Addendum with Exhibit 9. 228 Bachman Ave
PREPARED BY: Sean Mullin, AICP
Planning Manager
Reviewed by: Planning Manager and Community Development Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 406-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 01/22/2025
ITEM NO: 1
ADDENDUM
DATE: January 17, 2025
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider an Appeal of a Community Development Director Decision
Determining that the Residence Remain a Contributor to the Historic District
for Property Located in the Almond Grove Historic District Zoned O:LHP. APN
510-14-053. Located at 228 Bachman Avenue. Request for Review
Application PHST-24-017. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15061 (b)(3).
Property Owner/Applicant/Appellant: James Wood. Project Planner: Sean
Mullin.
REMARKS:
Exhibit 9 includes additional public comments received between 11:01 am, Friday, January 17,
2025, and 11:00 am, Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
EXHIBITS:
Exhibits previously received with the January 21, 2025, Staff Report:
1. Location Map
2. Required Findings
3. Historic Preservation Committee Staff Report and Attachments, September 25, 2024
4. Historic Preservation Committee Meeting Minutes for September 25, 2024
5. Historic Preservation Committee Action Letter, September 26, 2024
6. Appeal of the Community Development Director, received October 7, 2024
7. Historic Analysis Report by MBA Architects
8. Public Comments received by 11:00 am, Friday, January 17, 2024
PAGE 2 OF 2
SUBJECT: 228 Bachman Avenue/Appeal of PHST-24-017
DATE: January 17, 2025
Exhibit received with this Desk Item Report:
9. Public comments received between 11:01 am, Friday, January 17, 2025 and 11:00 am,
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
From: Joyce Miller
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2025 1:23 PM
To: Sean Mullin <SMullin@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: 228 Bachman Ave
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
I am a Los Gatos resident and I support the removal of this house from the historic inventory,
demolition of the structure and a new residence in keeping with city design guidelines.
Thank you,
Joyce Miller
Los Gatos
EXHIBIT 9
From: nsu Tolich
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2025 6:42 PM
To: Sean Mullin <SMullin@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: 228 Bachman Aven, proposed ground up construction
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
Dear Mr. Mullin
I am resident at since 2003, and resident of Los Gatos since 1997- previously at
.
I worked in Los Gatos originally starting about 1991, at Valerianos, as waiter while student at San
Jose State University.
I am deeply connected since long time to Los Gatos, and often thought of as the Ambassador of
Los Gatos, because I recommend to all my visiting colleagues for example, to stay in Los Gatos
while on business travel visiting Silicon Valley, and to those colleagues who do transfer to our San
Jose facility I recommend to settle in Los Gatos.
We have 2 daughters, one is sophomore in college, one is sophomore in Los Gatos High School,
and their experience from JCC on Oka Road preschool, camps and more, then Dave's Avenue
Elementary, Fischer Middle School, lastly High School, has been simply exemplary experience. We
could not be more delighted with the quality in all aspects.
My wife and I are both engineers, we create something new continously, we are not geeky, rather the
opposite of that. I am hands on person, car hobbyist and home improvements.
I adore architecture, designs of all aspects of life including inside and outside home, clothes, food,
and am extremely sensitive to neighborhoods.
I am trying to depict the fact that I am not "stuck in anything", we create continuously at work, we
listen to modern music from all over the world, we travel and learn, and we love our neighborhood.
The home at 228 Bachman is truly an eye sore. I think nobody will argue with it?
I cannot see historic value in such an eye sore? Typically we strive to improve in all aspects, from
comfort, to efficiency, to safety, to livability, aesthetic appeal, and more.
If Almond Grove, or whole Los Gatos, was mainly populated by such structures, I don't think that we
would have as much foot traffic, nor if that "style" of home was mandated that anyone with means
would choose to settle to live in such a structure.
I highly recommend that you allow the owners to build a beautiful home, hopefully something
creative and modern, not always the same over and over again Craftsman that after a while to
architecturally sensitive person its starts looking like "Craftsman Track Homes".
Variety and individuality is good, creativity and evolution are great, we need to evolve. There are
plenty of existing homes that will maintain the feel of Almond Grove, and we would all benefit and
enjoy seeing the existing structure leveled, and something very creative modern built.
From: Renee Munshi
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 9:05 AM
To: Sean Mullin <SMullin@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: 228 Bachman Ave
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
I am a Los Gatos resident and I support the removal of this house from the historic inventory,
demolition of the structure and a new residence in keeping with city design guidelines. Thank you.
Sent from my iPhone