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10-28-15 Minutes - HPCTOWN OF LOS GATOS 110 East Main Street, Los Gatos, CA 95030 (408) 354-6872 SUMMARY MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS FOR OCTOBER 28, 2015 , HELD IN THE TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 110 E MAIN STREET, LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA. The meeting was called to order at 4:00P.M. by Chair Len Pacheco. ATTENDANCE Members Present: Len Pacheco, Bob Cowan, Kathryn Janoff, Michael Kane, Tom O 'Donnell Members Absent: None Staff Present: J oel Paulson, Planning Manager Marni Moseley, Associate Planner VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS None. ITEMl ITEM2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Tom 0 'Donnell moved to approve the minutes of September 23, 20 15 and September 30, 2015. The motion was seconded by B ob Cowan and approved unanimous! y. 304 CHARLES STREET Samir Sharma (property owner) was present and discussed the request to demolish the existing pre-1941 structure. Micha el Kan e stated that the HPC is onl y looking at the requested demolition. Tom 0 'Donnell commented that the information provided shows that the items could be corrected. Micha el Kan e commented that the report says the concrete foundation is okay. Bob Cowan co mmented that the architecture of the building is not worth saving. Kathryn Janoff commented that the building doesn 't have architectural merit. Historic Preservation Committee October 28, 2015 Page 2 of7 ITEM3 Len Pacheco commented that the existing house is a mutation of a mid-century modem structure and that it doesn 't have arch itectural merit. Len Pacheco moved to recommend approval of the demoliti o n bas ed on the information presented to the HPC and made the required findings. The motion was seconded by Tom 0 'Donnell and approved unanimously. 68 FAIRVIEW PLAZA Jay Plett (architect) was present and discus sed the request to demolish the existing structure and construct a new home in a historic district. Len Pacheco asked ifthey should comment on the proposed setbacks. Mami Moseley commented that they can look at the setbacks as they relate to the context of the hi storic neighborhood. Michae l Kan e asked if there was any feedback from the neighbors. Jay Plett commented that they have not received any negative feedback. Len Pacheco asked if the building had been red tagged . Mami Moseley stated that it had not been red tagged, but that the Building Official has determined it is uninhabitabl e. Len Pacheco commented that he had looked at it multip le times and it is poor shape. Tom 0 'Donnell commented that the structural engineer states that ther e is nothing they can do with it. Jay Plett discussed the proposed home. Len Pacheco commented that the roof is different and asked if the design is dri ven by the floor plan. Jay Plett stated the design is based on taking all things into account. Mic ha el Kan e commented that it looks like a vast improvement for the neighborhood. Historic Preservation Committee October 28, 2015 Page 3 of7 Tom 0 'Donnell commented that he agrees with Afichael Kane and is int erested in Len Pacheco 's comments on the roof. Len Pacheco commented that he would like to capture the fla vor of the design elements, that he is uncomfortabl e with the roof pitch facing the street, a nd asked if they wo uld co nsider the pitch in the front and a gable at the r ear. Kath ryn Janoff commented that the chara cter of the structure was a littl e modem and that it is a pretty plain craftsman . B ob Cowan commented that the roof pitch should be higher. Jay Plett commented that the proposal fits in with other craftsman's m the neighborhood. L en Pa checo commented that the existing home if folk Victorian and he didn't want a replica, that it look s modern, and that it look s like a 2015 ranch house. Bob Cowan commented that there are craftsman style homes in th e neighb orhood . Jay Plett stated that he could raise the pitch of th e roof. Len Pacheco commented that it may not be the ri ght design fo r the lot and aske d if it could be a story and a half given what is in th e pl aza. Jay Plett stated that raisin g the pitch to four and twel ve would rai se the height b y approximately a foot and a half. Len Pacheco commented that maybe it should be a different style with a raised roof and a front porch a nd asked if a cross gable with dorm ers could be done. Bob Cowan asked abo ut the iss u e of a seven foot att ic. Mami Mose le y explained that if the attic is over seven feet in height th at th e area gets counted as FAR down to five feet. L en Pach eco commented th a t a vaulted ceiling could remove that co n cern. Jay Ple tt stated that he could raise the roof pitch and add a wi ndow. Kathryn Janoff asked if a sh ed roof with a dormer could be done and commented that the fro nt elevation is too modern, more detail complex it y needs to be Historic Preservation Committee October 28, 2015 Pa ge 4 of7 ITEM4 provided, and that the porch columns were light weight and sho uld be re vised to be more traditional craftsman columns. Len Pach eco commented that the direction is to provide more verticality. Kathryn Janoff commented that there is a need to provi de design element improvement and asked ifthere was a window b ehind the po sts. Ja y Ple tt stated that there was. Bob Cowan commented that he was okay with the proposed setbacks. Len Pacheco stated that he is okay with the propo sed setback s and that he would like to see photographs of existing structures for design elements. Tom 0 'Donnell moved to recommend approval of the demoliti on based on the information pre se nted to the HPC and made the required findings. The moti on was seconded by Bob Cowan and approved unanimou sly. Tom 0 'Donn ell moved to continue the new home with direction to make the propo sed home more consistent with other hom es in the ne ighborho od. The motion was seconded by Kathryn Janoff and approved unanimous ly. 325 W. MAIN STREET Mark De M attei and Brian Aced (applicants) wa s present and is requesting approval of exterior modifications to a pre-1941 property in a hi storic district. Kathryn Jan off asked why th e new de sign strays from the ex istin g de sign with respect to the fro nt porch a nd roof. Mark D e Mattei co mmented that thi s was what th e owner desired and that it is consistent with the existing neighborhood . Bob Cowan commented that this is a contributing structure and the architecture of a contributing structure should be preserved. L en Pach eco commented that the original structure has disapp eared , th at he is concerned with the design , th at the original structure sh ould be cleaned up and the additions and modificati ons should retain the indi vi dualit y, a nd he is not comfortable with the proposal. Historic Preservation Committee October 28, 2015 Page 5 of7 ITEMS Kathryn Janoff commented that she would like to see a version that keeps the front elevation without the enclosed porch add on. Mark De Mattei asked about a shed dormer. Len Pacheco stated that the existing house is a folk Victorian. Kathryn Janoff suggested looking at the Sanborn Maps to determine the configuration of the original structure. Len Pacheco suggested keeping the existing structure and connecting the addition with a galley element. He commented that there are examples of this approach on Masso! Avenue, Johnson Avenue, and Fairview Plaza, that sliding doors and windows are not appropriate, and that the addition should be compatible with the existing structure. Bob Cowan commented that the deck is not deep enough to be functional and asked if there would be a new foundation to raise it and provide more gravitas. Mark De Mattei said yes. Len Pacheco moved to continue the item to address the direction that was provided. The motion was seconded by Micha e l Kane and approved unanimously. 233 HARDING AVENUE Steve Benzing (applicant) Hooman Bolandi (property owner) were present and are requesting approval to remove a pre-1941 property from the Historic Resource Inventory. Kathryn Janoff commented that the map says 1928. Len Pacheco commented that he visited the site and the house has been remanufactured and has no architectural significance. Bob Cowan commented that it looks like it was built after 1941. Tom 0 'Donnell moved to approve the request and stated the home is not pre-1941 and that even if it was pre-1941 the findings could be made to remove it from the Inventory. The motion was seconded by Michael Kane and approved unanimously. Historic Preservation Committee October 28, 2015 Page 6 of7 ITEM 6A 222 BELLA VISTA A VENUE John Gi/dred and Yana Kushner (property owners) were present and are requesting input on the stucco style. Len Pacheco commented that the stucco could match the gate. John Gildred asked about the window trim and grill details. Kathryn Janoff commented that it should be consistent with what is there regarding the grill and that she is okay with the stucco rounding into the window frames. John Gi/dred asked about molded stone columns. Kathryn Janoff commented that she was okay with molded stone. ITEM 68 54 LOS GATOS BOULEVARD Ray and Robin Clayton (property owners) were present and are requesting input on modifications to exterior stairs and railings. Len Pacheco asked if they have considered a metal fence, if the stairs need to have railings, and if they had any examples of shingle style victorian homes with metal railings. Ray Clayton commented that railings provide better ventilation. Len Pacheco commented that the railings could be concrete and that he is not comfortable with the New Orleans style proposed. Bob Cowan commented that the Guidelines state that you should maintain wood railings and stairs. Tom 0 'Donnell commented that they have made a case for their proposal. Len Pacheco commented that he is okay with brick stairs with a wall with ventilation or a low brick wall with railing. Kathryn Janoff commented that the brick needs to be old brick and that she is okay with or without a side wall or railings and that the proposed railing is too decorative. The item was continued to allow the applicant an opportunity to bring back a refined and simplified design for consideration. Historic Preservation Committee October 28 ,2015 Page 7 of7 ITEM7 ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 5:57 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for November 19, 2015 , at 4:00p.m. Prepared by: oel S. Paulson, AICP Planning Manager