Staff Report.647 NSC Ave
PREPARED BY: Ryan Safty
Associate Planner
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 11/19/2025
ITEM NO: 4
DATE: November 14, 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 C-1. Located at 647 N. Santa Cruz
Avenue. APN 410-14-015. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15061(b)(3).
Request for Review PHST-25-022. Property Owner: 647 N. Santa Cruz Ave,
LLC. Applicant: Lance Tate. Project Planner: Ryan Safty.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request to remove a pre-1941 property from the Historic Resources Inventory for
property zoned C-1 located at 647 N. Santa Cruz Avenue.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1978 per County Assessor
2. Bloomfield Preliminary Rating: N/A
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
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is located on North Santa Cruz Avenue and is developed with a two-story
office building at the front and a pre-1941 residence at the rear, which is not visible from the
street. The applicant is requesting approval to remove the pre-1941 residence from the Historic
Resources Inventory.
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: 647 N. Santa Cruz Avenue/PHST-25-022
DATE: November 14, 2025
Town records show that previously there were two residences on this site, and both were used
as rentals (Attachment 1). In 1949, Town records show that an attached garage was added to
one of the residences on the site, however no plans are available and it is unclear if the subject
residence was modified with this garage. Records also show that one of the residences was
required to disconnect electric and gas utilities due to hazardous conditions in 1974, but again
it is unclear to which residence this applied. A staff report and plans from 1976 show the
approval of the existing two-story office building, and notes that the front residence would be
demolished and the residence at the rear of the site (subject residence) would remain.
The Santa Clara County Assessor’s Database lists a construction date of 1978; however, that
date appears to reflect the date of the construction of the office building at the front of the site.
The property was not included in the 1990 Anne Bloomfield Survey, likely due to the office
building at the front of the property obstructing view of the residence at the rear.
The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps in Attachment 2 show the subject residence on the property
as early as 1928, with a rear addition occurring sometime between 1928 and 1944.
DISCUSSION:
The applicant provided a detailed historic report for this property, prepared by Bonnie Bamburg
of Urban Programmers (Attachment 3). The report contains pictures and a detailed written
description of the existing residence; historic uses and occupancy of the property; history of the
Town; and an explanation of whether the residence meets any of the State or Federal historic
findings of significance. The report notes that the residence is of modest Craftsman-style and
was built in around 1924 but notes that the building is not an example of a fine or exemplary
Craftsman-style residence.
In summary, the report concludes that the residence is not listed in a historic district in the
Town. The property is associated with the broad patten of residential development in the Town
but is not a significant example of that pattern. There is no association with a person of
historical significance, and the architecture is not a significant example of the Craftsman style. It
is also unlikely that important information from pre-history or the history of construction would
be found. Compared to federal and state registers, the property does not meet the criteria to
be considered a historic resource and is not a historic resource under the definition of the
California Environmental Quality Act.
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.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: 647 N. Santa Cruz Avenue/PHST-25-022
DATE: November 14, 2025
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
5. The integrity has been compromised such that the structure no longer has the
potential to convey significance.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Town Records
2. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
3. Historic Report
4. Existing Conditions Plan
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank