Item 03 - 401-409 Alberto Wy - Staff Report Exh.14 - Part 2·The underground garage as proposed has one two-lane driveway. At any level of Peak Period trips, there will be spillback
both into and out of the garage . Am Rush will be problematic by will extending Hwy-9 EB Spillback to Univers ity.
Hwy-9 already has deep spillback from Los Gatos Blvd .
PM Rush will see the bulk contained within the Garage.
The PD Garage will cause intolerable AM & PM Congestion on Alberto Way
The single Garage Driveway spillback will delay AM & PM exits from the Best Western and 420 Alberto's South drive
Hwy-9 during Peak traffic periods. It will furthermore delay AM entrances by current Alberto residents.
2020 General Plan Section 9 Environment And Sustainability Element
Our Response:
The PDs Preliminary Environmental Assessment mentions no measures that the Applicant plans to take to protect Air or
Water quality during or after the construction.
2020 General Plan Section 10 Noise Element
Policy NOI-1.1 The Town, as part of the Environmental Review process, shall require applicants to submit an acoustical
analysis of projects. All input related to noise levels shall use the adopted standard of measurement shown in Table
NOI-2. Noise impacts of new development shall be evaluated in terms of any increase of the existing ambient noise
levels and the potential for adverse noise and ground borne vibrations impacts on nearby or adjacent properties. The
evaluation shall consider short-term construction noise and on-going operational noise.
Our Response:
420 & 435 Alberto Way have several"work at home" residents.
The PD as submitted proposes no alternate office measures for them during construction.
IV. Conclusion: Please deny the Application
21 I Page
August 4, 2016
Attention Planning Commission regarding the Alberto Way Project
RECEIVED
AUG ·a 4 2016
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING DIVISION
Please accept this petition opposing the proposed project. It has the signa~ories of a majority of
the 103 occupied units at the Los Gatos Commons.
We at the Commons support the document authored by Bob Burke as submitted by the
signatories from the other condo complexes on Alberto Way.
From: The Ad Hoc Committee to Oppose the Alberto Way Project
The Los Gatos Commons
The Planning Commission's stated goal for Los Gatos is to help to "ensure the health, safety, and welfare
of its citizens and property owners."
To: The Planning Commission, Los Gatos
From: The Los Gatos Commons Condominiums
We the senior residents of Los Gatos Commons Condominiums present this petition opposing the
proposed 401-409 Alberto Way project.
The 2020 Town Plan goal is the harmonious blending of new and old (General Plan, Policy C0-1.2). This
project does not blend with the scale and rhythm of the neighborhood, which is dominated by a senior
residential complex.
In an emergency, especially one that calls for evacuation, it would be impossible for all our residents to
leave quickly and safely from the one exit point on Alberto Way.
Traffic congestion and density during the construction phase and ongoing would impede emergency
vehicles from getting to and from the Commons.
This project would make it difficult for residents to get to appointments, including medical ones, on time
because of extensive delays and gridlock at the intersection at Los Gatos/Saratoga Road.
We WO!Jid be subjected to air and noise po!lu~jon ~hat would be a prpblem for our residents, especially
those v,tith respiratory conditions or those recovering from illness or surgery.
We urge that the propose~ project not be apprpv~q.
..
The Planning Commission's stated goal for Los Gatos is to help to "ensure the health, safety, and welfare
of its citizens and property owners."
To: The Planning Commission, Los Gatos
From : The Los Gatos Commons Condomin iums
We the senior residents of Los Gatos Commons Condominiums present this petition opposing the
proposed 401-409 Alberto Way project.
The 2020 Town Plan goal is the harmonious blending of new and old (General Plan, Policy CD-1 .2). This
project does not blend with the scale and rhythm of the neighborhood, which is dominated by a senior
residential complex.
In an emergency, especially one that calls for evacuation, it would be impossible for all our residents to
leave quickly and safely from the one exit point on A lberto Way.
Traffic congestion and density during the construction phase and ongoing would impede emergency
vehicles from getting to and from the Commons.
This project would make it difficult for res i dents to get to appointments, including medical ones, on time
because of extensive delays and gridlock at the intersection at Los Gatos/Saratoga Road.
We would be subjected to air and noise pollution that would be a problem for our residents, especially
those with respiratory conditions or those recovering from illness or surgery.
We urge that the proposed project not be approved.
._ I
The Planning Commission's stated goal for los Gatos is to help to "ensure the health, safety, and welfare
of its citizens and property owners."
To : The Planning Commission, los Gatos
From: The los Gatos Commons Condominiums
We the senior residents of los Gatos Commons Condominiums present this petition opposing the
proposed 401-409 Alberto Way project.
The 2020 Town Plan goal is the harmonious blending of new and old (General Plan, Policy CD -1.2}. \his
project does not blend with the scale and rhythm of the neighborhood, which is dominated by a senior
residential complex.
In an emergency, especially one that ca]ls for evacuation, it would be impossible for all our residents to
leave quickly and safely from the one exit point on Alberto Way.
Traffic congestion and density during the construction phase and ongoing would impede emergency
vehicles from getting to and from the Commons.
This project would make it difficult for residents to get to appointments, including medical ones, on time
because of extensive delays and gridlock at the intersection at los Gatos/Saratoga Road .
We wo1.1ld be suQjec~ed to ~ir and noise pollution that would be a problem for our residents, especially
those with respiratory conditions or those recovering from illness or surgery.
We urge that the proposed project not be approved .
