bulletin board
• Posted on the City’s website
Public Contact: Staff has been contacted by an adjacent neighbor, at the time of writing this report, to express their support for the project. See Attachment 7 for letter from neighbors.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Use Permit, Design Review and the Parcel Map subject to recommended conditions of approval in Attachment 4.
2. Approve the Use Permit, Design Review and the Parcel Map subject to modified conditions of approval.
3. Deny the Use Permit, Design Review and the Parcel Map and provide direction to staff and the applicant on where changes should be made.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Approve the Use Permit, Design Review and the Parcel Map subject to recommended conditions of approval in Attachment 4.
Staff
Prepared by: Aastha Vashist, Associate Planner
Approved by: Gerri Caruso, Principal Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Site, Vicinity and Noticing Map
2. Project Data Table
3. Recommended Findings
4. Recommended Conditions of Approval
5. Neighborhood FAR Information
6. Proposed Site and Architectural Plans
7. Letter from Neighbor