REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project:
DESIGN REVIEW: To demolish an existing home and construct a new two-story single-family home, resulting in 5,672 square feet (5,182 square feet living area and 490 square feet garage) and 45% floor area ratio (FAR).
Location: 1019 Edmonds Court (APN: 320-12-008)
File #: 2019-7191
Zoning: R-1 (Low Density Residential)
Applicant / Owner: Bekom Design, Inc. (applicant) / Hila and Alon Matas (owner)
Environmental Review: A Class 3 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. Class 3(a) Categorical Exemption includes construction of one single-family residence in a residential zoning district.
Project Planner: Kelly Cha, (408) 730-7408, kcha@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
General Plan: Low Density Residential (RLO)
Existing Site Conditions: One-Story Single-Family Home
Surrounding Land Uses
North: One-Story Single-Family Home
South: One-Story Single-Family Home
East: One-Story Single-Family Home
West: One-Story Single-Family Home
Issues: Neighborhood Compatibility
Staff Recommendation: Approve the Design Review with the Conditions of Approval in Attachment 4.
BACKGROUND
Description of Proposed Project: The project site is 0.29 acres in size and is currently developed with a single-story single-family home.
The applicant requests to demolish the existing single-story house and construct a new two-story single-family home resulting in 5,672 square feet and 45% floor area ratio (FAR). This proposal is a redesign of the previously reviewed Design Review application, which was denied by the Planning Commission on February 11, 2019.
The proposed project requires Planning Commission review because the proposed gross floor area exceeds 3,600 square feet. See Attachment 1 for a map of the vicinity and mailing area for notices and Attachment 2 for the Project Data Table of the project.
Previous Actions on the Site: On February 11, 2019, the Planning Commission reviewed a Design Review application for a new two-story single-family home, resulting in 5,996 square feet and 47.6% FAR. The proposal included a new accessory dwelling Unit (ADU) on the second floor with an exterior stairway access. The Planning Commission denied the project noting concerns with the layout of the ADU, size, privacy, and garage location (See “Discussion” section below for more detail).
Other than the recent Design Review application request, two building permits were issued back in 1971 and in 2011 for minor changes to the existing single-story house. There are no active neighborhood preservation complaints on this property.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 3 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. Class 3(a) Categorical Exemption includes construction of one single-family residence in a residential zoning district.
DISCUSSION
Revisions to the Previous Design: The proposed project is a revised proposal of the previously submitted Design Review that was denied by the Planning Commission on February 11, 2019. At the hearing, the Planning Commission noted concerns with the design and provided direction to staff and the applicant team to consider. The meeting minutes from the February 11th Planning Commission hearing is provided in Attachment 6.
Per direction received at the February 11th Planning Commission hearing, the applicant redesigned the proposal and submitted a new application. The following summary describes several changes that have been incorporated into the revised proposal based on feedback from the Planning Commission:
1. ADU Access and Layout. The Planning Commission requested that a direct route be provided to and from the ADU and to provide cooking appliances. The ADU on the second floor has been removed in the current design. The area has been redesigned as two bedrooms (one is designated as an office).
2. Size Compatibility. The proposed project would be the largest home within the immediate neighborhood with the total floor area of 5,672 square feet, 45% FAR, and 37% lot coverage. The proposed project is smaller than the previous project, and complies with the required development standards and policies in the Single-Family Home Design Techniques. The previous proposal was for a 5,996 square foot home and 47.6% FAR.
3. Privacy Issues. The Planning Commission was concerned about the privacy of immediate neighbors, due to the previous project’s second floor balcony and one of windows facing the left side. The Planning Commission mentioned that the open railing on the second floor balcony increases privacy impacts for neighbors, and trees along the rear property line would help reduce impacts. The proposed project includes the second floor balcony, but has a solid barrier. Also, the projecting portion of the second floor includes a planter, reducing the size of the balcony and increasing the distance between the balcony area and the rear property line to approximately 45 feet. The proposed project also includes a row of drought-resistant bamboo plants along the rear property line to mitigate the privacy impacts from the balcony. The second floor egress window from one of the bedrooms on the second floor is partially frosted to reduce the privacy impacts as well.
4. Garage Location. The Planning Commission requested that the applicant reconsider the garage location to be more consistent with the existing cul-de-sac pattern. With the garage moving from the right side to the left side of the project site, the neighboring property on its left would have limited view of the courtyard because of the garage and fence location.
The relocation of the garage was considered by the applicants; however, due to the shape of the lot, it was difficult to flip the design. Also, relocating bedrooms towards the neighboring property’s front yard heightened some privacy concerns for both the proposed project and the neighboring property. Instead of relocating the garage to the other side, the proposed project’s garage and fence are both set back further than the earlier design. The new location of the garage is set back approximately 26 feet from the front property line, which is 6 feet more the previous design and the minimum required. The fence along the left side property line starts approximately 47 feet from the front property line, which is a significant change from the earlier design that positioned the fence at approximately 24 feet from the front property line. The relocation of the garage and fence further open the courtyard view to the site from the neighboring property. The proposed project also includes drought-resistant hedges along the left side of the garage to buffer the view to the site.
