HomeMy WebLinkAboutTUP-2025-002 TS-2025-009 - Temporary Use and Sign Permit Approval CITY OF CUPERTINO
10300 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, California 95014 (408) 777-3308
To: Mayor and City Council members
Chairperson and Planning Commissioners
From: Luke Connolly, Assistant Director of Community Development
Prepared by: Emi Sugiyama, Senior Planner
Date: June 11, 2026
Subject: Director’s Temporary Use Permit, TUP-2025-002, and Temporary Sign
Permit, TS-2025-009, to allow for the use of one townhome garage as a
temporary sales office at 20840 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Chapter 19.12.030 of the Cupertino Municipal Code allows for
administrative approval of a temporary use permit, authorizing the use of
a site in any zoning district for a temporary use. The Director reports
his/her decision to the City Council & Planning Commission in time to
allow an appeal of the decision within fourteen calendar days.
DISCUSSION
The applicant, SummerHill Homes, LLC, is requesting approval to allow a temporary
sales office use, for a period of up to one year, at 20840 Stevens Creek Boulevard
(Attachment 1). The project site has an existing planning entitlement to allow for the
development of 59 townhome-style condominium units.1 The applicant proposes to
retrofit one of the townhome garages as a sales office, use nine guest parking spaces for
sales purposes, and install temporary signage, ramps, fences, and portable restroom
facilities associated with the sales use.
Analysis
The 2.90 net-acre property is bounded by Stevens Creek Boulevard to the north, South
Stelling Road to the west, and South De Anza Boulevard to the east. The site abuts single-
family residences along Scofield Drive to the south, Union Church of Cupertino to the
west, and the Crossroads shopping center to the east.
1 The development was approved by the City Council on July 1, 2025 through a Development Permit (DP-
2024-002), Use Permit (U-2024-007), Tentative Map (TM-2024-001), Architectural and Site Approval (ASA-
2024-005), and Tree Removal Permit (TR-2024-024).
TUP-2025-002, TS-2025-009
20840 Stevens Creek Blvd Temporary Sales Office Page 2
The proposed temporary
sales office will be
located in the garage of
the southernmost unit of
Building 4, which is
located at the center of
the eastern boundary of
the site, adjacent to the
neighboring commercial
property. The office will
not be visible from
Stevens Creek Boulevard
and will be located more
than 200 feet from the
existing single-family
residential development
to the south of the site.
Sales Office Area and Parking
The temporary office space will be approximately 450 square feet in size and will include
a sales area and two office spaces. Both the residence in which the sales office is proposed
and the adjacent residence will be used as model homes for sales purposes, while the
temporary use is in operation.
The proposed office use would temporarily make use of nine of the 12 guest parking
spaces on site for office visitors and to locate a temporary portable restroom facility.
Signage
The proposed sales office is located in the southernmost unit of Building 4, along the
eastern property border. Visibility to the office from Stevens Creek Boulevard is
obstructed by the other units on the site. As such, signage will be required to direct both
vehicular and pedestrian traffic to the sales office location. The applicant has proposed
six signs, including one entry sign, one parking sign, two lead-in signs, and two model
signs to assist in orienting site visitors. The project also includes four temporary flag signs
located along Stevens Creek Boulevard. Each sign will be removed following the
termination of the temporary sales office use on the site. The signs have been reviewed
and found to be consistent with temporary sign requirements outlined in Cupertino
Municipal Code Chapter 19.104, as outlined in the table below.
Shopping
Center
TUP-2025-002, TS-2025-009
20840 Stevens Creek Blvd Temporary Sales Office Page 3
Table 1: Sign Requirements Table
Sign Type Allowed Sign Type Allowed Allowed
Entry Sign
64 square feet
64 square feet 6’ / 6’
Parking
Directional Signs
4 square feet
3’ / 3’
Lead-in 4 square feet
Model ID Real Estate Signs 4 square feet N/A, wall mounted
Flags Flag Signs 4 square feet 20’ / 20’
ACTION
The Director of Community Development deems this application as minor and approves
the temporary use and signage subject to the following conditions of approval.
A conditional use permit for a temporary use may be granted by the Director, if, from the
application or the facts presented to him or her, he or she makes the following written
findings:
A. The granting of the application will not be detrimental or injurious to property or
improvements in the vicinity, and will not be detrimental to the public, health,
safety, general welfare, or convenience; and
The proposed temporary use will not be detrimental or injurious to property or
improvements in the vicinity, and will not be detrimental to the public, health, safety,
general welfare, or convenience because it does not introduce a use which is incompatible
with the existing neighboring uses. Additionally, the use will be limited to one unit on the
property and will last for no more than one year. Temporary operations on the property
will comply with all other requirements for businesses in the City including hours of
operation and noise.
