REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
Title
File #: 2017-7137
Location: 150 Lawrence Station Road (APN: 216-27-052)
Applicant / Owner: Costco Wholesale (applicant) / Price Company (owner)
Proposed Project:
USE PERMIT to allow expansion of the existing Costco Gasoline facility by addition of 10 fueling position to the existing 20 fueling position and expand the existing fuel canopy by 5,652 square feet, resulting in a total of 10,676 square feet area.
Reason for Permit: A Use Permit is required to allow modification to the existing Use Permit (2013-7013) for the site. Existing uses are continued to be allowed by the Lawrence Station Area Plan (LSAP).
Project Planner: Aastha Vashist, (408) 730-7458, avashist@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Issues: Parking and circulation
Recommendation: Approve with conditions
Report
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
|
Zoning District: Flexible Mixed-Use I (MXD-I)/ Lawrence Station Area Plan (LSAP) |
Existing |
Gasoline Facility and Retail store |
|
|
Proposed |
Same |
|
Previous Planning Projects related to Subject Application: Use Permit #2013-7053 and MPP #2013-7983 To allow expansion of the gasoline facility by addition of 4 fueling positions resulting in a total of 20 fueling positions. The Miscellaneous Planning Permit (MPP) allowed minor modification to the approved Use Permit which included revised site plan, canopy size, stormwater management plan, parking lot layout, and landscaping plan. |
Yes |
|
Neighborhood Preservation Complaint |
No active complaints |
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Deviations from Standard Zoning Requirements |
No |
The proposed Costco Gasoline Station expansion project includes the addition of 10 fueling positions to the existing 20 fueling positions and expansion of the fuel canopy from 5,024 square feet to 10,676 square feet at the southwest corner of the site. The expansion also includes new bio-retention areas, parking, new controller enclosure and landscaping modifications.
Automobile service stations are not a permitted use within the recently adopted LSAP. However, one of the core principles of the LSAP is to allow existing uses to continue and not be adversely impacted by the implementation of the Plan.
See Attachment 1 for a Vicinity and Noticing map and Attachment 2 for Project Data Table.
Site Layout and Uses
The site is generally located southeast of the Kifer Road and Lawrence Station Road intersection and bounded by the Costco Entrance Road to the east, the Lawrence Caltrain Station to the south, Lawrence Station Road to the west and Kifer Road to the north.
The 12.8-acre site is currently occupied by 137,450 square foot Costco Wholesale building, which covers 25% of the lot. The gasoline facility occupies the southeast corner of the site. The existing uses on the site include retail, tire service center and a gasoline facility. All services are only available for Costco members and not to the general public. No changes are proposed to the existing uses. The proposed project will expand the fueling facility from 20 to 30 fuel dispensers (addition of 10). Site modifications include canopy expansion, parking modifications and landscaping upgrades.
See Attachment 4 for Site and Architectural Plans.
Hours of Operation
The Costco fueling station currently operates Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. No changes are proposed to the hours of operation.
Changes to Fueling Facility
An additional row of 10 fuel dispensers will be added along the north side, which will expand the existing fuel canopy by 5,652 square feet, resulting in a total of 10,676 square feet area. The design of the fuel canopy will match the existing with metal fascia panels and steel columns. The new canopy sign will require a separate staff-level Sign Permit and must comply with Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC).
A new controller enclosure (accessory structure) is approximately 125 square feet in size, 8 feet 7 inches tall, and will be located towards the east of the fueling station. The controller structure will house mechanical equipment for the fueling facility, such as, electrical panels and emergency shut off system. The existing controller enclosure, which is located towards the north of the fueling facility is proposed to be demolished as part of the permit. See Attachment 4 for Site and Architectural Plans.
Parking
Per Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC), gasoline pump canopies do not require parking spaces, while free standing retail use in LSAP area require parking spaces at the minimum rate of 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet area (550 parking spaces) and maximum rate of 5 spaces per 1,000 square feet area (688 spaces).
Nine parking spaces are proposed to be eliminated as part of the site improvements including new bio-retention areas and landscaping upgrades. The parking modifications will result in 740 parking spaces that meet the minimum parking requirement and continues to be legal, nonconforming for the maximum parking rate (Attachment 4, Site and Architectural Plans).
Traffic Study
A Transportation Operation Analysis (TOA) was conducted for the proposed project to determine any operational deficiencies the proposed project may cause on surrounding transportation facilities and whether potential improvements are required. The report was prepared in accordance with the City of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) guidelines. The proposed project is anticipated to generate a total of 126 AM peak hour diverted trips, 132 AM peak hour primary trips, 154 PM peak hour diverted trips and 52 PM peak hour primary trips. The trip generation was estimated using rates collected at the existing Costco fuel station and trip type percentage provided in the Kittelson & Associate, Inc. Refer to Attachment 6 for TOA report.
The TOA analyzed eight intersections, and based on the VTA and City of Sunnyvale criteria, the project is not determined to cause any operational deficiencies at study area intersections. Queuing analysis for left-turn movements at all signalized study intersection suggested deficiencies at Kifer Road/Lawrence Expressway for westbound left-turn movement. However, the identified queuing deficiencies are operational only, and do not rise to the level of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) impact. All project related queuing deficiencies could potentially be improved by implementation of the City of Sunnyvale’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). The Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) for the proposed project will contribute towards the ITS strategies (Condition BP-5, Attachment 3).