The Planning Commission's stated goal for los Gatos is to help to "ensure the health, safety, and welfare
of its citizens and property owners."
To : The Planning Commission, los Gatos
From: The los Gatos Commons Condominiums
We the senior residents of Los Gatos Commons Condominiums present this petition opposing the
proposed 401-409 Alberto Way project.
The 2020 Town Plan goal is the harmonious blending of new and old (General Plan, Policy CD-1.2). This
project does not blend with the scale and rhythm of the neighborhood, which is dominated by a senior
residential complex.
In an emergency, especially one that calls for evacuation, it would be impossible for all our residents to
leave quickly and safely from the one exit point on Alberto Way.
Traffic congestion and density during the construction phase and ongoing would impede emergency
vehicles from getting to and from the Commons .
This project would make it difficult for residents to get to appointments, including medical ones, on time
because of extensive delays and gridlock at the intersection at Los Gatos/Saratoga Road.
We wo1,1ld be subjected to air and noise pollution that would be a problem for our residents, especially
those with respiratory conditions or those recovering from illness or surgery.
We urge that the proposed project not be approved.
The Planning Commission's stated goal for Los Gatos is to help to "ensure the health, safety, and welfare
of its citizens and property owners."
To: The Planning Commission, Los Gatos
From: The Los Gatos Commons Condominiums
We the senior residents of Los Gatos Commons Condominiums present this petition opposing the
proposed 401-409 Alberto Way project.
The 2020 Town Plan goal is the harmonious blending of new and old (General Plan, Policy CD-1 .2). This
project does not blend with the scale and rhythm of the neighborhood, which is dominated by a senior
residential complex.
In an emergency, especially one that calls for evacuation, it would be impossible for all our residents to
leave quickly and safely from the one exit point on Alberto Way.
Traffic congestion and density during the construction phase and ongoing would impede emergency
vehicles from getting to and from the Commons.
This prpject would make it difficult for residents to get to appointments, including medical ones, on time
because of extensive delays and gridlock at the intersection at Los Gatos/Saratoga Road.
We WQ\-IId be subjected to air and noise pollution that would be a problem for our residents, especially
those with respiratory conclitions or th9se recovering from il!ness ~r surgery.
We urge that the proposed project not b~ approve9 , . .
LOS GATOS COMMONS
PETITION TO OPPOSE ALBERTO WAY PROJECT
Date Name Signature Unit# Address
0~ !J~) ll~ f. ·v/; /Jci e..82~ (f?ol/~~~ j'~ 1~7 A~7!J /j}~
I I
The Planning Commission's stated goal for los Gatos is to help to "ensure the health, safety, and welfare
of its citizens and property owners ."
To : The Planning Commission, Los Gatos
From : The Los Gatos Commons Condomin iums
We the se nior r esidents of Los Gatos Commons Condominiums present this petition opposing the
proposed 401-409 Alberto Way project.
T-he 2020 Town Plan goal is the harmonious blending of new and old (General Plan , Pol icy CD-1.2). This
project does not blend with the scale and rhythm of the neighborhood, which is dominated by a senior
res iden t!i al complex.
In an emergency, especially one that calls for evacuation, it would be impossible for all our residents to
leave qu ickly and safely from the one exit point on Alberto Way.
Traffic congest ion and density during the construction phase and ongoing would impede emergency
vehicles from getting to and from the Commons.
This project would make it difficult for residents to get to appointments, includi ng med ical ones, on time
becau se of extensive delays and gridlock at the intersection at Los Gatos/Saratoga Road.
We wq~ld be subjected to air and noise pollution that W()ulq R~ a problem for our residents, especially
those w jth respiratory conditions or those r ecovering from illn~ss or surgery.
We urge trat th~ p.ropos~q proje~ not be approyeq .
Jennifer Armer
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Hi Jennifer:
Katherine Hartsell <kmhartsell@yahoo.com >
Tuesday, August 02, 2016 9:43 AM
Jennifer Armer
401-405 Alberto Way Proposed Project
I am writing in opposition to the proposed building at 401-405 Alberto Way.
My family has resided in Los Gatos since 1968, and we have watched our small little town blossom . There have
been many additions which are nice and add value to the town . Then there are others which seem to not be in line
with what a Los Gatos brand is. This proposed development seems to be very much not aligned with a Los Gatos
brand . It will obliterate views by being very tall, and it will bring in much more traffic and congestion into an already
congested area than the roads are meant to handle . It just seems to not be well thought out. Perhaps a scaled
down version, with much less auto traffic, would be a better idea.
For one thing there are many seniors who live nearby on Alberto, and this is there only outlet to the main
roads . Having seniors have to fight traffic in order to get to the store is just not a pleasant proposal.
The access to walk to town from Alberto is already marred by having to cross Hwy 9 at the entrance to Hwy
17. There is already way too much traffic, and this development will increase that by 300+ parking spaces -many
of which will be used multiple times during the day. So I imagining another 1 000+ cars in that area every day. It
sounds like a disaster for Los Gatans.
