Staff Report.249 Los Gatos Blvd
PREPARED BY: Ryan Safty
Associate Planner
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMMITTEE REPORT
MEETING DATE: 12/17/2025
ITEM NO: 3
DATE: December 12, 2025
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider a Request for Approval to Construct an Addition and Exterior
Alterations to a Pre-1941 Single-Family Residence on Property Zoned R-1D.
Located at 249 Los Gatos Boulevard. APN 529-24-024. Request for Review
Application PHST-25-027. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section
15301: Existing Facilities. Property Owner: Michael Gorini.
Applicant: Michael Dern. Project Planner: Ryan Safty.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request for approval to construct an addition and exterior alterations to a pre-1941
single-family residence on property zoned R-1D located at 249 Los Gatos Boulevard.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1924 per County Assessor’s Database; 1910s per Anne
Bloomfield Survey
2. Bloomfield Preliminary Rating: ✓, historic and some altered but still contributor to a district
if there is one
3. Does property have an LHP Overlay? No
4. Is structure in a historic district? N/A
5. If yes, is it a contributor? N/A
6. Findings required? No
7. Considerations required? Yes
BACKGROUND:
The County Assessor indicates that the residence located at 249 Los Gatos Boulevard was
constructed in 1924. The 1991 Bloomfield Survey describes the residence as being built in the
Craftsman style with an estimated construction date of the 1910s (Attachment 1), while
noticing that alterations have occurred consisting of two new aluminum windows. The
Bloomfield Survey rates the residence as historic and some altered but still a contributor to a
district if there is one, but the property is not within a historic district. The Sanborn Fire
Insurance Maps show that the footprint of the residence remained consistent between 1928
and 1956 (Attachment 2).
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: 249 Los Gatos Boulevard/PHST-25-027
DATE: December 12, 2025
Town records in Attachment 3 show minimal changes to the residence over the years: a dormer
added to the existing roof line in 1976; deck and stair replacement in 1977; approval to convert
the second-story to an Accessory Dwelling Unit in 1985; foundation and porch repairs between
1989 and 1990; demolition, rebuild, and partial enclosure of the front porch in 1990; re-roof in
2019; and installation of the swimming pool in 2022.
DISCUSSION:
The applicant is proposing to add a covered stairwell to the back of the residence, providing a
covered walkway between both the ADU on the second-floor and the primary residence on the
first-floor, as well as some window and door changes. The applicant provided a Project
Overview (Attachment 4) discussing the request, and photos of the existing residence are
provided in Attachment 5. There is an existing exterior staircase at the back of the structure
which connects to a second-floor deck and provides access to the second-floor ADU, which
would remain.
The project plans show the existing ground floor master bedroom at the rear of the house
being modified to accommodate the new stairwell (Attachment 7). The second-floor portion of
this stairwell, although at the back of the home, would be visible from Los Gatos Boulevard
when viewed at an angle. The front elevation would not change, and neither would the building
height. As shown on Sheet A5.1 of Attachment 7, the new lap siding and composition shingle
roofing proposed with this addition would match the existing residence. The added roof form
at the back would have a 4:12 roof pitch, while the rest of the structure has a mixture of 1:12,
3:12, and 6:12. New vinyl windows are proposed, which would match existing.
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.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: 249 Los Gatos Boulevard/PHST-25-027
DATE: December 12, 2025
B. Residential Design Guidelines
Section 4.8.4 of the Town’s Residential Design Guidelines offers recommendations for
window replacements on historic resources. Section 4.8.8 of the Town’s Residential Design
Guidelines offers recommendations for roof modifications on historic resources
(Attachment 6).
CONCLUSION:
The applicant is requesting approval to construct an addition and exterior alterations associated
with an internal remodel and new stairwell to a pre-1941 single-family residence on property
zoned R-1D located at 249 Los Gatos Boulevard. Should the Committee find merit in the
request, a recommendation of approval would be forwarded to the Community Development
Director. The proposed work could be completed with a Building Permit and would not return
to the Committee for further review.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 1991 Anne Bloomfield Survey
2. Sanborn Map Exhibit
3. Town Records
4. Project Overview
5. Property Pictures
6. Sections 4.8.4 and 4.8.8, Residential Design Guidelines
7. Project Plans
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