Loading...
Exhibit 6 - Consulting Architect’s ReportJuly 5, 2024 Ms. Jocelyn ShoopmanCommunity Development DepartmentTown of Los Gatos110 E. Main StreetLos Gatos, CA 95031 RE: 16497 South Kennedy Drive I reviewed the drawings and evaluated the neighborhood context. My comments and recommendations on the design are as follows: NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT The site is located on a very constrained hillside parcel which is surrounded by large homes on much larger parcels. Photos of the site and its surrounding neighborhood are shown on the following page. EXHIBIT 6 16497 South Kennedy Drive Design Review Comments July 5, 2024 Page 2 Aerial View of the Building Site Looking down the new driveway entry Looking down at the Building Site from Road Above Looking up Vivian Drive at new driveway entrance 16497 South Kennedy Drive Design Review Comments July 5, 2024 Page 3 PROPOSED PROJECT Proposed Vivian Drive Elevation Proposed Elevation from below Proposed Side Elevation Proposed Side Elevation 16497 South Kennedy Drive Design Review Comments July 5, 2024 Page 4 ISSUES AND CONCERNS The proposed home is small in footprint compared to nearby homes. The living spaces are divided among three floors with the upper floor set back from the lower two floors in accordance with the Town’s Hillside De- velopment Standards and Design Guidelines. The main floor level is formed to follow the hillside profile, and the overall height of the structure, combined with a proposed low roof slope, allows it to fit into its hillside site without significant impacts on nearby neighbors. The plans are initially a little difficult to understand in terms of the building massing. The illustrations below show the extent of each level and their composite arrangement. Site Cross Section 16497 South Kennedy Drive Design Review Comments July 5, 2024 Page 5 Lower Level Floor Plan Main Living Level Floor Plan Upper Level Floor Plan 16497 South Kennedy Drive Design Review Comments July 5, 2024 Page 6 In my review I saw only two issues that staff may wish to explore further. 1. The roof overhangs at the second level are smaller than the upper level. 2. There is a portion of the southwest downhill facade that has a two story flat face which would appear to be inconsistent with both the Town’s Hillside Development Standards and Design Guidelines and the Town’s Single Family Residential Design Guidelines. COMPOSITE FLOOR PLAN 16497 South Kennedy Drive Design Review Comments July 5, 2024 Page 7 RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Increase the roof overhang to provide a stronger eave shadow line to mitigate the two story facade. 2. There may be two ways to address the issue of the two story flat downhill facade section: A. Leave it as proposed given the amount of downhill landscaping that is currently a buffer to views from the home below and the applicant’s commitment to plant screen landscaping at the lower property line. B. Extend the balcony across the facade connecting the currently proposed balcony and deck. Jocelyn, please let me know if you have any questions or if there are any issues that I did not address. Sincerely, CANNON DESIGN GROUP Larry L. Cannon This Page Intentionally Left Blank