REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Storage Space for Multi-Family Residential: Forward a recommendation to the City Council to Introduce an Ordinance to Amend Section 19.12.130 ("L") of Chapter 19.12 (Definitions), Section 19.38.040 (Individual Lockable Storage Space) of Chapter 19.38 (Required Facilities) and Section 19.90.030 (Procedures) of Chapter 19.90 (Special Development Permits) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, and Find that the Action is Exempt from CEQA Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
This Study Issue was sponsored by the Planning Commission in 2015 during a discussion of a multi-family residential development application (see Attachment 2 for Study Issue paper). The application request included a reduction of the lockable storage size requirement from the required 300 cubic feet to 200 cubic feet for the one-bedroom units. Also, in recent years, exceptions have been granted for development projects with significant interior storage (e.g., large hall or walk-in closets) and in-unit laundry rooms with extra storage area.
The purpose of this Study Issue is to determine whether the existing storage requirements are still relevant in the multi-family development market, especially in relation to the current market and development patterns.
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission make a recommendation to the City Council to adopt an ordinance to amend Section 19.38.040 (Storage Space for Multi-Family Residential), along with Chapter 19.12 (Definitions), of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code to amend the individual lockable storage requirements to:
* Reduce the minimum interior size requirement to 200 cubic feet for one-bedroom and studio units;
* Create minimum dimension requirements;
* Expand the allowable locations for individual lockable storage to include access from a balcony and extra closest area in the interior of a unit;
* Provide that allowing two smaller spaces combined to meet the minimu...
Click here for full text