Staff Report.48 Chestnut Avenue
PREPARED BY: Maria Chavarin
Assistant Planner
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMMITTEE REPORT
MEETING DATE: 04/24/2024
ITEM NO: 3
DATE: April 19, 2024
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Requesting Approval to Remove a Presumptive Historic Property (Pre-1941)
from the Historic Resources Inventory for Property Zoned R-1:12. Located at
48 Chestnut Avenue. APN 510-40-014. Exempt Pursuant to California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15061 (b)(3). Request
for Review PHST-24-005. Property Owner: Mohit and Aya Singh. Applicant:
Jay Plett. Project Planner: Maria Chavarin.
RECOMMENDATION:
Requesting approval to remove a presumptive historic property (pre -1941) from the Historic
Resources Inventory for property zoned R-1:12 located at 48 Chestnut Avenue.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1938 per County Assessor’s Database
2. Town of Los Gatos Historic Status Code: ✓, historic & some altered but still contributor to
the district if there is one
3. Does property have an LHP Overlay? No
4. Is structure in a historic district? No
5. If yes, is it a contributor? N/A
6. Findings required? Yes
7. Considerations required? No
DISCUSSION:
The applicant is requesting removal of the presumptive historic property (pre-1941) from the
Historic Resources Inventory (HRI). The Santa Clara County Assessor’s Database lists a
construction date of 1938 for the residence. The property is not within a historic district or LHP
overlay and is included in the 1990 Anne Bloomfield Survey (Attachment 1). The Sanborn Fire
Insurance Maps show a consistent building footprint from 1928 to 1956 (Attachment 2).
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SUBJECT: 48 Chestnut Avenue/PHST-24-005
DATE: April 19, 2024
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DISCUSSION (continued):
The applicant has provided the results of historic research (Attachment 3).
A review of Town records yielded the Building Permit records for 2000 (reroof permit), 2005
(kitchen remodel), and 2005 (foundation and wood framing repair) (Attachment 4).
The existing residence is a single-story gable-ended structure with a composition shingle roof
and horizontal wood siding. The residence includes a mix of wood French doors with grids;
double hung windows with grids or partial grids; and wood trim. In May 2005, a Building Permit
was issued for foundation repair and framing repairs to cripple walls and partition walls. No
building plans are available, so the extent of the repairs is unknown. It is unclear if the existing
siding was repaired through the Building Permit issued in 2005.
The applicant’s research letter concludes that exterior alterations to the residence has
compromised the residence original state. In addition, a report (dated November 10, 2023,
prepared by Jane Wang, Civil Engineer) was provided by the applicant regarding the conditions
of the site that affect the stability of the residence along with other safety hazard concerns.
CONCLUSION:
If the Committee can make the findings for removal from the Historic Resources Inventory
based on the information provided by the applicant, a recommendation of approval should be
forwarded to the Community Development Director. Once removed from the Historic
Resources Inventory, any proposed alterations would not return to the Committee.
FINDINGS:
A. Findings - related to a request for a determination that a pre-1941 primary structure has no
historic significance or architectural merit.
In evaluating a request for a determination of historic significance or architectural merit,
the Historic Preservation Committee shall consider the following:
1. The structure is not associated with events that have made a significant contribution
to the Town;
2. No Significant persons are associated with the site;
3. There are no distinctive characteristics of type, period or method of construction or
representation of work of a master;
4. The structure does not yield information to Town history; and
5. The integrity has been compromised such that the structure no longer has the
potential to convey significance.
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SUBJECT: 48 Chestnut Avenue/PHST-24-005
DATE: April 19, 2024
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ATTACHMENTS:
1. Anne Bloomfield Survey
2. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map Exhibit
3. Applicant’s Research Results
4. Town Records
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