Design Review Commission Study Session on Sunnyvale Avenue Development - December 17, 2025
Design Review Commission Study Session on Sunnyvale Avenue Development - December 17, 2025
Note: The opening of the transcript references "November 19th Design Review Commission," but the specified meeting date for this summary is December 17, 2025. This discrepancy is noted; all other content is taken from the provided transcript.
The Design Review Commission held a study session to review the proposed Sunnyvale Single Family Residential Development at 1725 Sunnyvale Avenue. The project includes demolition of two existing homes, construction of eight two-story single-family homes (one affordable unit) on a 0.93-acre lot, a private street, retaining walls, fences, and removal of 35 trees (11 highly protected). The application was filed under SB 330 with a density bonus request. Commissioners took public comment and provided feedback to be forwarded to the Planning Commission. No votes were taken.
Consent Calendar
- No items were placed on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Several neighbors spoke in opposition, raising concerns about:
- Density: Eight units (potentially nine with an ADU) is excessive for a neighborhood of single-family homes.
- Tree removal: Loss of 35 trees, including 11 highly protected species (valley oaks, black walnuts), which provide habitat for owls, squirrels, and other wildlife.
- Traffic and parking: Existing congestion on Sunnyvale Avenue; concern that new residents will park on the street.
- Privacy: Two-story homes with second-floor windows will overlook neighboring backyards, pools, and properties; existing foliage screens will be removed.
- Fence height: Six-foot fences on retaining walls may not provide adequate privacy; some neighbors requested seven- or eight-foot fences.
- Safety and noise: Increased population and traffic, potential for racing on the street.
- Specific speakers: Jill Lick Demandy (1689 Suncrest Ct), her husband, Jason Bowman (1715 Sunnyvale Ave), Laura Cotchell (1687 Suncrest Ct), Amanda Welch (1691 Suncrest Ct), Shua Dial (1715 Sunnyvale Ave), Martin (neighbor), Silary Heibel (Maggie Lane), Dave Dunning (Maggie Lane).
Discussion Items
- Staff Presentation (Gerardo Victoria): Detailed project description, density bonus calculation (base density 6 units; 17% bonus allows 8 units), 14 requested waivers (list includes minimum lot size from 8,000 sq ft to 4,100 sq ft, front yard setback from 20 ft to 4 ft, etc.), tree removal process, and CEQA infield exemption. The project meets objective standards.
- Applicant Rebuttal (Doug Cummins, Justin Joseph, Onica Carpenter):
- ADUs intended for flexible use, not sold separately.
- Windows designed for privacy: bullet windows at stairs, second-floor rear windows set back >20 ft from property line, transom windows, egress windows required by code.
- Fence height: 6-ft wood fence on 2-3 ft retaining wall. Site is lower than neighbors on the residential side, so neighbors see 8-9 ft of combined wall/fence, while new homes see only 6 ft fence.
- Tree 14 identified near the turnaround on lot 8, trunk under asphalt.
- Commissioner Comments:
- Acknowledged limited authority due to state law (SB 330 density bonus).
- Encouraged the applicant to increase perimeter fences to the maximum allowable 7 ft for privacy.
- Suggested planting larger, faster-growing tree species on the perimeter to restore canopy and screening.
- Noted concern about habitat loss and asked applicant to prepare mitigation evidence for the Planning Commission.
- Colors, materials, and general architecture were considered acceptable.
Key Outcomes
- No formal vote: This was a study session; all comments will be forwarded to the Planning Commission for their future consideration.
- Recommendations to applicant:
- Increase perimeter fence height to 7 ft (maximum allowed).
- Select larger or faster-growing tree species for perimeter replacement trees to maximize canopy.
- Address privacy concerns through window placement and additional shrubs where possible.
- Next steps: The project will be scheduled for a public hearing at the Planning Commission, which has authority over density, tree removal permits, and other approvals.
Meeting Transcript
That's 15 seconds. So thanks. Thanks for coming and attending the November 19th Design Review Commission. Can we do a roll call, please? Thank you, Chair. Commissioner Case. Here. Commissioner Riley. Here. Vice Chair Basting. Here. Chair Newsom. Here. All are present. We have a quorum. Thank you. Next up is the consent calendar. Do we have anything to put on the consent calendar? Staff has no recommendations. Okay, so we move on to public communications. And this portion of the meeting is reserved for comments that are not on the agenda. Under the Brown Act, commissioners cannot act on items raised during public communications, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed, request clarification. Refer an item to staff. Any public communications? Outside of this subject, which is the public hearing coming up. Okay, good. Um I see there's a lot of people here. Oh something outside, sorry. If you if you if you're gonna come up and speak on any subject, um, we're gonna need a yellow comment card, and those are in the back right there, so fill them out. I see we have a few. Um, so go ahead if you're gonna come up, fill out your cards so we're ready when it's time for you to come up. You'll be called up in order. So, I mean, we're leading up to the public uh public hearing here, so I also want to have to ask: have any of the commissioners had any ex parte communications about the projects on? No, no, no, no, okay, very good. So now we're gonna open up the public hearing, and looks like we have one item in the public hearing, which is the Sunnyvale development. Does staff have a presentation? Yes, looks like you do. So why don't you go ahead, Geraldo? So good evening, design review commissioners. My name is Gerardo Victoria. I'm an assistant planner with the community development department. The project before you today is the Sunnyvale Single Family Residential Development located at 1725 Sunnyvale Avenue. So just some site context. The general plan designation for this site that's right here outlined in yellow is single family medium, which allows three to six dwelling units per acre. The zoning, which is located down here is residential eight, and it is surrounded by other single family homes. To the right, if you're standing on Sunnyvale Avenue, to the right is the Taiwanese cultural center located right here. The front picture is the front of the property, and the bottom picture right here. There's a driveway on the right-hand side that comes down, and this is taken on the interior of the parcel where you see the single family home, accessory structures here, and on the front, there's also an existing single family residence. So the project description is to demo two existing single family residences and accessory structures, construct an eight-lot subdivision with a private street, construct a five-foot land dedication fronting Sunnyvale Avenue, eight two-story single-family homes, one of which will be an affordable unit. New two-foot concrete retaining walls, and a six-foot privacy fence or fences.
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