Village Center Master Plan
Jeffrey Cucinotta, AICP , Senior Planner
City Council, July 1, 2025
2City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Village Center Master Plan (VCMP)
General Plan Land Use and
Transportation Element (LUTE)
Amendment
Municipal Code Revisions and
Rezonings
General Plan Land Use and Zoning
Map amendments
LUTE Environmental Impact Report
(EIR) Addendum
Project Overview
3City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 The 2017 LUTE established seven Village Centers
throughout the City, intended to allow:
• ~900-1,200 housing units across all Village
Centers by the year 2035 (per LUTE EIR)
• Mixed-use development with:
Public, commercial, and residential uses,
3-4 stories of building height,
10 to 25% commercial floor area ratio (FAR),
Average of 18 dwelling units per acre (du/ac),
Neighborhood sense of place, and
Gathering places
Village Center Background (2017 LUTE)
Existing Conditions in Future Village Center Site (2017) Rendering of a Village Center (Source: City of San José) 4City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Village Center Background (2023 Housing Element)
• Housing Element certified in 2023
• Residential Sites Inventory accounts for
706 potential units in Village Centers
• VCMP zoning must allow between:
706 units (Housing Element)
+/- 900-1,200 housing units (per LUTE EIR)
• Any change in number of housing units
would require an amendment to the
Housing Element and recertification
5City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Since adoption of the 2017 LUTE:
• State housing laws have limited City control
over housing development projects (e.g.,
SB 330).
• Decrease in commercial area resulting from
Village Center redevelopment projects:
Three approved applications (2021-2023)
Four pending applications (2023-present)
Village Center Background (Development Activity)
6City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 • Spring 2022:
Existing conditions survey
Virtual public workshop and survey
• January 2023: Public workshops
• March 2023: Planning Commission study
session
• August 2023: City Council meeting to discuss
Village Center concepts
• 2024-Early 2025: Preparation of draft VCMP
based on feedback received
• May 2025: Draft VCMP plan released
Project Milestones to Date
• June 2025: Planning Commission recommendation
7City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Three proposed VCMP
implementing zoning districts:
Village Center Mixed-Use
(VCMU)
Village Center Commercial
(VCC)
Village Center Office
(VCO)
Proposed VCMP:
Zoning Approach
8City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 • Includes the applicable VCMP zoning and development standards. • Identifies permitting requirements for development and land use types.
Proposed VCMP:
Zoning Approach
Development
Type
VCMP Implementing Zoning Districts
VCMU
(Residential Mixed-
Use)
VCC
(Commercial)
VCO
(Office)
Non-Residential Permitted (per VCMP provisions)
Residential
(Mixed-Use)
Permitted (per VCMP
provisions) Not permitted
Residential
(Standalone) Not permitted
9City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 • Only applies in VCMU zoning district
• Allowable dwelling units (du) per acre
• Ranges from 22 to 56 du/acre
• Averages +/- 18 du/acre across each
site and neighborhood
• Must build to at least 85% of base
maximum density
• Similar approach to density in other
specific plans such as LSAP and ECRSP
Proposed VCMP:
Residential “Base Maximum Density”
10City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Proposed VCMP:
Commercial/Non-Residential Land Use
VCMP Zoning District
VCMU VCC VCO
Non-Residential Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
When Required All development types
Minimum
Requirement
Mixed-Use: 10%
Non-Residential: 25% 25%
Ground Floor Active Use Area
When Required All development types Developments with ground floor commercial areas/uses
Minimum
Requirement
Length of building frontage located along property frontage x 20 feet of depth
11City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 • Pedestrian Realm
“Furniture,” “Through,” and
“Frontage” Zones
11-foot-wide sidewalk + 10-foot-
wide setback from new right of way
line to new “build-to” line
• Maximum Building Height:
Four stories (50 feet)
Five stories (65 feet) within 200 feet
of a public street corner
Proposed VCMP:
Other Objective Development Standards
12City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Proposed VCMP:
Other Objective Development Standards (Continued)
• Daylight Plane: 45- or 60-degree
angle, depending on location
• Rear/Side Yard Setback from Non-
VCMP Properties
• Others:
Off-street parking
Usable open space
Gathering space
Landscaping
13City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 • Site and Project-Based Specific Plan Districts (SMC 19.27): Establishes VCMP implementing zoning districts.
• Definitions (SMC 19.12): New/modified definitions for development standards and development/land use types.
• Minor Updates to Existing SMC Chapters: to ensure consistency with the VCMP and reference the new zoning districts:
Precise Zoning Plans – Zoning Districts – Zoning Maps (SMC 19.16.020) Vision Triangle Exemptions (SMC 19.34.060)
Sign Code (SMC 19.44.040)
Wireless Communications Facilities (SMC 19.54)
Proposed Updates to SMC Title 19 Zoning
14City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 • 2017 LUTE EIR evaluated ~900-1,200 housing units across all Village Centers by the year 2035
• EIR addendum required for the VCMP per CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15164(a) • Based on the CEQA analysis, the VCMP does not result in substantial change, or result in new or substantial more severe environmental impacts than disclosed in the LUTE EIR.
• All mitigation measures from the LUTE EIR would continue to be implemented with future VCMP projects.
Environmental Review
15City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 • Housing Element Implementation Program H3 (Increase affordable housing opportunities in high resource areas)
• Zoning Boundary Flexibility on Split-Zoned Properties* • Reducing Barriers for Small Businesses*
• Community Benefits and Incentives Program for VCMP Sites* • Sense of Place Plan*
*items subject to City Council prioritization
Future VCMP Implementation Items
16City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 • Concerns over:
Loss of neighborhood serving retail/services and grocery stores (emphasis on North Sunnyvale and Village Centers 5 and 6) Impacts that redeveloping Village Center sites would have on surrounding neighborhoods, including:
• Traffic
• On-street parking
• Privacy
• Village Center site 1D and Wrightmont Corners neighborhood specifically • Desire to know what redevelopment ideas property owners and developers may potentially have for each Village Center site Public Comments Received Since Publication of VCMP Draft 17City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Planning Commission Hearing (June 16, 2025)
Alternative 2 – Staff recommendation with modifications:
1. Clarify reason for certain permitted land uses in VCMU and VCC zoning districts (VCMP Table 4-3)
2. Explore alternative zoning boundaries for Village Centers 5 and 6
3. Return to City Council to consider further incentive programs to preserve existing retail and reduce barriers for small businesses Recommend to City Council:
18City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Staff Recommendation
• Resolution:
LUTE EIR Addendum
Adopt the Village Center Master Plan
(with staff-recommended changes)
Amend the General Plan LUTE text and
map
Make “no net loss” findings
• Ordinance:
Rezone certain properties and zoning
map changes
SMC Title 19 zoning changes
• Urgency Ordinance:
Rezone certain properties and zoning
map changes
SMC Title 19 zoning changes (only
Chapters 19.16 and 19.27)
Alternative 1 – Adopt the Village Center Master Plan and associated actions:
19City of Sunnyvale – Village Center Master Plan – July 2025 Thank you!
Questions?