06-18-24 Minutes - DRC (PDF)
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
COMMITTEE REPORT
MINUTES OF THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING
JUNE 18, 2024
The Development Review Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a regular meeting on
June 18, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Jennifer Armer, CDD Planning; Corvell Sparks, PPW Engineering; and Kenny Ip, SCCFD.
Absent: Representative, CDD Building.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 10:00 AM
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS
1. Approval of Minutes – June 4, 2024
MOTION: Motion by Corvell Sparks to approve the consent calendar. Seconded by
Kenny Ip.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 487 Wraight Avenue
Architecture and Site Application S-23-024.
Requesting Approval for Demolition of an Existing Single-Family Residence,
Construction of a New Single-Family Residence That Will Exceed the Maximum
Allowable Floor Area on Property Zoned R-1D. APN 529-06-024. Categorically Exempt
Pursuant to The California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15303: New
Construction or Conversion of Small Structures.
Property Owner/Applicant: Victor Chien
Project Planner: Jocelyn Shoopman
The project planner presented the staff report.
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Opened Public Comment.
Victor Chien, Owner/Applicant
The lot has a large tree in the center of the property that provides privacy for three
adjacent neighbors. They designed an L-shaped house to keep the tree. They canvassed the
neighborhood with their proposed design. In response to comments from neighbors they
reduced the balcony, changed the landscaping, and removed the windows on the second floor
facing the rear neighbor. They also moved the driveway to one side of the existing fire hydrant.
The house is not the largest home in the neighborhood, but just below it.
Ray Owen and Sharisa Willard, Neighbors
They bought their home in 1987. They saw the proposed plans and had no objections
until they saw the witness poles. The proposed house has a substantial visual mass. They like
to sit in their back yard and see the hillside. In a neighborhood of small lots, height is
important. The witness poles are higher than all the adjoining buildings. They are asking to
bring the roofline down to preserve some of the view.
Victor Chien, Owner/Applicant,
They have not exceeded any Town home height guidelines. They worked with their
architect to make height compromises such as having 10-foot-high ceilings on the first floor and
9-foot-high ceilings on the second story. The home would not be significantly higher than the
adjacent house. There are also uneven soil situations. The two main concerns that neighbors
had provided are about security and privacy. They used the adjacent house to the south as the
benchmark for height and not the view.
Qui San, Architect, I-mark Design Group
In the past eight-foot-high ceilings were standard, now, it is nine to 10 feet and even up
to 12 feet. They are below the 30-foot maximum height limit. They used Google Earth Pro to
gather height measurements from the neighborhood. They picked a neighborhood house that
is 27.2 feet high. Compared to a house two doors down which is 27.9 feet high. The two
existing two-story houses on the photos look lower, but are actually farther away.
Close Public Comment
Jocelyn Shoopman, Project Planner
They are not exceeding the 30 feet maximum limit. Neighborhood compatibility is also
considered. A common remedy is by lowering the ceiling plate height. This can drop the height
by one to two feet. They can consider a continuance. The two parties can converse to find
more options. The architect could possibly offer alternatives.
MOTION: Motion by Jennifer Armer to continue to July 9, 2024. Seconded by
Corvell Sparks.
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VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned 10:30 a.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
June 18, 2024 meeting as approved by the
Development Review Committee.
Prepared by:
________________________________________
/s/ Jennifer Armer, AICP, Planning Manager