Sunnyvale has passed an ordinance allowing the city to regulate household appliances and heating systems before a state law prevents it from doing so. Starting in October, AB 306 will pause cities’ ability to amend residential construction codes. So, at its Aug. 12, the Sunnyvale City Council started the process of getting an ordinance on … Read more
Sunnyvale will remove lanes in each direction along a stretch of Tasman Drive to make way for a multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path. At its most recent meeting on July 29, the Sunnyvale City Council considered the results of a study that prescribes solutions to improve pedestrian and bike access between Fair Oaks Avenue and … Read more
To avoid having to meet below-market-rate housing requirements, the developer for a Sunnyvale housing project has turned over a parcel of land to the city. Valley Oaks Partners, a San Jose-based developer, originally planned to turn the vacant Orchard Supply Hardware site, located at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road, into a combination of townhomes and below-market-rate … Read more
A slew of state laws are hamstringing Sunnyvale’s ability to ensure that retail businesses remain in the city’s village centers. At its most recent meeting on July 1, the Sunnyvale City Council adopted an urgency ordinance that set guidelines — known as the Village Center Master Plan — for development in these areas. The city … Read more
In the shadow of federal cutbacks, the Sunnyvale City Council will continue to fund U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs. At its most recent meeting, the council got a five-year and yearly forecast for federal money funneled into its HUD programs. That money is predominantly used for two programs: the city’s Community … Read more
The Sunnyvale City Council has denied a resident’s request to exempt an illegally built home office from zoning regulations. The detached home office, located at 160 S. Pastoria Ave., failed to meet the height and setback requirements set forth in the zoning code. The applicant, Scott McClennan, claimed the building, which is 112 sq. ft., … Read more
Sunnyvale has increased how much money displaced renters will get if evicted. At its last meeting Feb. 25, the Sunnyvale City Council approved upping no-fault, just-cause evictions from two months rent to three months rent. “A large part of what we want to do is to make it so that people will stay housed,” said … Read more
Sunnyvale’s newest park will honor the city’s agricultural legacy. At its most recent meeting Feb. 4, the Sunnyvale City Council opted to name a new park, located at 1142 Dahlia Court, what everybody has been calling it for decades. From 1965 until 2015, the two-acre parcel played host to the Corn Palace farm stand. Jesus … Read more
Sunnyvale has updated its land-use designations to accommodate future residential growth. At its Jan. 28 meeting, the Sunnyvale City Council changed designations on 27 properties. Doing so allows for residences to add self-contained living spaces on the footprint of a larger residence, called accessory dwelling units (ADUs) “There are some buildings with existing uses that … Read more
A pilot program to shelter homeless residents during severe weather acted as a lens to a broader discussion about the critical need for such services in Sunnyvale. At its most recent meeting on Dec. 10, the Sunnyvale City Council approved a pilot program that provides 10 motel rooms for up to 20 nights during the … Read more