REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project:
SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT: to allow an addition of 575 square feet to the rear unit of an existing one-story duplex, resulting in 3,125 square feet (2,549 square feet living area, 403 square feet garage, and 173 square feet rear covered pergola) and 48.1% floor area ratio (FAR).
Location: 448 South Frances Street (APN: 209-26-017)
File #: 2020-7353
Zoning: DSP-11 (Downtown Specific Plan - Block 11)
Applicant / Owner: Prachi Jain and Sagar Chordia (applicants and owners)
Environmental Review: Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions.
Project Planner: Momoko Ishijima, 408-730-7532, mishijima@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
BACKGROUND
The project site is located mid-block on the east side of South Frances Street in the Downtown Specific Plan Area Block 11. The project site is 6,500 square feet and the existing duplex was constructed in 1971. The neighborhood consists of one- and two-story homes, duplexes, apartments, and commercial buildings on the north end of Block 11.
Description of Proposed Project
The proposed project includes a single-story 575-square foot addition to the rear unit of a duplex. The addition is located on the side and to the rear to create a new great room consisting of a combined kitchen, dining, and living room space. The interior of the rear unit will be reconfigured to add a master bedroom suite as a third bedroom. A 173-square foot covered patio is proposed in the rear outside of the new master bedroom. The project also includes exterior modifications to the entire duplex with new wood siding, paint color, and roof material.
A Special Development Permit with approval by the Zoning Administrator is required for additions to structures in the DSP per Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) Section 19.28.080(c). See Attachment 1 for a map of the vicinity and mailing area for notices and Attachment 2 for the Data Table of the project.
Previous Actions on the Site
On September 13, 1971, the Planning Commission approved Variance #V-71-41 to allow a 6,500-square foot lot in lieu of a minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet, lot width of 50 feet in lieu of a minimum of 76 feet, and a side setback of five feet in lieu of nine feet; required by the R-4 zoning standards, which was the zoning designation at the time. City Council adopted the Downtown Specific Plan in 2003 and rezoned the project site to DSP Block 11. City Council adopted an Amendment to the Downtown Specific Plan on August 11, 2020.
The front unit (446 South Frances Street) of the duplex has an active building permit for an interior remodel which includes the rearranging of the interior space to create a great room and a new fourth bedroom. No floor area increase is proposed for the front unit.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 1 Categorical Exemption (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301, Existing Facilities) relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions. The project proposes a negligible increase to the floor area.
DISCUSSION
Site Layout and Architecture
The existing duplex is 2,377 square feet including two single-vehicle garages which total 403 square feet. The lot is narrow with a width of 50 feet and a depth of 130 feet. The existing duplex is a rectangular structure which lies on the north side of the property with a driveway access on the south side. The garages are located in the center between the two units. The existing duplex has a simple form, a hipped roof style, and white stucco walls on the exterior.
The proposed addition will be on the south side of the rear unit. The plate height of the addition will be increased from eight feet to nine feet. A black metal frame pergola with wood siding will be added to the front over the front entrance, and in the rear over a deck patio. The project maintains the simple form and hipped roof style of the existing structure, however, upgrades are proposed to the windows, garage doors, new stucco walls with accent wood siding on the street facing elevations of both units, which will elevate the architectural style to a more contemporary aesthetic. All new windows will match the existing windows. (Refer to Attachment 6 - Material Board)
The proposed project is consistent with the Downtown Specific Plan which envisions the area south of East Iowa Avenue to maintain existing uses, densities, and neighborhood character as a transition area from the main downtown developments to the north and the heritage housing neighborhood to the south. The proposed project is consistent with the Citywide Design Guidelines, as it generally maintains the existing shape and form and privacy impacts are minimal as the addition is one-story and toward the rear of the property. Recommended Findings are located in Attachment 3.
Development Standards
The proposed project complies with all applicable development standards, as set forth in the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, such as lot coverage, setbacks, height, and parking. No deviations are proposed.
Rear Yard Encroachment: Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) R-0 and R-1 development standards are applied to single-family and duplex homes in the DSP. SMC Section 19.48.050 allows a rear yard extension of a maximum of 10 feet from the rear property line and no more than 25% coverage of the required rear yard. The proposed addition is proposed to be 14 feet from the rear property line and 246 square feet rear yard coverage (24.6% coverage) where 250 square feet is the maximum.
Neighborhood Impacts: The proposed setback on the right side of the addition would be reduced from 18 feet to four feet, which meets the minimum interior side yard setback requirement. The project is a modest one-story addition in the rear unit of a duplex. The adjacent property to the right consists of a two-story home and a detached single-story accessory dwelling unit in the rear yard. Staff finds that the privacy impacts would be minimal and acceptable.
PUBLIC CONTACT
129 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. At the time of writing this report, staff received one inquiry from a neighbor asking if the addition was two story.
CONCLUSION
Staff is able to make the required Findings (Attachment 3) of the Special Development Permit. Staff recommends that the Special Development Permit be approved.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Special Development Permit with recommended Conditions in Attachment 3.
2. Approve the Special Development Permit with modifications.
3. Deny the Special Development Permit.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1. Approve the Special Development Permit with recommended Conditions in Attachment 3.
Staff
Prepared by: Momoko Ishijima, Senior Planner
Approved by: Noren Caliva-Lepe, Principal Planner
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity and Noticing Maps
2. Project Data Table
3. Recommended Findings
4. Recommended Conditions of Approval
5. Site and Architectural Plans
6. Material Board