Item 4 - Staff Report
PREPARED BY: JENNIFER ARMER, AICP
Senior Planner
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
MEETING DATE: 02/18/2021
ITEM: 4
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REPORT
REPORT
DATE: February 12, 2021
TO: General Plan Update Advisory Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Review and Discussion of the Revised Initial Draft of the Community Design
Element.
REMARKS:
The General Plan Update Advisory Committee (GPAC) review of the initial drafts of the Land
Use and Community Design Elements has included the following meetings:
• GPAC meeting on November 5, 2020;
• Town Council meeting on November 17, 2020;
• GPAC meeting on November 19, 2020;
• GPAC meeting on January 7, 2021;
• GPAC meeting on January 21, 2021; and
• GPAC meeting on February 4, 2021.
In the meeting of February 4, 2021, the GPAC completed the review of the Land Use Element.
The next step in the process is to review the revised initial draft of the Community Design
Element. The initial draft of this element was provided to the GPAC for the November 5, 2020
meeting. In preparing this initial draft of the Community Design Element, the consultant’s
intent was to provide an expansive array of community design options for GPAC consideration,
with the thought that the GPAC will determine which goals, policies, and implementation
programs will serve the community well, and provide direction on what should not be included
in the Element. This method provides an array or “menu” of options and allows the GPAC
flexibility when considering which urban design policies, principles, and architectural guidance
are best suited for the Town. The concepts represented in the Community Design Element are
a first step in creating a comprehensive set of objective standards that will pave the way for
future objective design and development standards that will be incorporated into the zoning
code and design guidelines.
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: Revised Initial Draft of the Community Design Elements
February 12, 2021
N:\DEV\GPAC\GPAC Staff Reports\2021\02-18-21\Item 4 - Staff Report.docx
REMARKS (continued):
A revised initial draft, which deleted references to the Los Gatos Boulevard Plan and the auto
dealerships was provided for the January 7, 2021 meeting (Attachment 14). A table listing all
comments that have been received on the Element was provided for the February 4, 2021
meeting (Attachment 23).
In response to discussion at the February 4, 2021 GPAC meeting, the consultants have prepared
the following list of suggested alternatives to the use of the term Community Place Districts:
• Focus Areas
• Opportunity Areas
• Community Places
• Placemaking Districts
• Shopping Districts
• Core Areas
• Urban Form Districts
Additional comments, whether from Committee Members or the public, that are received by
11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, will be provided to the GPAC in an Addendum
Report that afternoon so that text changes can be considered by all Committee Members prior
to the meeting. Any comments received after that time, but before 11:00 a.m. on the day of
the meeting will be provided in a Desk Item.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachments previously received with the November 5, 2020 Staff Report:
1. June 11, 2020 Community Workshop and Online Survey Summary
2. Initial Draft of Land Use Element
3. Initial Draft of Community Design Element
4. Public Comment received by 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 30, 2020
Attachments previously received with November 5, 2020 Addendum:
5. Committee Member Comments
6. Public Comments received between 11:01 a.m., Friday, October 30, 2020 and 11:00 a.m.,
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Attachment previously received with the November 5, 2020 Desk Item:
7. Committee Member Comments
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: Revised Initial Draft of the Community Design Elements
February 12, 2021
N:\DEV\GPAC\GPAC Staff Reports\2021\02-18-21\Item 4 - Staff Report.docx
ATTACHMENTS (continued):
Attachments previously received with the November 19, 2020 Staff Report:
8. November 17, 2020 Town Council Staff Report with Attachments 1-7
9. Committee Member Comments
Attachments previously received with the November 19, 2020 Desk Item Report:
10. Committee Member Comments
11. Public Comment
Attachments previously received with the January 7, 2021 Staff Report:
12. Revised Initial Draft of Land Use Element
13. Comment Response Summary Table – Land Use
14. Revised Initial Draft of Community Design Element
15. Comment Response Summary Table – Community Design
16. Updated Potential Housing Production Table
Attachments previously received with the January 7, 2021 Addendum Report:
17. Committee Member Comments
18. Public Comment
Attachments previously received with the January 21, 2021 Staff Report:
19. Maps of the Area Described in a Public Comment
20. Committee Member Comments
Attachment previously received with the January 21, 2021 Addendum Report:
21. Historic Preservation Committee Comments
Attachment previously received with the January 21, 2021 Desk Item Report:
22. Committee Member Comments
Attachments previously received with the February 4, 2021 Staff Report:
23. Updated Comment Response Summary Table – Community Design Element
24. Committee Member Comments
Attachment previously received with the February 4, 2021 Addendum Report:
25. Committee Member Comments
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