REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
File #: 2017-7198
Location: 1490 Hampton Drive (APN: 313-13-015)
Zoning: R-0
Proposed Project:
DESIGN REVIEW: Allow construction of a new two-story residence totaling 3,702 sq. ft. (2,583 sq. ft. living area, a 490 sq. ft. garage and a 629 sq. ft. covered patio) resulting in 52% FAR. The existing one-story residence will be demolished.
Applicant / Owner: Mission City Construction Inc. (applicant) / Christopher Kassel (owner)
Environmental Review: A Class 3 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. Class 3(a) Categorical Exemption include construction or conversion of new small structures that includes one single-family residence (CEQA Section 15303).
Project Planner: Teresa Zarrin, (408) 730-7429, tzarrin@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
General Plan: Residential Low Density
Existing Site Conditions: One-story single family home
Surrounding Land Uses
North: Single-family residential
South: Single-family residential
East: Single-family residential
West: Single-family residential (across Hampton Drive)
Issues: Floor area ratio and neighborhood compatibility
Staff Recommendation: Approve the Design Review subject to recommended conditions of approval.
BACKGROUND
Description of Proposed Project
The project site is 7,068 square feet (0.16 acres) in size and is currently developed with a single-family home with no garage. The applicant proposes to demolish the existing
home and construct a new, two-story single-family home with a total of 3,702 square feet at 52% FAR. The project includes a 120-square foot front porch which is not included in the FAR calculation.
Design Review is required for construction of a new home to evaluate compliance with development standards and with the Single-Family Home Design Techniques. The Planning Commission is required to review applications exceeding 45% FAR or 3,600 square feet.
See Attachment 1 for a Vicinity Map, and Noticing Radius, Attachment 2 for the Project Data Table, and Attachment 6 for the proposed plans.
Previous Actions on the Site
The existing 1,102 square-foot, single-story home was constructed in 1950. In 2002, a 4:12 pitched, composition shingle roof replaced the flat roof on the home.
DISCUSSION
Development Standards
The proposed project complies with all applicable development standards
including setbacks and parking, as set forth in the Sunnyvale Municipal Code. The following key items are noted below:
• Site Layout: The subject lot is 57 feet wide and 124 feet deep and 7,068 square feet in size. The proposed home would be located towards the front of the property and meets or exceed all setback requirements. A 490-sq. ft. two-car garage is provided (minimum 400 sq. ft. required) and a driveway will provide access on the left side of the property’s frontage.
• Lot Coverage: The proposal results in 36% lot coverage and is below the maximum 40% allowed for two-story homes.
• Parking/Circulation: The project provides a two-car garage and two unenclosed parking spaces in the driveway to meet the minimum of two covered and two uncovered parking spaces as required per SMC 19.46.060.
• Landscaping and Tree Preservation: The existing site does not contain any “protected
trees” (tree trunk measuring 38 inches or more in circumference). There are some shrubs along the front property line that are proposed for removal. The project includes 425 sq. ft. of new landscaping in the front yard so a landscape plan is not required for the project. (A landscape plan is required when building a new home and installing more than 500 sq. ft. of landscaping.)
• Solar Access: SMC 19.56.020 states that
If the solar shading analysis shows a conflict with solar access greater than ten percent, the applicant shall provide an additional analysis which calculates the extent to which the proposed construction will shade adjacent rooftops and solar collectors between nine a.m. to three p.m. Pacific Time throughout the entire three hundred sixty-five-day solar cycle. If the analysis shows a cumulative shadowing effect of less than ten percent total over the course of the three hundred sixty-five-day solar cycle, the application shall be deemed to be in compliance with this section.
The proposal shows that the roof of the adjacent property at 1484 Hampton Drive is shaded 25.49% on December 21st at 9AM. Additional analysis throughout the entire 365-day solar cycle was provided that shows an average shading of 82 sq. ft. or 3.7% shading of the south side of the neighbor’s roof, meeting the requirements of SMC Section 19.56.020. There are no solar collectors currently on the adjacent neighbor’s roof.
• GreenPoint Rated Checklist: This project is required to be designed to achieve a minimum of 80 points on Build It Green's Green Point Rated Checklist. A Checklist was provided that achieved 90.5 points. The Building Division will do a detailed review of the Checklist at the building permit stage.
Single Family Home Design Techniques: The City’s Single Family Home Design Techniques (2003) provide guidelines for site planning, architecture, and other design elements related to neighborhood compatibility. These guidelines are referenced in the discussion and analysis below.
Site Plan and Architecture: The homes in the neighborhood can be categorized into three distinct architectural styles and scale; the original one-story, single-family residences which are Postwar Minimal with simple rectangular forms and flat roofs and simple ranch-style homes with 4:12 pitched roofs and the newer two-story, contemporary/Spanish architectural style homes with tile roofs. All the original homes have either no garage, a one-car garage, or garages that have been converted into living space. The existing home at the site can be categorized as a typical Postwar Minimal home without garage.
The proposed home would be a two-story ranch house with a prominent 121 sq. ft. front porch on the right and a two-car garage on the left side. The ranch-style design of the home blends well with the one-story ranch homes on Hampton Drive. The exterior is beige stucco; the garage door and front entry are painted blue with an accent of stone veneer around the front entry. A gabled, dimensional composition shingle roof with a 4:12 pitch is proposed which is compatible with the roofs of the existing one-story ranch homes in the neighborhood that have composition shingle roofs with 4:12 slopes (Attachment 6 - Site and Architectural Plans).
