Item 1 - Draft Minutes October 28, 2020
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 11/11/2020
ITEM NO: 1
DRAFT
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
OCTOBER 28, 2020
The Planning Commission of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at 7:00 p.m.
This meeting was conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with
State of California Executive Order N-29-20 dated March 17, 2020, regarding the COVID19
pandemic and was conducted via Zoom. All planning commissioners and staff participated
from remote locations and all voting was conducted via roll call vote.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Melanie Hanssen, Vice Chair Kathryn Janoff , Commissioner Mary Badame,
Commissioner Jeffrey Barnett, Commissioner Kendra Burch, and Commissioner Matthew Hudes
Absent: Commissioner Reza Tavana
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – October 14, 2020
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Hudes to approve adoption of the Consent
Calendar. Seconded by Commissioner Badame.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 101 Broadway
Architecture and Site Application S-20-003
APN 510-45-041
Applicant: Jay Plett, Architect
Property Owner: ZKJ LLC
Project Planner: Sean Mullin
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Consider an Appeal of a Development Review Committee decision approving a Request
for Demolition of an Existing Single-family Residence and Construction of a New Single-
family Residence Located in the Broadway Historic District on Property Zoned R-1D:LHP.
Sean Mullin, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Karen Kurtz, 107 Broadway (Appellant)
- She has lived in Los Gatos for 54 years and on her property for 32 years. She is a local
realtor who has remodeled and refurbished 12 homes in Los Gatos and surrounding areas.
The staff report bases its support of the height approval on incorrect drawings that do not
show the true negative impact the proposed home would have on the surrounding
neighbors. Statements that the height of the proposed house is consistent with the
neighboring properties are false. She also requests that the fire hazard be reassessed. The
results of the shadow study bear no resemblance to reality.
Jay Plett, Architect (Applicant)
- The shadow study was based on the GIS and Town data. His October 26, 2020 summary
shows the most extreme shadows cast on 107 Broadway will pass by mid -morning, with no
noticeable shadows as the season goes on. The home is five feet from the property line and
107 Broadway's main structure is 16 feet from the property line, so from their house to 107
Broadway is approximate 21 feet, and the windows on that elevation have been minimized
and one has been eliminated. They propose to move the garage back five feet, move the
main level and upstairs mass back, and are stepping up the hillside per the design
guidelines. They have met all the criteria of the historic regulations, design guidelines, and
hillside guidelines.
Tami Kurtz
- She is the daughter of the Appellant. The story poles tell the picture of the mass of the
proposed home. The view from the interior and back yard of the Appellant's home has
been of the east foothills and entire valley for over a century, but will now see a wall if the
proposed home is built. The only portion of the Appellant's yard where she could see the
view is a steep hill, not a usable portion of the back yard. The proposed home is highly out
of context for the neighborhood and character of historic Broadway.
Paul Clark, 117 Broadway
- One of the reasons the back of the proposed home is so high is because it sits on the upper
floor above an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), and that ADU is excluded from the
application plans, but the presence of that ADU is what forces the building so high at the
back. He asked if the applicant had considered an alternative design that does not include
that?
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Larry Brandhorst, 93 Broadway
- He supports the appeal, as decisions of both the Historic Preservation Committee and the
Development Review Committee were based upon misleading, deceptive, and inaccurate
information submitted by the applicant in their Letter of Justification and other materials.
He hoped the Commissioners had read this information before taking action on this appeal.
He focused on the impact the project would have on the quality of life for the occupants of
93 Broadway and neighboring homes.
Ilona Merli, 89 Broadway
- The inaccuracies the Applicant has put forth still have not been addressed. An entire story
pole section on the front of the house was ignored and just put up last week after two
months of asking people to look at them. It was suggested their picture was superimposed,
but the measurements have been reviewed by two architects and are correct. Her biggest
concern is the balcony which would be hanging over her yard.
Jay Plett, Architect (Applicant)
- His team met three times with Mr. Brandhorst. They agreed to move the balcony back five
feet to accommodate him and to erect the fence from their ground floor for privacy, which
they were not required to do. They addressed all Mr. Brandhorst's concerns and he agreed
to them. Windows have been set way back from Mr. Brandhorst's property and there are
no two-story windows near the property line.
Karen Kurtz, 107 Broadway (Appellant)
- She suggested designing the house more towards the front to reduce the scale and to
utilize the basement better than it is now. She liked the design of 93 Broadway and the way
it fits into the site without obstructing views or privacy, and for its tandem garage rather
than a side-by-side, two-car garage. The proposed building would cover all of 94 Broadway
and all of her living area. Contrary to what the Applicant has said, 101 Broadway would
have views from their first story. The front of 101 would shut off her views from the north.
Closed Public Comment.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Badame to continue the public hearing for 101
Broadway with direction to the meeting of December 9, 2020.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
Seconded by Commissioner Hudes.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
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VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
3. 15415 National Avenue
Subdivision Application M-18-008
APN 424-12-006
Applicant: Kurt B. Anderson
Property Owner: Ramya Muddada
Project Planner: Sean Mullin
Consider approval of a Request for Subdivision of One Lot into Two Lots on property
zoned R-1:8.
Sean Mullin, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Kurt Anderson (Applicant)
- A letter of complaint from adjacent property owners at Leila Court contained unfounded
concerns. There are great community benefits from their project, such as improvements on
National Avenue, undergrounding utilities along the frontage, blending in with the
surrounding neighborhood, and keeping the scale of future residences in line with what is
adjacent to the property. They meet the subdivision requirements of the lot and are
looking for an approval.
Donna and Paul Nelson, 15425 National Avenue
- They live alongside the subject site. They are not against the corridor, or flag lot, however
she thought they were frowned upon. If this application is approved they will have a flag lot
on each side of their property and she wondered if they are allowed.
Kurt Anderson (Applicant)
- The Nelsons support the corridor and their concern is that their lot is also large enough to
support a corridor lot and would like to do the same thing in the future , but they want to
know what their potential is.
Closed Public Comment.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Badame to approve a Subdivision Application
for 15415 National Avenue. Seconded by Commissioner Hudes.
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Commissioner Barnett requested the motion be amended to include the findings pursuant to
LU-4.5.
The Maker of the Motion accepted the amendment to the motion.
The Seconder of the Motion accepted the amendment to the motion.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development
• Town Council met October 20, 2020:
o Considered a second reading for the modifications to the Zoning Ordinance for
Lighting and BMP regulations.
o Adopted revisions to the Hillside Design Standards and Guidelines regarding
Visibility Analysis.
o Denied an appeal of a Planning Commission decision denying the North 40
Market Hall underground parking removal.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COMMISSION MATTERS
Historic Preservation Committee
Commissioner Hudes
- HPC met October 28, 2020 and considered four items:
o 15 Ellenwood Avenue.
o 225 Wilder Avenue.
o 432 Los Gatos Boulevard.
o 15 Chestnut Avenue.
General Plan Update Advisory Committee
Commissioner Hanssen
o GPAC met October 15, 2020 and considered the Environment and Sustainability
Element second draft.
o GPAC will meet November 5, 2020 to discuss the Land Use and Community Design
Elements.
Commission Matters
None.
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ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:24 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
October 28, 2020 meeting as approved by the
Planning Commission.
_____________________________
/s/ Vicki Blandin