City of Sunnyvale
Excerpt Meeting Minutes - Draft
Planning Commission
7:00 PM Online and Council Chambers, City Hall,
456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Monday, January 13, 2025
No Study Session | Public Hearing - 7:00 PM
7 P.M. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Iglesias called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
ROLL CALL
Chair Nathan Iglesias
Vice Chair Galen Kim Davis
Commissioner Chris Figone
Commissioner Martin Pyne
Commissioner Michael Serrone
Commissioner Ilan Sigura
Present: 6 -
Commissioner Neela ShuklaAbsent: 1 -
Commissioner Shukla’s absence is excused.
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
3. 25-0058 Proposed Project:
Forward to City Council recommendations related to Study Issue CDD 23-02 - Consider General Plan Land Use Designation Amendments and Rezoning for 27 Legal Non-Conforming Single- and Two-Family Dwellings, Housing Element Program H45, and Land Use and Transportation Element (LUTE) Policy LT-14.5d:
1. Adopt a Resolution Amending the General Plan to:
a. Change the General Plan land use designation for the property at 591 South Murphy Avenue (APN 209-30-012)
with a legal nonconforming single-family use, from El
Camino Real Specific Plan to Low-Medium Density
Residential, and remove the property from the El Camino Real Specific Plan area;
b.
Change the General Plan land use designation for the
Attachment 11
January 13, 2025Planning Commission Excerpt Meeting Minutes - Draft properties at 260 North Pastoria Avenue (APN 165-27-
003), 280 North Pastoria Avenue (APN 165-27-004), 286
North Pastoria Avenue (APN 165-27-005) and 290 North
Pastoria Avenue (APN 165-27-006) with legal
nonconforming residential uses, from Peery Park Specific Plan to Low Density Residential, and remove the parcels from the Peery Park Specific Plan area; and
c. Change the General Plan land use designation for 22 legal non-conforming single-family and two-family dwelling sites at 411, 415 and 421 Charles Street, 433, 434, 437 and
440 Waverly Street, 572, 602, 656, 702 and 798 West
Iowa Avenue, 428, 432 and 435 Florence Street, and 1301 -1320 Oxbow Court, from Office to Low-Medium Density
Residential.
2. Introduce an Ordinance Amending the Zoning Districts Map, to:
a. Rezone the property at 591 South Murphy Avenue from El Camino Real - Commercial (ECR-C) to Low Medium
Density Residential/Office (R-2/O);
b. Rezone the properties at 260, 280, 286 and 290 North Pastoria Avenue from Peery Park Specific Plan/Mixed
Industry Core (PPSP/MIC) to Low Density Residential (R- 0);
c. Rezone the properties at 411, 415 and 421 Charles Street, 433, 434, 437 and 440 Waverly Street, 572, 602, 656, 702 and 798 West Iowa Avenue, 428, 432 and 435 Florence
Street, and 1301-1320 Oxbow Court from
Administrative-Professional Office/Planned Development
(O/PD) to Low Medium Density Residential (R-2);
3. Introduce an Ordinance Amending the Zoning Districts Map, to:
Rezone sites within the Industrial to Residential (ITR) combining district that have redeveloped as residential uses from Industrial and Service (M-S), General Industrial (M-3) or the combined Neighborhood
Business/Industrial-to-Residential/Medium Density
Residential/Planned Development (C-1/ITR/R3/PD) zoning
district, all to Medium Density Residential/Planned
Development (R3/PD); the subject sites are spread
throughout the city in five areas, generally bounded by (a) Tasman Drive, Morse Avenue, John W. Christian
Greenbelt and Fair Oaks Avenue, (b) E. Duane Avenue,
Lawrence Expressway, Stewart Drive and Britton Avenue,
(c) E. Maude Avenue and N. Wolfe Road, Britton Avenue,
E. Arques Avenue and Fair Oaks Avenue, and (d) Caltrain
Attachment 11
January 13, 2025Planning Commission Excerpt Meeting Minutes - Draft rail tracks, S. Wolfe Road, Old San Francisco Road and S.
Fair Oaks Avenue, and (e) Caltrain rail tracks, Laurence Expressway, Old San Francisco Road and Reed Avenue
and Wolfe Avenue; and
4. Introduce an Ordinance Amending the Zoning Districts Map, and to:
Rezone any of the following future opportunity sites located at 455 and 920 De Guigne Drive, and 835, 845, and 935
Stewart Drive, in East Sunnyvale from Industrial and
Service (M-S) to Industrial and Service/Industrial to
Residential/Medium Density Residential/Planned
Development (M-S/ITR/R-3/PD).
5. Introduce an Ordinance to Amend Title 19 (Zoning) of the Municipal Code to:
Amend Section 19.26.120 of Chapter 19.26 (Combining
Districts) to provide that once a site zoned Industrial to Residential (ITR) has been converted to residential use, the site cannot be returned to a use not allowed in a
residential zoning district.
Location: Citywide; see Attachments 7 and 8
File #: PLNG-2024-0460
Applicant: City of Sunnyvale---
Environmental Review: Exempt per California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Sections 15061(b)(3) and 15183.
Project Planner: Wendy Lao, (408) 730-7408, [email protected] Associate Planner Wendy Lao presented the staff report with a slide presentation.
Commissioner Figone inquired why sites 4, 5, and 6 on slide 15 of the staff presentation were not included as areas to be rezoned. Associate Planner Lao explained that these industrial sites either have contamination and/or an existing deed restriction that prohibit residential use until adequate environmental cleanup has occurred.
Commissioner Figone asked why an ITR (Industrial to Residential)-zoned site that has transitioned to residential use may not be returned to its industrial use. Principal Planner Julia Klein clarified that the proposed amendment would update the zoning code to align with existing General Plan policy and that if there is interest in the future to rezone sites back to industrial use, property owners may apply to amend the General Plan to remove residential units and covert the sites to industrial use.
Staff does not anticipate this happening in the foreseeable future.
Commissioner Serrone questioned whether there is any concern about placing
Attachment 11
January 13, 2025Planning Commission Excerpt Meeting Minutes - Draft residential developments near a Superfund site. Principal Planner Klein explained that when the sites are proposed for redevelopment, there will be project-specific environmental studies that will be conducted to determine whether the level of contaminants on site is acceptable or may be mitigated to an acceptable level for housing development. She added that coordination with other regulatory agencies will be necessary to clean up the sites.
Commissioner Serrone confirmed with Planning Officer Shaunn Mendrin that changing the zoning designation for sites in East Sunnyvale did not require a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review since an Environmental Impact Report was already conducted when these sites were designated for residential use in the General Plan.
Commissioner Serrone confirmed with Planning Officer Mendrin that Agape Grill may be impacted by the rezoning process.
Commissioner Serrone and Planning Officer Mendrin discussed how the designated use for the Allario Shopping Center located across from 591 S. Murphy Avenue is intended to remain commercial.
Vice Chair Davis confirmed with Planning Officer Mendrin that this program and any others in our Housing Element will need to be completed to maintain the City’s certification with California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
At Vice Chair Davis’ request, Planning Officer Mendrin provided information on the office overlay on Murphy Avenue and that it is intended to serve as a transition between El Camino Real commercial uses and the residential uses further north along Murphy Avenue.
Commissioner Pyne confirmed with Planning Officer Mendrin that there is no compliance risk by not changing the zoning designation for sites encumbered by either significant pollutants or deed restrictions.
Chair Iglesias opened the Public Hearing.
Wesley Yu, Sunnyvale resident, spoke in support of the General Plan land use designation amendments and rezoning for 27 legal non-conforming single- and two-family dwellings.
Attachment 11
January 13, 2025Planning Commission Excerpt Meeting Minutes - Draft Chair Iglesias closed the Public Hearing.
MOTION: Commissioner Pyne moved and Vice Chair Davis seconded the motion to recommend Alternative 1 to the City Council:
Adopt the resolution and ordinances amending the General Plan, Specific Plans, Zoning Map and Zoning Code; and find the proposed actions exempt under CEQA, as set forth in Attachments 2 to 6 to the staff report.
Commissioner Pyne spoke in overall support of the motion.
Vice Chair Davis voiced his support of the motion.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Yes: Chair Iglesias
Vice Chair Davis
Commissioner Figone
Commissioner Pyne
Commissioner Serrone
Commissioner Sigura
6 -
No: 0
Absent: Commissioner Shukla1 -
This recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration at the January 28, 2025 meeting.
Attachment 11