03-10-21 Minutes - PC
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
MARCH 10, 2021
The Planning Commission of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at 7:00 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 COVID19
pandemic and was conducted via Zoom. All planning commissioners and staff participated
from remote locations and all voting was conducted via roll call vote.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Kathryn Janoff , Vice Chair Kendra Burch, Commissioner Jeffrey Barnett,
Commissioner Melanie Hanssen, Commissioner Jeffrey Suzuki, Commissioner Reza Tavana, and
Commissioner Emily Thomas
Absent: None.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – February 24, 2021
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Barnett to approve adoption of the Consent
Calendar. Seconded by Commissioner Tavana.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
PAGE 2 OF 4
MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF MARCH 10, 2021
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 246 Almendra Avenue
Zone Change Application Z-20-001
APN 510-14-019
Applicant: Brett Brenkwitz
Property Owner: Gary Filizetti
Project Planner: Ryan Safty
Consider a Request for Approval for a Zone Change from O:LHP (Office with a Landmark
and Historic Preservation Overlay) to R-1D:LHP (Single-Family Residential Downtown
with a Landmark and Historic Preservation Overlay).
Ryan Safty, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Brett Brenkwitz (Applicant/Architect)
- They wish to build a single-family dwelling with possibly a detached garage in the back of
the lot with an ADU over it. The parking currently on the lot is not being counted or needed
for the adjacent structures, including the diner, so this is a good fit to change the zoning
and introduce a new single-family dwelling in this eclectic neighborhood, provide housing
for the Town, and eliminate a not aesthetically pleasing parking lot.
Jeff Pratt, 242 Almendra Avenue
- He lives next door to the subject site and supports the project, which he believes would be
very good for the neighborhood and would look much better than the current parking lot.
Brett Brenkwitz (Applicant/Architect)
- He agreed with Mr. Pratt that the house would be preferable aesthetically compared to the
parking lot in terms of the streetscape.
Closed Public Comment.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Hanssen to forward to Town Council a
recommendation of approval for a zone change for 246 Almendra
Avenue. Seconded by Vice Chair Burch.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
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MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF MARCH 10, 2021
OTHER BUSINESS
None.
REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development
• The Town is close to entering into an agreement with a consultant to assist the Town in
preparing objective standards using grant funding to offset costs for that work. If the
subcommittee of planning commissioners looking into objective standards has any
information it should be forwarded to staff who will forward it to the consultant.
• The General Plan Update Advisory Committee has looked at some objective standards in
the Community Design Element and most of those will end up moving into either the
Zoning Code or other policy documents.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COMMISSION MATTERS
Conceptual Development Advisory Committee
Commissioner Barnett
- The CDAC met on March 10, 2021; elected Commissioner Barnett as the new chair and
Council Member Badame as vice chair; discussed a requested lot line adjustment and lot
split to create two parcels from one property at 16466 Bonnie Lane.
General Plan Update Advisory Committee
Commissioner Hanssen
- GPAC met on March 4, 2021; continued discussion of the Community Design Element that
was continued to a third meeting to be held March 18, 2021. The Committee one more
Element to go through before getting back the Land Use Element. Ultimately there will be a
complete draft that will be forwarded to the Planning Commission and Town Council later
this year.
- Objective standards: When the Town Council set the direction for the General Plan update
they gave direction to look for additional objective standards. The Community Design
Element contains quite a few new objective standards proposed by the consultants and
they recommended moving them into the Code and possibly the residential and
commercial design guidelines.
Historic Preservation Committee
Commissioner Burch
- The HPC held a special meeting on March 4, 2021; reviewed three items:
o 47 Alpine Avenue;
o 334 Los Gatos Boulevard; and
o 445 Los Gatos Boulevard.
Commission Matters
None.
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MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF MARCH 10, 2021
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
March 10, 2021 meeting as approved by the
Planning Commission.
_____________________________
/s/ Vicki Blandin