12-16-20 Minutes - HPC Special
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMMITTEE REPORT
MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING
DECEMBER 16, 2020
The Historic Preservation Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Special Meeting on
December 16, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
This meeting was conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with
State of California Executive Order N-29-20 dated March 17, 2020, regarding the COVID-19
pandemic and was conducted via Zoom. All committee members and staff participated from
remote locations and all voting was conducted via roll call vote. In accordance with Executive
Order N-29-20, the public could only view the meeting online and not in the Council Chamber.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 3:01 PM
ROLL CALL
Present: Vice Chair Steve Raspe, Planning Commissioner Kendra Burch, Planning Commissioner
Kathryn Janoff, Committee Member Nancy Derham
Absent: None.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
Vice Chair Raspe thanked HPC Member Derham for her service on behalf of the Committee.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – November 18, 2020
3. 15 Chestnut Avenue
Minor Residential Application MR-20-012
Requesting Approval for Construction of an Addition greater than 100 square feet to an
existing Second Story of a Historic Residence (Pre-1941) located on Property Zoned R-
1:8. APN 510-40-155.
PROPERTY OWNER: Mahtab Fatemi and Ben Verwer
APPLICANT: Jay Plett, Architect
PROJECT PLANNER: Diego Mora
PAGE 2 OF 6 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF DECEMBER 16, 2020
Preliminary Review Completed: October 28, 2020
4. 32 Walnut Avenue
Architecture and Site Application S-20-034
Requesting approval for a demolition of an existing single-family residence and
construction of a new single-family residence located on property zoned R-1:8.
APN 510-41-013.
PROPERTY OWNER: Manish Belsare and Rekha Thakur
APPLICANT: Tom Sloan, Metro design Group
PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin
Preliminary Review Completed: September 23, 2020
MOTION: Motion by Vice Chair Steve Raspe to approve the Consent Calendar as
revised by moving Item 2 to Public Hearings. Seconded by Committee
Member Nancy Derham.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously, 4-0.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 221 Almendra Avenue
Minor Residential Application MR-20-006
Forward a Recommendation to the Director on a Request for Construction of a Detached
Garage Exceeding 450 Square Feet on a Non-Contributing Property in the Almond Grove
Historic District on Property Zoned R-1D:LHP. APN: 510-14-044.
PROPERTY OWNER: Gary Filizetti
APPLICANT: Brett Brenkwitz
PROJECT PLANNER: Ryan Safty
Item pulled from Consent Calendar by neighbor voicing concerns about windows as proposed on
a future Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).
Ryan Safty, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Open Public Comment.
Applicant presented the project. Judy Whitten spoke to the orientation of the proposed
detached garage.
PAGE 3 OF 6 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF DECEMBER 16, 2020
Closed Public Comment.
Committee members discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Vice Chair Steve Raspe to forward a recommendation of
approval of the above request to the Community Development Director.
Seconded by Planning Commissioner Kathryn Janoff.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously, 3-0. Planning Commissioner Kendra Burch
abstained.
5. 15011 Los Gatos Boulevard
Architecture and Site Application S-20-035
Subdivision Application M-20-013
Requesting Approval for a Modification to an Existing Architecture and Site Application
(S-13-090) and Subdivision Application (M-13-014) to Relocate a Historic Residence,
Including the Addition of Below Grade Square Footage and the Reduction of One
Housing Unit on Property Zoned North Forty Specific Plan. APN 424-56-019.
PROPERTY OWNER: Yuki Family c/o Edward Morimoto
APPLICANT: Don Capobres
PROJECT PLANNER: Jocelyn Shoopman
Jocelyn Shoopman, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment
Applicant presented the project.
Closed Public Comment.
Committee members discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Planning Commissioner Kathryn Janoff to forward a
recommendation of approval of the above request to the Community
Development Director. Seconded by Planning Commissioner Kendra
Burch.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously, 4-0.
PAGE 4 OF 6 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF DECEMBER 16, 2020
6. 136 Wheeler Avenue
Consider a Request to Remove a Presumptive Historic Property (Pre-1941) from the
Historic Resources Inventory for Property Zoned R-1:10. APN 532-37-033.
PROPERTY OWNER: Alissa Soria
APPLICANT: Jay Plett, Architect
PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin
Sean Mullin, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment
Applicant presented the project.
Closed Public Comment.
Committee members discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Vice Chair Steve Raspe to remove a Historic Property (Pre-
1941) from the Historic Resources Inventory. The integrity of the
structure has been compromised due to the numerous prior remodels
and additions. Seconded by Committee Member Nancy Derham.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously, 4-0.
OTHER BUSINESS (Up to three minutes may be allotted to each speaker on any of the following
items.)
7. 435 San Benito Avenue
Preliminary Review of a Request for Construction of Exterior Alterations and an
Addition to a Presumptive Historic Residence (Pre-1941) on Property Zoned R-1D.
APN 410-17-053.
PROPERTY OWNER: James Holtz and Barbara Bowman
APPLICANT: Sandra Paim, Architect
PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin
Sean Mullin, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment
Applicant presented the project.
PAGE 5 OF 6 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF DECEMBER 16, 2020
Closed Public Comment.
Committee members discussed the matter and recommended that the applicant consider the
following:
• Specify windows that would be more consistent with the existing residence; and
• Revise the addition to be more in balance with the existing residence.
8. 44 Bayview Avenue
Preliminary Review for Demolition of a Presumptive Historic Residence (Pre-1941) for
Construction of a New Single-Family Residence on Property Zoned R-1D.
APN 510-44-020.
PROPERTY OWNER: Pamela Hook
APPLICANT: Jay Plett, Architect
PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin
Sean Mullin, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Applicant presented the project.
Closed Public Comment.
Committee members discussed the matter and recommended that the applicant consider the
following:
• Specifying windows that would be more reflective of the existing windows;
• Revise the second-story front gable-end projection to preserve the original roof line;
• Revise the design of the garage to make it appear more detached from the residence.
9. Review and approve the 2021 Meeting Schedule Calendar
MOTION: Motion by Vice Chair Steve Raspe to approve the 2021 Meeting Schedule
Calendar. Seconded by Planning Commissioner Kathryn Janoff.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously, 4-0.
10. Discussion of special meeting for January 2021 to discuss the Draft General Plan Land
Use Element and Community Design Element
PAGE 6 OF 6 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF DECEMBER 16, 2020
Proposed date in January. Will confirm with Committee members.
11. Report from Planning Manager
101 Broadway appeal was approved.
253 W Main Street was not appealed.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 4:38 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
December 16, 2020 meeting as approved by the
Historic Preservation Committee.
/s/Sally Zarnowitz, AIA, LEED AP, Planning Manager