05-19-2022 - Minutes - HEAB
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY
BOARD REPORT
MINUTES OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY BOARD
MAY 19, 2022
The Housing Element Advisory Board of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
May 19, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., via teleconference.
This meeting was conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with
Government Code Section 54953, as Amended by Assembly Bill 361, in response to the state
of emergency relating to COVID-19 and enabling teleconferencing accommodations by
suspending or waiving specified provisions in the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code §
54950 et seq.). Consistent with AB 361 and Town of Los Gatos Resolution 2021-044 this
meeting was not physically open to the public and the Advisory Board Members were
teleconferencing from remote locations. Members of the public were able to participate in
the meeting by joining the Zoom webinar (log in information provided below).
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Melanie Hanssen; Vice Chair Kathryn Janoff; Council Member Maria Ristow;
Council Member Marico Sayoc; Board Member Susan Burnett; Board Member Randi Chen;
Board Member Joseph Mannina; Board Member Adam Mayer; Board Member Rob Moore;
Board Member Steven Piasecki; Board Member Ryan Rosenberg; and Commissioner Emily
Thomas.
Absent: Board Member Todd Jarvis.
Staff present: Erin Walters; Jocelyn Shoopman; Jennifer Armer; and Joel Paulson.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
None.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
1. Review and Discussion of the Housing Element Site Inventory
Presentation by Erin Walters.
PAGE 2 OF 3
MINUTES OF HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING OF MAY 19, 2022
Housing Element Advisory Board (HEAB) member’s comments and questions:
- How should the HEAB treat the Desk Item Report which provided a letter regarding the
North Forty site;
- Is a change to the density of the North Forty Specific Plan proposed;
- Does the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) differentiate
between very low- and extremely low-incomes;
- What information is asked of property owners in the Property Owner Interest Form and
can a site be included in the Draft Site Inventory if the property has not submitted a
Property Owner Interest Form to the Town;
- Is the HEAB able to count projects submitted to the Town under Senate Bill 9;
- If the Draft Site Inventory does not fulfill the required units assigned to each income
category, will HCD reject the document;
- What sites within the Tier 2 site list would staff recommend including in the Tier 1 site
list;
- The Town should reach out to property owners in the Tier 1 site list and property
owners in the pink color in the Tier 2 site list who have not submitted a Property Owner
Interest Form; and
- The Chamber is also reaching out to property owners on Los Gatos Boulevard.
Opened Public Comment.
Lee Fagot
- Applaud the work of the Committee. If the California Department of Transportation (Cal
Trans) property were to be redeveloped, who would take credits for the housing units,
the Town or Cal Trans? Concerned about higher density and increased heights which
would change the character of existing neighborhoods.
Don Capobres
- It is important to be realistic about feasibility due to the no net loss rule. Based on
unprecedented times in the construction, steel and concrete is difficult to make feasible
in Los Gatos. A mixed-use program seems to be the best fit for the North Forty Phase II.
Mixed-uses are being explored for the North Phase II based on community outreach and
feedback. The letter that was submitted was intended to provide a realistic expectation
of what could be developed on the property owned by Grosvenor. Again, we hope this
changes in the future and construction costs allow for higher density housing.
Closed Public Comment.
MOTION: Motion by Committee Member Rosenberg to recommend acceptance of the
Draft Site Inventory as proposed with modifications to reduce the number of
housing units in the North Forty, add the site located at 206 Knowles Drive¸ and
add the California Department of Transportation right-of-wWay land off of Oka
Road. Seconded by Board Member Moore.
PAGE 3 OF 3
MINUTES OF HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING OF MAY 19, 2022
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
May 19, 2022, meeting.
/s/Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development
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