Item 1 - Draft Minutes of January 8, 2020
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 02/26/2020 ITEM NO: 1
DRAFT
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
JANUARY 8, 2020
The Planning Commission of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
Wednesday, January 8, 2020, at 7:00 p.m.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Matthew Hudes, Vice Chair Melanie Hanssen, Commissioner Mary Badame,
Commissioner Jeffrey Barnett, Commissioner Kendra Burch, Commissioner Kathryn Janoff,
and Commissioner Reza Tavana
Absent: None.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Commissioner Burch led the Pledge of Allegiance. The audience was invited to participate.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – December 11, 2019
Commissioner Barnett disclosed that he was not a member of the Planning Commission
during the December 11, 2019 meeting but was in the audience and was comfortable acting
upon the minutes.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Badame to approve adoption of the Consent
Calendar. Seconded by Commissioner Burch.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously
Chair Hudes welcomed new Planning Commissier Jeffrey Barnett.
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PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 15365 Santella Court
Architecture and Site Application S-18-052
APN 527-09-036
Applicant: Hari Sripadanna
Property Owner: Christian and Hellen Olgaard
Project Planner: Erin Walters
Requesting approval for construction of a new single-family residence and removal of
large protected trees on a vacant property zoned HR-2½:PD.
Sally Zarnowitz, Planning Manager, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Hari Sripadanna, Applicant/Architect
• The property owners envision living in a sustainable, net-zero, green-designed home. The
gentle rolling formation of the hills with a sloping and level terrain became the formula for
the design. The LRDA lines are on both sides of the property and the site is surrounded by
dense, mature tree clusters and a steeper slope that defines the LRDA. Their massing
solution takes all this into consideration; as the building goes up the masses are pushed to
the back to get the tree screening in the back. The level and cleared areas provide a
firetruck turnaround, which is required by the long driveway because of the slope.
David Weissman
• The outdoor fireplace, an open fire source in the middle of an oak woodland under a
flammable tree canopy, is not a good idea and should be prohibited. The visibility analysis
shows a surface area with 24-percent visibility, close to the threshold of 24.5-percent.
There are four trees listed in the tree plan as being both removed and retained and this
confusion has carried over into the visibility analysis. This project would create the largest
home in the highlands in terms of countable square footage. The applicant has also
indicated that the house was moved farther north than indicated on the approved PD
development plans to accommodate the fire engine turnaround, then touted the proposed
linear footprint as a way to save more trees, but that could be accomplished by designing a
smaller house.
Lee Quintana
• The house appears to be designed to fit into the hillside and follow its topography and she
believes the below-grade area was used to set the house into the hillside, but not to
expand the square footage and increase the grading. She questioned whether the trees
meet the 100-foot fire safety requirements. She applauded the fact the house is very
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sustainable. She also noted that the visibility is so close to the threshold and wondered if
there is a way to reduce that visibility by reducing the tall area of the house. With respect
to the house not being in the envelope of the PD, that is to show it is possible to get a
house on the site but not necessarily the only place the house could be set on the site. She
agreed it would be nice if the house were smaller but acknowledged it is within the
parameters of the Hillside Design Guidelines.
Hari Sripadanna, Applicant/Architect
• The Town's staff has completely reviewed the tree analysis and the building square footage
and the arborist has verified the tree screening. They are within the allowable area
guidelines and have made the calculations the Town has requested. The terrain rises up
before the property begins, so anyone seeing it would be a mile away. Tree 669 has been
preserved. All the trees they have kept are accounted for and the arborist has verified their
heights, canopy, and width. Only a small portion of the building would be seen due to the
dark materials used.
Closed Public Comment.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Badame to approve an Architecture and Site
Application for 15365 Santella Court. Seconded by Commissioner
Tavana.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
3. Town Code Amendments regarding Land Use and Economic Vitality Streaming
Town Code Amendment Application A-19-010
Project Location: Town Wide
Applicant: Town of Los Gatos
Consider amendments to Chapter 29 (Zoning Regulations) of the Town Code regarding
land use and economic vitality streamlining.
Sean Mullin, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
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Bob Caya, representing McCarthy Ranch
• There has been noticeable progress toward the revitalization of downtown Los Gatos due
to the temporary resolutions. The minor exterior modifications to commercial buildings
resolution allowed them to renovate their existing Highway 9 properties; the new
restaurant CUPs resolution has convinced a perspective tenant who previously perceived
Los Gatos as having over restricted regulations to come to the town; the restaurant CUP
modification allowed Rootstock Wine Bar to modify its CUP to officer live music twice a
week, which has been well received. These resolutions have brought real results and will
continue to encourage positive developments for the betterment of the Town should they
be permanently enacted.
Closed Public Comment.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
Temporary Resolution 1:
• Formula Retail Businesses in the Downtown C-2 Zone.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Burch to recommend City Council adoption of
Temporary Resolution 1: Revision to the Formula Retail Businesses in the
Downtown C-2 Zone. Seconded by Commissioner Janoff.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
VOTE: Motion passed 5-2 with Chair Hudes and Commissioner Badame
opposing.
Temporary Resolutions 2 and 3:
• Restaurant CUP modifications at the Development Review Committee (DRC).
• New restaurant CUPs to be heard at the DRC and suspension of Ordinance 2021.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Chair Hudes to recommend City Council adoption of
Temporary Resolutions 2 and 3: Restaurant CUP Modifications at the
Development Review Committee (DRC), and New Restaurant CUPs, to be
Heard at the DRC and Suspension of Ordinance 2021. Seconded by
Commissioner Badame.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
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Temporary Resolution 4:
• Minor Exterior Modifications to Commercial Buildings.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Badame to recommend City Council adoption
of Temporary Resolution 4: Minor Exterior Modifications to Commercial
Buildings. Seconded by Commissioner Burch.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
Temporary Resolution 5:
• Group Classes
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Badame to recommend City Council adoption
of Temporary Resolution 5: Group Classes with a definition of "group
classes" added to the language.
Chair Hudes requested the motion be amended to include the term "not a school" to the
language, because school is covered elsewhere.
The Maker of the Motion accepted the amendment to the motion.
Seconded by Chair Hudes.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR
MOTION: Motion by Chair Hudes to nominate Vice Chair Hanssen as Chair of the
Planning Commission. Seconded by Commissioner Badame.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: Motion by Chair Hanssen to nominate Commissioner Janoff as Vice Chair
of the Planning Commission. Seconded by Commissioner Burch.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
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REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development
• Town Council will hold a strategic priority session on 1/14/20 and a workshop for the
General Plan Update on 1/16/20.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COMMISSION MATTERS
Conceptual Development Advisory Committee
Commissioner Badame
• The CDAC met on 1/8/20 and reviewed one item:
o 14915 Shannon Road
General Plan Advisory Committee
Chair Hanssen
• The GPAC met on 12/12/19 and reviewed a Land Use Alternatives Report and will have a
follow up meeting once a community workshop has occurred.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:18 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the January 8, 2020
meeting as approved by the Planning Commission.
_____________________________
/s/ Vicki Blandin