Planning Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Planning Commission Monday, January 25, 2021 7:00 PM Telepresence Meeting: City Web Stream | Comcast Channel 15 | AT&T Channel 99 Special Meeting - Study Session - Canceled | Public Hearing - 7:00 PM TELECONFERENCE NOTICE STUDY SESSION CANCELED 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING CALL TO ORDER Chair Howard called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. ROLL CALL Present: 6 - Chair Daniel Howard Vice Chair David Simons Commissioner Sue Harrison Commissioner John Howe Commissioner Ken Rheaume Commissioner Carol Weiss Absent: 1 - Commissioner Ken Olevson Commissioner Olevson’s absence is excused. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION: Commissioner Howe moved and Vice Chair Simons seconded the motion to approve the Consent Calendar. The motion carried by the following vote: City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Yes: 6 - Chair Howard Vice Chair Simons Commissioner Harrison Commissioner Howe Commissioner Rheaume Commissioner Weiss No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Olevson 1. 21-0218 Approve Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of January 11, 2021 PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2. 21-0193 Selection and Ranking of Potential 2021 Study Issues Principal Planner Amber Blizinski summarized each potential study issue for 2021. Commissioner Weiss asked how many homes CDD 21-01 would apply to and if it would apply in all non-residential zoning districts throughout the city. Principal Planner Blizinski answered that it would affect a small number of homes located in non-residential zoning districts and each home or group of homes would need to be individually reviewed to assess compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood/properties to ensure that potentially allowing the non-conforming residential uses to expand would not cause issues/concerns. Vice Chair Simons asked if the scope for the same study as CDD 20-02 that staff is currently interviewing consultants for could include a list of trees and their carbon sequestration rates. Principal Planner Blizinski and Assistant Director Andrew Miner stated that if possible, staff will work with the chosen consultant to include this component in the landscaping design guidelines. Vice Chair Simons stated his concern that businesses could be negatively affected by housing expansions if non-conforming houses were allowed to expand after the study was conducted associated with CDD 21-01. Principal Planner Blizinski stated that CDD 21-01 could potentially allow homeowners to add square footage to their legal non-conforming homes, but that no additional units would be allowed beyond streamlined Accessory Dwelling Units which are already allowed on these lots. Principal Planner Blizinski and Assistant Director Miner confirmed that the study would address compatibility and any unanticipated consequences to surrounding property owners and tenants. Commissioner Howe suggested that Vice Chair Simons vote to defer CDD 20-02 so City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 that it can be revised later to address his concerns if needed. Commissioner Howe confirmed with Assistant Director Miner that CDD 21-01 would explore allowing single-family homeowners in non-residential zoning districts to expand and modify their homes just as single-family homeowners are allowed to do in single-family zoning districts and the implications of authorizing the change. Commissioner Howe confirmed with Principal Planner Blizinski that both the Commission and the City Council would consider any recommendations resulting from CDD 21-01. Commissioner Rheaume asked how the scope that the City solicited bids for differs from CDD 20-02. Principal Planner Blizinski and Assistant Director Miner explained that CDD 20-02 was attached to the scope within the Request for Proposals for the work the City is solicitating consultants to do and the City expects the consultant hired to complete the study associated with CDD 20-02 in its entirety. Vice Chair Simons stated that he would like the tree carbon sequestration information to be based on the analysis done in the United States Department of Energy’s April 1998 document titled “Method for Calculating Carbon Sequestration by Trees in Urban and Suburban Settings”. Principal Planner Blizinski explained how the study issue ranking process will proceed. Vice Chair Simons opened the Public Hearing. Wesley Yue, owner of an existing legal non-conforming single-family home in a non-residential zoning district, voiced his support for CDD 21-01. Richard Mehlinger, Chair of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) speaking on his own behalf, informed the Commission that BPAC voted to defer CDD 19-07 and voiced his support for CDD 21-01. Chair Howard closed the Public Hearing. Staff and the Commissioners discussed how the voting and ranking will take place. MOTION: Vice Chair Simons moved and Commissioner Howe seconded the motion to amend CDD 20-02 to include calculations for carbon sequestration by trees in urban and suburban settings. The motion carried by the following vote: City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Yes: 6 - Chair Howard Vice Chair Simons Commissioner Harrison Commissioner Howe Commissioner Rheaume Commissioner Weiss No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Olevson MOTION: Vice Chair Simons moved and Commissioner Howe seconded the motion to defer the amended CDD 20-02. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Howard Vice Chair Simons Commissioner Harrison Commissioner Howe Commissioner Rheaume Commissioner Weiss No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Olevson MOTION: Commissioner Harrison moved and Commissioner Howe seconded the motion to defer CDD 19-07. Commissioner Harrison agreed with staff that deferring is appropriate due to concerns about traffic, parking and autonomous vehicles. Chair Howard stated that he would like to rank the study issue but will vote to defer it since BPAC and Commissioner Harrison support deferring it. The motion carried by the following vote: City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Yes: 6 - Chair Howard Vice Chair Simons Commissioner Harrison Commissioner Howe Commissioner Rheaume Commissioner Weiss No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Olevson MOTION: Commissioner Weiss moved and Vice Chair Simons seconded the motion to rank CDD 21-01 as the first priority and accept the ranking. Commissioner Weiss stated that she supports the study issue because the homeowners of these types of properties experience undue hardship and the change could help them remain in Sunnyvale and make better use of their properties. She noted that it would require minimal staff time to study. Vice Chair Simons voiced that the issue is worth studying because if it would not have negative, unintended consequences it would benefit the homeowners. Commissioner Harrison stated that the issue should be explored but cautioned the homeowners that it might ultimately be determined that it is not appropriate to allow them to expand and modify their existing homes. Chair Howard stated his support for the study issue because it could result in fairer treatment for the homeowners. He thanked members of the public for their comments on the study issues. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Howard Vice Chair Simons Commissioner Harrison Commissioner Howe Commissioner Rheaume Commissioner Weiss No: 0 City of Sunnyvale Page 5 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Olevson These recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration at the Study and Budget Issues Workshop on February 25, 2021. STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Commissioner Harrison explained that there are instances of people living in their parked vehicles in her neighborhood and asked staff if the City has considered designating land where people can park safely, have access to hookups and dispose of waste. Senior Assistant City Attorney Moon stated that the City is aware of the issue and multiple departments are actively working together on it. Assistant Director Andrew Miner encouraged Commissioner Harrison to submit the study issue form through the established process to discuss the issue further on a future agenda and confirmed that the zoning code does not currently allow the type of land use that she described and that any study issue sponsored by the Commission would be limited to land use on private property. Chair Howard stated that safe parking is the term for the idea that Commissioner Harrison expressed and there is a safe parking site at Pioneer Way and Evelyn Avenue in Mountain View. Vice Chair Simons stated that the study issue process is arcane and ineffectual and should be more community- and Board and Commission-driven, further remarking that the timing of public comments during study issue ranking can have an important influence on the final decision. Assistant Director Miner recognized that the new process has taken time to get accustomed to and emphasized that it allows the Commissioners to articulate their ideas in their own words and revise them later if needed. -Staff Comments Assistant Director Andrew Miner announced the upcoming Moffett Park Specific Plan workshops regarding transportation and infrastructure on February 1, 2021 and land use, housing, open space and market conditions on March 2, 2021. He added that the City Council’s Strategic Planning Workshop will be held on January 28, 2021 and the City Council Subcommittee on Board and Commission Bylaws City of Sunnyvale Page 6 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Amendments that will make recommendations for changes or updates regarding Board and Commissions will meet on February 11, 2021 at 2:00 PM. ADJOURNMENT Chair Howard adjourned the meeting at 8:07 PM. City of Sunnyvale Page 7