HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-22-2021 Planning Commission Special Meeting Agenda packetSaratoga Planning Commission Agenda – Page 1 of 2
SARATOGA PLANNING COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
NOVEMBER 22, 2021
6:00 P.M. – COMMUNITY MEETING
Participation Information:
This meeting will be conducted in compliance with Government Code section 54953(e) of the
Ralph M. Brown Act allowing teleconferencing during a proclaimed state of emergency when state
or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing. Attendees
must comply with all applicable social distancing and face covering guidelines and Santa Clara
County Health Orders related to COVID-19.
Members of the public may view and participate in the meeting by:
1. Using the Zoom website https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83461657837 or App (Webinar ID 834
6165 7837); OR
2. Calling 1.408.638.0968 or 1.669.900.6833 and pressing *9 to raise their hand to speak on an
agenda item when directed by the Chair.
Methods of viewing the meeting will also be listed on the meeting agenda, available at
www.saratoga.ca.us/agendacenter.
Members of the public can send written comments to the Commission prior to the meeting by
commenting online at www.saratoga.ca.us/pc prior to the start of the meeting. These emails will
be provided to the members of the Commission and will become part of the official record of the
meeting.
ROLL CALL
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
Any member of the public will be allowed to address the Planning Commission for up to three
(3) minutes on matters not on this agenda. This law generally prohibits the Planning
Commission from discussing or taking action on such items. However, the Planning Commission
may instruct staff accordingly regarding Oral Communications.
AGENDA ITEMS:
1.1 Review of Possible Opportunity Sites & Policies
ADJOURNMENT
Certificate of Posting of the Agenda, Distribution of Agenda Packet, & Compliance with
Americans with Disabilities Act
I, Frances Reed, Administrative Analyst for the City of Saratoga, declare that the foregoing agenda
for the meeting of the Planning Commission was posted and available for review on November 19,
Saratoga Planning Commission Agenda – Page 2 of 2
2021 at the City of Saratoga, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070 and on the City's
website at www.saratoga.ca.us.
Signed this 19th day of November 2021 at Saratoga, California.
Frances Reed, Administrative Analyst.
In accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, copies of the staff reports and other materials
provided to the Planning Commission by City staff in connection with this agenda are available at
City Hall at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070 and on the website at
www.saratoga.ca.us. Any materials distributed by staff after the posting of the agenda will be made
available for public review at City Hall and on website at the time they are distributed to the
Planning Commission. In Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need
assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at 408/868-1269.
Notification 24 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements
to ensure accessibility to this meeting. [28 CFR 5.102-35.104 ADA title II]
You can also sign up to receive email notifications when Commission agendas and minutes have
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CITY OF SARATOGA
Memorandum
To: Planning Commission
From: Debbie Pedro, Community Development Director
Date: November 22, 2021
Subject: Housing Element Community Meeting #3 – Review of Possible Opportunity Sites &
Policies
Per City Council’s direction on August 31, 2021, a series of Planning Commission community
meetings on the Housing Element have been scheduled through December and the dates and
topics of each of the community meetings can be found below.
