Study Issue CDD 19-07:
Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Automobile
Parking Requirements for Residential Uses
George Schroeder, Principal Planner
City Council, March 19, 2024
2City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • Planning Commission sponsored the study issue in 2018 Referred by the City Council in 2022
Modified scope to evaluate single-family & multifamily parking standards Compare the standards with other jurisdictions
Study Issue Background
3City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • 1951, First parking requirements: 1 space/unit
• 1959:
Single-family: 2 spaces/unit + 1/each employee
Multifamily: 1.5 spaces/unit + 1/each employee
• 1966 & 1972, Multifamily:
Add’l parking required for more than 1 bdrm
• 1986: Compact allowed in multifamily
• 1996: Increased parking for SFR & multifamily
• 2015: Tandem & mechanized parking
Brief History of Residential Automobile Parking Requirements
4City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • AB 2097: No parking within half-mile of major transit stop • State Density Bonus: Automatic reduced parking for BMR housing • SB 330/SB 8: New residential requirements must be “objective” • ADUs: No parking req.; can convert (e) parking without adding parking • DUOs: One covered space; no parking if half-mile to El Camino Real • New 2023 laws (in effect Jan 2024):
AB 1308: No additional parking for single-family home remodels AB 1317: Unbundled parking
AB 894: Shared parking
State Law’s Impact on Residential Parking
5City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 Single/Two-Family Multifamily
Current General Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) Requirements • 2 covered + 2 uncovered min.
400 s.f. min garage or carport
17’ x 20’ driveway
Must upgrade covered parking
for certain additions
Tandem allowed for existing
nonconforming parking in
certain situations
Add’l 0.4 spaces for properties
with limited street parking
• 1 covered assigned/unit min.
• Add’l unassigned based on unit
bedroom & parking structure type
Results in 1.5-2.65+ total/unit
Up to 10% unassigned may be compact
Tandem/mechanized for up to 50% of
units
Add’l spaces by review body (non-
objective) for properties w/ limited
street parking
6City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • 1 min. covered assigned space/unit
SFR: 1 add’l uncovered space
MFR: Add’l unassigned based on BR type
• Tandem for 100%
Current Area and Specific Plan Requirements
• Mirrors general SMC standards
Nodes: 1 to 1.7 min.; 1.5 to 2 max
Segments: 1 to 2 min.; 1.5 to 2.25 max
• Mirrors ECR node standards • No min. parking requirements • Max parking of 1 space/unit
Can exceed maximums by 50%, only if shared
• Tandem for 100%
LAWRENCE STATION AREA PLAN
7City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • Single-Room Occupancy
0.25 to 1 space/unit, based on unit size
• Mobile Home Parks
2 spaces/unit + 1/employee + 1/sp. vehicle
• Senior Housing
Affordable: 0.6 spaces/unit
Standard: 1 space/unit
• 100% Affordable
1-2.15 spaces/unit, based on bdrm size
• State law has additional reductions
Parking Requirements For Other Residential Product Types
8City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • Shared Parking
Allowed with a discretionary permit
• Parking Management Plans
Required for all new residential development
• Unbundled Parking
Only allowed in MPSP and LSAP
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Parking
Required for single-family & multifamily per Reach Codes • Compact Parking
Up to 10% of multifamily unassigned spaces
Not allowed in mobile home parks
Additional Residential Parking Provisions
9City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • Data Comparisons:
All 14 other cities in Santa Clara County
8 other Bay Area peer jurisdictions (e.g., Redwood City, Fremont, Walnut Creek) • Observations:
Many cities do not have covered/assigned distinction; only total spaces/unit Parking requirements generally not based on parking structure type Sunnyvale’s parking requirements are higher for both product types • Single/Two-family: Other cities = 2 req. spaces; Sunnyvale = 4 Most jurisdictions require front yard setbacks to accommodate add’l driveway spaces • Multi-family: Most other cities prescribe ratios on bedroom count + add’l for guests Parking Requirements in Other Jurisdictions
10City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 Source: ACS Community Survey, 5-year Averages, 2021
Demographic Data Comparison with Other Jurisdictions
Source
Households
with No Vehicle
Available
Households with
More than One
Vehicle Available
Average
Persons per
Household
Sunnyvale 6.5% 58.3% 2.69
Other SCC Jurisdictions 4.1% 71.2% 2.84
Peer Jurisdictions 6.5% 61.6% 2.84
11City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • Single/Two-Family:
Min. of 2 spaces
• Flexible: Covered or uncovered; side-by-side or tandem Remove requirement to upgrade for additions
• Multifamily/Area/Specific Plans:
Simplify min. standards to flat rates that align with state density bonus law • Zero/1 bedroom: 1 space/unit
• 2-3 bedroom: 1.5 spaces/unit
• 4+ bedroom: 2 spaces/unit
Evaluate reductions to compact allowances and increases to tandem allowances • Make standards objective and without discretionary review • Address recent state laws, Housing Element, and MTC policies Options to Consider – Moderately Reduce Res. Parking Minimums
12City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 • Eliminate Residential Parking Minimums
Requires TDM plans instead (e.g. San Jose)
• Included in Planning Commission recommendation
Implement parking maximums
• SF, Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville
• Maintain Current Parking Requirements
Other Options to Consider
13City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 Potential Next Steps following City Council Direction
Public
OutreachDraft Modifications Environmental
Review
Amendments
to Planning
Commission
and City
Council
• Staff to draft
potential
modifications
based on Council
direction
• Outreach
meeting
• Study session
• CEQA analysis • Proposed SMC
and area/specific
plan amendments
presented for
adoption
14City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 Recommendation on February 26, 2024
Planning Commission Recommendation
• Alternative 2 – Staff’s recommendation plus modifications:
Explore allowing unbundled parking for existing tenants Explore an option of eliminating parking minimums
• Require transportation demand management programs (TDM) instead
15City of Sunnyvale – Evaluate the Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Residential Uses – March 2024 Alternatives
Staff Recommendation
1. Direct staff to conduct outreach and prepare SMC and area/specific plan amendments for moderate reductions to single/two-family and multifamily parking requirements; and make parking standards objective and without discretionary review.
2. Alternative 1 with the Planning Commission's additional items.
3. Alternative 1 with modifications.
4. Do not modify parking requirements.
Staff Recommendation
Alternative 1.