Item 2 -Staff Report and Attachments 1 to 3 (PDF)
PREPARED BY: SEAN MULLIN, AICP
Senior 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: 06/28/2023 ITEM NO: 2
DATE: June 23, 2023
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider a Request to Remove a Presumptive Historic Property (Pre-1941)
from the Historic Resources Inventory for Property Zoned R-1:8. Located at
216 Alexander Avenue. APN 510-15-028. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section
15061 (b)(3). Request for Review PHST-23-009. PROPERTY
OWNER/APPLICANT: Suzanne Dix. PROJECT PLANNER: Sean Mullin
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request to remove a presumptive historic property (pre-1941) from the Historic
Resources Inventory for property zoned R-1:8 located at 216 Alexander Avenue.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1918 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 removal of the presumptive historic property (pre-1941) from the
Historic Resources Inventory (HRI). The Santa Clara County Assessor’s Database lists a
construction date of 1918 for the residence. The property is not within a historic district or LHP
overlay and is not included in the 1990 Anne Bloomfield Survey. The Sanborn Fire Insurance
Maps show a consistent building footprint from 1928 to 1956 (Attachment 1).
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DISCUSSION (continued):
The applicant has provided the results of historic research (Attachment 2). The research shows
that the residence first appeared in the telephone directories in 1936 under the ownership of
FD McGowan. The property does not appear in any of the other historic resources.
A review of Town records yielded the following:
• 1967 garage addition;
• 1972 addition of a second story over the garage;
• 1980 bathroom addition;
• 1990 replacement of earthquake damaged fireplace;
• 1998 building permit for a first-floor addition of 420 square feet and conversion of 350
square feet into habitable space;
• 2005 building permit for remodel and construction of a 21 square foot addition to the
left side elevation; and
• 2014 reroof permit.
The existing residence is a two-story gable-ended structure with a composition roof, horizontal
wood siding, and vertical wood siding that appears to be T1-11 sheet siding. The residence
includes a mix of aluminum casement and slider windows, vinyl double-hung and sliding
windows, and direct set windows with wood trim. The aluminum windows, vinyl windows, and
T1-11 wood siding are building materials that were not available prior to 1941 and were likely
added during one of the remodel/additions summarized above. Additionally, the T1-11 siding
at the front elevation by itself is a significant impact to the historic integrity of the residence
and would be considered a technical demolition under current Town regulations. The
residence does not individually appear to represent a distinctive example of a specific type of
architecture.
The applicant also provided pictures of the existing residence, which are included in
Attachment 3.
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.
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FINDINGS (continued):
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; and
5. The integrity has been compromised such that the structure no longer has the
potential to convey significance.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map Exhibit
2. Applicant’s Research Results
3. Property Pictures
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1928
216
ATTACHMENT 1
1956
216
1956
216
Approximate extent of
existing residence.
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ATTACHMENT 2
6/7/23, 3:36 PM Gmail - 216 Alexander Ave., Los Gatos - Application to remove from historic registry
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=ff1a927296&view=pt&search=all&permmsgid=msg-f:1767981433662314458&simpl=msg-f:1767981433662314458 1/1
Suzanne Dix <suzannedix1@gmail.com>
216 Alexander Ave., Los Gatos - Application to remove from historic registry
Shawnte Santos <SSantos@losgatosca.gov>Tue, Jun 6, 2023 at 12:07 PM
To: Suzanne Dix
Hi again,
Here are the resources I checked and what I found:
We have no record of previous inquiries about this property; you are the first to ask about it
Historical Homes Research boxes - no items for anything on Alexander Ave.
Historic Homes Tours - no items
1941 Tax Assessment Survey - no items
1991 Anne Bloomfield Survey - no items; goes directly from 215 to 219 Alexander
Sanborn Maps - the property is on our 1928 and 1944 maps; unfortunately these are not
digitized and so if you need photos, you would come to the library to get them. The maps are
always available, and anyone here can show you where they are and how to find your
address if you need help.
Polk's directories - checked three years for previous owners/residents:
1936: FD McGowan
1944: Mrs. LS MacGowan
1972: Robert H Schauer
Those are all of the resources we generally check for property research, but if there is anything
else you need, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
All the best,
Shawnte Santos (she/her) ● Adult Collection & Services Librarian
Los Gatos Library ● 100 Villa Avenue, 95030
Ph: 408.399.5784 ● ssantos@losgatosca.gov
library.losgatosca.gov ● facebook.com/losgatoslibrary
Sunday - Saturday 10 am - 6 pm
From: Shawnte Santos <SSantos@losgatosca.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, June 6, 2023 10:14 AM
To: Suzanne Dix >
Subject: Re: 216 Alexander Ave., Los Gatos - Application to remove from historic registry
[Quoted text hidden]
ATTACHMENT 3
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