08-24-2023 - Minutes - HEAB SPECIAL (PDF)
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY
BOARD REPORT
MEETING DATE: 09-28-2023
ITEM NO: 1
DRAFT MINUTES OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY BOARD
AUGUST 24, 2023
The Housing Element Advisory Board of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Special Meeting on
August 24, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Melanie Hanssen; Vice Chair Kathryn Janoff; Planning Commissioner Emily
Thomas; Board Member Randi Chen; Board Member Adam Mayer; Board Member Steven
Piasecki; and Board Member Ryan Rosenberg.
Absent: Council Member Matthew Hudes; Council Member Rob Moore; and Board Member
Joseph Mannina.
Staff present: Jennifer Armer; Joel Paulson; Jocelyn Shoopman; and Erin Walters.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
Nels DeLander
• Speaking on behalf of the NorCal Carpenter’s Union requesting that labor standards
be considered in the Housing Element.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – July 20, 2023
MOTION: Motion by Planning Commissioner Thomas to approve adoption of the
Consent Calendar. Seconded by Board Member Piasecki.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously 7-0.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
2. Review and Discuss Portions of the Town’s Interim Working Draft Revised Housing Element
Addressing the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD)
Findings/Comment Letter Received by the Town on May 30, 2023.
Presentation by Erin Walters, Associate Planner.
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MINUTES OF SPECIAL HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
OF AUGUST 24, 2023
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Housing Element Advisory Board (HEAB) member’s comments and questions:
• Is there a reason that healthcare was not included in the draft implementation
program and policy provided in the staff report?
• The Town has a timeline on the website for the Housing Element. Is the timeline still
correct or is there a delay?
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Van Nada
• A letter from an attorney on behalf of the Los Gatos Community Alliance was
provided to the Housing Element Advisory Board. Concerned that the leadership of
the Town has failed the community. What are the current risks faced by the Town?
How can the Housing Element Advisory Board make decisions without knowing the
assumed risks and why not add additional parcels from Tier 2 and Tier 3 sites right
now.
Albert Lustre
• Representing the NorCal Carpenter’s Union requesting that the Housing Element
include labor standards.
Ronald Meyer
• Concern with the completion of the Housing Element. No risk assessment or
mitigation is on the Town’s website about not completing the Housing Element. This
should be described and language in the Housing Element should be in cluded for the
risk not associated with the sites developing as predicted.
Lee Quintana
• Concern that the Housing Element may not comply with the current court ruling in
the Martinez vs. City of Clovis case regarding the use of an overlay for the Housing
Element and the ability for an applicant to utilize the less dense, underlying zoning.
A choice by the applicant to choose between the base zoning and overlay is not
allowed.
HEAB member’s comments and questions (continued):
• Likes the inclusion of the new language for labor standards, but would this slow the
process down?
• Suggested edits to the labor standard language to remove the term evaluate and
instead state “hire local labor, provide living wages, and appropriate health
insurance.”
• Agreement that stronger language is appropriate. Is it possible to add a new
program to create a Town ordinance for this topic?
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MINUTES OF SPECIAL HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
OF AUGUST 24, 2023
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• The creation of an ordinance is out of the purview of the HEAB and there should be
a consideration of the scale of development in mind to not discourage smaller
projects.
MOTION: Motion by Vice Chair Janoff to incorporate the policy and
implementation language described on page 5 of the staff report with
changes as discussed by the HEAB. Seconded by Planning Commissioner
Thomas with suggested changes to the implementation program.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously 7-0.
HEAB member’s comment and questions:
• HCD had a lot of comments on AFFH and the work provided this evening provides a lot
more detail in response.
• Will the Housing Element consultant be present at the meeting with HCD in early
September?
• Does staff have a high level of confidence in the consultant given their experience?
• How worried should the Town be about the Senate Bill (SB) 330 preliminary applications
that have been submitted?
• Has HCD ever told the Town that they need to add more sites to the Sites Inventory?
• What date did the Town officially adopt the Housing Element and when were the SB 330
preliminary applications submitted?
• Can the SB 330 preliminary applications be viewed on the Town’s website?
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
August 24, 2023, meeting.
Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development
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