01-24-2024 - PC Minutes DRAFT
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 02/14/2024 ITEM NO: 1
DRAFT
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
JANUARY 24, 2024
The Planning Commission of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 PM
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Steve Raspe, Vice Chair Emily Thomas, Commissioner Susan Burnett,
Commissioner Melanie Hanssen, Commissioner Kathryn Janoff, and Commissioner Adam
Mayer.
Absent: None.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – December 13, 2023 Planning Commission Meeting
2. Approval of Minutes – January 10, 2024 Planning Commission Meeting
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Hanssen to approve adoption of the Consent
Calendar. Seconded by Commissioner Burnett.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
3. Town Code Chapter 29 Amendment, Amend Housing Element Overlay Zone
Zoning Code Amendment Application Z-24-001
Applicant: Town of Los Gatos
Property Location: Town Wide
Consider a request to further amend Chapter 29 of the Town Code to define “By Right
Approvals” and amend the Housing Element Overlay Zone as Division 5 of Article VIII,
PAGE 2 OF 3 MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF JANUARY 24, 2024
“Overlay Zones and Historic Preservation.” An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was
prepared and certified for the 2040 General Plan Update on June 30, 2022. No further
environmental analysis is required.
Erin Walters, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Lee Fagot
- Preserve the historic parts of the Town because that is the legacy that next generations will
relate to. If there is a way to continue to preserve and still meet the RHNA site allocation
requirement, please find a way to do that. You are representing the citizens in Town, and
preserving the character of our town heritage needs to be passed on, so please do what
you can to preserve the Historic District and those sites with the design elements, the
height, and densities that are appropriate. Seeing Victorian homes with five-story
monoliths next to them, as we’ve seen in some other municipalities, is not Los Gatos and
we can’t let the clowns in Sacramento tell us how we’re supposed to live our lives here.
Lee Quintana
- Table 1-A is confusing, stating “Developments must be developed within the densities of
Table 1-A below.” Is it “within” the densities, or “at” the densities? There is conflicting
language, it states that as long as there is no subdivision, and then in another place it
indicates that subdivisions may be applicable. “Subdivision may remain subject to all the
applicable state and local laws, including the Subdivision Act”. This is confusing. Are there
any medium-density sites within the Affordable Housing Overlay Zone (AHOZ)? Most
medium-density sites in the downtown area are either on very small lots so they can’t be
developed into larger homes, or they are pre-1941, or they are within an historic district.
The other thing I wanted clarity on is whether all the AHOZ zones currently have a General
Plan designation and a zoning designation that are consistent with one another.
Closed Public Comment.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Chair Raspe to recommend Town Council the proposed
amendments to the Housing Element Overlay Zone with the single
modification of “at the density ranges specified in Table 1-A” to “within
the density ranges specified in Table 1-A below.” Seconded by
Commissioner Hanssen.
Vice Chair Thomas requested the motion be amended to explicitly state it contains Exhibit 2.
The maker of the motion accepted the amendment to the motion.
PAGE 3 OF 3 MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF JANUARY 24, 2024
The seconder of the motion accepted the amendment to the motion.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
REPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Jennifer Armer, Planning Manager
• The Town Council met January 16, 2024:
o Discussed the Housing Element and provided direction.
o Considered the appeal of the fence height exception at 124 Garden Hill and
remanded the item back to the Planning Commission based on new information
provided by the applicant.
o Chose to maintain two Planning Commissioners assigned to the Historic
Preservation Committee. Revisions to the Town’s ordinance will come for review
at the next Planning Commission meeting.
• The Housing Element Advisory Board (HEAB) met January 18, 2024, to discuss the
Housing Element and provide recommendations and direction, and anticipate returning
to Town Council on February 6, 2024, for additional review of the revised Housing
Element.
Approval of the new house at 212 Thurston has been appealed and will be considered by Town
Council in the next six weeks.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COMMISSION MATTERS
Housing Element Advisory Board
Commissioner Hanssen
- The HEAB met January 18, 2024, to review every aspect of the Town Council’s discussion
and gave feedback where appropriate to help guide the Town Council through the February
6, 2024 meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:27 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
January 24, 2024 meeting as approved by the
Planning Commission.
_____________________________
/s/ Vicki Blandin
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