Thank you for listening,
Katherine Hartsell
184 College Avenue
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Jennifer Armer
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Dear Ms. Armer,
jawolf3@comcast.net
Tuesday, August 02, 2016 9:37 PM
Jennifer Armer
Loretta Fowler
Office Building sited at 401 -409 Alberto Way
The LP Acquisitions plan to construct office buildings at 401-409 Alberto Way will further clog the
intersections in the area and make travel to the elementary schools, middle school, and high school
even more time-consuming and frustrating . Residential over-development in Los Gatos has already
caused over-capacity at every school in the Los Gatos Union School District--overdevelopment
responsible for the already unacceptable congestion in the morning and afternoon in the affected
neighborhoods. The LP Acquisition site is nestled among three schools. As a family with school-age
children, my wife and I find this project unnecessary and detrimental to the quality-of-life and
atmosphere of our community. I regularly visit my older sister, who lives on Alberto Way, and I know
that her community is incensed at this latest bit of disastrous proposed construction.
Please do not approve this project.
Cordially,
John Fowler
Registered Voter
120 Cleland Ave
Los Gatos, CA 95030
1
To The Town of Los Gatos from the Citizens who reside in the Condo
Complexes along Alberto Way in Opposition to Architectural & Site
Application S-15-056 and Conditional Use permit U-15-009.
Overview -Attached are:
• Our detailed study & report authored by Bob Burke showing why this proposed
development does not conform to the Town of Los Gatos 2020 General Plan.
• Signed petition from Alberto Way residents opposing the 401-409 Alberto Way
office project.
• This summary of concerns and objections to demolish three existing office buildings
and construct two new, two-story office buildings with underground parking at
401-409 Alberto Way:
1. Safety Issues -particularly Children & the Elderly
With new traffic turning left to Alberto and left again into proposed new building -it will
become difficult and possibly unsafe for children & elderly to cross Alberto on the way to
school.
• Fire and EMS have been blocked from access to Alberto by Gridlock as Hwy-9 presently
exists: the development will terminate lives unless the road improvements are made in
advance of demolition & construction
• The curve near 401-409 limits visibility and the proposed development does no
mitigation of this hazard.
• With hundreds of new vehicle trips to Alberto during Rush hours, children & elderly are
particularly endangered crossing either Alberto, Hwy-9 at the signal light or the Hwy-17
NB ramp fromHwy-9.
• Large construction truck drivers could possibly not see short children in front of them.
• Health issue caused by 15-16 months ofNoise, Dust and Pollution during construction
phase.
• Wlberto way doe_s not have another exit/
2. Traffic issues
• Approval of the Application will foreclose the possibility of renovating or replacing the
Hwy-17& Hwy-9 Intersection leaving LG with permanent congestion. The Intersection
needs renovation or replacement before approval.
• A 93,000 Sq. Ft. commercial building in addition to the existing new restaurant ,
healthcare facility, Best Western Inn, Alberto Oaks Office Park and four residential
condominium complexes on a two lane road will significantly increase the congestion of
traffic on Hwy-9 and LG Blvd .
• Alberto Way will be highly impacted considering that there is only one way in/out of our
street. The traffic study submitted by LP contains errors, omissions & assumptions that
combine to minimize the traffic impact on Los Gatos .
• Waiting time s at the light will be several times increased both in and out of Alberto Way.
This will also cause reduced air quality from the string of added rush hour vehicles idling
at the red light or rushing on yellow , producing additional emissions to the air we
breathe.
• Increased traffic during the construction phase and after completion compromises
security and safety.
• During construction there will be sidewalk closures, so residents , (families, children,
seniors), will have to u se the road to go to school or downtown.
• Many cars entering and exiting the new buildings will impose additional safety risks for
all that pass the building, which is the only way out.
4 . Size, Mass and Height of proposed Buildings
• The proposed buildings are >3 times the size of what's there now (93 ,000 sq. ft. vs.
30,000) and massive in size relative to the residential buildings in the area.
• Furthermore, we were told the number of employees the buildings can hold is 350. In
reality, they are capable of holding up to 735 with high tech companies ' bull pen seating
layouts.
• The Proposed development also removes many large mature trees & bushes , replacing
them with small ones.
• The Conservation Element goals address protecting and enhancing the natural
environment. Programs that retain natural features such as tree preservation, limited
grading, and water conservation maintain the natural character of Los Gatos.
• The buildings will obstruct the view of the mountains and sunsets for the residents (which
is one of the beautiful things to look forward to at the end of day), and is incompatible
with the neighborhood.
• Also , many of the residents in condos near the site have home offices. The construction
noise and disruption will make it impo ssible to work.
• Therefore the proposed development is incompatible with the character of the
neighborhood and transforms it from a low impact residential bedroom community in an
open space tucked away in a wooded area to a "concrete & glass jungle" dominated by a
large commercial space.
• .Reduced property values
T he large commercial building (with all the problems de scribed above) in the clo sest
proximity will change our status of desired cul-de-sac area and reduce our property
values.
• This will be especially pronounced for tho se owners with v iews today.
IS / Bob Burke for signatories to the Petition from:
The Pueblo de Los Gatos (420 Alberto), The Casitas #4 (435 Alberto) and Bella Vista (multiple
addresses on Cuesta De Los Gatos, Treseder Ct & Maggi Ct.
The Los Gatos Commons (445 Alberto Way and other addresses) are submitting their cover &
petition directly.
