Staff Report.16805 Loma Street
PREPARED BY: Sean Mullin, AICP
Planning Manager
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMMITTEE REPORT
MEETING DATE: 05/28/2025
ITEM NO: 6
DATE: May 23, 2025
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider a Request to Remove a Pre-1941 Property from the Historic
Resources Inventory for Property Zoned R-1:8. Located at 16805 Loma
Street. APN 532-07-101. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15061(b)(3).
Request for Review PHST-25-007. Property Owner: William Wundram.
Applicant: David Britt, Britt-Rowe. Project Planner: Sean Mullin.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request to remove a pre-1941 property from the Historic Resources Inventory for
property zoned R-1:8 located at 16805 Loma Street.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1929 per County Assessor
2. Bloomfield Preliminary 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? Yes
7. Considerations required? No
DISCUSSION:
The applicant is requesting approval to remove the pre-1941 residence from the Historic
Resources Inventory. The Santa Clara County Assessor’s Database lists a construction date of
1929. The 1990 Anne Bloomfield Survey estimates the construction date as 1920s and provides
a preliminary rating of “historic and intact or worthy of special note” (Attachment 1). The
property is not within the coverage of the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps.
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SUBJECT: 16805 Loma Street/PHST-25-007
DATE: May 23, 2025
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The subject property was annexed into the Town in the late 1990s and a review of Town
records yielded no Town permit history.
The applicant provided an informational packet with their application, which includes a letter
requesting removal of the residence from the inventory, historic research for the property, an
architectural assessment of the residence, and a structural assessment and photos of the
residence (Attachments 1 through 5). The applicant’s letter indicates that, based on their
research and experience, the findings for removal from the Historic Resources Inventory can be
made, noting that the residence is not associated with events important to the Town, not
associated with significant persons, not representative of work of a master, does not yield
information to the town’s history, and its integrity has been compromised (Attachment 1).
In addition to the materials provided relative to the request to remove the residence from the
Historic Resources Inventory, the applicant has also provided preliminary details related to
potential redevelopment of the property, including a Letter of Justification, project data,
evaluation of the surrounding residences, How to Read Your Neighborhood Workbook,
summary of neighborhood outreach efforts, and preliminary plans for a new residence
(Attachments 6 through 11). Staff notes that the request before the Committee is for removal
of the residence from the Historic Resources Inventory. The preliminary details for
redevelopment should not be used as justification with any recommendation on the request
and is not the subject of this review.
CONCLUSION:
Should the Committee find that the findings for removal can be made, a recommendation of
approval of the request to remove the property from the Historic Resources Inventory would be
forwarded to the Community Development Director. Once approved by the Director, any
proposed alterations or redevelopment of the property would not return to the Committee.
FINDINGS:
A. Findings - related to a request for a determination that a pre-1941 primary structure has no
historic significance or architectural merit.
In evaluating a request for a determination of historic significance or architectural merit,
the Historic Preservation Committee shall consider the following:
1. The structure is not associated with events that have made a significant contribution
to the Town;
2. No Significant persons are associated with the site;
3. There are no distinctive characteristics of type, period or method of construction or
representation of work of a master;
4. The structure does not yield information to Town history; or
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SUBJECT: 16805 Loma Street/PHST-25-007
DATE: May 23, 2025
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5. The integrity has been compromised such that the structure no longer has the
potential to convey significance.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Request Letter
2. Historic Research
3. Architectural Assessment
4. Structural Assessment
5. Structural Photos
6. Preliminary Letter of Justification for Redevelopment
7. Preliminary Project Data for Redevelopment
8. Evaluation of Surrounding Residences
9. How to Read Your Neighborhood Workbook
10. Summary of Neighbor Outreach Efforts for Redevelopment
11. Preliminary Plans for Redevelopment
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