REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
File #: 2014-7121
Location: 1621 Swift Court (APN: 313-41-043)
Zoning: R-0 Low Density Residential
Proposed Project:
DESIGN REVIEW to allow a first and second story addition to an existing single story home resulting in 3,193 square feet (2,713 square feet living area and 480 square feet garage) and a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 52%.
Applicant / Owner: Stoecker and Northway Architects (applicant) / Ariel and Anna Tseitlin (owners)
Environmental Review: A Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from California Environmental Quality Act provisions and City Guidelines.
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
General Plan: Residential Low Density
Existing Site Conditions: Single-family residence
Surrounding Land Uses
North: Single-family residence
South: Single-family residence
East: Single-family residence
West: Single-family residence
Issues: Floor Area Ratio
Staff Recommendation: Alternative 1: approve the Design Review based on the Findings in Attachment 4 and with the recommended Conditions in Attachment 5.
BACKGROUND
Description of Proposed Project
The applicant proposes to build a new foyer and second story addition resulting in a total of 3,193 square feet (2,713 square feet living area and 480 square feet of garage space) and 52% Floor Area Ratio (FAR). The project site is 6,200 square feet (0.142 acres). A Design Review is required for construction of an addition to evaluate compliance with development standards and with the Single Family Home Design Techniques. Planning Commission review is required for Design Review applications exceeding 45% FAR or 3,600 square feet.
See Attachment 1 for a map of the vicinity and mailing area for notices and Attachment 2 for the Data Table of the project.
EXISTING POLICY
Single Family Home Design Techniques: The City's Single Family Home Design Guidelines (2003) provide recommendations for site planning, architecture, and design. These guidelines are referenced in the discussion and analysis below.
DISCUSSION
Architecture and Site Design
The existing home has simple ranch-style architecture with a combination of gable and hip roof forms using composition shingle roofing with stucco and brick on the exterior. The majority of single-story and second-story homes in the immediate neighborhood are consistent in style and materials. The proposed home would maintain a similar ranch-style with stucco and gabled roof form and composition roofing. Wood siding would be used at the top of the three gables in the front, the one gable in the rear and the one gable on each of the sides to increase the character of the house (Attachment 6 - Site and Architectural Plans). A colored stucco trim would be used as an accent for the bottom of the front elevation which would be wrapped around both side elevations for a short distance. The use of a stone or brick veneer wainscot on the front façade of the first floor would provide stronger base element and it would maintain an additional element found in the neighborhood. Staff has included the following language if the Planning Commission would like to add this as a condition:
BP-1: The building permit plans shall revise the front elevation to include a brick or stone wainscot on the front façade of the first floor. [PLANNING]
The proposed first-story and second-story addition would be located towards the middle of the property meeting all setback requirements. A two car garage would take access from the existing driveway at the right side of the property's frontage. There is a 10' Public Utility Easement at the front of the applicant's property. The applicant has taken this easement into consideration and has ensured no development would occur in this area.
Privacy
The proposed second-story addition includes an approximately 96 square foot balcony element located on the rear elevation behind the master bedroom. The balcony is approximately 22' away from the left side property line, 25' away from the right side property line and 40'-5" from the rear property line. There are windows located on all sides of the second-story addition however smaller sized windows were chosen when not required for egress purposes to reduce privacy issues. Based on the increased setbacks and location, the proposed balcony and windows are not expected to have privacy impacts on adjacent neighbors.
Solar Access
The Zoning Code (§19.56.020) states that no permit may 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. Shading would only impact a small portion of the one-story section of the house that is located in the rear yard. The rest of the house is two-stories which would not be impacted by the applicant's proposed second-story addition. This is demonstrated in the project plans and Sheet A4.1 in Attachment 6 shows that shading would not exceed the maximum level permitted thereby complying with current solar access standards.
Floor Area Ratio
The surrounding neighborhood is composed of single and two-story homes with FARs ranging between 29% and 52% (Attachment 3 - Neighborhood Floor Area Ratio Table). The additions to the applicant's home would not affect adjacent properties as the design uses increased and varied setbacks to help reduce the bulk and mass of the home.
Second Floor Area to First Floor Area Ratio
The Design Techniques note that for the purposes of assessing neighborhood character and scale, the "neighborhood" is defined as both sides of the street within the same and immediately adjacent blocks. The neighborhood for this site is composed of a mix of single-story and two-story homes. The proposed project includes a smaller second floor area of 775 square feet, which is approximately 32% of the 2,420 square foot first floor area. Staff finds that this is an acceptable second to first floor ratio as the character of the proposed house is located within an existing mixed-story neighborhood and the ratio is less than the maximum 35% as stated in the City's Single Family Home Design Guidelines.
Landscaping
No protected trees will be removed as part of the first-story and second-story addition. The first-story addition will only be filling in an existing courtyard to create more interior space and the second-story addition will be constructed within the borders of the first-story as shown in Attachment 6.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from California Environmental Quality Act provisions and City Guidelines.
CONCLUSION
Findings and General Plan Goals: Staff was able to make the required Findings based on the justifications for the Design Review. Recommended Findings and General Plan Goals are located in Attachment 4.
Conditions of Approval: Recommended Conditions of Approval are located in Attachment 5.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impacts other than normal fees and taxes are expected.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Notice of Public Hearing:
- Posted on the site
- 46 notices mailed to property owners and residents within 200 feet of the project site
- Posted on the City of Sunnyvale's Web site
- Provided at the Reference Section of the City of Sunnyvale's Public Library
- Posted on the City's official notice bulletin board
- Posted on the City of Sunnyvale's Web site
ALTERNATIVES
- Approve the Design Review with the conditions in Attachment 5.
- Approve the Design Review with modified conditions.
- Deny the Design Review and provide direction to staff and the applicant where changes should be made.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Recommend Alternative 1 to approve the Design Review based on the Finding in Attachment 4 and with the recommended Conditions in Attachment 5.
Staff
Prepared by: Elise Lieberman, Assistant Planner
Reviewed by: Gerri Caruso, Principal Planner
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity Map
2. Project Data Table
3. Neighborhood Floor Area Ratio Table
4. Recommended Findings
5. Recommended Conditions of Approval
6. Site and Architectural Plans