Planning commission recommends approvals for Cheney Street townhomes project

The Santa Clara Planning Commission on June 11 recommended that the City Council approve a proposed nine-unit townhome project at 4249 Cheney Street, advancing a package of environmental and land-use approvals needed for the development.

Staff described the project as a 0.5-acre vacant site where the applicant seeks adoption of a mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring and reporting program under CEQA, a General Plan amendment to change the land use designation from “Very Low Density Residential” to “Low Density Residential,” a rezoning from R1-6L (single-family) to R2 (low density residential), and a tentative subdivision map to create condominium lots for nine for‑sale townhomes.

The project planner, Steve Lee, told the commission the proposal would add a private L‑shaped street providing access to two‑car garages and visitor parking, and that each unit would be roughly 1,700 square feet with three bedrooms and 2½ baths. Lee said nearby features include Agnew Park, two historic resource inventory sites and existing townhome and multifamily developments. The applicant indicated the project would pay an in-lieu fee in lieu of providing an on-site affordable unit because the subdivision is under 10 units.

Commissioners questioned parking, construction timing, privacy and infrastructure impacts. The applicant said each unit would have two covered parking spaces, two visitor spaces would be provided on-site, and civil permits for utilities would be required at building permit time; staff confirmed utility upgrades would be reviewed by the applicable public works and utility departments during the permit process. The applicant also said the construction drawings were nearly complete and estimated breaking ground roughly three to four months after permit submittal.

After public comment was closed with no speakers for or against the project, the commission voted to recommend the Council: adopt the initial study and mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring and reporting program; approve the General Plan amendment (Very Low to Low density); approve the rezoning from R1-6L to R2; and approve the tentative subdivision map for condominium purposes subject to findings and conditions of approval. All four motions passed.

The item will move to the City Council for final action; staff said the Council hearing is the next step after the commission’s recommendations.

The project team and staff were present throughout the hearing to answer technical questions and to confirm conditions of approval and mitigation requirements would be applied through the MMRP and standard permit reviews.