REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Accept the Downtown Parking Study Recommendations as policies and direct staff to return with a fully developed implementation plan for near-term strategies within a year and Find that the Action is Exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 (Study Issue).
Report
SUMMARY OF COMMISSION ACTION
The Planning Commission considered this item on July 27, 2020 and approved Alternative 2 with the following modification:
• The Director of Community Development or decision body must consider innovative parking design, based on accepted guidelines and standards such as Institute of Transportation Engineers or Urban Land Institute, that could include new technology and variations in building design.
The vote was 5-0 in favor, with one Commissioner absent and one recused. Public Comment letters are provided in Attachment 8 to the report.
Staff concurs with the requested modification and will present the change with the Downtown Specific Plan Amendment, a public hearing item on this same agenda.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety. In addition, the agenda and report are available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Find that the action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 and accept the Downtown Parking Study parking recommendations (Attachment 5 to the report) and direct staff to return with a fully developed plan to implement near-term strategies (Planning Commission recommendation).
2. Find that the action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 and accept Downtown Parking Study parking recommendations with modifications and direct staff to return with a fully developed plan to implement near-term strategies.
3. Take no action and provide direction on revisions and return to Council at a later date.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Find that the action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 and accept the Downtown Parking Study parking recommendations (in Attachment 5 to the report) and direct staff to return with a fully developed plan to implement near-term strategies.
The public parking in the Downtown is a valuable resource and a key component in supporting downtown businesses and community activities. As sites in the Downtown have transitioned and redeveloped and as the community values have evolved to emphasize transportation alternatives to the single-occupant automobile, the techniques to manage the parking also need to evolve. The recommended strategies in Attachment 5 provide a collection of techniques that can be considered over time. The table has been annotated to note strategies that are included in the proposed Downtown Specific Plan (and related Zoning Code amendments). While the next phase of development occurs in the near term, the City and community can select specific techniques that fit the need at the moment. Staff recommends implementing strategies over time and supporting flexible parking design principles to not overbuild parking, but to use parking more efficiently and effectively. Several recommended policies and implementation measures are in the proposed Downtown Specific Plan update and will be considered separately; these items in the DSP will serve as formal policy support for many of the recommended parking management actions.
Staff is recommending no change to the Parking Study, and will include the Planning Commission recommendation regarding “innovative parking design” in the Draft Downtown Specific Plan (DSP) staff report because the Draft DSP is the implementing plan for several of the recommendations of the Parking Study.
Staff
Prepared by: Michelle King, Principal Planner
Reviewed by: Andrew Miner, Assistant Director, Community Development
Reviewed by: Trudi Ryan, Director, Community Development
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Report to Planning Commission 20-0338, July 27, 2020 (without attachments)
2. Study Issue Summary Paper CDD 11-02
3. Link to Walker Consultants, Parking Capacity and Management Study for Downtown Sunnyvale, 2020
4. City Comparison Table
5. Downtown Parking Recommendations
6. Map of Downtown Specific Plan Blocks
Additional Attachments for Report to Council
7. Excerpt of Draft Minutes of the Planning Commission Meeting of July 27, 2020
8. Public Comment Letters