The Sunnyvale Sun

News

City creates Places of Assembly zoning

By JASON GOLDMAN-HALL

After six months of study, the city of Sunnyvale may soon be ready to address the growing need for assembly space for community organizations such as churches, schools and fitness centers.

On March 21, the city set a number of new guidelines for the placement of recreational, educational and other uses in industrially zoned areas. Among the changes is a new "Places of Assembly" combined zoning district where recreational and industrial uses can coexist.

It extended its moratorium on applications for recreational uses, which began Sept. 20, until April 27 because that is when its new guidelines go into effect.

The moratorium was intended to stop applications to put recreational facilities in industrial areas.

The city council was concerned about applications being evaluated on a case-by-case basis; the city risked turning the majority of its valuable industrial property into churches and schools.

While this would give Sunnyvale residents less expensive land on which to build places of assembly, it would also limit the space the city hopes to sell to high-tech developers if the economy improves as forecasted.

The moratorium was extended on Oct. 25 to give city staff time to come up with a plan to deal with the issue.

Principal planner Andrew Miner said while the moratorium would have naturally ended on March 31, the latest extension was necessary to cover the gap until the new ordinances go into effect.

Without an extension, any applications accepted between March 31 and April 27 would be subject to the city's existing zoning policies.

To qualify as a POA district, the land uses inside must be conducive to recreational uses, to prevent "sensitive receptors" such as children from being harmed by hazardous or undesirable businesses.

While the moratorium will end on April 27, recreational uses will still not be allowed in industrial areas. As part of the ordinance introduced on March 21, industrial areas that can safely allow for recreational uses will become part of the new "Place of Assembly" combined zoning district. Recreational uses will only be allowed in these POA districts.

Those districts will not be defined for several months where the city locates places for the new zoning.