09-13-17 Minutes - GPC
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
GENERAL PLAN COMMITTEE
REPORT
MINUTES OF THE GENERAL PLAN COMMITTEE MEETING
SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
The General Plan Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
September 13, 2017 at 5:30 p.m.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 5:30 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Melanie Hanssen, Vice Chair Kendra Burch, Committee Member Kathryn Janoff,
Committee Member Steven Piasecki, Committee Member Marcia Jensen, Committee Member
Jeffrey Barnett
Absent: Committee Member Barbara Spector
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Committee Member Kathryn Janoff led the Pledge of Allegiance. The audience was invited to
participate.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
None.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approve the Minutes of February 8, 2017
MOTION: Motion by Committee Member Kathryn Janoff to approve the Consent
Calendar. Seconded by Committee Member Marica Jensen.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
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PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. 202 University Avenue
General Plan Amendment GP-17-002
Requesting approval of a General Plan amendment from Office Professional to Medium
Density Residential. APN 529-04-001.
PROPERTY OWNER: Barry and Lisa Cheskin
APPLICANT: Bess Wiersema
PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin
Opened Public Comment.
Bess Wiersema, Studio Three
Applicant speaking on behalf of the project for the owners of the property. This
property shows up on the Historical Roster with some unique characteristics to it. It is the
intent of our clients to return this to a single-family residence to keep up with the immediate
neighborhood.
Chair Melanie Hanssen
She wants clarification that this is turning back into a residential property rather than a
business (office) property.
Bess Wiersema
Yes, that is correct.
Closed Public Comment.
Committee discussed the matter.
Committee Member Marcia Jensen
She has some questions for staff that are procedural. She states that GPC has limitations
on how many General Plan Amendments they can do, so where would this project fit into that
as a recommendation?
Joel Paulson
This is a land-use project, so you can do fourper element typically. And as others come
forward, we would look to bundle those. Currently, this year, we haven’t approved any General
Plan Amendments, so we are able to approve several still, this year.
Committee Member Marcia Jensen
Can a Residential Use be a conditional use in an Office Zone?
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Joel Paulson
It can.
Committee Member Marcia Jensen
Historically, why was this changed to office?
Sean Mullin
In researching the Zoning Maps, it is believed that the use of the property was tied to
the zoning. The property originated as a R-2, or residential use in 1943. It then progressed to a
C-2, or Commercial Use, in 1956. In 1988 is the first time we see an Office Zoning Designation.
There is record of a Development Review Committee (DRC), and Planning Commission approval
to convert the residential use in a commercial zone to an office use that wasn’t a rezone.
Committee Member Marcia Jensen
Do we need to do a zone change if it was converted as a Conditional Use Permit (CUP)?
Sean Mullin
It didn’t appear to be a CUP.
Joel Paulson
For more background, since this has come up on a few other projects, there was
information provided to staff that if we can convert the zoning and/or the general plan
designations so they are consistent for residential use rather than the conditional use permit
process , that that was preferred.
Chair Melanie Hanssen
What kind of Office uses have we seen at this property?
Sean Mullin
He didn’t find a history of the offices that have occupied this property. There was a sign
permit approved in 1979 for Los Gatos Properties, so it was likely a Real Estate office at on e
point.
Chair Melanie Hanssen
Committee Member Janoff mentioned it might be a professional business use, or small
business.
Sean Mullin
Yes, professional business use.
Committee Member Steven Piasecki
What types of offices could be permitted at this property because we have dental
offices?
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Joel Paulson
We would have to look at the parking to ensure it met the 6 spaces per doctor.
Committee Member Steven Piasecki
Services are not permitted like nail salons or hair salons.
Joel Paulson
They would be permitted in this zone as a personal service. The only time we require a
Conditional Use Permit for those types of businesses is if they are in the C-2 Zone.
Committee Member Jeffrey Barnett
He has a concern regarding page one of the General Plan Committee Report. In the
Background, it states that multi-family use would be permitted under the General Plan revision,
not necessarily single-family.
Joel Paulson
The General Plan designation of medium-density residential allows a density range of 5-
12. That doesn’t mean that single-family use is not permitted. A single-family use is a permitted
use in that land use designation
Committee Member Jeffrey Barnett
He states that his question is whether the opposite is true. Would this property be able
to transition into a condo or apartment complex and what procedures would be put in place for
that?
Joel Paulson
At a minimum it would require a Conditional Use Permit. It would have to go through
the architectural and site application process and fall within the Town Codes in place. It would
be a challenge to do this due to the lot size. The medium density is just a density and the R1-D
has a number of conditional uses that are listed in the Town Code. And there are no other
multi-family homes in this neighborhood, so it is unlikely that staff would recommend support
of it.
Committee Member Jeffrey Barnett
Is density based on gross acres or net acres?
Joel Paulson
Gross in this case which would be the same as net.
Committee Member Jeffrey Barnett
So, it doesn’t include in portion of the street. Could they do a Duplex?
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Joel Paulson
A Duplex would be a permitted use.
Committee Member Kathryn Janoff
She is interested in seeing this property not be reverted back, but to be restored back to
its original residential use because of its status as a contributing structure in a historic
neighborhood. It reads like a house when you see it.
MOTION: Motion by Committee Member Marcia Jensen to recommend approval
of the General Plan Amendment request with an additional
recommendation that once it is rezoned to its intended use, that it
remains part of the Historic Preservation list. Seconded by Committee
Member Kendra Burch.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 5:51 p.m.
APPROVED AS TO FORM: Prepared by
_____________________________ _____________________________
/s/Joel Paulson /s/Alexa Nolder
Community Development Director Executive Assistant