By Khalida Sarwari
After a pair of well-attended public hearings on the hot topic of building height limits within two of Saratoga’s zoning districts, the city’s planning commission met to begin making some recommendations to the city council.
The commissioners differed in their positions regarding height limits for commercial and multi-family buildings in the commercial visitor and neighborhood zoning districts, but at the end of a four-hour study session on March 26, they reached a consensus to provide community development director James Lindsay with direction for a draft ordinance that will eventually go before the city council for consideration.
As the city’s zoning code stands, the limit is 30 feet for multi-family buildings and 20 feet for commercial buildings. Historically, several commercial buildings along Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road have been granted height exceptions, which have resulted in the creation of different architectural styles along the road and raises the question of whether the current height limit is appropriate.
Much of the commission discussion was centered on whether the varying height limits incentivize certain building types, whether 30 feet is the appropriate height limit for multi-family buildings and whether 20 feet is the appropriate height limit for commercial buildings in the two zoning districts.
At public outreach meetings held in February and March, some residents and property owners within the zoning districts voiced concerns regarding the impact of raising the height limits on views of the hills, privacy, increased noise and density.
At the March 26 study session, Commissioner Yan Zhao said she would prefer to consider the requests of residents who don’t want any height increases. She said 26 feet should be the maximum limit reserved only for special cases.
Vice Chairwoman Joyce Hlava, however, argued that if the limit is too low, developers would continue to claim their projects as exceptions.
“It would make it easier for us to cap it at 26 feet without an elevator shaft,” Hlava said. “It would make life much easier for all of us, frankly.”
Commissioner Mary-Lynne Bernald agreed, saying that a higher limit would result in better architecture and prevent a boxy or bulky appearance.
In the end, the planning commission agreed that building heights should be raised from 20 feet to 26 feet along Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road, including all rooftop equipment. But whereas builders can install equipment that can exceed 20 feet without penalty according to the way limits are defined in the city code now, the commission agreed to set an absolute cap to limit the height at 26 feet.
They decided that 26 feet would be flexible enough to allow developers some room for equipment, but not so much that they find a way around exceeding the limit.
“I don’t want these limits to keep getting pushed and pushed,” said Commissioner Pragati Grover.
The commission also decided that in the commercial visitor district, residential mixed-use buildings should continue to be allowed, as long as there is no residential use on the ground floor.
Other suggestions the commissioners made were to double the amount of required rear setback for the second story and to remove stand-alone residential buildings from both districts. The neighborhood district is located in the area of the Argonaut and Quito Village shopping centers.
Otherwise, the commission agreed to leave the code as is, without making changes to height limits.
“My aim is to retain all the commercial [zoning] we have,” said Hlava.
Bernald suggested that because each neighborhood is different in character, each should be addressed differently. Commissioner Leonard Almalech disagreed, stating that doing so would defeat the purpose of attempting to set consistent provisions.
The study session was attended by 10 members of the public, and a few spoke before the commission. Resident Trish Cypher expressed concerned that making any changes to the existing height limits will dramatically alter the city’s quality of life. “Is consistency the best reason to have 26 feet?” she asked the commission. “I don’t know that that’s the right answer.”
Another resident who lives in the Quito neighborhood inquired about traffic impacts in that neighborhood due to increased density.
At the two earlier outreach meetings, most residents called for keeping commercial building heights at 20 feet and either lowering multi-family heights to 20 feet or eliminating residential as an allowed use in the two commercial zoning districts. Many attendees repeatedly questioned whether residential uses are appropriate for the two districts.Some also expressed frustration, saying that community interests are not being adequately represented.
The planning commission asked to study the issue of building height limit discrepancies as part of its proposed 2013 community development work plan.
The commission will next consider the matter at its meeting on April 24, when commissioners will have a chance to review and discuss the draft ordinance.
Planning commission soon to present height limit plan to council
