04-26-23 Minutes - HPC (PDF)
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 MEETING
APRIL 26, 2023
The Historic Preservation Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a regular meeting on
April 26, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 4:00 PM
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Barry Cheskin, Vice Chair Susan Burnett, Planning Commissioner Steve Raspe,
and Committee Member Martha Queiroz.
Absent: None.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – March 29, 2023
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Raspe to approve the Consent Calendar.
Seconded by Commissioner Burnett.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 42 Fillmer Avenue
Request for Review Application PHST-23-003
Consider a Request to Remove a Pre-1941 Property from the Historic Resources
Inventory for Property Zoned R-1:8. APN 532-35-034.
PROPERTY OWNER: Dara Florio
APPLICANT: Lili Milano
PROJECT PLANNER: Ryan Safty/Sean Mullin
Sean Mullin, Senior Planner, presented the staff report.
PAGE 2 OF 4 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 26, 2023
Committee asked questions of Staff.
Opened Public Comment.
Applicant presented the project.
Lili Milano, Architect, with Dara Florio, Owner
- They did research at the library and found no information. The Sanborn map ended two
houses short of their house. The County did not have any records.
- Their house does not have a defined architectural style. Colonial cottages of that time
period, had horizontal siding, a lack of overhangs, shutters, a symmetrical layout, a
rectangular shape, gables, etc. This house only has the characteristics of horizontal siding
and a lack of overhangs.
- An addition was built in 1983. It matches the siding and lack of overhangs of the main
house. But some items do not match. The new windows are sliding instead of single hung
and the frames are black instead of white.
- They don’t see any historical characteristics.
- It would be an economic hardship to this growing family if they cannot add to the home.
Committee members asked questions of the applicant.
Lili Milano, Architect
- The addition takes up 128 square feet for a bathroom and dressing area. The house is now
1500 square feet. The addition is under ten percent with not a lot of exterior or roofline
modifications. The exterior siding matches. A bay window with a shed roof was added in
the back. There is a small, shed roof on the porch. Everything else is hip roof.
- They are not removing but adding to the front. They are expanding the kitchen to add a
family room. They are not remodeling the back.
- They cannot make these changes while under Historic Designation.
Closed Public Comment.
Committee members discussed the matter.
• You can still make additions while being on the Historic Resources Inventory.
• There are guidelines for additions on Historic homes.
• It shares many characteristics of other home on the street and neighborhood.
• 1940 houses looked identical to that house.
• It doesn’t qualify for removal. It adds to the neighborhood.
• Want to save the feeling and look of a smaller home.
Open Public Comment
PAGE 3 OF 4 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 26, 2023
Committee members asked questions of the applicant.
Lili Milano, Architect
- The Intention is to build a small addition and not to change the style or remove
anything. They can add to the back but not to the front if it remained on the historic
inventory.
- There are other homes on the same street that were removed from the inventory.
Staff in response to Committee members questions
Jennifer Armer, Planning Manager
- Additions to the front of a historic home are limited to a demo of 25 percent instead of
50 percent. Even covering up a wall is considered part of a demo.
- The focus is whether, or not, it is in a Historic District or any historic significance.
Close Public Comment
Committee members asked staff questions.
Jennifer Armer, Planning Manager
• As a house on the Historic Resources Inventory, this addition to the front would trigger
the technical demolition regulation. If removed from the Historic Resources Inventory,
it would not be considered a technical demolition.
• There is more protection for historic homes. They would undergo a full and costly
Architecture and Site application before a Building Permit application.
• Residential Design Guidelines would be implemented either way.
Committee members discussed the matter.
• Even if there is precedence of nearby homes being removed from the Historic Resources
Inventory, each case is different.
• The house is not in an Overlay Zone, the Bloomfield Survey, or the Sanborn Map. It was
built only a year before the 1941 cut off.
• The house has no unique style.
• Being a small, cute house is not enough of a reason to retain it on the Historic Resources
Inventory. It is valuable to keep small, starter homes, but that is not in the purview of
this Committee. This Committee protects historically significant homes.
• Based on the criteria and the research by the applicant, there is not enough evidence of
architectural or historical significance.
• No person of significance has lived there.
• It has been altered.
• It meets the criteria for removal.
PAGE 4 OF 4 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 26, 2023
• Even if removed from the Historic Resources Inventory, the project will still go through a
review and need to follow the Residential Design Guidelines.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Raspe to Approve a Request to Remove a Pre-
1941 Property from the Historic Resources Inventory for Property Zoned
R-1:8. APN 532-35-034. With the required findings as set forth in our
packet for such removal. Seconded by Member Queiroz.
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 4:27 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
April 26, 2023 meeting as approved by the
Historic Preservation Committee.
/s/Jennifer Armer, AICP, Planning Manager