Attachment 7La
ICafada
:Investments
March 4, 2019
Honorable Mayor and Town Council,
We continue to applaud your efforts to change the landscape of our beloved Downtown. The policy
changes that have been completed are critical to allow businesses to thrive. As I have written in my
letters before, one of the last major policy changes that was necessary was to address Ordinance 2021.
It appears that this is being addressed via a resolution for discussion at this week's Council meeting,
suspending the ordinance for 9 months and allowing CUP approval at the DRC level. We support this
action. It will help the downtown add some much -needed energy and with any luck some exciting new
eateries that will be a major draw to the area, and help our existing businesses become more successful.
We encourage a unanimous vote to pass the resolution.
Thank you,
Jim Foley
La Canada Investments, LLC
ATTACHMENT 7
Stephen Shelton
Owner of The Lexington House
137 New York Avenue
Los Gatos, CA 95030
March 4, 2019
Mr. Mayor and esteemed Council Members,
It was a pleasure to be there this past Thursday at the breakfast meeting. The chance to
collaborate with various landlords, tenants and leasing agents was fantastic. It was a positive
step in a direction we all believe the Town and its residents must take to stay relevant.
I fully believe the Council is making many great changes that will breath new life into the
Downtown. The changing of the CUP process is one that is paramount in my opinion. We hear
about the cost of the CUP permit is prohibitive, but I would argue that TIME is what is
prohibitive. While many Cities and Towns around us quickly change from an existing business
use to a business use demanded by its residents and visitors --we have sat back and waited
and waited to get our day if front of you to plead our case, wasting precious months of potential
revenue.
This is what is causing our Downtown to suffer. Potential tenants do not have the time to waste.
It can take months to get building permits, contractors, etc to start a project. My process to get a
CUP approval for The Lexington House took almost 6 months! I cannot get that time back, nor
the potential revenue I lost waiting to be allowed to start my buildout. If you add in the time to
get building permits, contractors lined up, etc. this can be an absolute deterrent to potential new
businesses.
I think the 9 months moratorium is a good start to see what the economic market can handle
and see what it needs. We will to become a restaurant row —the Town fears will happen. The
Town needs new energy and new life. I implore you to offer up 5 'aye' votes to approve the new
CUP resolution for timely conversion and leasing of empty storefronts and allow for the
expansion of successful restaurants as well.
Lets keep the momentum moving forward! Let us send a message loud and clear; "WE ARE
OPEN FOR BUSINESS'.
Warm Regards,
Stephen Shelton
Sue Farwell
113 Edelen Avenue
Los Gatos, CA, 95030
March 4, 2019
Mr. Mayor and esteemed Council Members,
I want to thank you all for your time last Thursday at the breakfast meeting with the
various landlords and leasing agents. I think it was a very productive collaboration
of staff, council members and the interested parties that attended.
I truly believe the council is making some well needed changes to the CUP process
and the guidelines for retail and restaurant usage in the Central Business District
that are necessary to keep pace with neighboring cities and developments. I
appreciate the decisions you made for partnering with the BID and your concern for
our downtown district and desire to reenergize the downtown.
The resolution regarding TOWN CODE SECTION 29.20.745 AND
SUSPENDING A PORTION OF 29.20.755(2) is critical to the revitalization of the
downtown district. I know the council does not want a free for all nor do I, but
these changes will allow for the Town of Los Gatos to show that we are open for
business.
This resolution has the wording of 9 months that will not allow for that "free for all"
impression or the view that the town wants to become restaurant row with the end
date of 12/31/19. It is imperative and worthy of the "aye" vote to allow for the
timely leasing of vacant storefronts and allow for the expansion of successful
restaurants.
The downtown needs energy, we want it to be a vibrant and thriving district. We
need to appeal to all ages in order to make Los Gatos the premier destination in the
South Bay. This resolution will support the existing business community as well as
incentivize those businesses that want to expand in downtown.
Keep the momentum moving forward; pass this resolution with unanimous
approval. The Town has been hesitant in the past about changing the formula store
resolution but that has proven to be valuable and has not negatively impacted the
landscape of Los Gatos. Pass this resolution, it will prove flexibility to downtown to
change in an ever -changing environment.
Thank you,
Sue Farwell
Monica Renn
From: Matt Sridhar <matt@sridharequities.com>
Sent: Monday, March 04, 2019 4:03 PM
To: Monica Renn
Subject: Support of Restaurant Resolution
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
Dear Monica, thank you for continued advocacy for the Town's economic vitality.
I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that I fully support the restaurant resolution on the table for tomorrow's
meeting. Please include this email of support in the package you forward to Town Council.
The entire retail landscape is changing with Uber and Amazon. However, we'd all agree that, despite advances in virtual
reality and artificial intelligence, it remains a challenge to have a nice dinner or enjoy a glass of wine over the Internet.
We need a three -pronged economic strategy for our Town:
1. Expand Restaurant and Service Use - we must allow more internet-resistant businesses
2. Allow Formula Retail - As mom and pop retailers continue to struggle due to high rents and Internet competition, we
must not sunset our current ability to recruit formula retail.
3. Streamline Approvals - the problem here is obvious. The solution isn't.
The restaurant resolution on the table that Sue Farwell is promoting will help us with the #1 above and move us all in
the right direction.
Matt Sridhar
Matt Sridhar
Sridhar Equities, Inc.
1777 Saratoga Ave #210
San Jose, CA 95129
P: (408)725-9500
matt@sridharequities.com
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