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01-26-22 Minutes - HPC DRAFT 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE REPORT MEETING DATE: 02/23/2022 ITEM: 1 DRAFT MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING JANUARY 26, 2022 The Historic Preservation Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on January 26, 2022 at 4:00 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 COVID-19 pandemic and was conducted via Zoom. All committee members and staff participated from remote locations and all voting was conducted via roll call vote. In accordance with Executive Order N-29-20, the public could only view the meeting online and not in the Council Chambers. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 4:00 PM ROLL CALL Present: Chair Steve Raspe, Vice Chair Timothy Lundell, Planning Commissioner Kylie Clark, Committee Member Barry Cheskin Welcome to new member Kylie Clark. VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION) 1. Approval of Minutes – December 15, 2021 MOTION: Motion by Vice Chair Lundell to approve the Consent Calendar. Seconded by Committee Member Cheskin. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. PAGE 2 OF 7 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2022 PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. 320 Johnson Avenue Minor Residential Development Application MR-21-029 Requesting Approval for Construction of Exterior Alterations and a Second-Story Addition Greater than 100 Square Feet to an Existing Single-Family Residence on Property Zoned R-1:8. APN 529-39-070 PROPERTY OWNER: Steven and Gina Spirch APPLICANT: Steven Plyler, DeMattei Construction, Inc. PROJECT PLANNER: Savannah Van Akin/Sean Mullin Savannah Van Akin, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report. Opened Public Comment. Steve and Gina Spirch, Owner - The plan now adds to the upper floor, a second full bathroom for their daughter. It also includes converting a lower front guest bedroom into a parlor with a view of the street. Committee members asked questions of the applicant. Steve Spirch, Owner - French doors will be added to the front as well as the rear. - The balcony off the master bedroom will be enclosed to create a bathroom. Closed Public Comment. Committee members discussed the matter. • New design successfully incorporates suggestions from the earlier HPC hearing. • New design maintains the front view of the house. • New addition on the second floor fits the theme of the house MOTION: Motion by Chair Raspe to Recommend Approval to the Community Development Director on a Request for Construction of Exterior Alterations and a Second-Story Addition Greater than 100 Square Feet to an Existing Single-Family Residence on Property Zoned R-1:8. Seconded by Vice Chair Lundell. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. PAGE 3 OF 7 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2022 3. 100 Tait Avenue Minor Residential Development Application MR-21-023 Requesting Approval for Construction of a Detached Garage Exceeding 450 Square Feet with Reduced Setbacks on a Contributing Property in the Almond Grove Historic District on Property Zoned R-1D:LHP. APN 510-18-015. Property Owner/Applicant: Laurie Babula. PROJECT PLANNER: Ryan Safty Ryan Safty, Associate Planner, presented the staff report. Opened Public Comment. Chris Spaulding, Architect - Plans are to replace an existing substandard garage. It doesn’t fit even one car. The existing garage is located over the property line onto the alley. They will increase the setback to 3 feet from alley and the rear. - The Sanborn map showed a shed or garage in that location from turn of the century. But it may not be the current garage. The siding looks like something from 30’s or 40’s. The new design is an improvement. It allows more storage and room to park a car. The current three tenants use the garage to store their bikes. There are other 2-story ADUs in the alley. Their project will match the main house in style, siding, color, etc. Committee members asked questions of the applicant. Committee members discussed the matter. • Existing structure is problematic. Replacing with more utilitarian. • Increase in size fits with main house. Better to have some, if not 5 feet, setback. MOTION: Motion by Vice Chair Lundell to Recommend Approval to the Community Development Director on a Request for Construction of a Detached Garage Exceeding 450 Square Feet with Reduced Setbacks on a Contributing Property in the Almond Grove Historic District on Property Zoned R-1D:LHP. Seconded by Committee Member Cheskin. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. PAGE 4 OF 7 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2022 4. 212-216 N. Santa Cruz Avenue Consider a Request to Remove a Presumptive Historic Property (Pre-1941) from the Historic Resources Inventory for Property Zoned C-2. APN 529-04-085. PROPERTY OWNER/APPLICANT: McCarthy Ranch. PROJECT PLANNER: Ryan Safty. Ryan Safty, Associate Planner, presented the staff report. Opened and Closed Public Comment. Committee members discussed the matter. • Nothing seems historic about this structure. The building has gone through extensive changes and was recently rebuilt. • It is important to keep the Historic Property Inventory up-to-date to maintain credibility. MOTION: Motion by Planning Commissioner Clark to recommend approval to the Director to Remove a Presumptive Historic Property (Pre-1941) from the Historic Resources Inventory for Property Zoned C-2. Seconded by Chair Raspe. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. 5. 85 Broadway Requesting Approval for Construction of Exterior Alterations to an Existing Contributing Single-Family Residence in the Broadway Historic District on Property Zoned R-1D:LHP. APN 510-45-044. PROPERTY OWNER/APPLICANT: Warren and Maria Ristow PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin Committee Member Cheskin recused himself, as his residence is located within 1,000 feet of the subject property. Sean Mullin, Senior Planner, presented the staff report. Opened Public Comment. PAGE 5 OF 7 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2022 Maria Ristow, Owner/Applicant - The house was built in 1887. They remodeled home in 1992. The porch was completely rebuilt to match 1887 specs. It was the original front entry. The entry is now further back at another location. It has the same railing and vertical supports but not the brick layer of floor. Victorians will not have stone porches, but it is seen elsewhere in the neighborhood. They prefer a non-pervious surface for durability. The veneer is brick at half thickness. The layers are the wood porch, a moisture membrane, and a brick veneer. Committee members asked questions of the applicant. Maria Ristow, Owner/Applicant - The front Porch is from 1985. It was built by other owners. The back yard is all brick. - Photo shows a neighbor’s remodeled balcony with the side view of brick visible. Closed Public Comment. Committee members discussed the matter. • The no-brick-on-Victorian-buildings mandate has been widely ignored in the neighborhood. • Other examples of brick porches in the neighborhood make the request reasonable and aesthetically pleasing. • Their other porch already has a brick veneer. The current homeowner didn’t create the other brick covered porch. The veneer is barely visible from the front. MOTION: Motion by Chair Raspe to recommend approval to the Director for Construction of Exterior Alterations to an Existing Contributing Single- Family Residence in the Broadway Historic District on Property Zoned R- 1D:LHP. Seconded by Planning Commissioner Clark. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. Committee Member Cheskin recused. PAGE 6 OF 7 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2022 OTHER BUSINESS (Up to three minutes may be allotted to each speaker on any of the following items.) 6. 50 Hernandez Avenue Preliminary Review for Construction of Exterior Alterations and a Second-Story Addition Greater than 100 Square Feet to an Existing Single-Family Residence on Property Zoned R-1:8. APN 510-20-003 PROPERTY OWNER: Richard Archuleta and Chrissy Klander APPLICANT: Jay Plett, Architect PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin Committee Member Cheskin recused himself, as his residence is located within 1,000 feet of the subject property. Sean Mullin, Senior Planner, presented the staff report. Opened public comment. Jay Plett, Architect, Applicant - The proposed addition will be modest in size and in keeping with the style of the house. They will match siding, profile, window trim, and molding to the existing house. - Six feet of space will be added on the upper level. The lower level will be rebuilt due to structural problems. Structure was modified in 1947. It has leveling, settlement, and water intrusion issues. - In 1947, a window was added to the front view. They would like to replace and add a second window next to it. - Changes in the rear are not visible from the front street. - Extending the roof straight out over the bay window. Committee members asked questions of the applicant. Jay Plett, Architect, Applicant - The proposed addition will be modest in size and in keeping with the style of the house. A metal roof over a porch is common. The proposed standing seem roof is not a must. No other nearby home has a metal roof. - Neighborhood includes two-story homes, larger homes, and a mix of styles. The plans add 554 square feet (sf) to the house, which is below the maximum allowed floor area of 3,106 sf. The house is 2,798 sf, the existing garage has an office of 160 sf. The massing is 400 to 500 sf below maximum allowed floor area. Committee members provided the following comments: PAGE 7 OF 7 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2022 • Prefer matching the existing house roof material instead of using standing metal roof material. • Be mindful of privacy and shadow issues for the neighbors. 7. Election of Chair and Vice Chair. MOTION: Motion by Chair Raspe to Approve Timothy Lundell as Chair and Barry Cheskin as Vice Chair. Seconded by Planning Commissioner Clark. Committee members discussed the matter. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. The one vacant position will be addressed during the next Spring recruitment. The needed quorum is 3. This will be confirmed. Let staff know if you will be missing a meeting. Tim Lundell will miss the July meeting. Meetings will still be virtual until the Mayor decides to move towards meeting in-person again. Congratulations to the new Chair and Vice Chair. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 4:59 p.m. This is to certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the January 26, 2022 meeting as approved by the Historic Preservation Committee. Jennifer Armer, AICP, Planning Manager This Page Intentionally Left Blank