12 Attachment 11 - Revised Draft Story Pole Policy with Changes Red-Lined1
Height Pole, Flagging,and Netting, and Signage Policy
For Additions and New Construction
I. Purpose:
It is a policy of the Town of Los Gatos Town Council to have story poles and project
identification signs installed on the sites of an active development application. The
placement of story poles is extremely helpful and important during the course of Town’s
review of applications for new development. Proper and accurate placement of story
poles demonstrates the planned rooflines and heights and provides some indication of
the potential massing of the proposed structure. Story poles enhance understanding of
the project for Town residents, staff, advisory bodies, and decision making bodies. Story
poles also provide a visual notice to the community of a forthcoming land use public
hearing.
Project identification signs present both written and graphical information that will
further communicate the proposed project to the community as well as provide the
public hearing dates for the development application.
This policy is for the benefit of the Town and community and is not intended to create a
requirement under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
II. Height Poles and Netting/Flagging:
Height story poles and netting/flagging shall be used for the following types of
Community Development Department, Planning Division, land use applications:
For residential projects:
If proposed project is a two‐story house or second story addition where the adjacent
properties on the same side of the street both contain only single‐story houses.
If proposed project includes a variance or exception to the physical
characteristicsdevelopment standards for of the primary structure.
For non‐residential projects:
New primary structures that exceed 50,000 square feet.
Non‐residential additions exceeding 100 square feet20 percent of the existing
building floor area.
If proposed project includes a variance or exception to the physical
characteristicsdevelopment standards for of the primary structure.
For properties in the Historic Resource Inventory:
New residential (excluding single‐story accessory structures) and non‐residential
buildings.
ATTACHMENT 11
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Residential second story additions.
Non‐residential additions exceeding 100 square feet.
For properties in the Hillside Area as defined in the Hillside Development Standards and
Guidelines:
New primary structures.
New second story additions.
Exemptions:
Affordable housing projects where 30 percent of the housing units are deed
restricted to be Below Market Price, or 20 percent are deed restricted to be Low or
Very Low Income.
The terms height poles and story poles are used interchangeably.
A. Procedure:
When it is determined that story poles are required, the applicant’s engineer,
architect, or building designer may, but is not required to, be required to prepare a
“Story Pole Plan” to indicate the locations where the poles will be installed. If
submitted, tThe Story Pole Plan shall be approved by the project planner prior to the
placement of the poles on the site. Once approved, the applicant shall inform the
project planner when the placement of the story poles is complete, the applicant
shall inform the project planner and submit photographs showing installation. The
story poles shall be installed consistent with the following requirements:
Residential: The height poles and netting/flagging shall be installed prior to the
neighborhood notification process and shall remain in place until 30 days after the
first public hearing on the projectthe project has been acted upon and the appeal
period has ended. If the project is appealed, the height poles and netting shall
remain until final action is taken. If final consideration of the project is substantially
delayed or the project is substantially modified, staff may direct removal or
modification of the story poles.
Projects that Require Planning Commission or Town Council Action: The height poles
and netting shall be installed prior to the public noticing of the matter and shall be
kept in place until the project has been acted upon and the appeal period has
ended. If the project is appealed, the height poles and netting shall remain until
final action is taken. If final consideration of the project is substantially delayed or
the project is substantially modified, staff may direct removal or modification of the
story poles.
B. Timing
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Public notices will not be mailed and/or application(s) shall not be advertised until a
Story Pole Plan has been approved by the project planner, the height poles and
netting/flagging have been installed, and photographs have been submitted to the
project planner, as required in Section II.A.
C. Location and Number:
The number of story poles may vary with each specific project. At the discretion of
the project planner, story pole locations shall adequately demonstrate the height,
mass, and bulk of the project requiring review. At a minimum, story poles shall be
placed at all outside building corners of the building wall (excluding eaves) and along
the rooflines of the proposed structure(s) or addition. Architectural elements such
as towers, spires, elevator and mechanical penthouses, cupolas, mechanical
equipment screening and similar elements not used for human activity or storage
which are visible from the streetscape shall be represented by the story poles. For
multi‐building developments, story poles shall only be required for the tallest
structures and those along the perimeter of the site.
While guy wires may sometimes be attached to existing fencing or similar onsite
structures, pPursuant to Section 29.10.1005 of the Tree Protection Ordinance, the
attachment of wires, signs, or ropes to any protected tree is prohibited. Trees may
not be "flagged" or used as a substitute for the erection of story poles.
After the placement of the story poles on‐site, the applicant shall provide the project
planner with photographs of the story poles taken from a variety of vantage points.
The vantage point from where the photograph was taken shall be indicated on each
photograph.
A licensed surveyor or civil engineer shall submit written verification that the height
and position of the poles and netting/flagging accurately represents the height and
location of the proposed structure(s) or addition.
