Ordinance 1126 - URGENCY ZONING ORDINANCE RESTRICTING MOVING OR DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS OF HISTORICAL, CULTURAL OR ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCEORDINANCE NO. 1126
URGENCY ZONING ORDINANCE RESTRICTING
MOVING OR DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS OF
HISTORICAL, CULTURAL OR ARCHITECTURAL
IMPORTANCE.
THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS DOES ORDAIN:
SECTION 1.
Findings and Declaration of Intent.
Numerous parcels of land in the Town of Los Gatos are
sites of older buildings of historical or architectural importance,
To an extent that is unusual in California, such buildings have
escaped. natural and man-made disaster. Many are well preserved.®
Because of the location of the Town, the terrain and the
fact that before 1950 much of the land. in Los Gatos was owned in
comparatively small parcels, the Town has not been able to obtain
the economic benefits of standard. large -scale commercial and
industrial development. In order to sustain a viable local economy
the Town has had to emphasize its advantages as a location for
smaller, specialized commercial, professional and other service
enterprises, and. to take measures to attract a diverse population
of residents and visitors. The presence of older, useful buildings
has been an important, possibly indispensable, element in achieving
the foregoing objectives and in creating the aesthetic and. cultural
image on which a major part of the business life of the Town depends.
Destruction of important, historic and scenic buildings in
the Town has occurred. Destruction of others is imminent. The
Town Planning Commission is beginning a study of the proper means,
by ordinance, to preserve those important older buildings which remain.
SECTION 2.1.
Moving or Demolition of Certain Buildings.
Except as provided. by this ordinance, no person shall move or
demolish all or any substaratial portion of any building which was
constructed in major part before 1915.
SECTION 2.2.
Procedure for Exceptions.
The owner, only, of a building described in section 2.1 may
apply to the Planning Commission for permission to move or demolish
all or part of such building. The Planning Commission shall hold
a hearing on the application in the manner provided in sections 29.1,
29.2 and 29.3 of the Town Zoning Ordinance for hearings before the
Architecture and Site Committee concerning conditional use permits
and. variances. The decision shall be appealable in the manner
provided in Article 30 of the Town Zoning Ordinance.
SECTION 2.3.
Grounds for Exceptions.
The Planning Commission shall grant the exception if it finds
that the building in question has no architectural, cultural or
historical value, provided further that no demolition permit shall
issue in any event until a building permit for the same site has
issued.
SECTION 3.
Urgency and.Taking Effect.
This ordinance is an urgency ordinance and. is for the protection
of the public safety, health and welfare. This ordinance takes
effect immediately and., in accordance with Government Code section
65858, is of no further effect four months from its date of adoption,
except as it may be extended.. The Town Clerk of the Town of Los
Gatos shall cause this Ordinance to be published once within fifteen
(15) days after its adoption, in the Los Gatos Times - Saratoga
Observer, a newspaper of general circulation, published and, circulated
in the Town of Los Gatos.
The above and foregoing Ordinance was duly and. regularly
introduced at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the
Town of Los Gatos held. on the 6th day of August, 1973.
PASSED AND ADOPTED as an Ordinance of the Town of Los Gatos ,
California, at a regular meeting of the Town Council, held on the
5th of August 1973, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEN Ruth Cannon
Charles Ea DeFreitas
John B. Lochner
Mark B. DiDuca
NOES: COUNCILMEN None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEN None
ABSTAINED :COUNCILMEN E on Jensen
SIGNED: MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
ATTEST:
g�
CLERK Gil THE TOWN q LOSQ3ATOS