Vehicle Queuing and Circulation
The project site has four driveways: one along Kifer Road and three along Lawrence Station Road. The driveway towards the rear of the fueling facility is egress only, and primarily used by vehicles going through the fueling facility.
Internal circulation with the Costco parking area will remain the same. The vehicles access to the fueling station is through the two parking aisles located at the north side. Per the TOA report, the existing queuing capacity of the gas station is four vehicles per lane and the addition of 10 new fueling position will reduce the queue to three vehicles per lane. If any queuing lanes exceed the queueing capacity, the additional vehicles begin to queue in the two parking aisles.
The existing queuing data shows a maximum single pump lane queue of three vehicles during the AM peak periods and five vehicles during PM peak periods. The maximum number of queued vehicle at any given point was 17 vehicles in AM peak hours and 22 vehicles in the PM peak hours. The proposed project is projected to increase the queues by approximately one to two vehicles at each of the 10 queue lanes during the peak hours, with a worst-case maximum number of 37 queued vehicles in AM peak and 42 vehicles during PM peak.
Therefore, the proposed project is anticipated to have overspill on the two parking aisles that lead to the gas station and block the existing parking spaces. To minimize friction between the parked and queued vehicles and parking maneuvers in the aisles, the staff recommends formally designating the parking spaces along the drive aisles feeding the gas station as “Employee Only” parking, and implement a Parking Management Plan (Condition PS-1, Attachment 4). The staff further suggests that if the operational data after six months of the expansion indicate no regular queue spillback, the Community Development Department may consider removing the condition through a separate Planning Permit (Condition PS-3, Attachment 4).
Landscaping
The site maintains a total of 48,747 square feet of landscaping (8.6 percent of the total lot), which is legal non-confirming as it does not meet the minimum 20% landscaping requirement. The applicant proposes to add an additional 1,184 square feet of landscaped area, resulting in a total 49,931 square feet (8.9 percent). New landscaping includes trees, shrubs and groundcover.
An arborist report was prepared by HortScience Inc, dated January 19, 2017 (see Attachment 5, Arborist Report), which evaluated the size, species, health and disposition of existing trees within the project area. A total of six trees on-site will be removed, none of them are protected trees. The trees are proposed to be removed, due to the location conflicts with the proposed site modifications. A total of nine new trees will be planted within the parking area, that includes four 24” box Chinese Pistache and five 15-gallon California Fan Palm trees.
Although the entire site continues to be under landscaped, staff finds that the added landscaping is an improvement over the existing sit conditions. In addition, the new trees will contribute to parking lot shading.
Stormwater Management Plan
A preliminary Stormwater Management Plan has been submitted for the modified areas, which shows two new bio-retention areas to minimize surface run-off and pollution. A more detailed Stormwater Management Plan will be submitted during the building permit phase per Conditions of Approval (see Attachment 4), and the plans will be reviewed and certified by a third-party reviewer.
Public Contact
As of the date of staff report preparation, staff has received no comments from the neighbors.
Notice of Public Hearing:
§ Posted on the site
§ 18 notices mailed to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project site
§ Posted on the City's official notice bulletin board
Staff Report/Agenda:
§ Posted on the City of Sunnyvale's Web site
§ Provided at the Reference Section of the City of Sunnyvale's Public Library
Environmental Determination
The project being considered is categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section 15301(e) as it involves additions to existing structures that will not result in an increase of more than 10,000 square feet. The project is in an area where all public services and facilities are available to allow for maximum development permissible in the General Plan and the area in which the project is located is not environmentally sensitive.
FINDINGS
In order to approve the Use Permit the following findings must be made:
1) Attain the objectives and purposes of the general plan, specific plan, precise plan, or other specialized plan of the city of Sunnyvale. Finding met.
Land Use and Transportation Element
POLICY 74: Provide existing businesses with opportunities to grow in Sunnyvale and provide opportunities to expand into new technologies.
POLICY 76: Promote business opportunities and business retention in Sunnyvale.
The proposed project will expand an existing fueling facility and upgrade the existing parking lot and landscaping. These upgrades will help to improve the overall look and circulation of the site.
(b) Ensure that the general appearance of proposed structures, or the uses to be made of the property to which the application refers, will not impair either the orderly development of, or the existing uses being made of, adjacent properties. (Ord. 2920-10 § 3; Ord. 2623-99 § 1; prior zoning code § 19.52.030 <http://qcode.us/codes/sunnyvale/view.php?cite=_19.52.030&confidence=5>(a), (b)). Finding met.
The project is expected to have minimal impacts on surrounding properties. Sufficient parking is provided to serve all the uses on-site and, as conditioned, the project will help in improving the existing site circulation and help to reduce nonconformities to landscaping.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Use Permit with recommended Conditions in Attachment 3.
2. Approve the Use Permit with modifications.
3. Deny the Use Permit.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1. Approve the Use Permit with recommended Conditions in Attachment 3.
Staff
Prepared by: Aastha Vashist, Assistant Planner
Approved by: Ryan Kuchenig, Senior Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity and Noticing Map
2. Project Data Table
3. Standard Requirements & Recommended Conditions of Approval
4. Site & Architectural Plans
5. Arborist Report
6. Transportation Operations Analysis (TOA) Report