Item 4 - Staff Report and Attachments 1 to 4
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: 8/23/2023 ITEM NO: 4
DATE: August 18, 2023
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 R-1D. Located at 18 Oak Hill Way.
APN 529-34-052. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15061(b)(3). Request for
Review PHST-23-014. Property Owner/Applicant: Vanessa Young. Project
Planner: Ryan Safty.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request to remove a pre-1941 property from the Historic Resources Inventory for
property zoned R-1:D located at 18 Oak Hill Way.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1920 (effective year built 1950) 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 1920, with an effective year built date of 1950, indicating substantial construction
occurred in around 1950. The property is not within a historic district or LHP overlay and is not
included in either the 1990 Anne Bloomfield Survey.
PAGE 2 OF 2 SUBJECT: 18 Oak Hill Way/PHST-23-014 DATE: August 18, 2023
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DISCUSSION (continued):
The property is included in the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, beginning in 1895 (Attachment 1).
The area of the current subject property is shown vacant up until 1928. From 1928 through the
1928-1956 map edition, a single dwelling is shown on the parcel, which appears to have been
modified slightly with side additions following the 1928 edition.
The applicant has provided a summary of the records researched (Attachment 2), as well as
property pictures (Attachment 3). The applicant was unable to find any pertinent records.
Town records are minimal and include a re-roof permit from 1995, electric service upgrade in
1996, and air conditioner installation in 2005 (Attachment 4).
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. Sanborn Maps
2. Applicant’s Submittal Packet
3. Property Pictures
4. Town Records
Records and Documents Searched
Research regarding 18 Oak Hill Way, Los Gatos, Ca 95030
Findings: I wasn't able to find anything on it.
Resources checked:
Previous inquiries about property - nothing found
Residence files - nothing found
List of Bellringers (homes built before 1900) - nothing found
Historic Homes Tours - nothing found
1941 Tax Assessment Survey - nothing found
1991 Anne Bloomfield Architectural Survey - nothing found
Sanborn Maps - nothing found
Polk's Directories - spot checked a few years in the '30s and '40s; found
listings for Oak Hill Way, but nothing for #18
Conclusion: The property 18 Oak Hill Way does not have any significant
historical significance under any criteria and owner is requesting
removal from the Historic Resources Inventory.
ATTACHMENT 2
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ATTACHMENT 3
ATTACHMENT 4