[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6583397,"mediaKeyId","3151832-80e1ee0bd85a0e696c4d38dc446e0e6a","parentId",3151832,"title","Resident asks Sunnyvale staff to modify PG&E sidewalk restoration permit to avoid driveway demolition","audioSeconds",185,"startMs",751000,"endMs",936000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151832-80e1ee0bd85a0e696c4d38dc446e0e6a&start=751&end=936","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151832-80e1ee0bd85a0e696c4d38dc446e0e6a/thumbnail_751000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6583397/Sunnyvale/Santa-Clara-County/California/Resident-asks-Sunnyvale-staff-to-modify-PGE-sidewalk-restoration-permit-to-avoid-driveway-demolition","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583397-57186abd1e78c0ead537f6264a2d681d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770421541&Signature=PU~aHy3JWJZGJ4HLliHdviprsOvzoLmNu-4gTJCFk1FPsdfgOPT9qzZz3qRTiY4rJAvy0GLEntIk004OYeU~7H3YVeb40O2PpK4YOnOn1eB2nqXiU-q3ib~jSrCMDhC0ZFcd~VNQCuiydsBHx9J6SCqUZfkaPPtnZpu4YwocuGC9gu7K1NEE~DQp1mp4oh6Gwcu3riwwQODQGpfpvcOlTsUUW9fZMqkXX6U0fJ5kCJW~bzRRzJunvs6wkse5NN7DJ4IPOq66~CTyR0gK~g0HjE2rnDqojhLvdQqzakZpcDjI0u-Ga1V5DJ~qHi2cvRg-p5WBs7rImtX10YesfXLzLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-30T00:03:52.143Z","article","Lisa McManus, a Sunnyvale resident since 1984, told the Planning Commission during oral communications on April 28 that PG&E’s post‑installation restoration in her neighborhood is requiring demolition and full replacement of driveway approaches where a small sidewalk panel was disturbed.

McManus said PG&E installed underground service in December and received an encroachment permit from the city that requires sidewalk restoration. \"That square of sidewalk could be replaced by demolishing and replacing 2 cubic feet of concrete. Instead, the city is requiring that my entire driveway approach and the adjacent sidewalk, a distance of 20 feet, be demolished and replaced. That will require demolishing and replacing 60 cubic feet of concrete,\" she told commissioners.

McManus said her driveway is composed of pavers installed as an environmentally preferable, porous surface that reduces runoff and can be reset or reused without sending demolition debris to landfill. She argued that requiring whole‑driveway demolition is inconsistent with Sunnyvale’s 2014 Climate Action Plan and the city’s zero‑waste goals, and she asked the commission to refer the concern to planning staff and to change the encroachment permit language to remove requirements to replace driveways where not strictly necessary.

She offered to provide photographs of the work and requested staff follow‑up; commissioners and staff acknowledged the concern and said staff would review the permit conditions with PG&E and the project’s restoration requirements.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Meeting - April 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A Sunnyvale resident told the Planning Commission April 28 that PG&E’s required sidewalk restorations after undergrounding work are forcing the demolition of entire driveway approaches rather than limited sidewalk repairs.","taxTitle","Sunnyvale , Santa Clara County, California","taxId",2858,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6583407,"Planning commission approves 242-unit development at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road",7655,1475000,9130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151832-80e1ee0bd85a0e696c4d38dc446e0e6a&start=1475&end=9130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151832-80e1ee0bd85a0e696c4d38dc446e0e6a/thumbnail_1475000.jpg","/articles/6583407/Sunnyvale/Santa-Clara-County/California/Planning-commission-approves-242-unit-development-at-777-Sunnyvale-Saratoga-Road","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583407-e08c2a94f7c1cf8dc181e482fcd01a4f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770421541&Signature=cCUI8Ffrp7UbHGxMymYvphb8zwI3QLMWsgn-ceDchsu1HI6NjBQGmyM8W2D~6EhftyWznlgtH7bE~YWSOrHGNavhS1-JG41cjyv8Pf4yx~7lC4t36YMe0exk3BOY-9cL6Povkp0gdoAhX1SapOaCgMC3xVaD-YqG~H1rRmcoWJMz8ytTiu5uBP~naCQKu0uQbDIxlqkP0dxZL~hCk~cTbMo-6AwaP0zrcKYYKXg7azFm6X8O31guSj22WF1OXZekxp8smvfZQLZeUYYiAYhEcBXZXcCf8G~aLYd~vYOw76twYmNzHr-w3C0VE-7j6SGHzERLHkKxHRm~CL98030ZDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sunnyvale Planning Commission voted 7-0 April 28 to approve a special development permit and tentative map to redevelop the former Orchard Supply Hardware site at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road into a 242‑unit residential project with 2,050 square feet of commercial space and public pedestrian improvements, staff said.

