Item3.Addendum with Exhibit 18 and 19.110 Wood Road
PREPARED BY: Sean Mullin, AICP
Planning Manager
Reviewed by: Planning Manager and Community Development Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 406-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 11/13/2024
ITEM NO: 3
ADDENDUM
DATE: November 12, 2024
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Requesting Approval of a Planned Development for Demolition of a Senior
Living Community, Construction of a New Senior Living Community, Removal
of Large Protected Trees, and Site Improvements Requiring a Grading Permit
on Property Zoned R:PD. Located at 110 Wood Road . APN 510-47-038. An
Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program, and Modified CEQA Checklist have been Prepared for this Project .
Planned Development Application PD-20-001 and Environmental Impact
Report EIR-21-002. A pplicant : Frank Rockwood . Property Owner: Front Porch
Communities. Project Planner: Sean Mullin.
REMARKS:
Exhibit 18 includes high resolution versions of the visual renderings included on Sheet A408 of
the Development Plans.
Exhibit 19 includes additional public comments received between 11:01 am, Friday, November
8, 2024 and 11:00 am, Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
Below are responses by staff to Planning Commissioner questions:
1. Is Senate Bill 330 (SB 330) applicable? If SB 330 applies, would this be the third hearing of
the five allowed?
This project is not a “housing development project” under the Housing Accountability Act.
SB 330 only applies to housing development projects.
2. Please point me to the Housing Element Site’s Inventory related to Wood Road :
The Housing Element Site’s Inventory included in the Town’s certified Housing Element is
available through the following link. The subject property is not included in the Housing Sites
Inventory, nor is any property on Wood Road.
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: 110 Wood Road/ PD-20-001 AND EIR-21-002
DATE : November 12, 2024
Town’s Housing Element Site’s Inventory , page D-13:
https://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/39117/5_Appendix -D
3. The existing development includes 130 parking spaces per an older Staff Report. The
Current Staff Report on page 177 says it is 111 parking spaces. The proposal is for 214.
Please advise me whether the existing parking is 111 or 130.
The column included in the referenced table reflects what was permitted through the 1968
Planned Development Ordinance , 111 parking spaces. As indicated in their Letter of
Justification (Exhibit 13), t he existing site includes 130 on-site parking spaces (85 within the
existing structure and 45 surface parking spaces).
4. Page 177 of the Staff Report includes a table showing the heights of some of the existing
buildings are 30'-9” to 55'-2". Since the existing buildings are only two-stories, please help
me to understand this entry as to building heights.
Some of the existing buildings cantilever above the grade below. The existing building
heights provided in the Development Plans are dimensioned from the grade. This condition
is shown with the red outlines of the existing buildings included in the cross section s on
Sheet A207 of the Development Plans (Exhibit 16).
5. If there is a Planning Commission recommendation of denial to the Council, and Council
agreement, is the Town potentially subject to a claim for familial discrimination on the
basis that it is housing for seniors, or on the basis of other California or federal statutory
or case law?
Anti-discrimination laws prohibit property managers from discriminating against residents ,
with exceptions for senior housing projects. There are no laws prohibiting the Town from
making its required land use findings.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: 110 Wood Road/ PD-20-001 AND EIR-21-002
DATE : November 12, 2024
EXHIBITS:
Exhibits previously received under separate cover :
1. May 2021 Draft Environmental Impact Report (available online at
www.losgatosca.gov/110WoodRoad )
2. August 2021 Final Environmental Impact Report and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program (available online at www.losgatosca.gov/110WoodRoad )
Exhibits previously received with th e November 13, 2024, Staff Report:
3. Location Map
4. Required Findings
5. Required CEQA Findings of Fact
6. Modified CEQA Checklist, dated September 24, 2024
7. April 5, 2022 Town Council Staff Report (with Attachments)
8. April 5, 2022 Town Council Addendum Report (with Attachments)
9. April 5, 2022 Town Council Minutes
10. October 25, 2023 Planning Commission Study Session Staff Report (with Exhibits)
11. October 25, 2023 Planning Commission Study Session Addendum Report (with Exhibits)
12. October 25, 2023 Planning Commission Study Session Minutes
13. Letter of Justification , dated May 31, 2024
14. Visual Renderings
15. Supplemental Community Engagement Letter, dated October 14, 2024
16. Planned Development Ordinance with Exhibit A Rezone Area and Exhibit B Development
Plans, May 31, 2024
17. Public comments received between 11:01 a.m., Tuesday, October 24, 2023, and 11:00 a.m.,
Friday, November 8, 2024
Exhibits received with this Addendum Report:
18. Additional Visual Renderings
19. Public comments received between 11 :01 a.m., Friday, November 8, 2024, and 11 :00 a.m.,
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
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Intentionally
Left Blank
EXHIBIT 18
From: Lydia Norcia
Sent: Friday, November 8, 2024 12:05 PM
To: Mary Badame <MBadame@losgatosca.gov>; Matthew Hudes <MHudes@losgatosca.gov>; Rob
Moore <RMoore@losgatosca.gov>; Rob Rennie <RRennie@losgatosca.gov>; Maria Ristow
<MRistow@losgatosca.gov>; Council <Council@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Please be advised of my recommendation to rebuild the Los Gatos Meadow. Sincerely, Lydia
Norcia
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
•Dear Planning Commissioners,
I’m writing to ask you to recommend that the Town Council approve the proposed re-build of Los Gatos
Meadows. The proposed project addresses three key issues that are important to me and to Los
Gatos: housing, supporting older adults in our community, and wildfire safety.
