Staff Report.311 Johnson
PREPARED BY: Suray Nathan
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: 12/18/2024
ITEM NO: 5
DATE: December 13, 2024
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Requesting Approval for Construction of Exterior Modifications and a New
Second-Story Addition to an Existing Pre-1941 Single-Family Residence on
Property Zoned R-1:8. Located at 311 Johnson Avenue. APN 532-28-017.
Minor Residential Development Application MR-24-015. Exempt Pursuant to
CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301: Existing Facilities. Property
Owner/Applicant: Nishita Biddala. Project Planner: Suray Nathan.
RECOMMENDATION:
Requesting approval for construction of exterior modifications and a new second -story addition
to an existing pre-1941 single-family residence located at 311 Johnson Avenue.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1900 per County Assessor’s Database; 1880s per Anne
Bloomfield Survey
2. Town of Los Gatos Historic Status Code: +, historic and intact, worthy of special note
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? N/A
7. Considerations required? Yes
BACKGROUND:
The County Assessor indicates that the residence located at 311 Johnson Avenue was
constructed in 1900, and the 1991 Anne Bloomfield Survey estimates the construction date to
be the 1880s (Attachment 1). The Bloomfield Survey rates the residence as historic and intact,
worthy of special note. The residence first appears on the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map in 1891,
and the detached accessory structure first appears in 1928 (Attachment 2). Between 1891 and
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SUBJECT: 311 Johnson Avenue/MR-24-015
DATE: December 13, 2024
1928, several small additions are evident. The residence's footprint remained consistent
between 1928 and 1956.
Town permit records are limited, including a 1954 plumbing permit to relocate the kitchen to
the rear of the residence and a 2000 reroof permit with composite shingles. The Sanborn Map
shows the rear addition was expanded or rebuilt sometime between 1908 and 1928 . The
applicant provided research on the property's limited history (Attachment 3) and proposes to
demolish the rear portions of the residence and construct additions to the residence , including
a new second story (Attachments 6).
On August 23, 2024, the Historic Preservation Committee deliberated on a preliminary review
for a second-story addition at the rear of the residence and provided the following feedback:
• Keep the windows of the new addition consistent with those of the existing house in size,
shape, and design; and
• Provide greater articulation of the proposed addition's blank walls on the right and left
elevations.
DISCUSSION:
A Minor Residential Development application was submitted on November 5, 2024, proposing
the construction of exterior modifications and a new second-story addition to the existing
single-family residence (Attachment 6). The property is located on the west side of Johnson
Avenue, between Los Gatos Boulevard and Cypress Way. The existing residence includes front
and rear porches, wood lap siding, and wood framed windows without any divided lite. There
are no records of the rear addition in the Town’s records; however, the Sanborn Map shows the
rear addition was expanded or rebuilt sometime between 1908 and 1928. The existing
approximately 240-square foot rear portion looks distinct from the rest of the house , having a
shed roof and smaller windows; however, the horizontal wood lap siding matches the house in
material and the size of the lap siding.
The applicant proposes demolition of the rear portion of the residence, including removal of
walls on the rear, left, and right elevations and the existing rear porch (Attachment 6). The
Letter of Justification provides project details, including the applicant’s response to the
feedback provided by the Committee in previous reviews (Attachment 3).
The applicant proposes a 239-square-foot addition extending the rear portion of the first-floor
of the residence, and a 515-square foot second-story addition above the rear portion of the
residence. The new second story would be setback approximately 24 feet from the existing
front façade. The new roof on the proposed addition would extend the existing hip roof to the
new second-story addition and would be finished to match the existing. The front elevation of
the second-story addition includes two new single-hung windows balanced symmetrically.
These two windows are wider than the existing windows on the front elevation of the first
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SUBJECT: 311 Johnson Avenue/MR-24-015
DATE: December 13, 2024
story, likely due to their need to provide egress. The rear elevation of the addition includes a
new door on the first story and two single-hung windows on the second story. The left and right
elevations each include two new casement windows, and a belly band has been included on the
left elevation to break up the two-story massing. The proposed exterior materials at the
addition would match the existing exterior materials, which include horizontal lap siding; single-
hung and casement wood windows, and a composition roof. No alteration or changes are
proposed for the rest of the existing house.
CONSIDERATIONS:
A. Considerations
Sec. 29.80.290. Standards for review.
In evaluating applications, the deciding body shall consider the architectural style, design,
arrangement, texture, materials and color, and any other pertinent factors. Applications
shall not be granted unless:
For pre-1941 structures, the proposed work will neither adversely affect the exterior
architectural characteristics or other features of the property which is the subject of
the application.
B. Residential Design Guidelines
Sections 3.9 of the Town’s Residential Design Guidelines offers recommendations for
construction of additions to existing residences (Attachment 5).
CONCLUSION:
The applicant is requesting approval for construction of exterior modifications and a new
second-story addition to an existing pre-1941 single-family residence located at 311 Johnson
Avenue. Should the Committee find merit in the request, the recommendation would be
forwarded to the Community Development Director and the application would continue
through the Minor Residential Development process. The project would not return to the
Committee.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 1991 Anne Bloomfield Survey
2. Sanborn Exhibit
3. Letter of Justification
4. Photos
5. Section 3.9, Residential Design Guidelines
6. Development Plans
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