Contents
I. These Comments are from Residents and Members ofthese HOAs : ......................................................................... 2
II. Qualifications -Bob Burke , Author ........................................................................................................................... 2
Ill. Th e PO does not Conform to the Town of LG 2020 General Plan ........................................................................... 2
2020 General Plan Section 2: Vi sion ............................................................................................................................. 2
2020 General Plan Section 3: Land Use ......................................................................................................................... 3
2020 General Plan Section 4 Community Design Element ............................................................................................. 4
LP Acqu isitions, LLC Illustration of the PO 's Buildings is misleading ........................................................................... 5
Actual View of the PO from the Northeast with Story Poles ...................................................................................... 5
2020 General Plan Section 6: Tran sportation ................................................................................................................ 6
The PO's Transportation Impact Analysis contains Errors, Understates Trip Generati on and is Missing Materi al In f o 6
The traffic Report clearly shows evidence that any Development in Los Gatos worsens already bad Hwy 17
Congestion ............................................................................................................................................................... 7
The Traffic Study as filed contains errors, omissions & data too old to use ............................................................... 8
Existing Traffic Error in PD Traffic Analysis: Alberto Way & Hwy-9 ........................................................................... 11
The PD Traffic Analysi s describes the present EB Hwy-9 AM Rush gridlock: ............................................................. 12
Raw Traffic Data Files from the May 12, 2015 Study have been deleted and are no longer ava il abl e for scrutiny ..... 14
Changes need to be made to the Hwys-17 & 9 Intersection to prevent Gridlock ...................................................... 14
Approval means LG & Caltrans pay for Change s to the CA9 & CA17 Interchange ..................................................... 15
Sensitivity Study elements that need to be added ................................................................................................... 16
LP Acqu isition LLC understates Traffic by presenting only the fewest empl oyees and longest rush period ............... 16
Office Space Layout 1 -401-405 Alberto Rd = 735 employees with a highly "Efficient Custom" layout. ................... 18
Office Space Layout 2 -401-405 Alberto Rd = 505 employees with an "Efficient Rul e of Thumb" layout .................. 18
Office Space Layout 3-401-405 Alberto Rd = 425 employees with a /'Typical Rule ofThumb" layout ...................... 18
Office Space Layout 4-401-405 Alberto Rd = 375 employees : "Spacious Rule ofThumb" layout ............................ 19
Trip Count Sensitivity Study ..................................................................................................................................... 19
Traffic into and out ofthe PD Garag e will increase AM Hwy-9 Spillback that extends to University .......................... 20
The PO Garage will cause intolerable AM & PM Congestion on Alberto Way ........................................................... 20
2020 General Plan Section 9 Environment And Su stainability Element ........................................................................ 20
2020 General Plan Section 10 No ise El ement .............................................................................................................. 20
IV . Conclusion : Please deny the Applic ~ti o n .............................................................................................................. 21
I. These Comments are from Residents and Members of these HOAs:
Pueblo de Los Gatos (53 Units at 420 Alberto Way) directly across from the Proposed Development (PO)
The Commons (110 Units at 445 Alberto Way)
Bella Vista (47 Town homes in Bella Vista, just past 240 Alberto Way)
Las Casitas #4 (18 Townhomes at 435 Alberto Way)
II . Qualifi cations -Bob Burke, Author
BS-EE, MS-EE & MBA
Waiting Line Theory and Traffic Engineering education both formal and on-the-job
Electronic Network Traffic Engineering
Current and Past High Tech Employers: AT&T, Cincinnati Bell, AVAYA, Alcatei-Lucent, Cisco, NETGEAR
US Patents: 3 in Broadband Networking and three in Software Defined Networking, Content Distribution & Control
Product Management-Networking Systems
Four decades in Network Engineering
Community Organizer for Water Proceedings at CPUC (volunteer)
Former HOA President and Board Member (volunteer)
Former Mutual Water Co Officer & Board Member (volunteer)
II I. The PD does not Conform to the Town of LG 2020 General Plan
In each section below, we describe why. The Present Application cannot be approved.
202 0 General Plan Section 2: Vision
+ Foster a pedestrian-oriented community with a small-town character;
Alberto Way has two commercial properties at its intersection with Hwy-9 presently and one at the end. We have
constant traffic issues with the speed of vehicles to and from the ·commercial property at the end . The principal problem
is that the curve between 420 and 401-409 + 43Siimits sight. When limited sight is combined with speed, there are
frequent near misses.
Residents from Alberto Way frequently walk to Town and must cross two dangerous Hwy 17 exit ramps. Fo liage severely
limits visibility to pedestrians and drivers, who cannot see pedestrians until they're within unsafe stopping distance.
There is no Hwy 17 exit ramp accident record described within the EIR .
The increased vehicular traffic generated by the PD disrupts our pedestrian use of both Hwy-9 and Alberto Way. We
have a large population of children and seniors. There is no alternate Pedestrian or vehicular exit from Alberto way .
Furthermore, the Proposed Development (PD) contains no provisions to address the dis ruption from higher vehicular
traffic volume after completion nor the purported 15-16 month construction disruption.
+ Be a full-service community that i s also environmentally sensitive;
The increased vehicular traffic during and after construction will bring increased air pollution to Alberto Way. The
construction itself will bring an increased level of air-borne allergens.
2020 General Plan Section 3: Land Use
+The mandates of the Safety Element are reflected in the designation and
location of land use, the permitted activities with in designated areas, and
the patterns of land use that support defensible space, the Town's contingency
plan, and fire and other hazard mitigation.
As noted our Vision comments, Pedestrian Safety is compromised both during construction since it blocks our use of the
sidewalk in front of 401-409 and after occupancy with the increased danger to pedestrians from the additional traffic it
generates.
The PD contains no design element to address the dangers it generates to pedestrian safety.
+Air quality is improved by land use patterns that minimize vehicle travel
within the Town.