Date Activity
October 27, 6PM
Wednesday
Community Meeting #1: Brainstorming & Call for Ideas
• Open call for ideas (opportunity sites and policies)
• Current list of possible policies (no sites) is presented for discussion and
feedback, additional policy ideas are captured
November 9, 6PM
Tuesday
Community Meeting #2: Brainstorming & Call for Ideas
• Open call for ideas (opportunity sites and policies)
• Current list of possible policies (no sites) is presented for discussion and
feedback, additional policy ideas are captured
November 22, 6PM
Monday
Community Meeting #3: Review of Possible Opportunity Sites & Policies
• Recap of all ideas shared at Sessions 1 and 2 with another call for ideas
• Planning Commission identifies pros and cons of all opportunity site ideas
• Further discussion of policy ideas
December 7, 6PM
Tuesday
Community Meeting #4: Prioritize Opportunity Sites & Policies
• Planning Commission prioritizes opportunity sites and policies to those
that are most preferred to prepare a recommendation to the City
Council
December 14, 6PM
Tuesday
City Council/Planning Commission Study Session
• Planning Commission presents recommendation to City Council
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Housing Sites Inventory
A key component of the Housing Element is the Housing Sites Inventory. In preparing the Housing
Sites Inventory, the City must identify and analyze sites that are available and suitable for
development to demonstrate that there are sufficient and adequate sites to accommodate the
draft RHNA at the respective income categories. The draft RHNA for Saratoga is as follow:
2023-2031
DRAFT RHNA
Very Low
Income Low Income Moderate
Income
Above
Moderate
1,712 454 (27%) 261 (15%) 278 (16%) 719 (42%)
The Housing Sites Inventory is comprised of: units in the pipeline, vacant sites, accessory dwelling
units, and opportunity sites. To ensure that the RHNA is met, a buffer of 10% is added, bringing
the total to 1,883 units that need to be planned for in the sites inventory. The State Housing and
Community Development Department (HCD) has an extensive list of criteria for determining if a
site can be considered an opportunity site and has published the Housing Element Site Inventory
Guidebook which provides best practices for selecting sites. For example, when determining
which sites are best suited to accommodate the RHNA for lower income households, the
jurisdiction should consider factors such as:
• Proximity to transit
• Access to high performing schools and jobs
• Access to amenities, such as parks and services
• Proximity to available infrastructure and utilities
• Sites that do not require environmental mitigation
The City has developed an interactive GIS Map that can be used to find information for each
parcel in the city, including zoning district, lot area, setbacks, and more. Taking into consideration
units in the pipeline, vacant sites, and accessory dwelling units that are anticipated to be built,
we still have shortfall of over 1,100 units to plan for.
The current 2015 – 2023 Housing Element identified three housing opportunity site areas that
could yield 335 units: Prospect, Gateway, and Fellowship Plaza. None of these sites have been
developed into housing so we are reusing the sites with proposed increase to the allowable
density. With some changes, this could yield up to 455 units.
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APN Site/Address Zone GP
Lot
Size
(Acres)
Proposed
Density
(DU/AC)
# of
Units Notes
Rezone Previous Housing Element Opportunity Sites
38610043
38610004
38610055
38610006
38610007
Prospect
Ave/Lawrence
Expressway
CN
(RHD)
CR 5.12 60-150 300 Previous opportunity site.
(McDonald’s, See’s Candies, Wheel
Works, Classic Carwash).
Match height (8-10 stories) and
density (155 DU/AC) of adjacent El
Paseo project.
36612072
36612054
36612065
36612066
Gateway South
Saratoga
Sunnyvale Rd.
CV CR 5.35 15-60 80 Previous opportunity site
(Mini Storage, Funeral Home)
Increase density and story limit.
39712016 14500 Fruitvale
Ave.
R-1-
40000
CFS 10.47 20-30 75 Previous opportunity site.
(Fellowship Plaza) Establish
minimum density and height limit.
At the October 27 and November 9 Planning Commission Housing Element meetings, community
members had suggested a number of sites and areas to be evaluated. Staff has also received
emails, phone calls and met with various community stakeholders who have provided additional
ideas. Below is the list of opportunity sites nominated to date:
APN Site/Address Zone GP
Lot
Size
(Acres)
Proposed
Density
(DU/AC)
# of
Units Notes
Expanded Gateway Area - New Sites
38630039 12230 Saratoga
Sunnyvale Rd.
CV CR 1.05 15-60 16 Saratoga Star Aquatics.
4 story building with underground
parking, 10’ side 30’ rear 10’ front
setback, 100% residential or mixed
use.
33622022 12029 Saratoga
Sunnyvale Rd.
CN CR 2.54 15-60 38 Blue Hills Shopping Center
100% residential or mixed use.
38653031 12312 Saratoga
Sunnyvale Rd.
CN CR 1.23 15-60 18 Azule Crossing Office Building.
100% residential or mixed use.
