REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Project: Related applications on a 6.57-acre site:
USE PERMIT to allow additional outdoor equipment and site improvements, resulting in a total equipment storage area of 13.4% (38,282 square feet), and
VARIANCE to allow 46% lot coverage, where 45% maximum is permitted.
Location: 545 Oakmead Pkwy (APN: 216-44-112)
File #: 2022-7183
Zoning: Industrial and Service (M-S)
Applicant / Owner: RMW (applicant) / Fred Cordesius (Owner)
Environmental Review: Class 1 Categorical Exemption relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions.
Project Planner: Kelly Cha, 408-730-7408, kcha@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Report
BACKGROUND
Description of Proposed Project
The proposed project is to add outdoor equipment areas to the 6.57-acre project site. The proposed areas would increase the percentage of the lot dedicated to outdoor equipment from 8.4% to 13.4%. Along with additional outdoor equipment areas, the proposed project also includes expansion of the existing roof equipment area with taller screening, relocation of the required trash enclosure outside the gated equipment area and increase of the landscaped area with a new bioretention in the rear of the site, facing Midas Way.
Section 19.88.020(a)(3) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) requires a minor Use Permit for unenclosed accessory uses. Variance is also required to allow 46% lot coverage, as 45% is the maximum permitted.
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
The project site has numerous Miscellaneous Plan Permits related to waiver of screening for mechanical equipment on the roof and screening for existing equipment enclosures since 2011. There are no active neighborhood preservation cases on the project site.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Class 1 Categorical Exemption (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301, Existing Facilities) relieves this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions.
DISCUSSION
The project site is located in the easternmost area of the Sunnyvale city limits, closer to the border with the city of Santa Clara. The 6.57-acre project site is bounded by Oakmead Parkway to the north and the east, E. Arques Avenue to the south, and Lawrence Expressway to the west. The project site is surrounded by industrial uses, with no residential uses in the vicinity. The site has an existing one-story industrial building of 112,850 square feet, with 24,125 square feet of outdoor equipment area, which is equivalent to 8.4% of the lot. The existing industrial building, which was constructed in 1977, is currently occupied by a semiconductor manufacturer, Applied Materials.
Outdoor Storage Area
The project site has outdoor equipment areas along the north side of the property, abutting 1290 Oakmead Parkway. However, most of the existing outdoor equipment area is located adjacent to the existing building’s northwest corner, toward the back of the building. The existing outdoor equipment area is approximately 24,125 square feet, which is equivalent to 8.4% of the lot. A total of 15,092 square feet of additional outdoor equipment area is proposed, which is comprised of a new second-level equipment area of 11,693 square feet (Area 2E) and a new generator enclosure of 2,574 square feet (Area 5E), in addition to a new trash enclosure of 815 square feet. These additional outdoor equipment areas will increase the percentage of the lot dedicated to outdoor equipment to 13.4% (from 8.4%). The locations and summary of the existing and proposed equipment areas, including the required trash enclosure, can be found on Sheet GP002 of the Site and Architectural Plans (Attachment 5).
The equipment area 2E, which abuts the existing building, as well as the roof equipment, will be screened with metal panels and louvers. The applicant proposes to paint the metal panels and louvers to match the color of the existing building (Benjamin Williams Silver Lake 1596) to provide a more consistent appearance. The proposed project also includes additional rooftop equipment with taller screening, which results in 46’-6” in height when measured with the taller screening. The height is still under the maximum allowed of 75 feet. The applicant provided line of sight drawings confirming that the newly added rooftop equipment is outside the line of sight of a person looking up from the ground at the property lines and will thus not be visible.
The existing tenant of the building is a semiconductor manufacturer. An additional enclosure to house an emergency generator and expansion of the outdoor equipment area are essential to support the large cleanroom facility, which will house numerous R&D and manufacturing tools to design a very robust mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) and utility delivery support system. The additional outdoor equipment areas will support the existing semiconductor manufacturer in continuing its business in Sunnyvale instead of looking for another location; they will also provide a new opportunity to expand its business with new technologies. Land Use and Transportation Element promotes offering opportunities to existing businesses to grow in Sunnyvale and expand into new technologies (LT-11.1) and promotes business retention (LT-11.3). Therefore, staff finds that the proposed project meets the required Use Permit findings, complies with all development standards (including parking) except for lot coverage, and does not result in negative impacts on neighbors. See Attachment 3 for the required Use Permit findings.
Lot Coverage
The proposed project adds a new level to the existing equipment area 2E and provides coverings for a new trash enclosure, which increase the overall lot coverage to 46%, where 45% maximum coverage is permitted. The proposed lot coverage is not triggered by gross building floor area addition, but from coverings and screening for outdoor equipment areas to protect equipment from the weather and mitigate visual and acoustic impacts from operating equipment. Staff finds that the requested lot coverage deviation is thus reasonable. The deviation exceeds the maximum allowed lot coverage by only 1%, which represents an insignificant change to the site as well. See Attachment 3 for the required Variance findings.
PUBLIC CONTACT
60 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.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Use Permit and Variance with recommended Conditions in Attachment 4.
2. Approve Use Permit and Variance with modifications.
3. Deny the Use Permit and Variance.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1. Approve the Use Permit and Variance with recommended Conditions in Attachment 4.
Staff
Prepared by: Kelly Cha, Associate Planner
Approved by: Momoko Ishijima, Senior 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. Use Permit and Variance Justification