Planning Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Planning Commission Monday, August 15, 2016 7:00 PM Council Chambers, City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Special Meeting - 7 PM 7 P.M. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING CALL TO ORDER Chair Harrison called the meeting to order in Council Chambers. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Chair Harrison led the salute to the flag. ROLL CALL Present: 5 - Chair Sue Harrison Vice Chair Ken Rheaume Commissioner Russell Melton Commissioner Ken Olevson Commissioner David Simons Absent: 2 - Commissioner Larry Klein Commissioner Carol Weiss ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION: Commissioner Melton moved and Vice Chair Rheaume seconded the motion to approve the Consent Calendar. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 4 - Chair Harrison Vice Chair Rheaume Commissioner Melton Commissioner Simons No: 0 City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 15, 2016 Absent: 2 - Commissioner Klein Commissioner Weiss Abstained: 1 - Commissioner Olevson 1.A. 16-0830 Approve Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of August 8, 2016 PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2. 16-0575 File #: 2015-7576 Location: 1250 Lakeside Drive (APNs: 216-43-035 and 216-43-036) Zoning: LSP (Lakeside Specific Plan) Proposed Project: PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT for a mixed-use project on a 8.83-acre site, consisting of a six-story, 263-room hotel with an attached 3,000 sq. ft. restaurant and an attached three-level above-grade parking structure; and a five-story, 250-unit apartment building over a two-level, above-grade podium parking garage. Project includes an amendment to the Lakeside Specific Plan to revise the land use configuration, increase the height allowance for the hotel building, and make other miscellaneous updates. An EIR was certified by the City in 2005 for a similar project that was never built. Applicant / Owner: Sunnyvale Partners, LTD / Aircoa Equity Interests, Inc. Project Planner: George Schroeder, (408) 730-7443, gschroeder@sunnyvale.ca.gov Associate Planner George Schroeder noted that the purpose of the Public Hearing on this item is to provide an overview of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (DSEIR) and to receive Commissioner and public comments on its adequacy. Commissioner Olevson confirmed with Associate Planner Schroeder that the two proposed buildings are considered one because it is connected by an underground garage, and discussed with Planning Officer Andrew Miner whether the impacts of the project are unavoidable because the project would achieve General Plan goals for this site. Commissioner Simons verified with Planning Officer Miner that most of the traffic will be generated by the apartment complex, and discussed what Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program level could mitigate the traffic impact to a less than significant level for all intersections impacted. Commissioner Simons discussed with Planning Officer Miner the number of hotel rooms and residential City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 15, 2016 units the project would need to be reduced by to not have significant impacts. Commissioner Simons said the reduction of hotel rooms should be excluded from the impact analysis and Planning Officer Miner said more information would be included in the Final EIR. Vice Chair Rheaume confirmed with Associate Planner Schroeder that the height of the hotel is proposed to increase five feet and that the height of the residential building would increase too. Chair Harrison discussed wtih staff proposed projects and those currently under construction that are included in the cumulative impacts section of the DSEIR. Planning Officer Miner noted that they are listed in the appendix of the document. Chair Harrison opened the Public Hearing. Sue Serrone, Sunnyvale resident, said the project as proposed is not mixed use and should have more retail and restaurants and that the developer should be required to provide affordable housing units. John Cordes, a member of the Sunnyvale Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission but speaking for himself, said we should come up with a standard for projects of zero net new traffic, that we can use community benefits for projects and require developers to set aside money for protected bike lanes, electric car and bike facilities and protected bike parking. He added that the area needs neighborhood services so residents do not have to drive their car to go grocery shopping and that smaller residential units should be provided for more affordability. Chair Harrison closed the Public Hearing. Commissioner Olevson discussed with staff the statement in the DSEIR declaring there will be no impact to housing because the project will create an equal number of jobs and housing units. Planning Officer Miner said the Final SEIR will further address his question. Commissioner Rheaume discussed with Planning Officer Miner whether requiring mixed use could be a way of mitigating traffic, and Planning Officer Miner added that traffic impacts are during the AM and PM peak hours and said traffic impacts would be discussed during consideration of the project. Commissioner Simons said it would be useful in the discussion of community City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 15, 2016 benefits of the project to include the difference in impact of rental versus ownership units and said it could impact seniors who want to stay in Sunnyvale but are not going to sell their homes and then rent. He added that the impact of the long term stability of rents would also be useful in the discussion. Chair Harrison said she opposes reducing the number of residential units, especially if they are the smaller units which achieve the public purpose of a variety of sizes and types of units. She said we have very few 440 square foot units, that having some is better than none and that it is more important than the few seconds of delay those nine residential units would create. Chair Harrison closed this agenda item. STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES None. NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments None. -Staff Comments Planning Officer Miner discussed recently heard and upcoming Planning-related City Council items, and said there is a study session next Tuesday for the Land Use and Transportation Element. He added that there are many items on the agendas for the rest of the year and he may request special Planning Commission meetings. ADJOURNMENT Chair Harrison adjourned the meeting at 7:38 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 4