Item 3 - Staff Report.17500 Farley Rd West
PREPARED BY: SEAN MULLIN, AICP
Associate Planner
Reviewed by: Planning Manager and Community Development Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 03/13/2019 ITEM NO: 3
DATE: MARCH 7, 2019 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: JOEL PAULSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR SUBJECT: ARCHITECTURE AND SITE APPLICATION S-18-024. PROJECT LOCATION:
17500 FARLEY ROAD WEST. PROPERTY OWNER/APPLICANT: CHRIS BEARDEN. REQUESTING APPROVAL FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND SITE IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRING A GRADING PERMIT ON VACANT PROPERTY ZONED LM. APN 529-11-054. DEEMED COMPLETE: JANUARY 25, 2019 FINAL DATE TO TAKE ACTION: JULY 25, 2019
RECOMMENDATION:
Approval, subject to the recommended conditions of approval.
PROJECT DATA:
General Plan Designation: Service Commercial
Zoning: LM, Commercial Industrial
Applicable Plans & Standards: Commercial Design Guidelines
Parcel Size: 17,864 square feet (gross)
16,838 square feet (net, after required dedication)
Surrounding Area:
Existing Land Use General Plan Land Use
Designation
Zoning
North Commercial Service Commercial and
Office Professional
LM and O
South Commercial Service Commercial LM
East Commercial Service Commercial LM
West Residential and commercial Office Professional O
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CEQA:
It has been determined that this project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to the adopted
Guidelines for the Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15303:
New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures.
FINDINGS:
That the proposed project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to the adopted Guidelines for
the Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15303: New
Construction or Conversion of Small Structures.
That the proposed project is consistent with the applicable provisions of the Commercial
Design Guidelines.
CONSIDERATIONS:
As required by Section 29.20.150 of the Town Code for granting approval of an Architecture
and Site application.
ACTION:
The decision of the Planning Commission is final unless appealed within ten days.
BACKGROUND:
The project site is approximately 17,864 square feet (0.41 acres) and is currently undeveloped.
The proposed project requires a 10-foot dedication to the Town for public improvements along
the front of the property. This dedication will reduce the lot site to approximately 16,838
square feet (0.39 acres).
As noted in the table above, the surrounding area contains a mix of uses, most of which are
consistent with either the General Plan land use designation or zoning designation, or both.
Public storage uses are located to the south and east; public storage and office uses are located
to the north. An existing nonconforming residential use and pottery business are located west
of the subject property.
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PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
A. Location and Surrounding Neighborhood
The project site is located on the south side of Farley Road West, between Winchester
Boulevard and University Avenue (Exhibit 1). Access to the project site is provided on Farley
Road West.
B. Project Summary
The applicant is requesting approval of an Architecture and Site application for construction
of new commercial buildings and site improvements requiring a grading permit for a
concrete contracting business.
C. Zoning Compliance
A concrete contracting use is a permitted use in the LM zone.
DISCUSSION:
A. Project Summary
The applicant proposes construction of two new commercial buildings. A materials storage
building of 1,040 square feet would be located in the southeast portion of the property. An
office building of 1,302 square feet would be located at the north end of the property along
Farley Road West. The proposed project would also include a new retaining wall along the
west property line and a portion of the south property line, seven at-grade parking spaces,
and exterior materials storage areas.
The LM Zone requires a front setback of 15 feet and no side or rear setbacks. The proposed
office building would have a front setback of 15 feet along Farley Road West, and side
setbacks of 18 and 40 feet. The proposed materials storage building would have a front
setback of 122 feet; a rear setback of two feet; and side setbacks of one foot, eight inches
and 72 feet, four inches.
The LM Zone allows a maximum building height of 35 feet. The proposed office building
would have a maximum height of 19 feet, seven inches. The proposed materials storage
building would have a maximum height of 22 feet, four and one-half inches. Materials for
both buildings would include painted plaster siding, board and batten wood siding, stone
veneer wainscot, standing seam metal roof, painted wood posts, decorative ridge beams,
and aluminum clad windows and doors (Exhibit 4). A color and materials board will be
available at the public hearing.
