Staff Report.14340 Browns Lane
PREPARED BY: Erin Walters
Associate 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: 09/25/2024
ITEM NO: 2
DATE: September 20, 2024
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider a Request to Remove a Pre-1941 Property from the Historic
Resources Inventory for Property Zoned R-1:8. Located at 14340 Browns
Lane. APN 409-14-010. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15061(b)(3).
Request for Review PHST-24-019. Property Owner: Cathleen Joyce Vadasz.
Applicant: Gordon K. Wong. Project Planner: Erin Walters.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request to remove a pre-1941 property from the Historic Resources Inventory for
property zoned R-1:8 located at 14340 Browns Lane.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1936
2. Town of Los Gatos Historic Status Code: N/A
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 approval to remove the pre-1941 residence from the Historic
Resources Inventory. The Santa Clara County Assessor’s Database lists a construction date of
1936. The property is not within a historic district or LHP overlay, is not included in the 1990
Anne Bloomfield Survey, and is not located on the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps.
The applicant provided an informational packet with their application, which includes a
summary of the history of the residence, and the research conducted as a part of this request
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: 14340 Browns Lane/PHST-24-019
DATE: September 20, 2024
N:\DEV\HISTORIC PRESERVATION\HPC Reports and Attachments\2024\09-25-24\Item 2 - 14340 Browns Lane\Staff Report.14340 Browns
Lane.docx
DISCUSSION (continued):
(Attachment 1). Based on the summary letter provided, the applicant confirms that the Santa
Clara County Assessor shows a built date of 1936; however, a 1939 aerial photograph shows
that the parcel was an orchard. The property was located in unincorporated Santa Clara County
until 1979 when it was annexed into the Town. Records suggest that a portion of the dwelling
had been built by 1955. An aerial photograph taken in May of 1965, shows a house and a
garage located on the property. In 1966, the County Assessor conducted a site visit and
reported that the property contained a 748 square foot two-bedroom residence with wood
frame construction on a raised concrete foundation. The front elevation had a side-gable roof
with a front porch under the eaves. The 440 square foot detached garage had a garage door
along the full width of the front elevation and front facing gable roof.
In 1979, after annexation to the Town, the Town’s Building Department inspected the property
following a complaint regarding the condition of the property. The property was described as a
one-story wood framed dwelling with at least two rear additions. The garage had been
converted to a sperate living unit in 1979. A kitchen addition had been constructed between
the dwelling and garage. The applicant provided evidence of building permits issued in 1990 for
electrical permits and building permits issued in 1998 for interior repairs, electrical, plumbing,
and a new furnace. The 1998 building permit records include a floor plan; however, the as-built
remodel did not match the approved plans. The front entry is located between the original
house and the garage rather than entering through the kitchen as shown on the approved
plans.
Based on the research provided the applicant believes that the required findings for removal
from the Historic Resources Inventory can be made for this property as the residence is not in
its original condition and there is nothing significant or remarkable about it. The applicant did
not find that any persons significant to the Town’s history lived on the site.
The applicant also provided pictures of the current residence, provided as Attachment 2. An
existing site plan is provided as Attachment 3.
CONCLUSION:
Should the Committee find that the structure no longer has historic significance or architectural
merit due to the loss of integrity, a recommendation of approval of the request to remove the
property from the Historic Resources Inventory would be forwarded to the Community
Development Director. Once approved by the Director, any proposed alterations would not
return to the Committee.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: 14340 Browns Lane/PHST-24-019
DATE: September 20, 2024
N:\DEV\HISTORIC PRESERVATION\HPC Reports and Attachments\2024\09-25-24\Item 2 - 14340 Browns Lane\Staff Report.14340 Browns
Lane.docx
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; or
5. The integrity has been compromised such that the structure no longer has the
potential to convey significance.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Applicant’s Submittal Packet
2. Property Photographs
3. Existing Site Plan
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank