Exhibit 18 - Applicant response letter, dated May 22, 2025FENCE EXEMPTION APPLICATION – 10 CHARLES STREET, LOS GATOS, CA 95032
May 22, 2025
Sean Mullin
Planning Manager
Town of Los Gatos
110 E. Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Respected Mr. Mullin..
10 CHARLES STREET, LOS GATOS, CA 95030 – FENCE HEIGHT EXEMPTION [FHE-001]
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning, and helping me understand
the implications of the email dated 05/19/25 (Exhibit E) sent by James Watson..
Based upon this, I am attaching two exhibits for your and the Planning Commission’s
review and kind consideration:
Exhibit F - As mandated per James Watson Email - per Town Code - May-20-2025
Exhibit G - Proposed Mitigation per Neighbor Discussions - May-09-2025
It is very clear to me that the fence configuration shown in Exhibit F is extremely onerous,
impractical and unacceptable, yielding a loss of 55% of the front yard (totally 1,525 sft), and
causing significant hardships!
I strongly feel that the mitigation worked out with all but one of the neighbors (Exhibit G)
works really well, both in terms of addressing any visibility or safety concerns, as well as
allaying my personal apprehensions I may have had around security.
I equally feel confident that the mitigation that was explained by the Public Works staff during
the site visit on Thursday, May 8th, and which was acceptable to me, and proposed in my earlier
submission to you via email dated 05/19/25 (See Exhibit B & Exhibit C attached with that
email) works equally well, and also enjoys the support of most of the neighbors.
CONCLUSION
I hope we have been able to demonstrate that the specific goals of the community as
well as any practical concerns of the Town Staff have been met, and while we may have
been short in meeting the letter of the code, we have clearly met the spirit of the law.
REQUEST
We once again humbly request you to grant us the exception by allowing us to move
forward with the mitigation proposed in Exhibits B & C (preferred), or in Exhibit G.
Finally, please make my earlier submission dated 05/19/25 part of your Staff Report.
And please feel free to reach out to me in case you may have any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
_____________
Firoz Pradhan
Tel: 408.821.2052
Email: firoz.pradhan@gmail.com
Enclosures: As above
EXHIBIT 18
EXHIBIT E
EXHIBIT F - IMPLICATION OF FENCE IF TOWN CODE WAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED WITH CURRENT FENCE DESIGNSome Basic Area CalcsFRONT SETBACK: 30'6"LOT WIDTH: 50'0"TOTAL FRONT YARD: 1,525 SQFTAREA OUTSIDE FENCE: 432.00 SQFT (TRIANGLE) plus 412.50 SQFT (TRAPEZOID) = 844.50 SQFT (AREA LOST)EFFECTIVE FRONT YARD = 1,525 - 844.50 = 680.50 (i.e. 45% of Total Front Yard)15'
CURRENT VIEW TRIANGLEPROPOSED VIEW TRIANGLE(after propsoed changes are made)NOTES:1. This plan entails bringing theentire fence along LG Blvd back by 3'0" to 3'6", and clipping the corners on both, the street side as well as the street corner. It further entails moving all the planting (incl trees that were planted after the property was purchased in February 2019) to behind the proposed fence.2. This plan was run by all the neighbors, and has had everyone's verbal or written support, with the exception of a single neighbor, Kevin Chesney)3. The proposed view triangle is shown for moving the fence back by 3'0", and the visibility only increases significantly if it is moved back by 3'6".EXHIBIT G: PROPOSED MITIGATION THAT WAS DISCUSSED WITH NEIGHBORS PER PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION ON MAR-12-25