Item 3 - Staff Report and Attachment 1
PREPARED BY: RYAN SAFTY
Associate Planner
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMMITTEE REPORT
MEETING DATE: 10/26/2022 ITEM NO: 3
DATE: October 21, 2022
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider a Request to Remove a Pre-1941 Property from the Historic
Resources Inventory for Property Zoned HR-2½. Located at 16600 Cypress
Way. APN 532-23-107. Request for Review PHST-22-017.
PROPERTY OWNER/APPLICANT: Scott Watson.
PROJECT PLANNER: Ryan Safty.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request to remove a pre-1941 property from the Historic Resources Inventory for
property zoned HR-2½ located at 16600 Cypress Way.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1915 (effective year built 1940) per County Assessor’s
Database
2. Town of Los Gatos Historic Status Code: N/A
3. Does property have an LHP Overlay? No
4. Is structure in a historic district? No
5. If yes, is it a contributor? N/A
6. Findings required? Yes
7. Considerations required? No
DISCUSSION:
The applicant is requesting approval to remove the presumptive pre-1941 residence from the
Historic Resources Inventory. The Santa Clara County Assessor’s Database lists a construction
date of 1915, with an effective year build date of 1940, indicating substantial construction
occurred to the residence around that time. The property is not within a historic district or LHP
overlay, is not included in the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, and is not listed in the 1990 Anne
Bloomfield Survey.
PAGE 2 OF 2 SUBJECT: 16600 Cypress Way/PHST-22-017 DATE: October 21, 2022
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DISCUSSION (continued):
The applicant has provided an informational packet with their application, which includes a
summary of the previous additions to the residence, a description on architectural merit,
pictures of the existing residence, and a summary of the historic research that occurred. The
existing 1,650-square foot residence has a stucco exterior and shingled roof. Per Attachment 1,
the central portion of the existing residence is the original cottage which was built prior to
1941. Additions occurred between 1960 and 1970 which added a first-floor bedroom, exterior
deck, and a second-floor bedroom and bathroom. All the original doors and windows have
been replaced. Fire repair work occurred to the basement and central portion of the residence
in 1978, and a carport was added in the 1980s.
Town records are minimal: fire repair building permit from 1978 (Attachment 1), as well as
applications for a subdivision of the property back in 1970.
CONCLUSION:
Should the Committee find that the structure no longer has historic significance or architectural
merit due to the loss of integrity, the structure would be removed from the Historic Resources
Inventory and any proposed alterations would not return to the Committee.
FINDINGS:
A. Findings - related to a request for a determination that a pre-1941 primary structure has no
historic significance or architectural merit.
In evaluating a request for a determination of historic significance or architectural merit,
the Historic Preservation Committee shall consider the following:
1. The structure is not associated with events that have made a significant contribution
to the Town;
2. No Significant persons are associated with the site;
3. There are no distinctive characteristics of type, period or method of construction or
representation of work of a master;
4. The structure does not yield information to Town history; or
5. The integrity has been compromised such that the structure no longer has the
potential to convey significance.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Applicant’s Submittal Packet
1
Los Gatos Historic Preservation Committee
16600 Cypress Way, Los Gatos (APN 532-23-107)
Applicant: Scott Watson
August 26th, 2022
Summary……………………………………………………………….. 1
Historic Significance ..………………………………………………… 2
Architectural Merit…………….......................................................... 2
Exhibit A: Photos of Existing House………………………………… 3
Exhibit B: Summary of Research……………………………………. 4
Exhibit C: Santa Clara County Property Record ….………………. 5 & 6
Exhibit D: Town of LG Building Permit – Fire Repair.....………….. 7 & 8
Exhibit E: 1948 Aerial Photo…………………………………………. 9
Exhibit F: 1968 Aerial Photo…………………………………………. 10
Exhibit G: 1981 Aerial Photo…………………………………………. 11
Exhibit H: Aerial Photo Comparison …………….………………….. 12
Exhibit I: Permit Record after 2019 …………….………………….... 13
Summary
The house at 16600 Cypress Way in the Town of Los Gatos, is a 1,650 square foot house with
stucco exterior walls and shingle roof. (Exhibit A) The central portion of the house is the original
cottage which was built before 1941 and constitutes less than 50% of current house. Additions
were made in the 1960-70s to add a 1st floor bedroom, wrap-around deck, and a 2nd floor
bedroom and bath which doubled the floor space. All of the original doors and windows of the
pre-1941 portion were replaced during these remodels. In 1978, fire damage to the basement
and central portion of the house was repaired. A carport was added sometime after 1981.
