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Commission sends rezoning package for 27 nonconforming homes, ITR updates to city council
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended City Council adopt general plan, specific plan and zoning map amendments to align 27 legal nonconforming single‑ and two‑family homes with residential designations, add ITR/R3/PD overlays for select industrial parcels in East Sunnyvale, and amend zoning code language to prevent reconversion to industrial uses.
The Sunnyvale Planning Commission on Jan. 13 recommended that the City Council adopt ordinances and a resolution to amend the general plan, specific plans and zoning map to align zoning with long‑standing residential uses and to enable housing reuse of certain industrial sites.
Associate Planner Wendy Lau and Principal Planner Julia Klein presented staff’s proposal to reclassify 27 legal nonconforming single‑ and two‑family dwellings currently enveloped by nonresidential zoning (office, El Camino Real specific plan, Perry Park specific plan) to appropriate residential general plan land‑use categories (low or low‑medium density) with corresponding R0, R2 or R2/Office PD zoning. Staff said that change would allow owners to pursue standard residential expansions, such as accessory dwelling units, consistent with the underlying land uses.
Staff also described updates to the Industrial‑to‑Residential (ITR) combining district. Several parcels in previously converted areas currently carry MS/ITR zoning overlay with R3PD development on the ground; staff proposed removing redundant MS/ITR designations where residential redevelopment has already occurred and adding ITR/R3/PD overlays on three East Sunnyvale sites (sites 1–3) currently zoned Industrial Service (MS) to enable approximately 116 potential new residential units. Sites 4–6 were not proposed for rezoning because deed restrictions and environmental cleanup obligations prevent residential reuse at this time.
Staff recommended a zoning‑code text amendment to Section 19.26.120 to add language stating that once an ITR district transitions to residential use it cannot revert to industrial use, aligning code with the General Plan housing element strategy (Program H‑45) to protect long‑term housing capacity.
Commissioners asked about environmental cleanup and federal‑Superfund parcels in the East Sunnyvale area; staff said regulatory agencies would review site remediation and required phase I/II environmental reports for any future private redevelopment. Commissioner Cerrone also asked whether changing the general plan land use required CEQA; staff said these changes were analyzed in the staff report and recommended exempt under CEQA (staff cited the analysis in the report), and noted the housing element and prior planning work identified these sites for potential residential reuse.
One owner of an affected parcel, Wesley Yu (owner of 290 N. Pastoria Ave.), spoke in support of the rezoning, saying the change would align zoning with the site’s long‑standing residential use.
Commissioner Pine moved to recommend City Council adopt staff’s Alternative 1 (ordinances and resolution to amend the general plan, specific plans, zoning map and zoning code) and find the actions exempt from CEQA; Vice Chair Davis seconded. The motion passed 6–0 with Commissioner Shukla absent. The matter moves to City Council on Jan. 28.
