Attachment 4 - Applicant’s Submittal PacketTo whom it may concern,
I am writing to request removing the property at 55 Ellenwood Avenue, Los Gatos from the historic listing. As I investigate, this property has
the following information:
1. After conducting extensive research at Los Gatos Public Library, we were unable to find any mention of this property in historical
newspapers, any articles, any important real estate listings, or public records. If the building had significant historical importance, we believe it
would have been documented somewhere. Please see Exhibit 3 for reference.
2. During our research at the library, we reviewed several documents, including Project Bellringer II, which lists homes built before 1900, and
a paper on the Los Gatos Historic Homes Tours. Additionally, we searched the Historic Property Research Collection. None of these sources,
however, made any mention of 55 Ellenwood Avenue, suggesting that this property may not be recognized as historically significant in these
contexts. Please see Exhibit 1 and 2 for reference.
3. Upon researching in Bookcase# 11 in 1941 tax assessment survey, no information regarding 55 Ellenwood Avenue was found, indicating
that the property may not have been recorded during that period. Please see Exhibit 4 for reference.
4. In Anne Bloomfield’s 1989 survey, she indicated that 55 Ellenwood Avenue was likely constructed around 1950. Additionally, she assigned
a preliminary rating of “N”. This indicates that the property underwent major changes between the time it was originally constructed and 1989
(when survey was conducted) which led the surveyor to indicate the year of construction as 1950. None of the construction related changes
are recorded in city archives from the time it was built until 1994. Please see Exhibit 5 for reference.
5. We have reviewed the Sanborn maps from 1928 and 1944, which indicate that the house’s construction remained largely unchanged
during that time. However, between 1944 and 1998, this property underwent several major remodels, revisions, and additions that led to
technical demolitions, including massive changes to the front elevation of the property during the major revisions, remodels and extensions
done during 1994 and 1998. As a result, much of the building’s original historical character has been lost. Please see Exhibit 6, 7, 8 and 9 for
reference.
6. According to our research from Polk's Directories and County records, these are the list of people who resided in this house.
1. 1934-1945 Stanley A R and Flowers C H
2. Aug 13,1968- Dec 24,1986: First Syndey and Roberts Dunton owned the property, in middle property defaulted to bank (First National
Bank and Palo Alto Financial Corporation) before owned by Leigh & Merry Belden)
3. Dec 24, 1986: Leigh & Merry Belden sold it to Andris Holms
4. March 24,1992: Andris Holms transferred the property to Andris and Leslie as Community Property
5. Dec 20, 2002: Property was transferred from Community Property to Andris and Leslie's Trust
6. April 26, 2012: Property was transferred from Trust to Leslie Holms (Survivor)+ Trust
7. June 18, 2019: Property was transferred from Leslie Ann Holms and Trust to "The Family Revocable Trust with
as Trustees
--> Upon Looking all records, we were not able to find evidence of any significant architectural entity or individual associates with this
property.
7. We are encountering several ongoing challenges with this property. The doors frequently stick, making them difficult to open, and the
inadequate drainage system results in constant maintenance costs every few months. Neighbors have also expressed concerns about the
building’s appearance and overall condition reducing the appeal of the neighborhood and has been brought up in every meetup. Additionally,
the outdated roof design not only prevents us from installing solar panels but also causes frequent issues with the shingles, which break
periodically and require repairs every few months. This has led to water leakage, causing further damage to various parts of the house. The
skylights are very old, with seals that no longer function properly, leading to water leaks during rainy weather. Please see pictures attached.
8. The exterior shingles of the house are also severely aged, contributing to water seepage around the window trims. This has caused
significant window damage, making them difficult to open and reducing ventilation. Despite multiple cleanings, the growth of algae and
discoloration on the exterior persists.
9. Furthermore, the doors leading to both the front and backyard do not open smoothly, and when they do, they make noise and do not close
properly, especially during rainy weather. The wooden frames around these doors are also visibly rotted. We have attached pictures for
reference.
10. In addition, plumbing issues are frequent, with clogged pipes occurring about every few weeks due to the old plumbing system. As a
result, we are limited to using only one of the three bathrooms regularly.
11. The house has also severe ant infestation causing unhygienic conditions in the kitchen area.
We as the current owners of 55 Ellenwood Ave, Los Gatos, CA for the last 6 years humbly request to please review the facts and help
consider removing the property from historic resources inventory as major changes in 1994 and 1998 have consumed the historical integrity
of the property.
Exhibit 1 (Source Los Gatos Library)
Exhibit 2 (Source Los Gatos Library)
Exhibit 3 (Source Los Gatos Library)
No records found in the 1941 tax assessment
Exhibit 4 (Source Los Gatos Library)
Exhibit 5 (Source Los Gatos Library)
1928 Sanborn Map
Exhibit 6 (Source Los Gatos Library)
1944 Sanborn Map
Exhibit 7 (Source Los Gatos Library)
Exhibit 8 (Source Los Gatos Library)
Exhibit 9 (Source Los Gatos Library)
House Images
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