REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Introduce an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 19.32 of Title 19 of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code to Modify the Height Requirements for the R-3 (Medium Density Residential) Zoning District (Non-Townhouse), (Study Issue, 2013-7143), and a Finding that the Proposed Ordinance is Exempt from the Requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15061(b)(3)
Report
BACKGROUND
In 2005 Council considered the study titled, "Height Limit in R-3 Zoning Districts" and made no changes to the height regulations of 2-stories and 30 feet indicating that it was preferable to consider exceptions, on a case by case basis, rather than a blanket increase to the limit. R-3 height was again reviewed in 2006 as a part of a study on how to encourage home ownership, and the Council adopted changes to the zoning code that increased the height allowance for townhouse style development in the R-3 zone to 3-stories and 35 feet; the rationale for the split standard is that townhouse style units are more likely to be sold individually (and the city cannot otherwise differentiate zoning standards based on form of ownership). Since the 2006 study, approximately 24 R-3 projects have been considered (the complete list of projects can be found in Attachment 4); most of these projects were townhouse style developments and by code were permitted to be up to three stories and 35 feet in height. Seven of the townhouse style projects were approved to exceed the 35 foot height limit. Five of the 24 projects were for non-townhouse style developments (condominium flats and apartments) and all of these non-townhouse projects were approved with deviations to exceed the maximum height of2-stories and 30 feet. In 2012, after evaluating one of these projects, the Planning Commission sponsored this study issue to revisit the height standard for R-3 developments (Study Issue Paper, Attachment 1).
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan
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