USE PERMIT/SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT
JUSTIFICATIONS
One of the two following findings must be made in order to approve a Use Permit or Special Development Permit application.
One-Stop Permit Center at City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., 408-730-7444 Building and Planning Division representatives are available 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunnyvale.ca.gov – Search “Planning and Building”
Rev. 7/07
The Sunnyvale Municipal code states that at least one of the following two justifications must be met before granting the Use Permit or Special Development Permit. Please provide us information on how your project meets at least one of the following criteria.
1. The proposed use attains the objectives and purposes of the General Plan of the City of Sunnyvale as the project …
OR
2. The proposed use ensures that the general appearance of proposed structures, or the uses to be made of the property to which the application refers, will not impair either the orderly development of, or the existing uses being made of, adjacent properties as … If you need assistance in answering either of these justifications, contact the Planning Divisio n staff at the One-Stop Permit Center.
The Project's proposed residential uses will not impair either the orderly development of, or the existing uses being made of, adjacent properties. The Project would replace outdated office/research and development buildings with residences, connecting the residential neighborhood north of the Project site with the neighborhood to the east of the Project site. The Project would be compatible with these two existing residential neighborhoods in scale and density. In addition, the materials and landscaping of the Project is more consistent with the surrounding residential neighborhoods than the existing commercial development. The Project also will add a multi-use trail that will make it easier and more convenient to access Swegles Park, thereby supporting the orderly development of the area. The addition of residences to the area also supports nearby retail establishments, including several restaurants and a market within a one block of the Project site. The Project would thus help maintain and support the commercial amenities that make the area unique, convenient, and walkable.
The Project proposes a residential development consistent with the project site's Medium Density Residential ("RMED") land use designation. The RMED land use designation supports townhouses and medium-density neighborhoods at densities between 15 and 24 dwelling units per acre. The Project meets the planned density and supports other General Plan objectives, including supporting the "complete" Sunnyvale strategy by providing diverse housing choices at a range of price points and convenient pedestrian and bicycle networks, with a new multi-use trail on the eastern side of the Project site. The Project supports General Plan Policies LT-2.1 and LT-2.2 by replacing energy inefficient buildings with energy efficient, all electric buildings that meet today's standards. The Project supports Policy LT-2.7 because the proposed residences would have rooftop solar systems for on-site energy generation. The Project also supports Policy LT-7.3 because it offers predominantly ownership units and Policy CC-1.3 because it is compatible with the character of existing residential neighborhoods around the Project site.
Attachment 9