Staff Report.119 Harding Avenue
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: 7
DATE: May 23, 2025
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider a Request for Approval to Construct an Addition and Exterior
Modifications to an Existing Pre-1941 Single-Family Residence on Property
Zoned R-1:8. Located at 119 Harding Avenue. APN 532-35-022. Exempt
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301: Existing Facilities. Request for
Review Application PHST-25-010. Property Owner: Brian Conlisk. Applicant:
Jay Plett Architect, LLC. Project Planner: Sean Mullin.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request for approval to construct an addition and exterior modifications to an
existing pre-1941 single-family residence on property zoned R-1:8 located at 119 Harding
Avenue.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1927 per County Assessor’s Database
2. Bloomfield Preliminary Rating: ✓ - historic and some altered but still a contributor to district
if there is one.
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? No
7. Considerations required? Yes
BACKGROUND:
The Santa Clara County’s Accessors Database lists a construction date of 1927 for the residence.
The property is included in the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps having a consistent footprint
between 1928 and 1956 (Attachment 1). The property is included in the 1991 Anne Bloomfield
Historic Survey (Attachment 2), which indicates that the Mediterranean revival style residence
has an estimated construction date of the 1930s and provides a preliminary rating of “historic
and some altered but still a contributor to district if there is one.”
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: 119 Harding Avenue/PHST-25-010
DATE: May 23, 2025
Town records only provide a permit history for the permitted ADU behind the main residence.
No permits were found for the main residence. The applicant provided a request letter
(Attachment 3), a summary of the property research (Attachment 2), photographs of the
property (Attachment 4), and project plans (Attachment 6).
DISCUSSION:
The subject property at 119 Harding Avenue is located on the north side of Harding Avenue
east of the intersection with Los Gatos Boulevard. The property is developed with a single-story
main residence and a two-story accessory dwelling unit. The applicant is requesting approval to
construct an addition and exterior modifications to the main residence (Attachment 3). The
proposed single-story addition would be located at the rear of the residence and would not
impact the elevations visible from the street (Attachment 6). The addition would introduce a
gable end to the rear elevation, consistent with the front elevation, and would not increase the
height of the residence. The addition would be finished with exterior materials to match the
existing exterior materials. The applicant also proposes the replacement of the existing non-
original windows with fiberglass- or metal-clad wood windows with a profile appropriate for the
historic architecture and finished with stucco mouldings.
The proposed project appears to fall below the Town’s demolition thresholds for historic
residences. Staff will verify this under review of the Building Permit.
Town’s Residential Design Guidelines
The Committee should consider Section 3.9 of the Town’s Residential Design Guidelines, which
provides recommendations for construction of additions to existing residences (Attachment 5).
Including but not limited to the following recommendations:
• The existing built forms, components and materials should be reinforced. Heights and
proportions of additions and alterations should be consistent with and continue the original
architectural style and design.
• Additions should be subordinate, and compatible in scale and proportion to the historically
significant portions of the existing structure.
• When an addition or remodel requires the use of newly constructed exterior elements, they
should be identical in size, dimension, shape, and location as the original, and should utilize
the same materials as the existing protected exterior elements.
CONCLUSION:
The applicant is requesting approval to construct an addition and exterior modifications to an
existing pre-1941 single-family residence on property zoned R-1:8 located at 119 Harding
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: 119 Harding Avenue/PHST-25-010
DATE: May 23, 2025
Avenue. If approved, the project would be accomplished through a Building Permit and would
not return to the Committee.
CONSIDERATIONS:
A. Considerations
Sec. 29.80.290. Standards for review.
In evaluating applications, the deciding body shall consider the architectural style, design,
arrangement, texture, materials and color, and any other pertinent factors. Applications
shall not be granted unless:
For pre-1941 structures, the proposed work will neither adversely affect the exterior
architectural characteristics or other features of the property which is the subject of
the application.
B. Residential Design Guidelines
Section 3.9 of the Town’s Residential Design Guidelines offers recommendations for
construction of additions to existing residences (Attachment 5).
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
2. Request Letter
3. Property Research
4. Photos
5. Section 3.9, Residential Design Guideline
6. Project Plans
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank