Item 3 - Staff Report with Attachments
PREPARED BY: JENNIFER ARMER, AICP
Senior Planner
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
MEETING DATE: 04/23/2019
ITEM: 3
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REPORT
REPORT
DATE: APRIL 19, 2019
TO: GENERAL PLAN UPDATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
FROM: JOEL PAULSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: COMMENTS RECEIVED ON THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
DISCUSSION:
In October, November, and December, 2018, staff liaisons presented information about the
General Plan update to various Town Boards, Committees, and Commissions. In response to
this outreach, we have received input from the Transportation and Parking Commission, the
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, and the Library Board. Parks and Public Works
staff have prepared a memo approved by the Transportation and Parking Commission and the
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (Attachment 1). The Library Board has provided
comments from individual members (Attachment 2).
In addition to comments from the Town Boards and Commissions, staff has also received
several comments from the public, which are included as Attachment 3.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Transportation and Parking Commission and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission Comments (four pages)
2. Library Board Commissioners comments (two pages)
3. Public Comments Received before 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 19, 2019
Attachment 1 Page 1
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
PHONE (408) 399-5770
FAX (408) 354-8529
April 17, 2019
General Plan Advisory Committee
The Transportation and Parking Commission and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission
have been actively following the General Plan 2040 Update process. In the interest of fulfilling
their role as representatives of the Town’s residents and advisory to the Town Council, the
Commissions have worked together to provide input into the process. The following
recommendations reflect several months of deliberation.
The following Goals (TRA‐#) from the General Plan 2020 continue to be relevant, with the noted
emphasis:
TRA‐1 To develop transportation systems that meet current and future needs of residents and
businesses.
Improve multi‐modal connectivity across Highway 17 to link east and west Los Gatos.
Provide for innovative traffic and parking management systems and approaches.
Provide wayfinding guidance for through traffic.
Support regional policy and infrastructure to relieve local cut through traffic.
TRA‐2 To create and maintain a safe, efficient, and well‐designed roadway network.
Utilize context sensitive traffic control devices such as electronic speed signs and RRFBs.
Develop complete streets within the Town that include landscaping and shared space
for bicycles, cars, pedestrians, and transit.
Integrate unincorporated county pockets and program safety improvements to bring
these areas up to Town standards.
Ensure signalized intersections utilize current technologies for efficiency.
All thoroughfares to have traffic calming structures installed every 500 meters.
Collaborate with adjoining jurisdictions for a balanced regional transportation network.
SERVICE CENTER
41 MILES AVENUE
LOS GATOS, CA 95030
Attachment 1 Page 2
TRA‐3 To prevent and mitigate traffic impacts from new development.
Ensure ongoing measurement and reporting for conditions of approval associated with
new development.
Leverage new development to improve existing transportation infrastructure.
TRA‐5 To ensure that Los Gatos streets are safe for all users, including drivers, cyclists, and
pedestrians.
Create or update crosswalks with enhanced lighting, view angles, and traffic calming.
Enhance nighttime safety in heavily used pedestrian areas through street lighting.
Enhance Safe Routes to Schools Cyclists and similar users have appropriately placed
push‐to‐cross buttons or detection sensors at all traffic signals.
Major thoroughfares will have Class IV Bikeways.
Widen Blossom Hill Bridge over 17 as well as the connecting roads to include dedicated
bikeways.
Refurbish the pedestrian bridge over Highway 17 between Main Street and Highway 9,
including enhanced signage and improved approaches.
Class IV bikeways and sidewalks on all streets within 1000 meters of a school.
Prioritize improved bicycle infrastructure on Lark Avenue, Roberts Road East, Main
Street, and University Avenue.
Design driveway and alley crossings of sidewalks so that pedestrians and drivers can see
one another 2 meters before the actual intersection.
TRA‐6 To improve traffic flow in the downtown and reduce the effect of downtown traffic on
nearby commercial and residential areas.
Ensure Los Gatos High School and local business engage to mitigate impacts from traffic
and parking from business, school, and event use.
Provide for access to Los Gatos High School through access from Highway 9 at Alberto
Way.
TRA‐8 To improve mass transit within Los Gatos
Encourage and incentivize the use of transit.
Support VTA Light Rail (or alternative transit) Vasona Extension to Los Gatos.
TRA‐9 To reduce reliance on the personal automobile by promotion alternative modes of
transportation in the transportation system.
Accommodate vehicle sharing, including dedicated pick up and drop off locations.
Allow for innovative solutions for first mile – last mile connections.
Install protected bike lanes where they can facilitate multi‐modal transportation.
Explore community bussing, shuttles, or other transit alternatives.
Incorporate last mile solutions.
Attachment 1 Page 3
TRA‐10 To encourage increased levels of all active transportation modes.
Incorporate the Town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan into the General Plan
Actively fund implementation of the Town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
Regulate prominent placement of bike racks and vehicle charging locations.
Fully fund and implement the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
Permit all users to utilize the sidewalk for bicycle riding where bike lanes are insufficient.