This project revitalizes a dilapidated campus site and addresses the current housing and social
integration needs of older adults in our community by creating a sustainable community where older
adults can flourish.
The non-profit sponsor of this project has provided exemplary care to Los Gatos residents for over a
half-century and this approval of their project will enable them to remain in our community, providing
support to both residents of the rebuilt community as well as supporting older adults throughout Los
Gatos.
A particularly critical attribute of the proposed project is the major improvement in fire safety. The
rebuild proposal will replace a mostly wooden structure and compromised circulation with non-
combustible buildings with greatly enhanced circulation attributes. This will vitally improve fire safety
and emergency evacuation to properties well beyond the limits of the project.
The shuttered facility does not benefit the Town or neighborhood. The planning process for rebuilding
has gone on long enough. I support moving this project forward now.
EXHIBIT 19
Dear Members of the Planning Commission, 11 Nov 2024
I am writing to express my concerns about the proposed expansion of the Meadows retirement community across
from my residence at
My home's significant attribute is its stunning view of the valley, which is currently well-preserved due to the
existing Meadow’s three-story buildings and being largely obscured by mature trees. However, the new
development plans raise several issues that I believe warrant careful consideration:
1. Impact on View from My Property:
• The visualizations provided by FrontPorch are insufficient for understanding the impact on my home's
view. They depict the view from a second-story balcony, which does not represent the experience from
my front yard patio or from my front door. These are the primary areas from which my family and I enjoy
the panoramic view of the valley. I request that visual impact assessments be conducted from these
points to accurately depict how the proposed five and six-story buildings will alter my view. It is crucial
that these assessments also consider the angle and visibility from ground level to ensure we are not
merely looking at the back of a new structure.
Here is the visualization they gave me without trees, this past week from my second story. They said they
might be able to do the same from my first floor/front door. As you can see Villa F (5 Stories) and Villa A
(6 stories) are significant.
2. Preservation and Enhancement of Screening Trees:
• The existing trees serve as a natural screen, significantly contributing to both privacy and the aesthetic
quality of our neighborhood. The development proposal includes potential impacts on these trees, with
no guarantees for their preservation. I urge the commission to:
o Ensure that there is a binding agreement to maintain these trees throughout the construction
and post-construction phases.
o Require that additional trees be planted at the commencement of the project to ensure they can
mature over the four-year construction period, thereby providing immediate and future
screening.
3. Proper Handling of Harmful Materials:
• Given that the site involves the demolition of older structures, there is a significant concern regarding the
management of hazardous materials such as asbestos as has also been in the papers recently. I suggest
that:
o The developer must provide detailed plans for the abatement of such materials, adhering to all
environmental regulations, to prevent health risks to the community.
o Oversight by independent environmental experts should be mandatory to ensure compliance
with safety protocols.
4. Traffic Management During Construction:
• The construction period will coincide with peak traffic times, particularly during the morning and
afternoon commutes for Los Gatos High School. This timing could exacerbate existing traffic issues,
leading to:
o Increased congestion on local roads.
o Potential safety hazards for students and residents due to construction vehicles and altered
traffic patterns.
I recommend that the developer:
o Coordinate construction schedules to avoid peak school traffic times.
o Implement traffic management plans that include signage, detour routes, and possibly traffic
officers during high congestion periods.
In conclusion, while I understand the need for development and expansion, it is imperative that such projects
respect the existing community's quality of life, especially in terms of preserving natural views, ensuring
environmental safety, and minimizing disruption to daily life. I kindly request that these concerns be addressed in
the planning and approval stages of the project to mitigate adverse impacts on my property and the neighborhood
at large.
Thank you for considering these issues. I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss these matters further at
an appropriate time.
Sincerely,
Julie Southern
From: Evelyn Mitsunaga
Sent: Monday, November 11, 2024 4:59 PM
To: Planning <Planning@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Los Gatos Meadows Project
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
Planning Commission:
I am writing to voice my support for the Meadows rebuild project. I live on Broadway Ext. and have
attended most of the thirteen community meetings that the project managers have held to keep the
neighborhood informed. In the re-design, I think they have bent over backwards to address the
concerns of residents on Tait Avenue as well as those of the neighbors on Wood Road. Including bridge
units between buildings is an example of how they have come up with solutions to maintain the lower
height and, at the same time, meet the financial feasibility of the project.
I sincerely hope the revised plan of this important project gains your approval. Thank you for your
attention.
Evelyn Mitsunaga
Los Gatos.
From: Jeff Black
Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2024 8:40 AM
To: Planning <Planning@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Los Gatos Meadows Rebuild
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
Dear Planning Commissioners,
I’m writing to ask you to recommend that the Town Council approve the proposed re-build of Los Gatos
Meadows. The proposed project addresses three key issues that are important to me and to Los Gatos:
housing, supporting older adults in our community, and wildfire safety.
This project revitalizes a dilapidated campus site and addresses the current housing and social
integration needs of older adults in our community by creating a sustainable community where older
adults can flourish.
The non-profit sponsor of this project has provided exemplary care to Los Gatos residents for over a
half-century and this approval of their project will enable them to remain in our community, providing
support to both residents of the rebuilt community as well as supporting older adults throughout Los
Gatos.
A particularly critical attribute of the proposed project is the major improvement in fire safety. The
rebuild proposal will replace a mostly wooden structure and compromised circulation with non-
combustible buildings with greatly enhanced circulation attributes. This will vitally improve fire safety
and emergency evacuation to properties well beyond the limits of the project.
The shuttered facility does not benefit the Town or neighborhood. The planning process for rebuilding
has gone on long enough. I support moving this project forward now.
Jeffrey S Black