The PD degrades air quality via the increased vehicular traffic it generates, a special threat to our seniors and children
+The Conservation Element goals address protecting and enhancing the
natural environment. Programs that retain natural features such as tree
preservation, limited grading, and water conservation maintain the natural
character of Los Gatos.
The PD removes many large mature trees & bushes, then replaces them with small ones.
+The Open Space Element refers to the location, character, and use of
parks, recreational facilities, and preserved, unimproved land .
The PD contains no significant open space that can be used recreationally by the public despite using about 1 of the 2+
acres for buildings.
+ Distribution, location, and extent of land uses for categories of public or
private uses . Such categories include, but are not limited to housing,
business, industry, open space, natural resources, recreation and enjoyment
of scenic beauty, education, and public buildings and grounds.
The PD is so high that it destroys the scenic beauty enjoyed by Alberto Way Residents , our Visitors, Best Western Guests
and employees of the local businesses.
Particularly hard hit are the 420 Alberto Way owners and residents whose "View Un it Condos" f ace Alberto Way; are
along 420's South drive near Alberto Way; o r are along the west side of 420's North Drive. All of these "View Units"
have scenic, sunlit views today that the PD would, if built, remove . Thi s situation also occurs at 435 Alberto where the
PD not only blocks theN . building's scenic sunlit views but also affords PD 's 2nd floor Tenants a view into their children's
bedrooms .
This will depress the market value of the "View Units," for which the PD does not propose to compensate owners.
The PD furthermore attempts to remove about a doze'n of "our" on-street parking spaces and LP Acquisitions, LLP
declines in meetings with us to provide any substitute parking to Alberto Way Residents. We already have on-street
parking congestion, which was made worse by the addition of Grill 57.
All but 2 of 420 & 435 Alberto Way's Visitors and many of their Residents use on-street parking: the on-street parking
was a design feature f Alberto Way.
+Population density and building intensity standards for land use designations
The PDs buildings are massive compared to what's there now and to the residential buildings in the area . Furthermore,
LP Acquisitions, LLP understates the number of employees the buildings can hold at 350. In reality, they are capable of
holding up to 746 and high tech companies are converting to the "bull pen" seating designs that allow this maximum
number.
The PD is therefore incompatible with the character of the Neighborhood and transform it from a low impact residential
community in an open space tucked away in a wooded area to a "concrete & glass jungle" dominated by a large
commercial space.
2020 Ge n eral Plan Section 4 Community De sign Element
The Town Council & Planning Commission would have heard a lot more from Alberto Way residents had LP Acquisitions,
LLC Development presented us with a rendering that was representative of the actual proposed structure earlier this
year when it held the first round of community meetings.
The PD does not conform to these Town of LG Policies :
Policy CD -1.1 Building elements shall be in proportion with those traditionally in the neighborhood.
At 93,000 sq . ft ., the PDs buildings are massive compared to what 's on the site now and what's in the neighborhood.
They are further proposed to be built so high that they deny us continued enjoyment of the neighborhood's mountain
views and depress property values in 420 Alberto Way's "View Units."
The Proposed Development (PD) is furthermore a significant departure from many of the Town's 2020 General Plan
goals, specifically:
Policy CD-1 .2 New structures, remodels, landscapes, and hardscapes shall be designed to harmonize and blend with the
' scale and rhythm o(the neighborhood and natural features in the area.
Policy CD-1.4 Development on all elevations shall be of high quality design and construction, a pos itive addition to and
compatible with the Town's ambiance. Development shall enhance the character and unique identity of ex isting
2020 General Plan Section 6: Transportation
Th e PD's Transportation Impact Analysis conta ins Errors, Understa tes Trip Generation and is Missing
Material Info
The PO can generate 4x-8x the Peak Vehicle Traffic vs. LP Acquisitions, LLC's Traffic Report and LP Acquisitions, LLC
shows no sensitivity traffic study
+Roadway System and Standards: Definitions and descriptions ofthe types of roadways and service standards for Los
Gatos.
The PD 's traffic study incorrectly illustrates the Peak Traffi c (Jams) at the Albe rto Way & Hwy 9 Intersection. This is
discussed below.
+ Existing Transportation Conditions: A description of traffic operations in los Gatos.
The PD contains no Peak Period vehicle flow chart for the interse ction of Hyw-17 & Hwy-9 and fails to show the Ful l Peak
Period traffic count at Hwy-9 & Alberto, either as a result or deliberately in combination. This is a condition of great
importance in the PDs approval. The Alberto & HWY-9 intersection, as well as Hwy-9 intersections with LGB, Hwy-17,
University and Santa Cruz are plagued with traffic jams in both Am and PM Rush Periods. This is discussed below.
+Other Transportation Networks and Facilities: Descriptions of bikeways and trails, truck routes , rail, bus, paratransit,
parking facilities, and pedestrian facilities.
The PD proposes no addition to the trailway system, which it could, to improve pedestrian passage over Hwy-17.
Furthermore, the current Hwy-17 Rail r e placem e nt will, if a sidewalk is placed and used by pedestrians, st ill require
pedestrians to cross dangerous and mostly blind free way exits.
The PD eleva t es Hwy-17 Traffic thereby increasing the danger to pedestrians as t hey cross the Hwy-17 e ntra n ce and
particularly exit lan es .
+Planned a nd Proposed Transportatio n Improvem ents: Des cription s of planned and propose d t ra nsportation
improvements for regional and local transportatio n infras tru cture in Los Gatos.
The PD fails to note the serious implications that the abse nce of any Co/trans Project to renovate or replace t he Hwy-
17 & Hwy-9/ntersec tion. The traffic generated by the PD will pu sh the Peak to unacceptable levels. The Peak, when
fully calculated taking into account the ACTUAL sum of Vehicle s entering the Intersection will push the Hwy-9 & Alberto
intersecti on from its current LOS, which is not presently a "B" as mis-represented in the Traffic Analysis to an even more
that fully congested level. The PD will cause Gridlock. This is fully discussed & illustrated below.
The PO, if Built, will permanently disable the Hwy-17 & Hwy-9/ntersection 's future replacement or renovation by
Caltran due to its inordinately costly requirement to condemn, purchase and remove a significant portion of the PD,
particularly the proposed 405 Alberto Way.
Hwy-17 has been named one on California's most dangerous roads due to its high traffic volume and its condition.
The Hwy-17 & Hwy-91ntersection was one of the earliest freeway intersections built in the US . Designed in the late
1930's and completed circa 1941, it was part of the Hwy-17 WW-11 defense construction intended to defend us against
Japanese invasion. The beaches of Monterey Bay are perfect amphibious landing zones, unlike much of the Bay area
coast. Concurrent with Hwy-17's completion, all the Santa Cruz Mountain tunnels were dynamited closed to prevent the
rail's use by invasion forces .
The Hwy-9 & Hwy-17 Intersection is in present need of renovation to convert the single lane sections on both ends to
two lanes in each direction. The PD leaves insufficient empty land to enable this with incurring extreme co st.
The Town of Los Gatos must require that a renovati on or replacement is completed prior to start of the PDs
construction.
+Goals, Pol i cies, and Actions: A list of goal, policy, and action statements that are intended to improve transportation
and circulation i n los Gatos .
As filed by LP Acquisition s, LLC, the PD generates more Traffic than the residential apartment PD in the North 40 that
was recently denied by the Planning Commission . Furthermore, LP Acquisitions, LLC misreprese nted to us in community
meetings that the Town of LG conducted th ~ traffic study. He xagon's report identified that Lamb (not LP Acqui sitions,
LLC) wa s its client, not the Town and verified thi s when interviewed (Ollie Zhou).
The traffic Report clearly shows evidence that any Development in Lo s Ga t os worsens already bad Hwy 17
Congestion
This Freeway Capacity and Level of Service grading table alone shows how bad the Los Gatos Area Hwy 17 is congested
and i s alone enough to prove that the Planned Development should be permanently rejected, along with all other
developments in los Gatos until Hwy 17 is widened by 1-21anes in each direction from X mile N of Hwy 85 to at least
Bear Creek Rd : and its intersections is improved. Pushing either or both rush hours to worse E or F Levels of Service,
which are already unacce ptable, is sheer f o lly. Hwy-17 accidents hit their highest level in dec ades:
http://www. m ercurynews.com/bay-area-n ews/ci 28416215/cras hes-h igh way-17-at-hig hest-level-decad e and los Gato s
traffic is at new heights, especially when School i s in sessi on .
Note how bad the Leve l of Service LOS) is on both sides of LG-Saratoga, Hhwy-9, on Hwy-17: The PD Traffic Analysi s
understa tes Peak trips it ge nerates and also fails to show the full number of ex its & entrances between Hwy-9 & Hwy-17
as illustrated in its Table from Page 19, Figure 7 of its' Traffic Analysis shown below after "Existing Traffic Volumes"
below or the Intersect io n's LOS shown in its Tabl e 4 .
Looking at AM trips into Alberto Way: Existing= 81 (69+11) and Proposed= 82 (70+12).
But the added trip count is far greater in Table 6 below, which shows added Peak Trips into the PO are 130 in the AM.
So based on Table 6, Proposed AM trips into Alberto Way= 211 (81 existing +130 extra) vs. the 1 added trip shown in
the traffic flow diagrams in Figure 7!
Likewise, Looking at PM trips exiting Alberto Way: Existing= 103 (32+71) and Proposed= 111 (75+36).
But the added trip count is far greater in Table 6 below, which shows added Peak Trips into the PO are 102 in the PM.
So based on Table 6, Proposed PM trips into Alberto Way= 208 (103 existing +105 extra) vs . the 8 added trips shown in
the trafficflow diagrams in Figure 7!
Table 6
Trip Generation Summary
AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour -----------------------------------Daily Oilily
Lane! Use Size Unit Rate lriPS Rate In Out Total Rate In Out Total
~Pr~t
Ollice 1 93.5 ksf 11 .03 1,031 1.94 159 22 181 1.96 31 152 183
Existing Site Driveway Colnts2
Ollce 30.0 ksf 11 .03 (331) (29} (13) (42) (34) (47) (81)
Project Trips net ~way Coll1ts 700 130 9 139 (3) 105 102
~
Al l rates are from: Institute ofTransportation Engineers , Trip Generation. 9th Edition
1. Land Use Code 710: General Olice Buildi ng (averag rates for daily trips, fitted curw equation br peak hour trips , tupressed in
trips per 1,000 sJ.)
2 . Existing site drtwwayoounts are based on drhewaycounts oonduded on Miy5,2015 during both the PM(7-9 AM) and PM(4~
PM) peak hours of commlde Irati c. Dally trips are estimated for eldsting oftice use using the dally trip oeneration rate for General
OC'Iice Building (awraoe rates , expressed in trips per 1,000 sJ.)
Turning now, to the AM Eastbound Hwy-9 & Alberto Rush Hour Traffic:
The PDs Traffic Analysis Table 4: (below) shows only the Hwy-17 to Hwy-9 Traffic Flows that exit Hwy-17 to Eastbound
Hwy-9: the other half, EB & WB Hwy-9 to Hwy-17 are MIA from this table: The MIA traffic f lows are needed to complete
the traffic study and their absence is suspicious. After Table 4, we show the EB Hwy-9 AM Rush error for the Existing
Traffic.
Table 4
Existing freeway Ramp Ana lysis
~
Pedk
k1t.efcllil~ Ramp T)Pe He~~ ~paciy, v~ z VIC
NBcm-rampf:om \\9 Los Ga:ns&~ Rd Oiapa' N., 2000 t153 Of.E
P.M 2000 10 17 0.51
SR 17 & Los G.ms· 5aCI1Hlln'.ptur'l \\9 Los Gas~ Rd loop /1M 1800 ttM O!-e ~~
53ramgaRd
PtA 1800 ~7~ 021 --
NSolf-ramp~ EB LM Gr.os-Saratopa Rd DiagcN No1 2000 379 O.t ~
PM 2000 125 0~
SB~~ to EB Lcs GliDs-Sva· R.d Loctp N.1 1800 1103 o.e
PM 1800 759 0 .42 -
Noll!s:
I. RaTipc;pacities W\'e'R ola.."ud tom~'! Highr.ayCap;Jc.1yMTI: al2D». and c:onsidefed lle frH..b speed, and tlt mmber a'
laMs en lheGTip .
2 . w(n;pea« hourw:umes are obta:ned f:'Om pet51)nil cctn~mt.~on w:!h CaJtans sa-J.Jo~Hn Chan on~ 17. 2nl ~.
Exist ing Traffic Error in PD Traffic Analysis: Alberto Way & Hwy-9
This is an example that illustrates the point.
AM Rush Hour Eastbound Hwv-9 (LGS Rd) count of vehicles arriving at the Alberto Way intersection:
Exi sting vehicles entering the EB Hwy-9 Intersection at Alberto Way as shown in the Traffic Study's Figure 6 above, for
the intersection of CA-9 & Alberto page 14 figure 6 = 796+69+22 = 887
Vs: Sum of EB Vehicles arriving at the Hwy-9 & Alberto Intersection after exi ting from CA-17NB to CA -9 EB + CA 17S to
CA9EB shown in Table 4+Vehicles leaving University EB on CA9 from Figure 6:
= 379 (NB CA17 to EB9) + 1103 (SB17 to EB9) + 944 (from University)= 2,372
This is lower than present traffic since Table 6 uses the old 2013 NB & SB CA -17 to EB9 Caltrans Counts obtained from
Jordan Chan 9-17-15 as stated by Hexagon's Ollie Zhou.
PM Rush Hour Eastbound CA 9 (LGS Rd) count of vehicles arriving at the Alberto Way intersection:
Shown in the Traffic Study, for the intersection of CA-9 & Alberto figure 6 = (68+807+34) = 909
Vs: Sum of Vehicles entering the CA9EB & Alberto Intersection exiting from CA-17NB to CA-9EB + CA 17S to CA9EB +
Leaving University EB on CA9 = 125 + 758 + 1193 (leaves Univ: 35 + 1048 + 94) = 2,076
There is no Tabl e in the report that contains the EB Hwy 9 count of vehicles leaving University that exit f ro m HWY-9 to
Hwy 17 South or North, figures that a re needed to fact che ck the EB Hwy 9 traffic that is r eported to flows from Hwy-17
to Alberto. These exits are the only missing data, a too convenient omission . This appears to be a deliberate omi ssion. It
further appears that revi se d pages 13 & 14 were pasted into the Appendix H Traffic Analysis w ithout r e-pag inat ing, an
observation we find suspicious and we wonder if the originals sh ow ed the m uch h igher traffic flow s we expect based on
the Hwy-17 Ru sh Hour Exits to Hwy-9.
If the Town does not permanently reject The Proposed Development, the Traffic Study must be re-done with
updated 2016 Hwy-17 freeway traffic shortly after the start of the LG local school sessions in late August I early
September.
The PD Traffic Analysis describes the present EB Hwy-9 AM Rush gridlock:
Alberto Way and Los Gatos-Saratoga Road
During the AM peak perio!l, heavy traffic volume was obsefved only on the eastbound leg of Los G atos-
Saratoga Road. There was spillback from the downstream intersection on Los Gatos-Saratoga Road at
Los Gatos Boulevard. As a result, the inner eastbound throu!Jh lane on Los Gatos-Sarafo!Ja Road queues
to the SR 17 southbound on-ramp, and the outer easlliound through lane on Los Gatos-Saratoga Road
queues onto the SR 17 northbound off-ramp. Because of the spil!back issue from Los Gatos Boulevard,
the eastbound through movement on Los Gatos-Saratoga Road requires severo! signal cycles to clear
the q ueue.
During the PM peak period, the westbound through movement on Los Go1os-Saratoga Road receives
moderate queues that extend toward the location of the Bela Vista Avenue overpass, but all clear within
one signal cyde. No o ther operational issues were observed.
