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

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…