Item 2 - Exhibit 05 - Booklet of Housing Type ExamplesHOUSING TYPE EXAMPLES
Los Gatos General Plan 2040 GPAC
EXHIBIT 5
Town of Los Gatos | General Plan Advisory Committee
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Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are an
additional dwelling unit to a primary residence.
They are known by many names: granny flats,
in-law units, backyard cottages, secondary
units, and more. ADUs are an innovative,
affordable, effective option for adding much-
needed housing. ADUs can be detached and
newly constructed units, converted garages
or basements, or built above a garage or
workshop.
New Laws to Streamline ADU Construction
Over the past few years, the California legislature has made efforts to streamline ADU
construction. This includes:
•Making ADU approval a ministerial action,
•Mandating that local governments approve ADU building permit requests if the
ADU meets certain standards,
•Allowing ADUs to be built in all zoning districts that allow single-family uses,
•Reducing or eliminating ADU parking requirements, and
•Reducing ADU utility-related fee requirements.
Housing Type Examples | August 2019
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Tiny Homes
The tiny-house movement is an architectural and
social movement that promotes living simply,
financial prudence, and safe, shared community
experiences. Tiny homes are generally defined as
residential structures under 400 sq. ft. They can
built on permanent foundations or trailers.
Duplexes
A duplex has two dwelling
units attached to one
another with separate
entrances for each.
This includes two-story
houses with a complete
apartment on each
floor and side-by-side
apartments on a single lot
that share a common wall.
Town of Los Gatos | General Plan Advisory Committee
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Townhouses
Triplexes and Fourplexes
A triplex has three dwelling units
attached to one another with
separate entrances for each, while a
fourplex has four dwelling units. This
includes multi-story houses with a
complete apartment on each floor
and also side-by-side apartments
on a single lot that share a common
wall.
Townhouses are single-family
dwelling units that usually have
two or three floors that share
a wall with another house.
Unlike duplexes, triplexes, or
fourplexes, each townhouse is
individually owned.
Housing Type Examples | August 2019
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Co-Housing
Co-housing is an intentional
community of private homes clustered
around shared space. Each attached
or detached single-family home has
traditional amenities, including a private
kitchen. Shared spaces typically feature
a common house, which may include a
large kitchen and dining area, laundry,
and recreational spaces.
Courtyard Apartment/Bungalow Court
A courtyard apartment consists of
multiple side-by-side and/or stacked
dwelling units that are centered
around a shared outdoor open space
or garden. Each unit may have its
own individual entry, or several of the
units may share a common entry.
A bungalow court consists of a
series of small, detached structures,
providing multiple units arranged to
define a shared court that is typically
perpendicular to the street. The
shared court takes the place of a
private rear yard and is an important
community-enhancing element.
Town of Los Gatos | General Plan Advisory Committee
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Live/Work
Micro Units
While there is no standard definition, a working definition of micro units is a small
studio apartment, typically less than 350 square feet, with a fully functioning
and accessibility compliant kitchen and bathroom. Under this definition, a
160-square-foot single-room-occupancy (SRO) unit that relies upon communal
kitchen or bathroom facilities does not qualify as a micro unit.
Live/work units consist of a
separate living space attached
to a work space within the same
unit that is occupied by the same
tenant.
Housing Type Examples | August 2019
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Single-Family Detached
Small Lot Single-Family Detached
A single-family detached home is a
stand-alone structure that is maintained
and used as a single dwelling unit.
Density Range: 1-5 dwelling units/acre
Height/Stories: 35 feet, 2 stories
Small Lot Single-family detached
homes with a smaller building footprint
and lot size can be accommodate more
dwelling units per acre.
Density Range: 5-12 dwelling units/acre
Height/Stories: 35 feet, 2-3 stories
Town of Los Gatos | General Plan Advisory Committee
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Multifamily-Low
Compact Single-Family or Multifamily-Very Low
Government Code Section 65583.2(c)(3)(B) allows the Town to use “default
density” standards as a streamlined option to meet the lower-income RHNA. The
default density for Los Gatos is 20 du/ac.
Compact Single-family detached homes
with a smaller building footprint and lot
size can be accommodate more dwelling
units per acre. Similarly, multifamily-very
low buildings can provide more dwelling
units per acre.
Density Range: 12-20 dwelling units/acre
Height/Stories: 35-45 feet, 2-3 stories
Multifamily buildings are designed
to house several different families
in separate housing units. They are
commonly known as apartments or
condominiums.
Density Range: 20-40 dwelling units/acre
Height/Stories: 35-50 feet, 2-4 stories
Housing Type Examples | August 2019
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Multifamily-Medium
Multifamily-High
Multifamily buildings are designed
to house several different families
in separate housing units. They are
commonly known as apartments or
condominiums, depending on the
ownership structure.
Density Range: 40-60 dwelling units/acre
Height/Stories: 40-60 feet, 3-5 stories
Multifamily buildings are designed
to house several different families
in separate housing units. They are
commonly known as apartments or
condominiums, depending on the
ownership structure.
Density Range: 60+ dwelling units/
acre
Height/Stories: 50-80 feet, 5-8
stories
Town of Los Gatos | General Plan Advisory Committee
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Low-Intensity Mixed Use
High-Intensity Mixed Use
Mixed-use development blends two or more or the
following land use types: residential, commercial, cultural,
institutional, and/or industrial. Typically, these developments
have commercial uses on the ground floor with residential
units above.
Density Range: up to 60 dwelling units/acre
Height/Stories: 40-60 feet, 3-5 stories
FAR Range: 0.3 to 1.0
Mixed-use development blends two
or more or the following land use
types: residential, commercial, cultural,
institutional, and/or industrial. Typically,
these developments have commercial
uses on the ground floor with residential
units above.
Density Range: 60+ dwelling units/acre
Height/Stories: 50-80 feet, 5-8 stories
FAR Range: 0.3 to 1.0