Staff Report.34 Pleasant St
PREPARED BY: Ryan Safty
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: 12/18/2024
ITEM NO: 6
DATE: December 13, 2024
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Requesting Preliminary Review for Construction of a New Second-Story
Addition to an Existing Pre-1941 Single-Family Residence on Property Zoned
R-1D. Located at 34 Pleasant Street. APN 529-26-018. Exempt Pursuant to
CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301: Existing Facilities. Request for Review
Application PHST-24-023. Property Owner: Michael Hyman. Applicant: Maia
Gendreau. Project Planner: Ryan Safty.
RECOMMENDATION:
Requesting preliminary review for construction of a new second-story addition to an existing
pre-1941 single-family residence on property zoned R-1D located at 34 Pleasant Street.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1920 per County Assessor’s Database
2. Town of Los Gatos Historic Status Code: + rating, historic and intact or 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? No
7. Considerations required? Yes
BACKGROUND:
The Santa Clara County’s Accessors Database lists a construction date of 1920 for the residence.
According to the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, the property was vacant until the 1928-1944
map update. The footprint on the 1928-1944 and 1928-1956 maps shows the house in its
current condition (Attachment 1).
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SUBJECT: 34 Pleasant Street/PHST-24-023
DATE: December 13, 2024
The property is included in the 1991 Anne Bloomfield Historic Survey (Attachment 2), showing
that the bungalow style residence has an estimated construction date of the 1920s and has a
preliminary rating of “historic and intact or worthy of special note.”
Town records only show a re-roof permit from 1982 (Attachment 3). The applicant provided a
summary of the property research (Attachment 4), as well as photographs of the property and
surrounding neighborhood (Attachment 5).
DISCUSSION:
The subject property at 34 Pleasant Street is located on the east side of Pleasant Street, across
the street from Los Gatos High School. The applicant is requesting a preliminary review by the
Committee to provide feedback on a proposed remodel at the back of the house, rear addition,
and second-story addition to the existing one-story house.
The project proposes an internal remodel at the rear of the house, and a 521-square foot one-
story addition to the rear. The project also proposes a new 740-square foot second-story
addition towards the back of the residence, with the beginning of the second-story being
placed approximately 20 feet behind the front wall of the existing residence (Attachment 6).
The existing one-story house is approximately 14 feet, nine inches in height with two front
gables. The entire existing front façade would be maintained with this proposed project. The
existing house has stucco siding, wood frame windows, and a membrane roof.
The proposed residence would be 24 feet, nine inches in height and would maintain the stucco
siding. The roof would be composition shingle, and the windows would be replaced throughout
the home with new fiberglass frame windows to match the existing windows.
The proposed project would fall below the Town’s demolition thresholds for historic residences.
Town’s Residential Design Guidelines
The Committee should consider Section 3.9 of the Town’s Residential Design Guidelines , which
provides recommendations for construction of additions to existing residences (Attachment 7).
Including but not limited to the following recommendations:
• The existing built forms, components and materials should be reinforced . Heights and
proportions of additions and alterations should be consistent with and continue the original
architectural style and design.
• Additions should be subordinate, and compatible in scale and proportion to the historically
significant portions of the existing structure.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: 34 Pleasant Street/PHST-24-023
DATE: December 13, 2024
• When an addition or remodel requires the use of newly constructed exterior elements, they
should be identical in size, dimension, shape, and location as the original, and should utilize
the same materials as the existing protected exterior elements.
CONCLUSION:
The applicant is requesting preliminary review for construction of an addition and remodel to
an existing pre-1941 single-family residence located at 34 Pleasant Street. A new second-story
addition, if not triggering a technical demolition, is processed under a Minor Residential
Development application. This application would return to the Committee for a
recommendation to be forwarded to the Community Development Director and the application
would continue through the Minor Residential Development process.
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
Section 3.9 of the Town’s Residential Design Guidelines offers recommendations for
construction of additions to existing residences (Attachment 5).
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
2. Anne Bloomfield Historic Survey
3. Building Permit Records
4. Property Research
5. Pictures
6. Project Plans
7. Section 3.9, Residential Design Guideline
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