Staff Report.235 Oak Meadow Dr
PREPARED BY: Jocelyn Shoopman
Senior Planner
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT
MEETING DATE: 03/12/2025
ITEM NO: 2
DATE: March 7, 2025
TO: Conceptual Development Advisory Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider a Request for Preliminary Review of a Planned Development
Amendment and a Proposal for Construction of a Multi-Family Residential
Development (12 Units) on Property Zoned O:PD. Located at 235 Oak
Meadow Drive. APN 529-10-132. Conceptual Development Advisory
Committee Application CD-25-001. Property Owner: Michael Shields, Dog
Friendly Rentals, LLC. Applicant: Kurt Anderson, Anderson Architects. Project
Planner: Jocelyn Shoopman.
ROLE OF THE CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE:
The Conceptual Development Advisory Committee (Committee) advises a prospective applicant
on the overall consistency of a project with Town policies prior to submitting a formal
application and investing in the development review process. The Committee also endeavors to
identify the potential issues that will need to be addressed during the development review
process should the applicant wish to submit an application. The issues identified by the
Committee are not intended to be all-inclusive and other additional issues may be identified
during the formal development review process.
None of the Committee's comments are binding on the Town and in no way are they intended
to indicate whether the project will be received favorably by the various review bodies that are
charged with evaluating and deciding the application. As noted in this report, if an application is
filed, technical analysis would need to be done during the evaluation of the proposal. In
addition, public input is a required and essential component in the development review
process. Notice has been sent to residents and property owners within 500 feet of the project
site. In addition to the public comments received at this meeting, all applicants are strongly
encouraged to hold neighborhood meetings to receive input as the design of the project
evolves should they decide to proceed with the development review process.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The applicant submitted an application (Attachment 2), project description (Attachment 3), and
conceptual development plans (Attachment 4) for 235 Oak Meadow Drive. The subject
property is approximately 19,705 square feet, located on Oak Meadow Drive between Roberts
Road and Blossom Hill Road within a planned development comprised of two-story townhomes,
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SUBJECT: 235 Oak Meadow Drive/CD-25-001
DATE: March 7, 2025
a single-family residence, and a commercial building located on the subject property
(Attachment 1).
The applicant is proposing to amend Planned Development (PD) Ordinance 2371 to allow for a
six-story multi-family residential development to be authorized as a permitted use and
construction of a six-story residential condominium building with 12 dwelling units (Attachment
3). The property contains an existing two-story commercial building.
PD Ordinance 1412 was adopted on December 4, 1978, and took effect on January 3, 1979. The
PD Ordinance allowed for the following:
1. Demolition of an existing one-story residential structure;
2. Conversion of an existing two-story medical office structure into a residential townhouse
unit;
3. Construction of 10 two-story residential townhouse units; and
4. Landscaping, parking, and limited tree removal as granted under precise plan approval.
On January 21, 2025, the Town Council adopted Ordinance 2371, repealing and replacing PD
Ordinance 1412 for a subdivision of one lot into two lots, construction of a single-family
residence, and site work requiring a Grading Permit on the adjacent property located at 120
Oak Meadow Drive (Attachment 5).
Since the subject property is not located within the townhouse complex and there are no
performance standards contained in the PD Ordinance specific to the subject property, the
permitted uses, conditional uses, setback requirements, and other development standards
applicable to the subject property default to the underlying Office (O) zone.
Key elements of the proposed project are as follows:
• Amend PD Ordinance 2371 to allow for a six-story residential condominium development to
be authorized as a permitted use;
• Demolition of the existing two-story commercial building;
• Construction of a six-story residential condominium building;
• Two to three residential units on five levels for a total of 12 units; and
• 27 parking spaces located in a basement garage and 9 parking spaces located in a surface
parking lot for a total of 36 spaces.
EXISTING GENERAL PLAN, ZONING, AND PLANNING AREA:
1. General Plan designation: Office Professional designation provides for professional and
general business offices. This designation applies to various locations throughout the Town,
often in close proximity to neighborhood- or community-oriented commercial facilities, or
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SUBJECT: 235 Oak Meadow Drive/CD-25-001
DATE: March 7, 2025
as a buffer between commercial and residential uses. The intent of this designation is to
satisfy the community’s need for general business and professional services and local
employment.
2. Surrounding General Plan designations: Office Professional to the north, east, and south;
and Medium Density Residential to the west.
3. Zoning designation: O:PD (Office: Planned Development).
4. Surrounding zoning designations: O:PD to the north, east, and south; and R-M:5-12 to the
west.
EXISTING CONDITIONS:
1. The project site is approximately 19,705 square feet (0.45 acres).
2. The project site is located on Oak Meadow Drive between Roberts Road and Blossom Hill
Road (Attachment 1).
3. Surrounding land uses: Residential uses are located to the south and west; and office uses
are located to the east and north of the subject property.
POTENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND ISSUES:
The following is a brief list of issues and topics for consideration by the Committee. Staff has
not reached conclusions on these topics. Staff is identifying them here to help frame the
discussion and to solicit input. The main question for the Committee is whether or not the
applicant’s concept for the project creates a high-quality plan appropriate for Los Gatos in this
location. If an application is filed, staff would evaluate the technical issues.
1. General Plan
a. General Plan Policy LU-1.4 states, “Infill projects shall be designed in context with
the neighborhood and surrounding zoning with respect to the existing scale and
character of surrounding structures, and should blend rather than compete with
the established character of the area.”
b. General Plan Policy LU-6.5 states, “The type, density, and intensity of new land use
shall be consistent with that of the immediate neighborhood.”
c. General Plan Policy LU-6.7 states, “Continue to encourage a variety of housing
types and sizes that is balanced throughout the Town and within neighborhoods,
and that is also compatible with the character of the surrounding neighborhood.”
d. General Plan Policy LU-6.8 states, “New construction, remodels, and additions shall
be compatible and blend with the existing neighborhood.”
e. General Plan Policy LU-7.4 states, “Infill projects shall be designed in context with
the neighborhood and surrounding zoning with respect to the existing scale and
character of surrounding structures, and should blend rather than compete with
the established character of the area.”
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SUBJECT: 235 Oak Meadow Drive/CD-25-001
DATE: March 7, 2025
2. Zoning
a. Project site is zoned O:PD and is surrounded by residential and office uses as
described above.
b. Height: The maximum allowable height of a principal building as designed by the
zoning of O:PD is 35 feet. The proposed height is identified in the conceptual
development plans as 79 feet, six inches.
c. Setbacks: The required front setback for the zone is as follows: front setback of 25
feet; side setback of 10 feet; and rear setback of 20 feet. It appears that the
proposal would not comply with the side setbacks.
3. Below Market Price (BMP) Program
a. The Town’s Below Market Price (BMP) program requires that projects with five to
19 market rate units must provide BMP units equal to ten percent of the number of
market rate units. The proposal includes 10 market rate units and two BMP units.
4. Open Space and Community Recreation Space
a. For a residential condominium, the private open space requirements require each
ground floor dwelling unit to have a minimum of 120 square feet of outdoor usable
open space in the form of a single enclosed patio or deck located essentially at the
level of the main living area. Each dwelling unit above the ground floor shall have
60 square feet of outdoor usable open space in the form of a balcony.
b. For a residential condominium, the community recreation space requirements
require a minimum of 100 square feet per residential unit.
5. Parking and Circulation
a. Parking requirements for the residential condominium use is two parking spaces for
each living unit. The total parking requirement is 24 parking spaces.
b. The proposed onsite parking is 27 spaces located in a basement garage and 9
spaces located in a surface parking lot for a total of 36 spaces for the project. Six of
the spaces in the basement garage are considered to be tandem spaces, which are
not permitted to count towards fulfilling the required number of spaces pursuant
to Town Code. The total number of proposed spaces would be 30 spaces after
removing the six tandem spaces.
6. Design Standards
a. Depending on the type of application submitted for this project, the new building
design would be reviewed for compliance with the Objective Design Standards for
Qualifying Multi-Family and Mixed-Use Residential Development.
7. Traffic
a. A traffic analysis will determine whether a traffic study or mitigation fees will be
required.
8. Trees
a. The conceptual development plans would result in impacts to protected trees. Any
development application will be reviewed by the Town’s Consulting Arborist to
ensure that the Town’s Tree Protection Ordinance is complied with.
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SUBJECT: 235 Oak Meadow Drive/CD-25-001
DATE: March 7, 2025
9. Environmental Review
a. The project would need to be reviewed for compliance with the California
Environmental Quality Act as grading, tree removals, and new construction would
all be proposed.
10. Density
a. The maximum allowable density for the property is 20 dwelling units per acre,
resulting in a total of 9 dwelling units.
b. The proposed density is 23 dwelling units per acre, resulting in a total of 10 dwelling
units.
c. The proposed two BMP units are not counted towards the maximum allowable
density.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Location Map
2. Conceptual Development Advisory Committee Application
3. Project Description Letter
4. Conceptual Development Plans
5. PD Ordinance 2371
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