The project would use an 11‑building townhome cluster on the Sunnyvale Saratoga frontage and a podium apartment building on the Matilda side. Norma Ishijayma, the project planner, told commissioners the development is on a 5.24‑acre site and proposes 80 townhomes and a 160‑unit, seven‑story apartment building; the proposal includes 15% below‑market‑rate units under state density bonus rules and a request for one concession and 16 waivers from development standards.

Why it matters: The approval advances a large infill housing project in an area the city identified for higher density in the El Camino specific plan. The project also triggers further decision points: the applicant’s alternative‑compliance proposal to shift most affordable units into the apartment building will be considered by the Housing and Human Services Commission and then the City Council, and the approval is subject to a 15‑day appeal period.

Key facts and conditions
- Site and program: Staff described the site as 5.24 acres that has been vacant since Orchard Supply Hardware closed in February 2018. The project as approved would contain 242 residential units total (80 townhomes and a 160‑unit apartment building as presented by staff) and 2,050 square feet of ground‑floor commercial.
- Affordable housing: The application as approved provides 15% below‑market‑rate (BMR) units across both product types. Staff told commissioners an alternative‑compliance application now under review would reallocate most BMR units to the apartment building and, if approved later, would change the project affordability mix to about 66% affordable in the apartment portion.
- Density bonus and waivers: Staff said the project invoked the State Density Bonus law to request one concession and 16 waivers from specific development standards; staff recommended approval subject to findings and standard conditions.
- Parking and transit: Norma Ishijayma, project planner, said, “the project is providing 299 parking spaces.” Commissioners spent substantial time on parking after a change in state law. Staff explained that Assembly Bill 2553 changed the state’s definition of a major transit stop by adjusting the transit headway threshold; because the project site falls within a half‑mile of a qualifying stop, the city cannot impose minimum parking requirements under the statute. Commissioners retained conditions requiring a parking‑management plan and other operational rules; staff said a previously proposed mechanical parking solution was discussed at the study session but that the state law change altered the local discretion on minimum parking.
- Pedestrian and safety improvements: The project includes an 11‑foot sidewalk and a 15‑foot furniture zone along both frontages, enhanced street trees and pedestrian amenities, and a mid‑block HAWK crossing on Sunnyvale Saratoga Road that staff said is intended to provide a signalized pedestrian crossing to the adjacent shopping center.

Public comment and concerns
Public speakers expressed a mix of support and concern. Daniel Alvarez, a field representative for North Central Carpenter union Local 405, urged the developer to use local union labor and apprenticeship programs, saying Sunnyvale “deserves better.” Several neighborhood speakers raised objections focused primarily on project height, parking adequacy, and construction impacts. Supporters said the project would add badly needed housing and help sustain nearby retail.

Commission discussion and direction
Commissioners asked about the legal effect of the state parking law, the project’s parking allocation and management, the feasibility of mechanical parking, and the sequencing of approvals if the alternative‑compliance path is pursued. Staff and the applicant said conditions will require a parking management plan, that unassigned parking will be managed across the two project components, and that the alternative‑compliance decision (if pursued) goes next to Housing and Human Services and then City Council.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: Adopt Alternative 1 — approve the CEQA determination that the project is within the scope of the El Camino Real Specific Plan EIR and approve the special development permit and tentative map per staff findings and recommended conditions.
- Mover: Commissioner Pine; Second: Commissioner Shukla.
- Outcome: Approved, motion passes with 7 yeses.

