12 Attachment 2 - Public CommentFrom: Bryan Mekechuk
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2023 10:34:29 AM
To: Maria Ristow <MRistow@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: 15860 Winchester Boulevard - High Pressure Natural Gas Pipeline
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
Hi Maria,
Just following up from the denial of the appeal on Tuesday.
During my testimony and questioning, I mentioned that I received a brochure that was sent to elected
officials regarding pipelines in their jurisdictions. Attached is a photo of the cover of that brochure. Since
I received this brochure as an elected official in Monte Sereno, I would expect that you would have
received the same brochure.
The high pressure natural gas transmission line is the only such pipeline serving Los Gatos. All other
natural gas lines in Los Gatos are lower pressure distribution lines.
Page 5 of that brochure, is also attached. Please read the left hand portion, “Planning, Zoning, and
Property Development”. In particular, the brochure warns readers that, “Changes to the topography on
either side of a pipeline may impose unacceptable stresses on the pipeline.” This is the issue that I raised
regarding the excavation of the underground garage for the building, and that the excavation will go
beyond the actual building footprint.
On the right side of page 5 there are decisions highlighted that elected officials should consider that may
impact the safety of the community surrounding the pipeline. Please review these.
Finally, at the bottom of the page is “Identified Sites”. There are three conditions stated, of which the
proposed development meets all three. The most restrictive condition, item (c) states, “A facility that is
occupied by persons who are confined, are of impaired mobility, or would be difficult to evacuate.
Examples of such a facility are hospitals, schools, elder care, assisted living/nursing facilities, prisons, and
child daycares.”
Clearly, the proposed assisted living/memory care facility would be exceedingly difficult to evacuate in
the event of an emergency. The more rooms on the same footprint (higher density) will make any
evacuation take more time, and require more nursing effort than if there were fewer rooms on the
same footprint.
The inherent dangers of allowing a large building to be constructed on the site immediately adjacent to
the only high pressure natural gas transmission line serving Los Gatos were brought to Town Council’s
attention during the public hearing. Town Council could have required mitigating factors, such as
decreasing the density of the occupants (removing a floor) and increasing the setback against
Winchester Boulevard yet those items were not considered in denying the appeal or sending the
application back to the Planning Commission.
Town Council went beyond the approval of the proposed development and allowed a variance to
increase the height of the building that allowed the developer to increase the number of units in the
building. The presence of the high pressure natural gas transmission line should have been a condition
ATTACHMENT 2
that required an increase in the setback and lower density of units. Given the risks related by the high
pressure natural gas transmission line, allowing the variance was reckless.
As a resident across the street from the approved development, I am deeply troubled by the increased
danger resulting from denying the appeal and approving the development.
Bryan
--
Bryan Mekechuk
call or text
From: Case Swenson
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 9:57 AM
To: Jennifer Armer <JArmer@losgatosca.gov>; Maria Ristow <MRistow@losgatosca.gov>; Mary Badame
<MBadame@losgatosca.gov>; Matthew Hudes <MHudes@losgatosca.gov>; Rob Moore
<RMoore@losgatosca.gov>; Rob Rennie <RRennie@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: 15860 Winchester Blvd., Los Gatos
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
Dear Mrrs. Maria Ristow, Mary Badame, Matthew Hudes, Rob Moore, Rob Rennie and Jennifer Armer;
Please accept my sincerest gratitude for your approval of the assisted living/memory care facility at
15860 Winchester Boulevard.
I acknowledge that was not an easy decision and appreciate your strong political fortitude when
weighing the voice of the dissenting neighbors with the future of Los Gatos.
As a Los Gatos resident, my family and I also experience the impact new developments have on our
town. We worked hard to breathe some life into that area of Winchester Blvd., while not impacting
schools, traffic, foot traffic along Winchester, views, and the surrounding trees. Housing our aging
population is important work, and your approval of our project will help many families.
For those of you that did not vote to approve the project, we hear and understand your concerns, and
appreciate your careful consideration of the project. We will try to incorporate your valuable feedback
where possible.
Thank you,
Case Swenson
--
Case Swenson
SWENSON | 777 N 1st Street, 5th Floor | San Jose, CA 95112
(W) |
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank