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08-09-23 Minutes - CDAC (PDF) 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT MINUTES OF THE CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 9, 2023 The Conceptual Development Advisory Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on August 9, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 4:00 PM ROLL CALL Present: Chair Jeffrey Barnett, Vice Chair Mary Badame, Mayor Maria Ristow, Planning Commissioner Susan Burnett, and Planning Commissioner Melanie Hanssen. Absent: None. VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION) 1. Approval of Minutes – June 14, 2023 MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Hanssen to approve the consent calendar after making an amendment on page 2, line 2, regarding that the applicant spoke after Public Comment was opened. Seconded by Mayor Ristow. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. 16845 Hicks Road Conceptual Development Advisory Committee CD-23-003 Requesting Preliminary Review of a Proposal to Add a Sports Field, Gymnasium, and Additional School Building to an Existing Religious and Private School Facility on Property Zoned HR-1. APNs: 567-23-040, -043, -044. Property Owner: Venture Christian Church Applicant: Studio G Architects Project Planner: Ryan Safty Project Planner presented the staff report. PAGE 2 OF 4 MINUTES OF CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF AUGUST 9, 2023 N:\DEV\CDAC\CDAC MINUTES\2023\08-09-23 Minutes - CDAC.docx Opened Public Comment. Allison Buggs, Applicant - The three layouts show the gym, athletic field, and school building in potential locations. - The proposal is intended to offer more services to their current students, church events, and the community. - The gym and soccer field will be used for community as well as school events. - The hours of use of the soccer field and gym have not been defined, yet. - The layouts show placement options that avoid the Fault Rupture Hazard Zone. - Setbacks and noise issues for neighbors will be taken into consideration. Michael Tibke, Senior Director of Facilities Operations at Venture Christian Church - The church voluntarily provides traffic control during high volume events. - Their Fall Festival and Winter Wonderland community events hosted 15,000 people over a course of 4 days. - The church pulls in people from a 5-mile radius. - This current proposal was prompted by the growth of the church and the school. Allison Buggs, Applicant - Option 1 requires the most grading. They positioned the gym in the north of the hillside to be under 30 percent. There is not as much slope impact on the steeper slopes over 30 percent. - They are considering gym rental to third parties, but have not decided. - In terms of neighborhood consideration, Option 2 has the greatest buffer zone from the neighbors. - Options 1 and 3 have fields closer to the neighbors, but they can add plantings or shift building position to lessen the impact for neighbors. - Trying to keep the gym under 30 feet. May need to adjust to accommodate retractable basketball hoops or other sports equipment. - Option 3 would take out two thirds of a parking lot. They have considered additional and alternative parking locations, but they are not indicated on the Option layouts. They understand parking needs to be met on the site. - Shannon Valley Ranch was not there in 2002. Liv Clode, Neighbor, 608 Ryding Court - They are in favor of the project. Their children are active in sports and music. They need soccer fields, basketball/volleyball courts, and big rooms for music recitals and performances. Local high schools have used the church’s facilities. The family has attended community, Easter, and Halloween events. During the week the traffic would not increase; the students are already there. Soccer is usually held on weekends. PAGE 3 OF 4 MINUTES OF CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF AUGUST 9, 2023 N:\DEV\CDAC\CDAC MINUTES\2023\08-09-23 Minutes - CDAC.docx Parking in the neighborhood has not been affected. The residents from the nearby Guadalupe area can walk to the community events. Ali Milani, 16763 Hicks Road - They are the only neighbor that can see the church addition. They are in support of the expansion. Two to three years ago the church expanded their parking lot and church participants are no longer parking on the street. He lives on the top of the hill. Below him is a road and a creek. On the side is another church-owned lot. He enters his property via Burke and is right behind the church. Closed Public Comment. Committee members discussed the matter and provided the following questions and comments: • Hillside Development Standards and Design Guidelines will need to be considered, such as height limits and grading. • Concerned about adding impervious paved surfaces. • It will impact traffic for the neighbors. • Direct visibility does not affect many neighbors. • Difficult to tell which of the three options requires the least amount of grading. • Gym can be built into the hill because windows are not necessary on all sides. • The field will need to be where there is the least noise impact to the neighbors. • Concerned with General Plan compliance. • Intentions are admirable, but no confirmation if the use will be open to the community. • Choice would depend on which has the least amount of grading and saves the most trees. Possibly Option 2 which has a buffer to the neighbors. • Concerned that this project is more intense than the one proposed in 2005. • Expand neighborhood outreach to Los Gatos neighbors on Shannon Road. • Traffic could be affected at peak times on Sundays. • It would be nice to have signage the day of big events to warn neighbors of possible heavy traffic ahead. • Option 2 appears to have the least noise impact: o The fields are away from the Shannon Valley Ranch homes. o The gym and building noise would be contained indoors. • Design should take into consideration: fire risk; drainage issues; wildlife protection; and visibility to the neighbors. • LEED construction is preferred. • Great resource for the community and church members. OTHER BUSINESS None. PAGE 4 OF 4 MINUTES OF CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF AUGUST 9, 2023 N:\DEV\CDAC\CDAC MINUTES\2023\08-09-23 Minutes - CDAC.docx ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m. This is to certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the August 9, 2023 meeting as approved by the Conceptual Development Advisory Committee. /s/Joel Paulson, Community Development Director