B. The proposed use will be located and conducted in a manner in accord with the
Cupertino General Plan and the purposes of this title.
The proposed temporary use will be located within an approved residential development
and perform uses in a manner that is consistent with the Cupertino General Plan and
Municipal Code, as described in this memorandum.
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20840 Stevens Creek Blvd Temporary Sales Office Page 4
SECTION I: CONDITIONS ADMINISTERED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT
1. APPROVED PROJECT
This approval is based on the plan set entitled “20840 Stevens Creek Boulevard
Landscape Improvement Plans for: Model Homes” consisting of 31 sheets labeled as
L0.0 through L4.8, C1, and 01 through 07, dated January 21, 2026, except as may be
amended by the following conditions.
2. ACCURACY OF PROJECT PLANS
The applicant/property owner is responsible for verifying all pertinent property data
including, but not limited to, property boundary locations, building setbacks,
property size, building square footage, any relevant easements and/or construction
records. Any misrepresentation of any project data may invalidate this approval and
require additional review.
3. DURATION
The temporary sales office, signs, and all associated equipment shall be removed from
the site no later than one year after the issuance of the certificate of occupancy for the
Building Permit associated with the temporary sales office.
4. CONSULATION WITH OTHER DEPARMENTS
The applicant is responsible to consult with other departments and/or agencies with
regard to the proposed project for additional conditions and requirements. Any
misrepresentation of any submitted data may invalidate an approval by the
Community Development Department.
5. INDEMNIFICATION
As part of the application, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the applicant shall
agree to indemnify, defend with the attorneys of the City’s choice, and hold harmless
the City, its City Council, and its officers, employees, and agents (collectively, the
“indemnified parties”) from and against any liability, claim, action, cause of action,
suit, damages, judgment, lien, levy, or proceeding (collectively referred to as
“proceeding”) brought by a third party against one or more of the indemnified parties
or one or more of the indemnified parties and the applicant related to any Ordinance,
Resolution, or action approving the project, the related entitlements, environmental
review documents, finding or determinations, or any other permit or approval
authorized for the project. The indemnification shall include but not be limited to
damages, fees, and costs awarded against the City, if any, and cost of suit, attorneys’
fees, and other costs, liabilities, and expenses incurred in connection with such
TUP-2025-002, TS-2025-009
20840 Stevens Creek Blvd Temporary Sales Office Page 5
proceeding whether incurred by the Applicant, the City, or the parties initiating or
bringing such proceeding.
The applicant shall agree to (without limitation) reimburse the City its actual
attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in defense of the litigation. Such attorneys’ fees and
costs shall include amounts paid to the City’s outside counsel and shall include City
Attorney time and overhead costs and other City staff overhead costs and any costs
directly related to the litigation reasonably incurred by City. The applicant shall
likewise agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the indemnified parties from
and against any damages, attorneys’ fees, or costs awards, including attorneys’ fees
awarded under Code of Civil Procedure section 1021.5, assessed or awarded against
the indemnified parties. The Applicant shall cooperate with the City to enter a
Reimbursement Agreement to govern any such reimbursement.
The Applicant shall agree to (without limitation) reimburse the City for all costs
incurred in additional investigation or study of, or for supplementing, redrafting,
revising, or amending, any document (such as an Environmental Impact Report,
negative declaration, specific plan, or general plan amendment) if made necessary by
proceedings challenging the project approvals and related environmental review, if
the applicant desires to continue to pursue the project.
The Applicant shall agree that the City shall have no liability to the Applicant for
business interruption, punitive, speculative, or consequential damages.
6. NOTICE OF FEES, DEDICATIONS, RESERVATIONS OR OTHER EXACTIONS
The Conditions of Project Approval set forth herein may include certain fees,
dedication requirements, reservation requirements, and other exactions. Pursuant to
Government Code Section 66020(d) (1), these Conditions constitute written notice of
a statement of the amount of such fees, and a description of the dedications,
reservations, and other exactions. You are hereby further notified that the 90-day
approval period in which you may protest these fees, dedications, reservations, and
other exactions, pursuant to Government Code Section 66020(a), has begun. If you
fail to file a protest within this 90-day period complying with all of the requirements
of Section 66020, you will be legally barred from later challenging such exactions.
This approval of the temporary use permit and temporary sign permit is effective June
11, 2026 and will expire on June 11, 2027. The 14-calendar-day appeal period will expire
on June 25, 2026.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Approved Plan Set