07-12-22 Minutes - DRC
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
COMMITTEE REPORT
MINUTES OF THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING
JULY 12, 2022
The Development Review Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular
Teleconference Meeting on July 12, 2022, at 10:00 a.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.
ROLL CALL
Present: Joel Paulson, CDD Planning; Robert Gray, CDD Building; Corvell Sparks,
PPW Engineering; Kenny Ip, SCCFD; and Janice Chin, PPW Engineering.
Absent: None.
Staff: Erin Walters, CDD Planning; Jocelyn Shoopman, CDD Planning; and Sean Mullin, CDD
Planning.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 10:00 AM
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
- None.
CONSENT ITEMS
1. Approval of Minutes – July 5, 2022
MOTION: Motion by Robert Gray to approve the consent calendar. Seconded by
Kenny Ip.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously 4-0.
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PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 17291 Wedgewood Avenue
Architecture and Site Application S-21-027
Requesting Approval for Construction of a New Single-Family Residence and Site
Improvements Requiring a Grading Permit on Property Zoned R-1:8. APN 409-14-013.
PROPERTY OWNER: Young Kim
APPLICANT: Edick Lazari
PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin
The project planner presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Edick Lazari, Designer
He has worked with Mr. Kim for 15 years. Mr. Kim is a contractor. This project is like
other projects they have done in Palo Alto and Saratoga. He is familiar with the guidelines and
the importance of privacy.
The main item was deciding between a one or two-story structure. There are other two-story
houses nearby. The neighborhood is mixed. Another item is that the 14,000-square foot lot
looks large, but its useful area is limited. There is a 45 ft front setback, a second unit at the
back, trees, and the street. 54 percent of the lot is taken up. There is only 2,100 square feet
max available for a one-story house.
To maintain neighborhood privacy, there are no windows on the right side. There are only two
or three windows on left side. There are windows at the back for bedroom egress. To be
consistent with the neighborhood, they will use matching materials such as, siding and
composition shingles. They lowered the size to midsize. In addition to the Town arborist, they
hired an arborist for access. The window glass can be tinted. They can add screening trees in
back for privacy.
Douglas Maynard, Neighbor
The description of mixed one- and two-story neighborhood is not true. The neighbor
next door is a one-story house. They did unpermitted work and sheet the attic. They added a
second-story on the garage, but were made to take it down by the Town. The only two-story
homes are next to the freeway. This house overlooks our backyard which has a pool and
garden. The proposed home is ugly with no windows on the right hand side. The house has a
big basement of 955 square feet. This is a one story neighborhood. The ADU in the back also
has a basement. I ask that it be made as a one-story house.
Will Maynard, Neighbor
He is Douglas Maynard’s son. He wants to keep the privacy that they have had for 30
years. Screening trees were not a complete solution. There is plenty of room for a one-story
home with a basement.
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Young Kim, Owner
He served honorably in the US army for three years. He has lived in bay area since 1977
and raised their kids here. In November 2020, he and his wife bought this house. The home
was very outdated, and the yard had not been maintained for many years. They currently live
in the ADU. His wife, a florist, works daily on the garden. They thoughtfully designed the house
to minimize impact on their neighbors. The neighbors were shown the site plan, floor plan, and
elevations. Most of the neighbors are supportive and happy to see the property improved. He
and his wife hope to grow old in this home.
Edick Lazari, Designer
The term, mixed use, was used in an architectural consultant firm report. It described
the neighborhood context as “the site is located in an older neighborhood containing a mix of
one- and two-story homes”. The neighboring house to the left, has a second story in the back.
This statement is completely true based on what they see. Whether the second story is legal,
or illegal, is not his job.
Closed Public Comment.
Staff,
The Town does not contain any single story neighborhoods where houses are limited to
a single story. The Town looks at neighborhood compatibility. A detached accessory structure
has restrictions and can only be one story unless it is an ADU. Regarding the property to the
left, this is in fact a two-story residence as the Town sees it. An attic conversion was approved
by the Town in 1999 and permitted. It added a 200 sf. Family room. An illegal loft area in the
garage was removed. Regarding the claim of unpermitted work on the subject property, the
Project Planner, Code Compliance Officer, and Arborist visited the site. Some of the work at the
existing residence/future ADU will need permitting. The owner is amenable to retroactively
permitting this work. Staff has added a Condition of Approval requiring that the unpermitted
work be permitted prior to the issuance of a Building Permit for the proposed residence. The
Town Arborist confirms that the tree pruning done did not require permitting. How far is the
proposed home from the closest corner of where the Maynard property begins? It is
approximately 41 feet away.
MOTION: Motion by Robert Gray to approve with required findings and
recommended conditions of approval. Seconded by Corvell Sparks.
Additional Conditions:
• Obscure the window glass in the bathroom on the west elevation.
• Plant fast growing screening trees on the property line between
the Kim and Maynard properties.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously 4-0.
Appeal rights were recited.
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3. 68 Fairview Plaza
Architecture and Site Application S-22-007
Requesting Approval for Construction of an Addition to a Single-Family Residence to
Exceed the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) on Property Zoned R-1:8. APN 510-43-009.
PROPERTY OWNER: Jan and Irena Blom
APPLICANT: Jay Plett
PROJECT PLANNER: Jocelyn Shoopman
The project planner presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Thomas Krulevitch, Architect
The project is a 200-square foot addition to expand a family room and create a study
nook. The owners are a growing family with three kids. The allowed FAR is .35. They are
proposing .389. It is a non-conforming lot. It is the smallest lot in the neighborhood. There are
five neighbors with larger homes. One neighbor has a larger FAR. The addition is not visible
from the street. The property slopes down from the street. The addition will be tucked under
the upper floor and into a covered patio. The project is viewable to one neighbor who was
shown the plans and is supportive of the project.
Closed Public Comment.
MOTION: Motion by Corvell Sparks to approve with required findings and
recommended conditions of approval. Seconded by Kenny Ip.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously 4-0.
Appeal rights were recited.
4. 205 Mistletoe Road
Architecture and Site Application S-22-006
Requesting Approval for Construction of a Second Story Addition to an Existing Single-
Family Residence on Property Zoned R-1:10. APN 407-15-016.
PROPERTY OWNER: Ya Tang and Li (Leo) Li
APPLICANT: LELdesign
PROJECT PLANNER: Erin Walters
The project planner presented the staff report.
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Opened Public Comment.
Leo Li, Owner/Architect
They are proposing a new 524-square foot one-story addition, and a 119-square foot
second-story addition. All additions are within existing home boundaries. The home is
surrounded by one- and two-story homes on higher land. The subject lot is located at a lower
elevation than the adjacent properties. Five homes located in the immediate neighborhood are
two-story homes and four are one-story homes. The design follows the consulting architect’s
suggestions in keeping the Ranch style but with a taller ceiling height. The proposed FAR is 0.24
which is in the midrange even though the lot is large. This will be the dream home for the
owner, his wife, and son.
Closed Public Comment.
Committee members discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Kenny Ip to approve with required findings and recommended
conditions of approval. Seconded by Robert Gray.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously 4-0.
Appeal rights were recited.
OTHER BUSINESS
- None.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned 10:47 a.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
July 12, 2022 meeting as approved by the
Development Review Committee.
Prepared by:
________________________________________
/s/ Joel Paulson, CDD Director