Sunnyvale planning commission reviews 294,000-square-foot Platform Moffett Park project; no action taken

The City of Sunnyvale Planning Commission on Oct. 13 reviewed a developer proposal for Platform Moffett Park, a 294,000-square-foot office and research building planned for 333–385 Moffett Park Drive; the session was study-only and no formal action or vote was taken.

City staff presenting the project said the proposal covers a 4.99-acre site in the Moffett Park Specific Plan area and would demolish two existing office/R&D buildings to construct a six-story development consisting of two office volumes set above a three-level above-grade podium. Principal Planner Julia Klein said the proposal includes approximately 294,000 square feet of new space, about 800 parking stalls in three podium parking levels, and a privately maintained publicly accessible open space component as part of the development benefits tied to a development agreement with BEP Moffett Park LLC.

The developer, represented by Dave Hardy of Ellis Partners, said the project — branded Platform Moffett Park — is designed to meet LEED Platinum standards and is “mass timber ready,” with structural framing that could accommodate either steel or mass timber depending on tenant demand. Hardy described the podium design as a way to conceal parking and create an elevated one-acre private park for tenant amenities and events. He said the project includes 218 public parking stalls and roughly 582 private stalls, 203 EV chargers at opening, about a half-megawatt of rooftop solar and a hillside pollinator garden fronting Moffett Park Drive.

Staff outlined the permitting path requested at study: a development agreement tying the project to the Moffett Park Specific Plan development reserve, a site master plan establishing horizontal site planning and floor-area allocations, and a site development permit for the vertical building design and landscaping. Klein said the project would tap into the neighborhood development-reserve allocation under the Moffett Park Specific Plan and that staff’s review found the proposed FAR of about 1.35 is consistent with the plan provided the DA is approved.

Commissioners focused questions on which development-reserve pot would be used, the project’s public benefits and community-access components, landscaping and tree replacement, facade modulation, bird-safety measures and how the project would transition future sidewalk and shared-path improvements to adjacent properties. Commissioner Martin noted that the Sojourn neighborhood’s reserve is about 2.47 million square feet and, based on his calculation, the city would have roughly 2.28 million square feet remaining after this project and that the proposed development would use slightly under 10% of that neighborhood reserve (comment attributed to Commissioner Martin during the study session).

On landscaping and trees, staff said the project would remove 52 protected trees and replace them with 87 new trees, consistent with Sunnyvale Municipal Code replacement requirements for protected trees. Several commissioners asked for clarification of the plant palette and encouraged stronger use of the plan’s recommended native species (Appendix B of the Moffett Park Specific Plan was cited), and asked staff and the applicant to provide more detail on the soil and planting depths for podium planters and on long-term maintenance commitments.

Design and circulation questions included whether the project would provide a future shuttle stop and whether the developer would build a shuttle shelter. Staff said the project reserves space for a future connector shuttle stop and extends the sidewalk onto private property to accommodate the stop, but the developer is not proposing to operate a shuttle at this time. Commissioners also pressed the applicant on the facade modulation approach; the architect (Casey Cromer) and the developer said the building’s “bow-tie” shape provides the modulation required by the specific plan while meeting their design goals. The project team told commissioners an ABN bird-safety assessment was submitted and that bird-safe treatments would be applied where shown on elevation sheets.

Staff and the applicant said the project includes these community benefits as part of the DA or site package: a monetary contribution of $3,100,000 tied to the development-reserve exchange, approximately 12,000 square feet of privately maintained publicly accessible open space/or similar public realm improvements, a bike repair station, expanded laneway improvements beyond the plan minimum, and the elevated private park on the podium. The applicant said the ground level will include publicly accessible amenities and a dedicated public entrance from the west laneway; the podium levels will include private tenant amenities and secured access.

A single public commenter, identified in the record as Lehi Robust representing North Cal Partners Local 405, urged the commission and developer to require state-accredited apprenticeship standards, area-standard wages for trades and comprehensive health care for workers on the project, saying such requirements create career pathways and protect worker safety and community sustainability. The speaker stated they did not oppose the project but urged the city to use the project as a model for responsible construction standards.

Staff said outreach included a community meeting held Sept. 25 attended by city staff, the applicant’s team and a representative of the Moffett Park Business Group; staff reported no other public comments had been received as of the study session. No formal motions or votes on the project were taken at the study session; staff asked the commission for design and site-planning feedback and indicated the matter will return to the commission for a public hearing on the DA, site master plan and site development permit.

Key figures and items mentioned during the study session: site size 4.99 acres; proposed building 294,000 square feet; approximately 800 parking stalls total (applicant stated 218 public stalls and about 582 private stalls); removal of 52 protected trees with replacement by 87 new trees per staff; a $3.1 million development payment tied to additional square footage; podium-level private park of roughly 1 acre; commitment to LEED Platinum; 203 EV chargers on opening; and roughly a half-megawatt of solar on rooftops.

Next steps as stated in the meeting record: the applicant will return for a noticed public hearing and decision on the development agreement, site master plan and site development permit; staff and the applicant agreed to follow up with commissioners by e-mail on detailed plant palettes, tree species, soil-depth and podium planting technical questions, and to clarify how the multi-use path will transition to adjacent properties when those properties redevelop.