Item 2 - Desk Item
PREPARED BY: JENNIFER ARMER, AICP
Senior Planner
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
MEETING DATE: 3/05/2020 ITEM: 2 DESK ITEM
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REPORT
DATE: March 5, 2020
TO: General Plan Update Advisory Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Review and Discussion of the Initial Draft of the Open Space, Parks, and
Recreation Element.
REMARKS:
The Parks Commission has reviewed the Open Space, Parks, and Recreation Element and has
provided comments and suggestions that were previously provided (Attachment 3) and
included below in italics. Staff has identified where these items are currently addressed, or
could be addressed in the General Plan:
Connectivity of trails is important to the functionality of open space. Achieving greater
connectivity through easements and dedications continues to be an important strategy.
Trail connectivity is addressed under the following policies and implementation program:
• Policy OSP-2.4 Adjacent parcels in the hillsides shall provide an uninterrupted band of
useable segments for wildlife corridors and recreational use, if applicable.
• Policy OSP-3.2 Improve connections between existing on-street bicycle lanes, multi-use
trails, and open space.
• Implementation Program F (Existing Action OSP-7.4) Seek and obtain funding for
beautification projects and trail connection opportunities along Los Gatos Creek and the
Los Gatos Creek Trail.
Where properties become available adjacent to open space, the Town may wish to consider
acquisition to expand open space and retain the hillsides that represent the look and feel of Los
Gatos. This will become ever more important as pressures to increase housing and resultant
population increases tax existing infrastructure.
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Acquisition of open space is addressed under the following goal, policies, and
implementation program:
• Goal OSP-1 To acquire open space areas within the Town of Los Gatos, particularly lands
which provide recreational uses and will protect the public health, welfare, and safety of
residents and visitors, including lands in flood plains, watershed lands, or lands subject
to fire or geologic hazards.
• Policy OSP-1.1 (Existing Policy OSP-1.4) Acquire parcels or easements via fees or
dedication of land.
• Policy OSP-1.2 (Existing Policy OSP-1.1) Promote coordination with all levels of
government in utilizing available resources for the acquisition and development of open
space areas.
• Policy OSP-1.3 (Existing Policy OSP-1.2) Use open space acquisitions to support the
programs in the Environment and Sustainability Element and Safety Element of this
General Plan.
• Policy OSP-1.4 (Existing Policy OSP-1.3) Acquire and maintain open space areas in order
to define the Town’s southern boundary as passive recreation open space.
• Implementation Program A (Existing Action OSP-1.1) Develop and institute an
acquisition program consistent with the Housing Element that includes fee purchase,
easement dedications and land donations. Areas to be considered: Novitiate, hillside
open space, additional park sites, closed school sites, and large land-locked parcels.
Open space owned by the Town should continue to be owned by the Town. The Town should be
a leader in ownership of open space for residents and visitors.
While no goals or policies specifically discuss retention of open space, the acquisition
section above supports this comment.
The Town currently has an open space tax of $0.04 per square foot of new development
established in 1983. The Town should consider increasing this amount to better represent
current costs.
The open space tax is not specifically discussed in the General Plan.
The Town should continue to explore ways to ensure the existing trails meet local needs. This
may include widening the Los Gatos Creek Trail to allow for separation between walking and
biking activities, exploration of pathway lighting to accommodate bicycle commuters and
joggers, increased amenities such as drinking fountains, and continued exploration of
opportunities to return concrete channels to their natural state.
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Preserving and enhancing the Los Gatos Creek Trail is addressed under the following goal,
policies, and implementation program:
• Goal OSP-5 (Existing Goal OSP-7) To preserve and enhance Los Gatos Creek and the Los
Gatos Creek Trail as open space amenities.
• Policy OSP-5.1 (Existing Policy OSP-7.1) Restore Los Gatos Creek to a more natural state,
removing concrete channelization, where feasible.
• Policy OSP-5.2 (Existing Policy OSP-7.2) Ensure that Los Gatos Creek Trail is accessible to
and safe for all users.
• Implementation Program C (Existing Action OSP-7.1) Work with the Santa Clara County
Parks and Recreation Department, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the California
Department of Fish and Game, and Caltrans to develop a restoration plan for
channelized segments of Los Gatos Creek.
• Implementation Program D (Existing Action OSP-7.2) Seek and obtain funding for creek
restoration.
• Implementation Program E (Existing Action OSP-7.3) Identify additional opportunities
for access along the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
• Implementation Program F (Existing Action OSP-7.4) Seek and obtain funding for
beautification projects and trail connection opportunities along Los Gatos Creek and the
Los Gatos Creek Trail.
Open space should be maintained to achieve a balance between maintaining the feel of open
space while managing ongoing wildfire risks.
