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11-16-22 Minutes - HPC SPECIAL 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE REPORT MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING NOVEMBER 16, 2022 The Historic Preservation Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on November 16, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. This meeting This meeting is being conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with Town Council Policy 2-01 entitled Town Agenda Format and Rules and Town Resolution. In accordance with Town Policy and Resolution, the public may only view the meeting online and not in the Council Chamber. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 3:00 PM ROLL CALL Present: Chair Timothy Lundell, Vice Chair Barry Cheskin, Planning Commissioner Kylie Clark, Planning Commissioner Steve Raspe, and Committee Member Susan Burnett. Absent: None. VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION) 1. Approval of Minutes – October 26, 2022 MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Raspe to approve the Consent Calendar. Seconded by Chair Lundell. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. PAGE 2 OF 5 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 16, 2022 PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. 301-307 N. Santa Cruz Avenue Request for Review PHST-22-020 Consider a Request to Remove a Pre-1941 Property from the Historic Resources Inventory for Property Zoned C-2. Located at 301-307 N. Santa Cruz Avenue. APN 510-14-048. PROPERTY OWNER: Millen Family Partnership, LP APPLICANT: Mike Millen PROJECT PLANNER: Ryan Safty Sean Mullin, Senior Planner, presented the staff report. Opened Public Comment. Applicant presented the project. Mike Millen, Applicant - He is the owner, speaking on behalf of the family. Their parents bought the property in the 70’s. They want to make the parcel vibrant again. Architects ask if they can design something new, or if they must keep certain items to make it conform. - Some of the addresses are post-1941 and do not need to be considered. - The address at 208 Bachman had gone before the Town Council. They determined it had lost any historical integrity. - The address at 307 has changed from thirty to forty feet long. Windows and chimneys were removed. The buildings are now adjoined with party walls. - Some of the address numbers have changed over the years; 305 is now 303. - The Bloomfield Survey states too many changes. Committee members asked questions of the applicant. Mike Millen, Applicant - They need all four buildings on the parcel removed from the inventory for complete design freedom. - They found the 1990 Bloomfield Survey inconsistent. It stated that 301 and 305 were altered and 303 and 307 were intact. But cumulative rating stated that everything is ineligible. Closed Public Comment. Committee members discussed the matter. PAGE 3 OF 5 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 16, 2022 • The Commercial Business District is important. The structure at 208 was removed from the inventory. 301 and 305 (formerly 303) no longer have historical significance. • Originally each address had separate owners and should be separately evaluated. • The Ann Bloomfield evaluation sheet included all four buildings. The summary stated that they were a good representation of the Spanish Colonial or Mediterranean style. Scaling and massing was very important for the small shop scale. • Bloomfield ranked the property with 34 points: 12 out of 12 for scaling and massing, 12 for design, 8 for pattern, 4 for architecture, 6 for total type, style and construction, and 4 for setting. Two of the buildings merit staying in the Historic Inventory. • In both the 2020 and 2040 General Plan guidelines, the goal is to maintain the historic character of the downtown area. The Land Use Element refers to the downtown as the historic heart of the town and has implementation plans. • Structures at 303 and 307 still have historic significance. Committee members asked questions of Staff. Staff - The primary date of 1900 is used as a filler date when the actual build date is unknown. The effective date reflects when known major reconstruction has taken place. Committee members asked questions of the applicant. Mike Millen, Applicant - The Hannigan’s site was removed from the historic Inventory by the Town Council. Mike was young but, remembers this story. In the early 90’s, the restaurant received complaints about excessive noise from their patio. They installed plexiglass barriers to keep the noise level down. But they did not have a permit. The matter came before the Town Council who removed it from the Historic Resources Inventory because there was no historic significance. Mike does not know why it did not go before the Historic Preservation Committee. Committee members asked questions of Staff. Staff - In order to be fair and consistent, the determination needs to be based on the findings listed in the staff report. Committee members discussed the matter. • Two of the structures have undergone alterations but retain a large portion of original and distinctive characteristics. PAGE 4 OF 5 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 16, 2022 • The 301 building is a newer with no historic characteristics. • Item 3 finding: No distinctive characteristic of type, period or method of construction representation of work of a master. In 1990, Bloomfield claimed it that the 303 building still has characteristics. • We are lumping four ideas into one basket. 301 is obviously yes, take it off. Most of the changes occurred before that 1990 Bloomfield Survey. Changes and modification were done to the other structures, but they still retain original characteristics. But Sanborn lumped all the structures in one. • We still have the discretion to separate the structures. • Some of the buildings were built before 1941. Revisions were made but they retain some pre 1941 characteristics. • How much was changed in each building? Can the applicant give clear evidence? The evidence in the packet is muddled. • Agree that 301 can be removed • When we remove from structures from the inventory it is very clear cut. But not in this case. Two buildings look Mediterranean or Spanish colonial. The facades look good and are not falling down. They are right behind the Almond Grove Historic district. Staff: - Can continue and ask for more information from the applicant. They did extensive research. If there’s no additional information, then there is no need to continue. Committee members asked questions of the applicant. Mike Millen, Applicant - They spent hours in the library, going through photos, phone directories and insurance maps. The material determined what existed commercially, except for 301 which was a residence running a tea house. Committee members discussed the matter. • Cannot let all four addresses be removed based on what we know now. • Applicant could reapply with clear evidence of severe alteration for each address. • No prejudice to applicant if part of the application is denied. Staff - 208 Bachman has no historic merit and would not return to the Committee. 301 N. Santa Cruz Avenue, too, does not need to come back to the Committee. Modification to the other building on the site would be reviewed consistent with other historic properties in Town. PAGE 5 OF 5 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 16, 2022 The parcel would be removed from the Historic Resources Inventory, but with certain addresses staying historic. MOTION: Motion by Chair Lundell to approve the removal of the structure located at 301 North Santa Cruz Avenue from the Historic Resources Inventory but deny without prejudice the removal of the other structures on that property (addressed as 303, 305, and 307 N. Santa Cruz Avenue). Seconded by Member Burnett. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. Appeal rights were recited. OTHER BUSINESS (Up to three minutes may be allotted to each speaker on any of the following items.) None. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 3:56 p.m. This is to certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the November 16, 2022 meeting as approved by the Historic Preservation Committee. /s/ Jennifer Armer, AICP, Planning Manager