Architecture and Site Layout: The proposed project is a two-story single-family home, with a ranch-style architecture, which is similar to homes in the immediate area. The applicant has incorporated a more contemporary aesthetic, while maintaining the lines and scale of homes in the vicinity.
The proposed project includes earth-toned stucco throughout with elements of stacked stone to add texture. Dark-colored wood fascia helps visually break up the elevation and the height of the proposed home. The mass and bulk of the home has been minimized with plate height and architectural design to avoid being obtrusive in the predominantly single-story neighborhood.
The project site is a pie-shaped lot in a cul-de-sac. The proposed project generally follows the shape of the lot for the first floor. The second story is angled with increased setbacks that minimize its impact on adjacent properties. The main entrance is setback farther than the garage entrance which is the prevalent pattern on the cul-de-sac lots in this immediate neighborhood because they have narrower front yard.
Floor Area and Floor Area Ratio: A single-family home proposing a gross floor area greater than 3,600 square feet or a floor area ratio (FAR) greater than 45% requires Planning Commission Review. The proposed project has a gross floor area of 5,672 square feet on a 12,605-square foot lot, which results in a 45% FAR. It would be the largest house in the immediate vicinity. The next largest home in the neighborhood would be 3,335 square feet at 1026 Earlington Court. The existing gross floor area in the neighborhood ranges from 2,069 square feet to 3,335 square feet, with an average of 2,834 square feet.
Although the proposed project exceeds 3,600 square feet, it is on the largest lot in the area. Most of the lots in the same cul-de-sac are over 12,000 square feet. The proposed architectural style, larger setbacks on the second floor, a well-articulated building façade, minimized plate height, and a combination of high quality materials help in minimizing the visual impact of the large home.
The proposed second floor is approximately 1,261 square feet. The area of the second floor is approximately 29% of the first floor, which complies with the Single-Family Home Design Technique Policy on second-to-first floor ratio (35% recommended maximum). Other than windows required by Building Code for egress/ingress purposes, all windows are facing towards the front or rear of the house to reduce the privacy concerns from neighboring properties on both sides. The only egress window facing the left side neighboring property is partially frosted to mitigate the privacy impacts.
Height: Most of the homes in the immediate neighborhood are single-story with an approximate height of 17 feet to 19 feet. The total height of the proposed two-story project (measured from top of curb to top of ridge) is 26’-3”. The applicant proposes plate heights for the first and second-story to be 9 feet and 8 feet to be more compatible with the immediate neighborhood and to alleviate the impact from the second floor.
Development Standards: The proposed project complies with the applicable development standards as set forth in the Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC). The Project Data Table for the proposed project can be found in Attachment 2.
Solar Access: SMC Section 19.56.020 states that no permit may be issued for any construction that would interfere with solar access by shading more than 10% of the roof of any structure on a nearby property. The solar analyses for the proposed project illustrates that the proposed project does not affect solar access of the adjacent properties (See Sheets A-0.6 and A-0.7 of Attachment 5).
Landscaping Plan: The proposed project includes a landscaping plan, which includes 9 new trees on the site. The applicant requests to remove all 13 trees, of which one is considered protected. Per City policy on protected tree replacements, the applicant is required to provide one 48-inch box tree, two 36-inch box trees, or four 24-inch box trees in replacement of for the protected tree. The applicant agreed to provide the required size and number of replacement trees (Condition PS-3) as part of the proposed landscaping plan. The updated proposal includes additional landscaping in the form of small- to medium-sized shrubs (“Pittosporum Tobira Variegata”) along the left side property line and drought-resistant bamboo plants along rear property line to reduce privacy impacts. Also, as conditioned, the landscaping and irrigation plans will comply with the City’s Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance set forth in SMC Chapter 19.37.
Applicable Design Guidelines: The proposed project is consistent with the adopted Single-Family Home Design Techniques. The recommended Findings can be found in Attachment 3.
Fiscal Impact
No fiscal impacts other than normal fees and taxes are expected.
Public Contact
As of the date of staff report preparation, staff has received no comments from the public. Staff has corresponded with a neighbor who had a list of questions about the project after attending the Planning Commission Study Session in May. The correspondence is included in Attachment 8.
Planning Commission Study Session:
On May 13, 2019, the proposed project was presented at a study session to the Planning Commission. The presentation included a comparison between the previous design and the current design, and how the revised design attempts to address the concerns and feedback from the previous Planning Commission decision in February.
Notice of Public Hearing:
• Published in the Sun newspaper
• Posted on the site
• 48 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 website
• Posted on the City’s official notice bulletin board
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Design Review with the Conditions of Approval in Attachment 4.
2. Approve the Design Review with modified conditions.
3. Deny the Design Review and provide direction to staff and the applicant where changes should be made.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Approve the Design Review with the Conditions of Approval in Attachment 4.
Staff
Prepared by: Kelly Cha, Associate Planner
Approved by: Ryan Kuchenig, Acting Principal Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity and Mailing Map
2. Project Data Table
3. Recommended Findings
4. Recommended Conditions of Approval
5. Site and Architectural Plans
6. Meeting Minutes from the 2/11/19 Planning Commission
7. Neighborhood Comparison Table
8. Public Comments