The rear of the second story extends an additional 13 ft. beyond the first story creating a covered 628 sq. ft. outdoor patio that counts towards the floor area. Planning counts patios with roofs that are more than 50% solid toward the floor area and the lot coverage in accordance with the SMC 19.12 (12) (a) and (14).
Setbacks: The proposed residence is located toward the front of the site and exceeds minimum setback requirements for the R-0 zoning district The Project Data table in Attachment 2 shows the setbacks. The front porch is setback 20 ft. and the first-story is setback approximately 25 ft. where 20 ft. is required. The second-story setback is 39 ft. where 25 ft. is required. The combination of the front porch providing a buffer and the first and second stories exceeding the required setbacks reduces the two-story home’s impact on the streetscape. The first and second story rear setback is approximately 42 ft. which exceeds the minimum requirement of 20 ft. for both first and second stories.
The first-story side setbacks total 12 ft., where 11ft. combined is required and the second-story setbacks approximately 22 ft. where 17 ft. is required. The right side yard of the house is adjacent to the rear yard of the two-story house at 943 Marion Way so the distance between the houses would be over 35 ft. The distance of the second story to the house on the left is about 20 ft. Exceeding the side setbacks further reduces the impact of the second story on the adjoining neighbors and the streetscape.
Heights: The proposed plate height for the first floor is 9.5 feet and second floor is 9 feet which is similar to the newer two-story homes in this neighborhood. The proposed roof pitch is 4:12 and is compatible with the ranch homes in the neighborhood. The resultant height of the home is 25’0” measured from the center line of Hampton Drive (there is no curb). The 25-ft. height is similar to the more recently built two-story homes in the neighborhood which range from 24-29 feet in height (See Attachment 5 - Neighborhood FARs and Existing Two-Story Homes)
Floor Area Ratio (FAR):
The proposed 3,702 sq. ft. square foot single family home at 52% FAR exceeds the
45% FAR review threshold and requires Planning Commission approval. The proposed 52% FAR would be the highest FAR in the neighborhood. The difference between 45% (3180) and the 52% FAR in this project is approximately 522 square feet of floor area.
The neighborhood is composed of one and two-story single family homes with an average FAR of 24.5% prior to project; and 25.2% with the project. The newer two-story homes in the neighborhood have FARs ranging from 35-47%, floor areas ranging from 2,480 - 3,535 square feet.
The patio is approximately 629 square feet. While it is counted into the floor area, it does not significantly add to the bulk of the house because the patio area under the second floor is open and in the rear of the house. For comparison if the patio was subtracted from the floor area calculation, the home would result in 3,074 sq. ft. with a 43% FAR which is in the mid-range of both FAR and floor area compared to other two-story homes in the neighborhood.
Staff also considers that although the 53% FAR appears high compared to the average, the appearance of the house from the street in terms of size and scale is similar to those found of the newer two-story homes in this neighborhood.
Second Floor Area to First Floor Area Ratio: The proposed first floor to second story ratio is 52%. This ratio is similar to those of other newer two-story homes in this neighborhood. The neighborhood for this site is composed of one and two-story homes. Since this neighborhood is not predominantly a one-story single-family home neighborhood, the 35% second floor to first floor ratio design guideline is not applicable; however, neighborhood compatibility is still a goal.
Neighborhood Compatibility: The neighborhood is in transition and has a mix of original one and newer two-story homes. The house is similar in scale and height with the newer two-story homes in the neighborhood. The 53% FAR is not uncommon for new two-story homes in Sunnyvale.
Privacy Impact: The proposed house has four second story windows (two high-sill and two regular-sized) facing the rear yard of the two-story home at 943 Marion Way. The 35’ distance to the house on Marion Way minimizes the impact on the adjacent home and staff has not required the applicant to modify the current design. However, if the Planning Commission is concerned about privacy, staff suggests that when not required for egress purposes, the proposed regularly sized second story windows could be modified to high-sill windows. The only window on the left elevation (in Bedroom 3) is required for egress.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 3 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. Class 3(a) Categorical Exemption include construction or conversion of new small structures that includes one single-family residence (CEQA Section 15303).
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impacts other than regular fees and taxes are expected.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Notice of Public Hearing
• Published in the Sun newspaper
• Posted on the site
• 64 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 not received any correspondence or phone calls from neighbors at the time of writing of this report.
FINDINGS
Staff is able to make the Design Review Findings (Attachment 3).
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Design Review subject to recommended Conditions of Approval in Attachment 4.
2. Approve the Design Review subject to modified Conditions of Approval.
3. Deny the Design Review and provide direction to staff and applicant on where changes should be made.
STAFF Recommendation
Recommendation
Recommend Alternative 1 in accordance with the Findings in Attachment 3 and Conditions of Approval in Attachment 4.
Staff
Prepared by: Teresa Zarrin, Associate Planner
Approved by: Gerri Caruso, Principal Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity Map and Noticing Radius
2. Project Data Table
3. Recommended Findings
4. Recommended Conditions of Approval
5. Neighborhood FARs and Photos of Existing Two-Story Homes
6. Proposed Site and Architectural Plans