Residents of homes designed by Joseph Eichler are concerned that new two-story homes could invade their privacy and block sunlight and views. They have sought and won zoning protection.
Joseph Eichler designed homes known for their single-story layouts with large glass windows all over California in the 1940s. Residents of these neighborhoods have repeatedly sought and won protection against larger homes coming to the neighborhood, according to an article by Victoria Zezra.
"Another group of Sunnyvale homeowners has succeeded in getting its neighborhood rezoned to 'single story only,'" reports Kezra. The most recent neighborhood is the latest in a strong of similar zoning overlays, starting in Palo Alto and in another neighborhood in Sunnyvale.
"The council’s April 25 vote rezoned 29 contiguous single-family homes from low-density residential to low-density residential single story," adds Kezra.
The planning commission originally denied the request for the zoning overlay, but the city council approved it after more of the residents showed to a council meeting to voice support for the overlay. "The council plans to study the single-story overlay request process in the future," writes Kezra.
FULL STORY: Another Sunnyvale Eichler neighborhood will be ‘single story only’
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