Goals and policies concerning maintenance of open space for wildfire protections will be
addressed in the Hazards and Safety Element.
On street bike facilities should provide a comfortable route for families and connectivity to off
street trails.
Street bike connectivity to trails and open space is addressed under the following policy:
• Policy OSP-3.2 Improve connections between existing on-street bicycle lanes, multi-use
trails, and open space.
Recreational road bike routes should be widened as hillside areas like Shannon Road, Kennedy
Road, and Hicks Road are improved.
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Goals and policies concerning road bike routes will be addressed in the Transportation
Element.
The Town should establish metrics as guidance for park availability to residents. This might
include guidelines for the target distance every residence is to a park or the amount of
developed park acreage per resident.
Metrics for distances to park facilities or park acreage per resident is not discussed in the
General Plan.
Given the use of parks for off leash dog activities, the Town should establish dedicated off-leash
park areas so residents know when and where the activity is acceptable.
Dog parks and off-leash areas are addressed under the following policy and implementation
measure:
• Policy OSP-7.6 (Existing Policy OSP-4.6) Actively pursue opportunities for dedicated off-
leash dog recreation areas and/or for allowing off-leash dog times at specific parks.
• Implementation Program K (Existing Action OSP-4.2) Conduct a study to determine the
feasibility of providing dedicated off-leash dog recreation areas and/or for allowing off-
leash dog times at specific parks.
As housing increases to meet State mandates, the number and size of parks should have a
corresponding increase.
An increase in open space with new development is addressed under the following goal,
policies, and implementation program:
• Policy OSP-8.8 (Existing Policy OSP-5.8) Encourage all new development to provide
informal outdoor gathering spaces.
• Policy OSP-8.9 (Existing Policy OSP-5.9) Encourage new multi-family residential
development of eight units or more to include tot lots or similar shared open space for
young children.
• Goal OSP-4 (Existing Goal OSP-6) To consider the provision of open space in all
development decisions within the Town.
• Policy 4.1 (Existing Policy OSP-6.1) Promote private open space in all planning decisions
for new development.
• Policy 4.2 (Existing Policy OSP-6.2) New development projects shall include conditions to
preserve open space.
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• Policy 4.5 (Existing Policy OSP-6.5) Provide permanent common open space in high-
density developments.
• Policy 4.6 (Existing Policy OSP-6.6) Site plans for new development along the Highway 85
corridor shall incorporate adequate open space.
• Policy 4.7 (Existing Policy OSP-6.7) Encourage the use of Williamson Act contracts and
Planned Development applications as a means to preserve large tracts of open space.
• Policy 4.8 (Existing Policy OSP-6.8) Encourage the use of innovative development
techniques which will provide open space within individual developments, public or
private.
• Policy 4.9 (Existing Policy OSP-6.9) Evaluate all development projects to determine the
benefit of requiring open space dedication.
• Policy 4.10 (Existing Policy OSP-6.10) Update the Hillside Development Standards and
Guidelines as needed to include measures that address open space in new
development.
• Implementation Program B (Existing Action OSP-6.1) Adopt standards specifying the
type and quantity of open space required for new developments.
Sports fields at Town parks are fully programmed. The Town should look for partnership
opportunities with schools to make more space available. Existing infrastructure should be
reviewed for potential changes to meet expanded needs, such as adding lighting to allow for
extended hours.
Sports fields and recreational facilities are addressed under the following goal, policies, and
implementation program:
• Goal OSP-7 (Existing Goal OSP-4) To provide recreational facilities that address the
needs of the community.
• Policy OSP-7.1 (Existing Policy OSP-4.1) Acquire and develop more active and passive
community recreation spaces and/or facilities.
• Policy OSP-7.1 (Existing Policy OSP-4.2) Encourage the development of amenities and
programs in parks and other recreational facilities that cater to a variety of ages and
address the needs of families.
• Policy OSP-7.1 (Existing Policy OSP-4.3) Continue to work with the Los Gatos-Saratoga
Recreation District, local school districts, and faith communities to provide shared
recreational and sports facilities.
• Policy OSP-7.1 (Existing Policy OSP-4.5) Consider including more varied, active recreation
spaces in new and/or existing recreational facilities.
• Implementation Program I (Existing Actions Action OSP-4.1) Conduct an assessment of
existing parks to determine the unmet recreational needs and implement new facilities
as parks are upgraded.
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ATTACHMENTS:
Attachments previously received with March 5, 2020 Staff Report:
1. Reviewers’ Guide
2. Initial Draft of Open Space, Parks, and Recreation Element
3. Comments from the Parks Commission
4. Public Comments received before 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 28, 2020