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DISCUSSION (continued):
The project would include a new retaining wall along the west property line and a portion
the south property line. The retaining wall would replace three failing terraced retaining
walls that step down from the western property line. The proposed retaining wall would
allow for a more level site and improved circulation, parking, and storage. The maximum
height of the retaining wall would be seven feet along the western property line. A 42-inch
decorative railing would provide a safety barrier along the top of the wall along the west
property line. The portion of the retaining wall nearest Farley Road West would have
heights ranging from one to three feet.
B. Zoning
The proposed contracting use is an allowed use in the LM zone. Activities allowed in the
LM zone are those service-oriented and light industrial uses that may be inappropriate in a
general commercial zone, and include contracting businesses. The applicant is proposing
new commercial buildings and site improvements for the relocation of their existing
concrete contracting business (Exhibit 5).
The proposed project would meet the setbacks, lot coverage, and height requirements for
the LM zone.
The proposed building coverage would be 15 percent of the site and the maximum building
height would be 22 feet, four and one-half inches, both of which are consistent with the
zoning designation for the site that allows up to 50 percent building coverage and has a 35-
foot height limit.
The required and proposed setbacks in the LM zone are described in the following table:
Setback Required Proposed
Office Materials Storage
Front 15 feet 15 feet 122 feet
Side 0 feet 18 feet
40 feet
1-foot 8 inches
72 feet 4 inches
Rear 0 feet 26 feet 2 feet
C. Design and Compatibility
The Town’s Architectural Consultant reviewed the project to provide recommendations
regarding the architecture and neighborhood compatibility (Exhibit 6). The Architectural
Consultant acknowledged that the buildings are well designed and complimentary to nearby
structures. The Architectural Consultant made no recommendations for the two proposed
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DISCUSSION (continued):
buildings. The Architectural Consultant included three recommendations to address
concerns with the site plan. These recommendations are provided in italics below followed
by a summary of the applicant’s response.
1. Pull the front fence back behind the face of the main structure.
The applicant revised the location of the fencing to be setback from the front of the
office building by six feet on the east side of the building and 14 feet on the west side of
the building. Additional landscaping is proposed in the areas along the front property
line.
2. Limit project driveway entries to one unless an exceptional need can be demonstrated
for two driveways.
The applicant limited the driveway entries to a single driveway on the west side of the
office building.
3. Provide enhanced streetscape landscaping in the front setback area.
Additional landscape area has been proposed by eliminating the second driveway entry,
pushing the fencing away from the street, and revising the access pathway to the office
from the sidewalk. These changes allow for more landscape area with three proposed
trees to soften the streetscape.
The proposed buildings are consistent with the applicable provisions (Common Design
Guidelines) of the Commercial Design Guidelines to provide a unified design around all sides
of the building, to utilize high quality building materials, to subordinate the parking to the
building, and to provide well designed landscaping along the adjacent street fronts.
D. General Plan
The 2020 General Plan land use designation for the site is Service Commercial. The
proposed project meets the Service Commercial requirements for building coverage and
height. This designation provides for service businesses necessary for the conduct of
households or businesses. These include auto repair, building materials sales, paint
suppliers, janitorial services, towing businesses, contractors offices and yards, launderers
and dry cleaners, as well as wholesaling and warehousing activities.
In addition to maintaining neighborhood quality, the 2020 General Plan Land Use Element
focuses on maintaining a “full-service” Town that provides a range of goods and services
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DISCUSSION (continued):
that support economic vitality, while limiting adverse impacts on the quality of life of all the
residents.
Applicable goals and policies of the 2020 General Plan include, but are not limited to the
following:
• Goal LU-4: To provide for well-planned, careful growth that reflects the Town’s existing
character and infrastructure;
• Goal CD-1: Preserve and enhance Los Gatos’s character through exceptional community
design;
• Policy CD-1.4: Development on all elevations shall be of high-quality design and
construction, a positive addition to and compatible with the Town’s ambiance.
Development shall enhance the character and unique identity of existing commercial
and/or residential neighborhoods;
• Goal CD-2: To limit the intensity of new development to a level that is consistent with
surrounding development and with the Town at large; and
• Policy CD-3.9: Parking structures and facilities shall have a low profile, be screened from
view and be aesthetically pleasing.
E. Parking and Traffic
The parking requirements for the proposed use are one parking space for each 2,350 square
feet of storage building and one parking space for each 235 square feet of office space.