D. Materials:
The material of the story poles shall be indicated on the Story Pole Plan. Story poles
shall be constructed of 2"x4" lumber, metal poles, or other sturdy building material
acceptable to the project planner. Telephone poles; mechanical equipment, such as
cranes; or other materials may be acceptable for higher structures if the Community
Development Director determines that the material will adequately portray the
height, bulk, and mass of the proposed structure(s) or addition and withstand the
wind and weather. Either a double row of orange flag rope/flagging, orAt least two
foot (2') wide orange woven plastic snow fencing (netting) must be erected to
represent the rooflines of the proposed structure(s) or addition. If flagging is
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chosen, the two rows shall be placed with one located two feet below the other. If
netting is used, it shall be at least two foot (2’) wide. For projects over 35‐feet in
height, flag rope may be allowed instead of netting. Netting/flagging rope must be
supported by height poles that are strong enough to accurately maintain the
outlines and height of the structure(s). One of the height poles on each elevation
must be clearly marked and labeled in five foot (5') increments measured from
existing or finished grade, whichever creates a higher profile, and consistent with
the approved Story Pole Plan on file at the Community Development Department.
E. Story Pole Plan and Public Safety:
All story poles shall be placed, braced, and supported to ensure the health, safety,
and general welfare of the public. The Story Pole Plan shall include the methods
used to secure the poles. Applicants shall sign an agreement that holds the Town
harmless for any liability associated with the construction of, or damage caused by
the story poles. If at any time, the Town determines the story poles to be unsafe,
they shall be repaired and reset immediately by the project applicant or, at the
Town's discretion, removed. Depending on the scope of the poles, the applicant
may be requested to verify with the Building Division of the Community
Development Department that no permits and/or inspections are required for the
poles.
F. Exceptions:
In the event there are justifiable reasons why story poles cannot be accommodated
for all structures proposed to be constructed on the project site, the applicant shall
submit a letter to the Community Development Director no later than 45 days prior
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to the required installation date, clearly articulating the reasons why an exception to
the Story Pole requirement is warranted. Requests for an exception and alternative
plan will only be considered if the applicant can clearly demonstrate to the Town,
and the Town agrees, that the installation of the story poles would: (1) cause a
threat to public health and safety or (2) would impair the use of existing structure(s)
or the site to the extent it would not be able to be occupied and the business or
residential use would be infeasible. Some form of poles and netting/flagging and/or
on‐site physical representation of the project will be required, even if an exception is
granted.
Planned Development applications with multiple detached commercial structures
and/or residential units may request to erect story poles on the locations where the
key structures will be placed. The deciding bodyCommunity Development Director
will take into account the density of the development when considering an
exception request. The story poles shall be installed on all corner structures and the
structures with the greatest height and mass. An exception to providing story poles
for all structures in a Planned Development application with multiple commercial
structures and/or residential units shall follow the same procedures as outlined
below.
The Town ManagerCommunity Development Director will review all justifiable
requests for an exception to the Story Pole requirement within 14 days of receipt of
the request and shall place the matter on the next available Town Council agenda
for consideration by the Council. Written notice of the exception request shall be
mailed to property owners and residents of properties within 300 feet of the project
site. All requested and approved exceptions shall be posted on the Town's Web site
under “What’s New,” in agenda posting locations at Town Hall and the Library, and
in the online development activity report when established.
If an exception is approved, the applicant will be required to demonstrate the
proposed structure height and mass using alternative means as outlined in Section
II.GH.
G. Alternatives: If an exception is granted to the Story Pole requirements, the
applicant shall provide digital imagery simulations, computer modeling, built to‐scale
models or other visual techniques in‐lieu of the Story Pole requirements.
Simulations may either be prepared by the applicant for technical review by the
Town's consultant or the applicant may elect to have the Town's consultant prepare
the materials. In either case, the applicant shall be responsible for all technical
review(s), materials and cost of the Town’s evaluation and/or preparation process.
To ensure accuracy, visual simulations shall comply with the following standards:
Establishing accuracy of the visual simulation: The applicant shall demonstrate
that the dimension and scale of the visual simulation and project setting are
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equivalent. This is accomplished by examining screen views of the model in plan
and elevation views for accurate scaling. The visual simulation must also include
reference objects corresponding to known objects in the simulated scene, such
as buildings, curbs, utility poles, trees, or any other reference points visible in the
simulated scene, whose location is known from surveys or, at a minimum aerial
imagery. There shall be a minimum of two reference objects outside of the
project in different parts of the photo frame.
Establishing the equivalence of the virtual and actual camera focal setting:
The camera lens focal setting or angle of view for each simulation base photo
shall be stated. The camera model shall be provided since the angle of the focal
view varies with different cameras. The preparer of the photo simulations shall
provide the manufacturer specifications indicating the 35 mm film SLF lens
correspondence, or other means to calculate the angle of view.
