MEMORANDUM
To: Momo Ishijima, Senior Planner, City of Sunnyvale
From: Elizabeth Meyerhoff, Senior Project Manager, Michael Baker International Date: May 23, 2025
Subject: 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road Project, Memo for the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines §15183 Environmental Checklist, updated construction schedule The 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road Project (“project”) is an implementing project of the El Camino Real Specific Plan (ECRSP). The City of Sunnyvale City Council adopted the ECRSP and certified the ECRSP Environmental Impact Report (herein, “ECRSP EIR;” State Clearinghouse [SCH] No. 2017102082) in June 2022.
On April 28, 2025, the project was approved by the Planning Commission at a publicly noticed hearing. The project involves a Special Development Permit and Tentative Tract Map to redevelop an approximate 5.24-acre site currently developed with existing commercial buildings and associated parking within the ECRSP area. The site is located at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road, approximately two miles southeast of the State Route 85 and State Route 82 Interchange. The site consists of one parcel referred to as Assessor’s Parcel Number [APN] 201- 36-002.
Project development includes demolishing the existing commercial building to develop 242 residential units (80 townhomes in three stories and 162 apartment units in five stories above a two-level parking garage) and 2,050 square feet of commercial or alternative nonresidential use. Of the 242 units, 12 townhomes would be classified as affordable to moderate-income households (15 percent of the for-sale portion of the project), 17 apartments affordable to low- income households, and 8 apartments offered to very low-income households (approximately 15 percent of the for-rent portion of the project). The 242 total residential units would include 12 townhomes Below Market Rate (BMR) ownership units and 25 apartment BMR rental units pursuant to Sunnyvale Municipal Code (SMC) Sections 19.67.050 and 19.77.050 and the State Density Bonus Law (Government Code Section 65915 – 65918).
The project also proposed an alternative as its preferred ultimate project utilizing the City’s process for requesting alternative compliance (referred to as the “Alternative Compliance Plan”) with BMR requirements, as set forth in SMC Section 19.67.100 (Alternatives to satisfy below market rate [BMR] housing requirement), which may be considered after approval of planning entitlements. The preferred ultimate project (Alternative Compliance Plan) would consist of 242 units, inclusive of 160 affordable apartments, two manager’s units, and 80 market-rate townhomes. This equates to 66.11% of the units restricted to low-income 25-0675 Added Attachment 6 (posted 20250613)
Attachment 6
2 households and therefore removes the necessitation for a ground floor commercial area per Ordinance No. 32332-24 and Resolution No. 1262-24. Under this scenario, the 2,050-square foot commercial area would be used as a community room for the affordable apartments.
The approved project originally considered a single phase construction schedule of approximately 36 months. In support of the air quality, noise, and traffic considerations, the §15183 Compliance Final Environmental Checklist concluded the project would be consistent with the ECRSP EIR. Additionally, project-specific modeling concluded the project would result in a less than significant impact for all environmental resource topics.
At this time, and under the Alternative Compliance Plan, the project would implement a two- phase construction schedule, with townhomes construction occurring first. During that time, the entire site would be demolished and rough graded. Offsite improvements on Sunnyvale Saratoga and the southern access road on Matilda would also occur at that time. The construction of the apartments would occur at a future date. Emission factors for construction equipment decrease as the construction year increases due to improvements in technology and compliance with more stringent regulatory requirements. Therefore, construction emissions would decrease if part of the construction is moved to later years. A two-phase construction schedule would not alter the air quality assessment prepared for the project (and on-file with the City).
Implementation of a two-phase construction schedule would reduce the highest average daily trips, as only a portion of the site would undergo vertical building construction at any given time. The grading phase, being the most intensive construction phase, results in the highest noise levels compared to other phases. Since the entire site would be graded at once, the subsequent construction phases would have lower noise levels than the reasonable worst-case scenario analyzed in the noise report. Therefore, a two-phase construction schedule would not alter the noise assessment prepared for the project (and on-file with the City). Additionally, construction-related truck trips would be reduced in the second phase, resulting in a less intensive condition.
In conclusion, a two-phase construction schedule would not result in any new or more severe impacts than what were already identified in the certified ECRSP EIR nor within the CEQA Guidelines §15183 Compliance Final Environmental Checklist prepared for the project.
Reference:
FCS, Supplemental Air Quality and Noise Analysis for the Proposed Seven77 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road Project, City of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County, California. May 16, 2025 25-0675 Added Attachment 6 (posted 20250613)
Attachment 6