We are requesting the house be removed from the Historic inventory because it does not exhibit
“special character or special historical, architectural, or aesthetic interest or value” as provided
for by the Historic Preservation Town Code. We have completed thorough research of records,
specifically we find:
(1) We can find no historic significance for this structure.
(2) The structure has no architectural merit.
(3) The pre-1941 portion of the house retains none of the original architectural features and
multiple additions in the 1960 - 80’s have greatly altered its style.
ATTACHMENT 1
2
Below is a summary of the documents we found from our Historical Research (Exhibit B).
These substantiate the history told to me when I purchased the property in 2012.
1. Santa Clara County - Property records : (Exhibit C & D)
a) “BROWN = ORIGINAL COTTAGE” 24x34 = 816 sf was built in 1915.
b) Addition of master bedroom 14’x27’ = 378 sf added in 1960’s.
c) 2nd floor addition 12’x26 = 312 sf added in 1978.
d) Repair Fire Damage in original cottage 816sf in 1978.
e) Re-roofing in 1995.
2. 1948 Aerial map (Exhibit E) shows the original cottage.
3. 1968 Aerial map (Exhibit F) shows the original cottage + 1st floor bedroom addition.
4. 1981 Aerial map (Exhibit G) shows the original cottage + 1st and + 2nd floor additions.
5. Aerial Photo Comparison (Exhibit H) – 1948/1968/1981 aerial photo comparison side by
side. It is clearly aligned with the building permit we found. Construction of additions
started by 1968, with the 1st and 2nd floor additions completed by 1981. The carport is
not visible in 1981 and was built later.
Historic Significance
The house is not in a historic district, has no LHP Overlay, and extensive research detailed in
Exhibit B has found:
● The structure is not associated with events that have made a significant contribution to
the Town;
● No significant persons are associated with the site; and
● The structure does not yield information to Town history.
Architectural Merit
The house is a collection of additions and modifications. The front entry double door leads
straight into the dining room. There was no consideration to create an entry space or closet.
The first floor bedroom and bathroom addition extends from the central portion with a vaulted
ceiling which matches the approximate 7:12 roof pitch of the original cottage. However, there is
no consistency in the roof design; the 2nd floor roof pitch was made 2:12 and the carport roof
pitch was set to approximately 5:12. The 1960-70’s remodels replaced the original windows
with large single-pane glass in wood frames to maximize the view to the outside. The additions
used single-pane slider windows set in aluminum frames. These have been replaced by the
current owners with dual-pane windows in vinyl frames. The carport roof is supported by four 4”
steel columns, reflecting an unadorned, utilitarian construction method.
3
Exhibit A: Photos of Existing House
4
Exhibit B: Summary of Research
HPC-recommended
resource
Findings
Sanborn Maps ● No entry
1941 Tax Assessment ● No entry
1989 Bloomfield Survey ● No entry
Polk’s Directories ● No entry
Telephone Directories ● No entry
Other ● No entry
County Planning Dept
records
• Exhibit C: Santa Clara County Property Record
• Exhibit D: Town of LG Building Permit – Fire Repair
SJ Library California Room • Exhibit E: 1948 Aerial Photo
• Exhibit F: 1968 Aerial Photo
● Exhibit G: 1981 Aerial Photo
Sanborn Maps ● No entry
1989 Bloomfield Survey ● No entry.
CDD Permit History ● Exhibit I: Permit Records since 2019
LG Library SCC Resources CDD Resources
5
Exhibit C: Santa Clara County Property Record
6
7
Exhibit D: Town of LG Building Permit – Fire Repair
8
9
Exhibit E: 1948 Aerial Photo
The original cottage can be seen at the tip of the pencil.
10
Exhibit F: 1968 Aerial Photo
The area East of the original cottage has been expanded for the 1st floor bedroom addition.
11
Exhibit G: 1981 Aerial Photo
The current house structure can be seen with the 1st floor addition to the East and the 2nd floor
addition to the West.
12
Exhibit H: Aerial Photo Comparison
1948 1968 1981
13
Exhibit I: Permit Record since 2019
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