Next steps
Staff said the 15‑day appeal period ends May 13. The applicant’s alternative‑compliance request is under review and is scheduled for the Housing and Human Services Commission in May and City Council consideration in June.

The commission record contains dozens of attachments, including a noise memorandum, traffic analysis and the applicant’s waiver/concession justification; staff indicated technical consultants were available to answer commissioner questions during the hearing.","The Sunnyvale Planning Commission voted 7-0 April 28 to approve a special development permit and tentative map to redevelop the former Orchard Supply Hardware site at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road into a 242‑unit residential project with 2,050 square feet of commercial space and public pedestrian improvements, staff said.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6583402,"Girl Scouts and bird advocates ask Sunnyvale planners to study a dark‑sky ordinance",581,519000,1100000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151832-80e1ee0bd85a0e696c4d38dc446e0e6a&start=519&end=1100","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151832-80e1ee0bd85a0e696c4d38dc446e0e6a/thumbnail_519000.jpg","/articles/6583402/Sunnyvale/Santa-Clara-County/California/Girl-Scouts-and-bird-advocates-ask-Sunnyvale-planners-to-study-a-darksky-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583402-8c04fda702ba18051c0e90286b64fe12/orig.mp4?Expires=1770421541&Signature=X3huOzPvgacf4ml4LtMb1dYCyeX3h2o2tabExAm95uBCoej00QLKbT~pwHfLF7qOEl02Sm96AbpHv6VYPMqJZeQ88V6PNWICsl0XR8~pExU3g6eyFd8CjLGLlWzgQQpV2p~FyhIojb47H8pmCAR7UIp-HUiVTl1jsN~JJR44IFqVgO3zH4WybjbgJR9m0dPDxDa4jylcMNmKQO0XUv9ImgdoKbAOL1N8zwi1LxJCgTDYn712Gl9kdhwTJFT74gUSmp7QcahmgLV~IcNAM3xUIfqmr--~Gcx7W4F4s931cwGJypvXROlq086aMkTzd4beCGzYYAyuNjM2w5717lIYLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of Sunnyvale Girl Scout Troop 60506 and local environmental advocates urged the Planning Commission during oral communications April 28 to study and adopt a dark‑sky lighting ordinance that would limit light trespass and encourage shielded, warmer‑temperature lighting.

The Troop introduced the topic during the meeting’s oral communications section. \"We are Sunnyvale Girl Scout Troop 60506, and we are here today to make a difference for our night skies,\" the group said, asking the commission to consider a dark‑sky ordinance that would require shielded fixtures, lower color temperatures and timed lighting to protect wildlife and human circadian rhythms.

Rainey Fisher, representing the Environmental Action Committee of the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance, said she has experienced bright light from nearby office campuses and asked the commission to \"please push for a lighting ordinance on existing buildings, not just future buildings.\" Fisher described ongoing light‑trespass concerns from large office developments and urged the city to include retrofit or operational measures for existing nonresidential buildings.

Speakers emphasized ecological and public‑health rationales — reduced bird and insect attraction to lights, improved human sleep health and the community benefits of restoring night skies — and offered to assist staff in drafting study language. The commission did not take formal action on the request; commissioners and staff thanked speakers and noted the city’s existing work on other environmental and parks projects.","At the April 28 Planning Commission meeting, a Sunnyvale Girl Scout troop and local bird‑protection advocates urged the city to study and adopt a dark‑sky lighting ordinance to reduce light pollution and protect wildlife and human health.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident asks Sunnyvale staff to modify PG&E sidewalk restoration permit to avoid driveway demolition

Planning commission approves 242-unit development at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road

Girl Scouts and bird advocates ask Sunnyvale planners to study a dark‑sky ordinance