38652032
38652033
12300-12306
Saratoga
Sunnyvale Rd.
CN CR 0.66 15-60 10 Stop and Save, Cleaners.
100% residential or mixed use.
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Village East – New Sites
39731020
39731011
39731008
39727028
39727029
39744019
39744020
39727032
39722066
Saratoga
Sunnyvale Rd.
/Saratoga Ave.
/Arbeleche Ln.
PA
CV
RM3
RM4
PA
CR
RMF
3.42 20-60 68 Mix of office, retail, condos.
Adjacent to multifamily
development.
Cox and Saratoga Avenues
38906017 13025 Saratoga
Ave.
PA PA 9.76 30-60 293 Pumpkin patch and Christmas
Tree Lot. Consider blended
density to allow a mix of town
homes and condominiums
/apartments.
38912017 12900 Saratoga
Ave.
PA PA 10.12 20-60 200 Quito Office Center.
38614016 12768 Saratoga
Ave.
R-1-
10000
CFS 3.75 15-60 56 Westhope Church. Adjacent to
existing townhomes.
38614026
38614027
38614014
18805, 18809,
18811 Cox Ave.
PA,
CN
CR 2.45 15-60 37 Across from Quito Village
approved for townhomes.
Other New Sites
39747001
39391932
12772, 12820
Saratoga
Sunnyvale Rd.
CN CR 3.21 15-60 48 Compass, Animal Hospital, Day
Spa, Saratoga Bagels.
North of Argonaut Shopping
Center. Adjacent to RMF.
36614041 20851 Wardell
Rd.
HR RHC 7.35
3 21 Rezone to R-1-12 because it is
adjacent to R-1-12. Portion of the
property is within very high fire
severity zone.
39716003 14251 Fruitvale
Ave.
A RVLD 10.7 2-4 20 Novakovich Farm
Rezone to R-1-10 or R-1-20
39701071 14001 Chester
Ave.
A RVLD 12.13 4 48 Belliciti Farm
Rezone to R-1-10 to have
consistent zoning along Allendale.
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Multiple Allendale
between Quito
and West Valley
College
R-1-
40000
R-1-
20000
RVLD Rezone parcels to R-1-10 to have
consistent zoning along Allendale
Ave.
39715018
39714922
39713030
West Valley
College
R-1-
40000
CFS 140 Consider Multi-Family housing for
students and non-students.
39730053 Fruitvale
Ave./Saratoga
Ave.
R-1-
20000
OS-
MR
24.9 20-60 Heritage Orchard. Develop a City
Center-like community space with
the library that gives Saratoga a
modern-day feel to attract
millennial families with elements
of the original orchard, making it a
nice gathering place.
Potential Housing Policies
In addition to brainstorming possible opportunity sites, staff has also requested ideas from the
public on potential policies that would further support housing to meet the RHNA targets. Below
is the list of housing policy ideas for Planning Commission review and discussion.
Policy/Program Description
Increase Housing
Opportunities
• Establish standards for residential uses on community facility parcels
(churches and schools) to allow multi family housing on CFS sites.
• Reduce setback requirements for smaller parcels to make it easier to
build.
• Standardize height limits to 35’ in CH1 and CH2 Districts in the Village
where three story structures are allowed.
Inclusionary Housing
Requirement
• Establish an inclusionary ordinance to require 10% of units in a new
multifamily development be deeded for affordable housing.
ADU Program • Further streamline permit process and development standards for ADUs.
• Promote ADUs through more channels.
• Reduce permit fees for ADUs.
• Create property tax incentive for new ADUs by establishing new rule
to allow exemption from incremental property tax assessment for
ADUs added before 2031.
Home Share Program • Develop a Home Sharing Program that match homeowners with a
spare room or rooms with persons seeking an affordable place to
live (e.g. West Valley College students) and to pay rent or exchange
activities for reduced rent.
Preserve Neighborhood
Commercial Land Uses
• Create a new land use and zoning designation for mixed-use and
retain commercial land use and zoning for commercial uses only.
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