Item 1 - Draft Minutes of April 24, 2019
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 05/08/2019 ITEM NO: 1
DRAFT
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
APRIL 24, 2019
The Planning Commission of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 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 Kendra Burch, Commissioner Kathryn Janoff, and Commissioner Tom O'Donnell
Absent: Commissioner Reza Tavana
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Commissioner O'Donnell 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 – April 10, 2019
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Badame to approve adoption of the Consent
Calendar. Seconded by Commissioner Burch.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously
PUBLIC HEARINGS
4. 248 Jared Lane
Architecture and Site Application S-16-054
APN 532-34-071
Property Owner/Applicant: Sam Pan
Project Planner: Sean Mullin
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Requesting approval for construction of a new single-family residence and removal of
large protected trees on vacant property zoned HR-1. Continued from April 11, May 23,
June 27, September 26, November 14, December 12, 2018, and January 9, March 13,
2019
Sean Mullin, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Gerri Caruso
- They heard the concerns of the Commission, the public, and staff at the last hearing and
have addressed them all in their new plan, which meets the intent and purpose of the
Hillside Development Standards and Guidelines. The LRDA is only 6,065 square feet, and
the access driveway has been kept in the same location. The new plan reduces the
percentage of the building footprint projecting into the LRDA by 40-percent and reduces
the footprint inside the LRDA by 500 square feet, or 16-percent. The length of the building
has been reduced by 21 feet, or 18-percent. The garage was reduced by 280 square feet, or
24-percent. The mid-level was reduced by 432 square feet, or 14-percent. The upper level
was reduced by 370 square feet, or 14-percent. The total reduction for the entire site is
1,080 square feet, or 16-percent.
Ninh Le
- He is the civil engineer and addressed two concerns brought up at the last hearing: the
excavation volume, and the depth of excavations. He addressed the concerns by reducing
the house footprint, raising the garage finished floor by 6 inches, and raising the mid-level
finished floor by 3 feet, with the resulting 1,382 cubic yards of excavations - a reduction of
916 cubic yards from the last hearing. The maximum depth of cut is 18 feet and is from the
existing ground to the bottom of the mid-level. The Hillside Development Standards and
Guidelines recommend a maximum cut depth of 8 feet, but that 8 feet excludes the area
that is defined as cellar. Without the cellar area the maximum depth of cut is only 5.2 feet,
less than recommended in the Hillside Development Standards and Guidelines.
Sam Pan
- Almost every weekend for four or five weekends they tried to meet with neighbors and
show them the changes and listen to their concerns. Some neighbors told him they would
attend the Planning Commission meetings and voice their concerns, and if their concerns
were addressed, they would support the project.
Allen Rudolph
- He lives next to the project site. He is disabled and is worried about access to the site,
because Jared Lane is very narrow, and now with more fires in California they must ensure
that no vehicles or equipment are parked on Jared Lane that would obstruct vehicles
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leaving and emergency vehicles getting in. Even with the applicant's best efforts the person
installing the story poles parked in the wrong area.
A.J. Anderson
- She is from Uplift Family Services, which helps troubled kids and their families. The subject
property looks straight down onto their facility. The changes in the design result in a lower
roofline, which is great because the former plan would have had the proposed home
looking straight down on their swimming pool area, which would be bad for the kids. The
applicant has satisfied their need for security for their children and clients and they have
given their support to the project.
Mary Martin
- She is concerned about aesthetics because so many trees will have to be removed, and she
is not sure in her lifetime the trees would grow high enough to provide screening. People
who build on hills want a view and the trees to be planted would obstruct the view. The
applicants have been good about coming around often, and even if she doesn't agree with
them there is a difference between endorsement and toleration, and she is at the
toleration point.
Zach Edmonds
- They live in the closest home to the site and have two concerns. Their chief concern is
safety during construction because objects could come down the hill into their yard. They
have requested a chain link fence be installed to catch debris. Their other concern is line of
sight from their property. Both their master bedroom and yard have a direct line to the
second floor master bedroom of the proposed home, as well as the balcony on that side.
They request screening plantings be installed and maintained.
Michael McDonough
- He also lives below the subject site, next to Mr. Edmonds. The applicants have been
extremely informative and supportive and concerned about the neighbors' concerns and
thoughts. He supports the project, however, if adjustments are needed after construction,
he hopes the applicants will work with them.
Gerri Caruso
- There are a total of 225 trees on the site, with 183 to remain. The applicant has made a
significant effort to work with his neighbors, as confirmed by their comments, and he will
continue to work with them as he moves into construction. They have addressed the
impacts of the size, grading, massing, and architecture in meaningful ways and significantly
improved the project based on comments they heard. The garage is pulled into the LRDA,
but in the end that goes toward the look of it being stepped down, as recommended in the
guidelines.
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Closed Public Comment.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Burch to approve an Architecture and Site
Application for 248 Jared Lane, subject to the additional condition of
approval that the general contractor include in the construction plan
signage restricting construction parking along Jared Lane, with the
superintendent's contact information included. Seconded by
Commissioner Hanssen.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
3. Capital Improvement Projects (CIP)
Matt Morley, Director of Parks and Public Works, presented the staff report.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner O'Donnell to recommend Town Council
approval of the CIP Projects. Seconded by Commissioner Hanssen.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
4. Report from the Director of Community Development
Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development
• General Plan Advisory Committee met April 23, 2019; discussed the Vision and
potential modifications to the Vision for the General Plan; the Committee will
meet next on April 30, 2019 to continue the discussion on Vision and as well as
Guiding Principles.
• There are still many board and commission recruitment opportunities in the
Town, with a deadline of June 7, 2019; information is available on the Town
Clerk's website.
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SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COMMISSION MATTERS
General Plan Advisory Committee
Commissioner Hanssen
- GPAC met April23, 2019; discussed the Vision. Commissioners Burch and Janoff drafted a
sample of what the Vision could look like.
Historic Preservation Committee
Commissioner Hudes
- HPC met April 24, 2019 and discussed the following:
o 62 Ellenwood Avenue;
o 216 Glen Ridge Avenue;
o 247 Edelen Avenue;
o 79 Reservoir Road;
o 25 West Main;
o 103 Tait Avenue;
o 114 Millrich Drive;
o 50 University Avenue; and
o A change to demolition regulations.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
April 24, 2019 meeting as approved by the
Planning Commission.
_____________________________
Vicki Blandin