Staff Report
PREPARED BY: CHRISTINA HILL
Events and Marketing Specialist
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Community Development
Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
TOWN COUNCIL REPORT
MEETING DATE: 11/06/2018
ITEM NO: 3
DATE: OCTOBER 30, 2018
TO: TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE REQUEST OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
TO OPERATE HOLIDAY CARRIAGE RIDES WITH ALTERNATIVES TO THE
ROUTE, RIDE SCHEDULE, AND LOADING ZONE PER TOWN CODE SECTION
28.40.070.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider and approve the request of the Chamber of Commerce to operate Holiday Carriage
Rides with alternatives to the route, ride schedule, and loading zone per Town Code Section
28.40.070.
BACKGROUND:
For approximately thirty years, the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce has obtained a Special
Event Permit for their annual Holiday Carriage Rides that operate through the streets of
downtown and within the Almond Grove neighborhood. Over the years, the event route,
schedule, and other components have evolved given a variety of reasons including staff
changes, construction, and event demand. Following the Holiday Carriage Rides in 2017, staff
revisited the Code language to ensure that the event was following the provisions provided
within the Horse Drawn Vehicles Section of the Town Code (28.40.010 through 28.40. 080,
Attachment 1). Staff provided a reference of this Code Section to the Chamber of Commerce at
that time for their future event planning purposes. The Code provides specific parameters for
the operation of horse-drawn carriages in Town and includes a few provisions that may be
modified with Town Council approval, including carriage route, hours of operation, and loading
zone location.
PAGE 2 OF 4
SUBJECT: CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE REQUEST OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO
OPERATE HOLIDAY CARRIAGE RIDES WITH ALTERNATIVES TO THE ROUTE,
RIDE SCHEDULE, AND LOADING ZONE PER TOWN CODE SECTION 28.40.070.
OCTOBER 30, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2018\11-06-18\Carriage Rides\Staff Report.docx
DISCUSSION:
The Chamber of Commerce submitted an application for its 2018 Holiday Carriage Rides
requesting four items that are not in alignment with the current Code language. Of those four
requests, the Code allows for the Town Council to grant approval for alternatives for three of
the items as outlined below. The fourth request is to allow for a carriage that carries 6
passengers. Town Code Section 28.40.070 (j) indicates that No horse-drawn vehicle may carry
more than four (4) passengers at one time excluding the driver; and, (l) No horse-drawn vehicle
may be licensed under this article if it is designed to be drawn by more than one (1) horse, nor
may a horse-drawn vehicle be operated by more than one (1) horse. Allowance for more than
four passengers would require a Town Code modification and cannot be addressed through the
granting of alternatives.
Staff recommends the Council consider and approve the following requested alternatives as
allowed under the Code:
1. Alternative Carriage Ride Route
Town Code Section 28.40.070 states No horse-drawn vehicle shall be operated for hire
outside of the central horse and carriage district as defined in section 28.40.015,
except as approved by the Council for special events .
The Chamber is requesting to operate their Carriage Rides on a route that extends
beyond the area defined in the Code as the central horse and carriage district, mainly
by including N. Santa Cruz Ave. Attachment 2 provides an illustration of the central
horse and carriage district , as well as the alternative route being proposed (Route A).
2. Carriage Ride Operating Hours During Peak Commute Hours
Town Code Section 28.40.070 (b) states, Horse-drawn vehicles shall not be operated
during peak commute periods Monday through Friday, except holidays, unless
otherwise approved by the Council for special events. For the purpose of this section,
peak commute periods shall mean 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a .m. and 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The Chamber of Commerce is requesting the ability to operate during the hours defined
by the Code as peak commute hours. However, during the peak hours, they will follow a
route (Route B on Attachment 2) that is entirely contained within the central horse and
carriage district.
Staff recommends the Council approve the ability for the Carriage Rides to operate
during peak hours if they use Route B and remain completely within the central horse
and carriage district as it may provide less traffic congestion than using Route A during
the peak hours.
PAGE 3 OF 4
SUBJECT: CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE REQUEST OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO
OPERATE HOLIDAY CARRIAGE RIDES WITH ALTERNATIVES TO THE ROUTE,
RIDE SCHEDULE, AND LOADING ZONE PER TOWN CODE SECTION 28.40.070.
OCTOBER 30, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2018\11-06-18\Carriage Rides\Staff Report.docx
DISCUSSION (continued):
3. Alternate Designated Loading Zone
Town Code Section 28.40.015 defines the Designated loading zones for horse-drawn
vehicles to the west red curb area on Montebello Way adjacent to Plaza Park between
West Main Street and Broadway, the west red curb area on Wilder Avenue south of
Bachman Avenue, and any other area as approved by the Council for "special events."
The Chamber is requesting to operate one loading zone in an alternative location on
Broadway, near the corner of S. Santa Cruz Ave., adjacent to the Post Office. This
alternative would include the use of f ive public parking spaces as noted on Attachment
2. Staff recommends approval of this request as using this location and these parking
spaces provides the carriages and ride rs more space to load and unload the carriages
while minimizing traffic interference on Montebello Way and Broadway.
If this alternate loading zone is approved, the Special Event Conditional Letter of
Approval will stipulate that the applicant may only use the spaces after 5:00 P.M.
when the Post Office has closed to limit disruption to their patrons .
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the approval of the request of the Chamber of Commerce to operate Holiday
Carriage Rides with alternatives to the route, ride schedule, and loading zone, per Town Code
section 28.40.070.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
It has been determined that there is no possibility that this project will have a significant impact
on the environment; therefore, the project is not subject to the California Environmental
Quality Act (Section 15061 (b)(3)).
COORDINATION:
This report was coordinated through the Town Manager’s Office, Police and Parks and Public
Works Departments.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no fiscal impacts associated with the approval of these special event alternatives.
PAGE 4 OF 4
SUBJECT: CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE REQUEST OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO
OPERATE HOLIDAY CARRIAGE RIDES WITH ALTERNATIVES TO THE ROUTE,
RIDE SCHEDULE, AND LOADING ZONE PER TOWN CODE SECTION 28.40.070.
OCTOBER 30, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2018\11-06-18\Carriage Rides\Staff Report.docx
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Carriage Rides Code Sections
2. Map of Central Horse and Carriage District and Proposed Event Routes