REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
Title
File #: 2018-7884
Location: 510 Lawrence Ex., Suite 102 (APNs: 216-44-119)
Applicant / Owner: SC Design Group (applicant) / Lawrence Commercial Center LLC (owner)
Proposed Project:
USE PERMIT to allow for recreation and enrichment use (dance studio) and tenant improvements within an existing commercial center.
Reason for Permit: A Use Permit is required for recreation and enrichment uses in the M-S/POA Zoning District.
Project Planner: Shila Behzadiaria, (408) 730-7456, sbehzadiaria@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Issues: Parking and Noise
Recommendation: Approve with conditions
Report
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
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Zoning District: |
Industrial & Service - Place of Assembly (MS-POA) |
Existing |
General Industrial/Office Building composed of recreational and place of assembly uses |
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Proposed |
Same |
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Previous Planning Projects related to Subject Application: |
Several places of assembly and recreational uses, including a restaurant use, dance studio, and gaming lounge have been considered through Use Permits for the site. |
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Neighborhood Preservation Complaint |
None |
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Deviations from Standard Zoning Requirements |
None |
Site Layout
The Lawrence Commercial Center was developed in 1978 and is located at the southeast corner of the intersection at Lawrence Expressway and Titan Way. The 3.72-acre site is comprised of three buildings with a multitude of office and commercial uses. The buildings are configured in a U shape with the side and rear walls facing Lawrence Expressway, and the front facades oriented towards the internal parking lot (See Attachment 3, Site and Architectural Plans). Customer access to the businesses is directly from the internal parking lot. There is no direct pedestrian or vehicle access from Lawrence Expressway. The proposed use is located at the southeast corner of the building on the south of the property. The Sunnyvale General Plan designates the site as Industrial. The property is zoned as Industrial and Service (M-S) with the Places of Assembly (POA) combining district. Surrounding land uses, include industrial buildings and uses to the east and commercial service and retail buildings and uses to south, west and north.
Proposed Use
The applicant is requesting a Use Permit to allow for the operation of a 1,744-square foot recreation and enrichment facility that offers dance classes for adults in space #102 within the Lawrence Commercial Center. This space is currently occupied by a retail use (Ham Radio Outlet). The proposed recreation and enrichment use is a conditionally permitted use in the M-S/POA zone, which requires a Use Permit that is reviewed by the Zoning Administrator.
The proposed use will accommodate maximum 2 teachers and 20 students at any given time. The proposed hours of operation will be every day between 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The venue is not intended to be entertainment oriented or for performances, and there will be no food or beverage sales or service provided on site.
Floor Plan
The proposed interior improvements include an instructional dance studio with a dance floor of approximately 1,357 square feet within a 1,744-square foot tenant space. The remaining space would be for storage space, customer waiting and business administration.
Architecture
The proposed exterior changes include a new door and a walkway on the south elevation of the building. This door is required to serve as an exit to the occupants in case of fire or other emergencies.
Parking
The facility is located within a shopping center that is served by a common parking lot. The shopping center has a variety of uses, including restaurants, offices and retail businesses. The parking lot has 206 parking spaces and has access to an additional 59 parking spaces located on the adjacent property at 500 Lawrence Expressway, through a parking agreement, for a total of 265 parking spaces.
Sunnyvale’s parking standards for shopping centers (SMC 19.26.110) require all individual businesses use the shopping center parking rate (min. 4/1,000 sq. ft.) except in the following instances:
A. A restaurant with a bar or entertainment (Applies)
B. Total recreational and athletic facility square footage of greater than eight thousand square feet (Does Not Apply)
C. Total restaurant square footage (not including takeout restaurants) of greater than forty percent of the shopping center floor area. (Does Not Apply)
The proposed recreation and enrichment use (4 parking spaces for 1,000 square feet) is expected to generate the need for 7 parking spaces. The shopping center includes a restaurant (St. John’s Bar and Grill) that has a bar; therefore, the use generates a high parking demand (approximately 74 parking spaces) during peak business hours. The proposed use is not expected to exacerbate the peak hour parking needs at the shopping center, and no additional parking spaces are required. See Attachment 4, Tenant List, for more detail analysis of the parking on site.
Neighborhood Impacts / Compatibility
Minimal neighborhood impacts are anticipated, as the proposed use complies with parking requirements. During high noise generating activities involving music, dancing, and singing, the doors and windows will be kept closed to minimize noise impact on neighboring properties. In addition, noise reduction mitigation measures, such as installation of R-30 insulation ceiling and sound insulation walls, will be applied to reduce the impact on the rest of the tenants in the commercial center and the adjacent properties. The proposed entertainment use further adds to the vitality of the commercial center that consists of various retail establishments, offices and restaurants.
Public Contact: 56 notices were sent to surrounding property owners and residents adjacent to the subject site in addition to standard noticing practices, including advertisement in the Sunnyvale Sun Newspaper and on-site posting. No letters or calls were received from the public by staff.
Environmental Determination: A Categorical Exemption Class 1, Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) (d) (l) relieves this project from CEQA provisions. The project is
exempt from further environmental review because the project entails minor building modifications to an existing commercial development that is limited to interior tenant improvements to allow for a 1,744-square foot recreational and enrichment facility.
FINDINGS
In order to approve the Use Permit the following findings must be made:
1. The proposed use attains the objectives and purposes of the General Plan of the City of Sunnyvale.
The project is consistent with below General Plan, Land Use and Transportation Element policies:
Policy LT-11.2: Support a full spectrum of conveniently located commercial, mixed-use, public, and quasi-public uses that add to the positive image of the community
Policy LT-14.9: Support the provision of a full spectrum of public and quasi-public services (e.g., parks, day care, group living, recreation centers, religious institutions, schools, hospitals, large medical clinics) that are appropriately located in residential, commercial, and industrial neighborhoods and ensure they do not have a negative effect on the surrounding area.
Analysis: The proposed dance studio use attains the objectives of the General Plan and contributes to the vitality of Lawrence Commercial Center. Lawrence Commercial center is located on Lawrence Expressway which is a major corridor that feeds both local and regional traffic. The proposed dance studio is similar and compatible to other uses in the existing commercial center in an industrial zoning district that includes restaurants, retail uses, and other employment centers. Through conditions of approval, the use will have a limited impact to the uses on-site and surrounding properties.
2. The proposed use ensures that the general appearance of proposed structures, or the uses to be made of the property to which the application refers, will not impair the orderly development of, or the existing uses being made of, adjacent properties.
The proposed project is anticipated to have minimal traffic impact, in that it will not result in a significant increase in the number of daily peak hour trips or exacerbate existing levels of service on adjacent roadway. The proposed use will not create a parking shortage. The use does not include food service; therefore, will not create an additional demand on utilities. Lastly, the conditions of approval will ensure that the proposed use will not impair existing uses or those on adjacent properties.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Approve the Use Permit with recommended Findings (Attachment 2) and Conditions of Approval (Attachment 3).
2. Approve the Use Permit with modifications.
3. Deny the Use Permit.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1. Approve the Use Permit subject to the recommended Findings (Attachment 2) and Conditions of Approval (Attachment 3).
Staff
Prepared by: Shila Behzadiaria, Associate Planner
Approved by: Ryan Kuchenig, Senior Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity and Noticing Map
2. Standard Requirements and Recommended Conditions of Approval
3. Site and Architectural Plans
4. Tenant List
5. Letter from the Applicant