Based on the square footage, the 1,040-square foot storage building would require 0.4
parking spaces and the 1,302-square foot office building would require 5.5 parking spaces,
for a total of six required parking spaces.
Use Proposed
Square Footage
Parking Rate Required
Parking Spaces
Storage Building 1,040 sf 1 space / 2,350 sf 0.4
Office Building 1,302 sf 1 space / 235 sf 5.5
TOTAL 5.9
(rounds to 6)
The site would take access from a single driveway on Farley Road West. The driveway
would provide access to the interior of the property through a vehicular gate. The interior
of the property would provide circulation, parking, and emergency vehicle turnaround. The
project plans have been reviewed and approved by the Santa Clara County Fire Department.
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DISCUSSION (continued):
Pursuant to the Town’s Traffic Impact Policy, projects that will generate 20 or more peak
hour trips are required to complete a comprehensive traffic impact analysis report.
Additionally, the Town’s Traffic Impact Policy requires that all projects that generate one or
more new average daily trips pay traffic impact mitigation fees. The Town’s Traffic Engineer
reviewed the proposed project and the traffic operations analysis prepared by Hexagon
Transportation Consultants. The Traffic Engineer determined that the proposed use would
generate an additional 16 AM peak trips and a net reduction of two PM peak trips.
Additionally, the Traffic Engineer determined that the proposed project would result in a
net decrease in daily traffic volumes. Pursuant to the Town’s Traffic Impact Policy, a
comprehensive traffic impact analysis is not required and the proposed project would not
require traffic mitigation fees.
F. Trees
Five protected trees are located within the project area. These trees are concentrated at
the northwest corner of the property and include four oaks ranging in size from 12 inches to
20 inches, and a 24-inch Deodar cedar. The project proposes removal of a 14-inch oak near
the front property line and a 13-inch oak along the west property line. The proposed
retaining wall would be located around the remaining trees, allowing for preservation of the
existing grade adjacent to the trees. The Town Arborist reviewed the project and
conducted a site survey, providing the following recommendations, which have been
included as conditions of approval (Exhibit 3):
• Any excavation within the driplines of these trees shall be completed by hand;
• Any roots encountered during grading activities shall be saw cut clean;
• The existing grade around these trees shall not be lowered; and
• It is acceptable to raise the existing grade within the driplines of these trees.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Story poles and signage were installed on the site and written notice was sent to property
owners and tenants within 300 feet of the subject property. No public comments have been
received as of the writing of this report.
CONCLUSION:
A. Summary
The applicant is requesting approval of an Architecture and Site application to construct two
new commercial buildings and site improvements requiring a grading permit for a concrete
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CONCLUSION (continued):
contracting business. The project is well designed and sympathetic to the properties in the
immediate area. The project is also consistent with the Zoning Ordinance, General Plan,
and applicable Commercial Design Guidelines.
B. Recommendation
Based on the analysis above, staff recommends approval of the Architecture and Site
application subject to the recommended conditions of approval (Exhibit 3). If the Planning
Commission finds merit with the proposed project, it should:
1. Find that the proposed project is Categorically Exempt, pursuant to the adopted
Guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section
15303: New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures (Exhibit 2);
2. Make the required finding that the project is consistent with the applicable provisions of
the Commercial Design Guidelines (Exhibit 2);
3. Make the required considerations as required by Section 29.20.150 of the Town Code
for granting approval of an Architecture and Site application (Exhibit 2); and
4. Approve Architecture and Site Application S-18-024 with the recommended Conditions
of Approval contained in Exhibit 3 and the Development Plans in Exhibit 12.
C. Alternatives
Alternatively, the Commission can:
1. Continue the matter to a date certain with specific direction; or
2. Approve the application with additional and/or modified conditions; or
3. Deny the application.
EXHIBITS:
Received with this Staff Report:
1. Location Map
2. Required Findings and Considerations (one page)
3. Recommended Conditions of Approval (13 pages)
4. Proposed exterior materials
5. Letter of Justification/Project Description (two pages), dated March 28, 2018
6. Consulting Architect’s Report (four pages), received May 17, 2018
7. Development Plans (16 pages)
Distribution:
1. Chris Bearden, 641 University Avenue, Los Gatos, CA 95030