TRA‐11 To provide a safe and efficient system of bicycle and multiple use trails throughout the
Town, creating a non‐motorized connection to recreational commuting destinations.
Improve wayfinding for non‐vehicle modes. LG Creek Trail to be on both sides of the
creek north of Lark Ave to provide access to Light Rail.
Class IV bikeways on Winchester Blvd north of Highway 85 to serve active transportation
users connection to San Tomas Expressway.
Increase safe dedicated bicycle and pedestrian crossings over Highway 17, including
dedicated bicycle and pedestrian bridges.
Convert the Los Gatos Creek Trail to a 24/7 paved multi‐use path that is lit at night.
Reconstruct the Highway 9 at Highway 17 interchange including accommodation for
bikes and peds including access to the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
TRA‐12 To ensure a well‐designed and well‐maintained system of trails that connects the Town
and open space areas.
TRA‐13 To provide adequate parking for existing and proposed uses, and to minimize impacts on
surrounding residential neighborhoods.
Balance parking restrictions with traffic flow, safety, and parking supply.
For new development, encourage underground parking and discourage surface lot
parking.
Encourage parking at remote locations adjacent to highways and transit.
TRA‐14 To ensure that there is adequate parking in Downtown to meet the needs of Los Gatos
residents and visitors.
Explore adjustments to time limited parking.
Explore paid parking.
Utilize technology like parking information systems to communicate the availability of
spaces.
Size public parking availability to transportation trends.
These additional insights are provided outside of the previous goals:
Utilize the input of Commissions for guiding Council decisions.
Prioritize greenhouse gas reducing opportunities.
Attachment 1 Page 4
Increase residential density downtown.
Promote design that enhances conflict‐free pedestrian access to commercial buildings.
Prohibit commercial drive‐throughs.
Enhance downtown sidewalk width to allow for sidewalk dining and cafes.
Set a town‐wide maximum speed limit of 25 MPH.
Increase the use of speed limit signage.
Increase enforcement of traffic laws focusing on speed limits, stop signs, signals.
Integrate traffic cameras at intersections.
Minimize pedestrian wait time at intersections, targeting a maximum of two minutes.
Limit school hours to daylight hours.
Prioritize aspects of the General Plan that increase safety for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Sincerely,
/s
Matt Morley
Director of Parks and Public Works
From Library Board Commissioner Buxton:
Hi Ryan,
Here are my thoughts on possible additions to the 2040 General Plan regarding our library.
In the near future, libraries may become more automated and off-site use of library materials may be
primary as technology increases their availability. Therefore, the 2020 General Plan Goal to "Provide a
library facility that will accommodate library services to meet the educational and informational needs
of the community" is still important, but may be accomplished in an entirely different way.
Perhaps the 2040 General Plan actions should emphasize possible changes in library use and how the
library will remain current. It may center on investigating new ways the facility itself could be used by
the community and still meet the public's educational and informational needs. As mentioned in the
2020 Plan, it is important that the library maintain itself as an "activity center within the community."
Expanding the use of the library as an activity center may also be another area to investigate. Change
can happen quickly and 20 years is a long period of time to plan for, so perhaps an emphasis on
identifying and making timely modifications to our library services, programs, and the facility's use will
ensure that our library maintains its invaluable position in our community.
Susan Buxton
From Library Board Commissioner Dougherty:
Ryan: I just realized you want the list of suggestions from us on the Board to consider for the General
Plan Committee for 2040. T
1. Library of Things
2. Amplification of Library newsletter to compensate for lack of news in local newspaper e.g.news of
local elections, a teen column
3. Historical walks available on Library app
4. Traveller destination info e.g. history of place, novels, famous people from there, Rick Steves DVDs
5. Bookmark collection
6. Robots as book shelvers
Also, I looked for the bill to be considered by the Senate about the copyright regulations for the Library
of Congress and could find no further action than September 2018. Is this a topic we should know more
about?
Lyn
From Library Board Commissioner Goldfarb:
Library Plan ideas 2019 / Looking ahead to 2040
Trish Goldfarb
Expand online resources via in library or remote access.
• Digitize all local newspaper collection.
• Digitize select Los Gatos history essays.
Expand the history room and expand access to the history collection.
• Have all history collections and the history volunteer easily accessible in one area. We have a
nice collection of books, essays, and history documents that are not easily browsed without a
focused search. The volunteer can help patrons access all collections.
• Create a Los Gatos history display of photos, artifacts, education/information on early families,
founders and famous people of Los Gatos.
• Recreate the Hamsher Collection for permanent display.
Expand library to the West and build a basement. This could house the new history
museum.
• Consider what entity is preserving and displaying Los Gatos history. Los Gatos needs a history
museum. Who is the official depository of Los Gatos historical items? Could it be the Los Gatos
Library and History Museum with its own history curator?
Create new display areas.
• Youth artwork
• Archived artwork from the history collection.
Maintain free access to all services and collections.
Maintain tradition of quiet areas.