Depict the accurate location of the photo and establish the correspondence of
the virtual camera with the visual simulation: The photo location shall be
indicated accurately on a map or aerial photo, and the correspondence within
the visual simulation should be demonstrated. Simulated views should not
employ cropping, or if they must, the original, uncropped rendered image shall
be provided. Once the images are cropped, it is impossible to validate their
accuracy.
Other Information: The Town's consultant may require other information to
assess the accuracy of the visual simulation.
H. Removal:
Once a final action has been taken and the appeal period is over, the height poles
and netting/flagging shall be removed at the applicant’s expense within 30 days. If
not removed, the height poles and netting/flagging will be considered rubbish and
will be in violation of Section 11.10.020 of the Town Code and the matter will be
forwarded to Code Compliance for enforcement action.
III. Project Identification Signs:
All development applications that must comply with the story pole and netting
requirementsinclude public notification shall also provide project identification signs on
the development site consistent with the following requirements.
A. Timing:
Public notices will not be mailed and/or application(s) shall not be advertised until
project identification sign(s) have been installed. The location of the project
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identification sign(s) shall be shown on the Story Pole Plan. The applicant shall
submit a signed declaration confirming that the project identification sign(s) were
installed. The applicant shall also submit a photo showing the on‐site sign(s) installed
on the subject property prior to the distribution of the public notices.
B. Size:
New Residential Structures: One, 2'x2' sign placed on the street frontage. The
top of the sign shall be five feet (5’) from existing grade and visible from the
main street frontage. The sign shall indicate the scheduled public hearing date
and the availability of plans for review at the Community Development
Department.
Commercial/Industrial Remodels or New Construction: One 4'x8' sign on each of
the property frontages that are visible to surrounding public right of ways,
including pedestrian trails such as the Los Gatos Creek Trail. The top of the signs
shall be six feet (6') from existing grade. The Community Development Director
may require additional signs for development sites that have large frontages.
Downtown (C‐2 Zone) Remodels or New Commercial Development: One 2' by 3'
vertical sign constructed of metal frame with water resistant plastic or laminated
face. In cases where it is infeasible to install a free‐standing sign, the posting of a
durable, all weather sign on or inside the window of a building is permitted,
provided the sign is visible from public locations outside the building. Requests
for an exception to the free‐standing sign requirements shall be made to the
Community Development Department in writing no less than 30 days prior to the
public hearing for the project.
C. Number and Placement of Signs:
With one exception, on‐site signs shall be placed on each street frontage of the site.
The exception is for permits related to an individual new single family dwelling. In
this case, only one sign on the street frontage is required. The signs shall be
oriented towards the street, within one foot (1') of the front property line or two
feet (2') of the back of the sidewalk.
D. Materials:
Signs shall be constructed of durable materials, such as foam core or plywood, and
shall be laminated during the rainy season (October through April). The sign colors
shall be a white background with black printing, and color graphics (excluding single
family, which may have black and white graphics). As noted under Section III.B.,
signs in the Downtown C‐2 Zone shall be constructed of higher grade materials,
including a metal frame and a plastic or laminated poster board face.
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E. Sign Content:
Up to 75 percent% of the overall sign area must be used to provide a general
description of the project; including number of residential units or commercial
buildings and square footage; a color perspective drawing, three‐dimensional image
or photographic simulation and the name and contact information of the project
applicant. Single family remodel projects are not required to provide a rendering on
the sign. The public notice portion of the sign message must constitute 25 percent
of the overall sign area and notify the community of the public hearing date and
time and contain the following message, “For more information about this project,
please contact the Town of Los Gatos Planning Division at 110 E. Main Street, Los
Gatos, (408) 354‐6872. Plans can be reviewed on the Town’s website at:
www.losgatosca.gov/2216/Pending‐Planning‐Projects.” The project address, and
application number, and a QR code shall be included on the notice sign.
F. Duration of Sign Posting:
Project identification signs shall be placed on site consistent with the timing of
installation of the story poles (See Section II.B.) and shall be removed within 30 days
of the final actions (See Section II.H.).
G. Maintenance:
The applicant is responsible for replacement of any missing, damaged or vandalized
signs within five days of request by the Town. The Town may cease processing of
the application if the signs are not replaced and/or maintained.
IV. Definitions:
Height: As defined by the Zoning Ordinance, height is determined by the plumb vertical
distance from the natural or finished grade, whichever is lower and creates a lower
profile, to the uppermost point of the roof edge, wall, parapet, mansard, or other point
directly above that grade. For portions of a structure located directly above a cellar
(refer to Section 29.10.020 of the Zoning Ordinance for definition of cellar), the height
measurement for that portion of the structure shall be measured as the plumb vertical
distance from the existing natural grade to the uppermost point of the structure directly
over that point in the existing natural grade.
Roofline or edge: The contour or shape of a roof.
This policy was adopted by Town Council on December 5, 2023August 5, 2013
(Resolution 20213‐___032)