In addition to the highly errored count of EB Hwy-17 arrivals shown above, since the Eastbound Hwy-9 spillback backs up
from LG Blvd to block the exit to NB Hwy-17, it means that the Level of Service at Alberto Way cannot be a "B" nor any
better than LGB or Hwy-17, which is not addressed at all.
All Los Gatos Residents who use EB Hwy-9 in the AM Rush are acutely aware of the congestion .
Furthermore, LP Acqui si tions, LLP fails to note in this description that CA-9 ha s its right hand lane blocked at each end of
the HWY-17 Overpass, is one lane immediately before and after the overpa ss or that the PD will generate enough traffic
to make the gridlock much worse during the rush period :
Los Gatos-Saratoga Road (SR 9} is a f our lane arterial roadway adjacent to the project sHe. II extends
from Los Gatos Boulevard in a northwesterly direction. At the town booodarv of Los Gatos and Monte
Sereno, it changes name to Saratoga-Loa Gatos Road. Saratoga-Loa Gatos Road transitions to
Sarato;a-Sunnyvale Road at the intersection of Big Basin Way (wroth is the continuation or SR 9) and
Saratoga Avenue. los Gatos-SaratoDa Roacl has a median that begins e ast of the SR 17 interchan1Je
and continues to Masso! Avenue. Los Gatos-Saratoga Road forms the southern bounda.y of the project
site.
And with Alberto's placement on Hwy-9 between University and LG Blvd, whose LOSs are shown below from Tables 5 &
8 to be C and D respect ively, the Alb erto & Hwy-9 intersec tion i s surely not a "B" LOS either "now" or "as proposed ."
Raw Traffic Data Files from the May 12, 2015 St u dy have been deleted and are no longer available for
scrutiny
We interviewed Mr. Mark Skaggs at IDAX, the company that He xagon hired to do the Intersection level traffic study. He
said the counts may or may not have been done via video recordings and M i ovision software ana lysis . When asked for a
copy of the Videos IDAX took during the traffic count study, he disclosed that if they used video counts, they had already
deleted the video files .
We object to this Traffic Analysis use as a basis to even vote on this PD. The results of the Traffic Study differ so far from
our daily reality for the Study to be true, especially when school is in session.
Changes need to be made to the Hwys-17 & 9 Intersection to prevent Gridlock
Rush traffic from the higher than shown by LP Acquisitions, LLC vehicle counts from the PD would back vehicles wa i ting
for left turn into Alberto from EB Hwy-9 up far enough as block the current EB exits from Hwy 17 on to Hwy 9.
Regardless of Left Turn Signal Timing, not all the left turners will make it into the left turn lane and they will then jam the
current single lane approach, backing traffic up on Nand S Hwy 17 worse than currently occurs .
Here is an illustration of how the Intersection needs to be modified:
Extend the current HWY 9 right hand lanes from between where they end at the loops Alberto to unblock the
congestion the two short single lane sections cause .
This allows enough room to extend the Eastbound HWY 9 left turn lane into Alberto Way
Reconfigure the Hwy-17 N to Hwy 9 diagonal so that it merges close r to the light at Alberto to allow Hwy-9
Eastbound v ehicles to move around the left turners at peak rush when the ex tended left turn lane is filled.
Extend the Hwy-17 Ramp so it enters Hwy-9 closer to Alberto.
Re-configure the Hwy-17N to Hwy-9 We st loop as well as the Hwy-9 West to Hwy-17 N diago nal to allow Hwy-17
to Hwy-9 traffic to safely enter HWY-9
The simple red lines outline the changes .
Now to address the other source of AM Congestion not discussed in any Traffic Report by either the Town of LG or LP
Acquisitions, LLC Partners: SB17 traffic is already congested and backed up at both CA 9 exits (EB & WB) on many
mornings by the LG workers Rush.
It is our observation that the CA17 & CA9 intersection needs to be rebuilt and that no improvements should be allowed
on any properties adjacent to the Intersection until this is thoroughly vetted with CaiTrans.
Allowing this PD would add millions to the intersection renovation when it would need to be demolished within a few
short years for LG & Saratoga Area decongestion.
Sensitivity Study elements that need to be added
At 92,000 (+/-)square feet, the PD has the capacity to house as many as 746 employees and as few as the 350 that LP
Acquisitions, LLC proposes. The peak traffic generated by the 1 or 2 large high tech tenants Lam targets is more likely to
be spread over a Peak% or Yz Hour rather than the 2 hour Rush that Lam presents . Lam asserts that that many of the
Employees in the PD will not be driving to the PD and will instead use busses and that the Tenant or two will not have
any specific required work start time.
This is folly if the targeted tenants are really 1-2 high tech companies.
lam does not understand that the large high tech companies it targets have pre-defined work hours that generate 30 to
45 minute peak traffic intervals. Typical is that a company with an 8:30 start time: at 8AM the parking lot is nearly empty
and by 8 :30AM it's nearly full. And vice versa full at SPM quitting time and nearly empty at 5:30PM.
LP Acquisition LLC understates Traffic by presenting only the fewest employees and longest rush period
This is a well known phenomenon amongst those of us who traffic engineer high tech networks. The lower the traffic
and the longer the peak demand is averaged, the better the overall traffic LOS appears while at the same time, the LOS
during the Peak is still awful. So we use very small time periods over which to evaluate the peaks.
When applied to Vehicular Traffic, the better measure of Peak Period LOS is more like count the traffic flows and
calculate the LOS for every 5 or 10 minute interval and report on them.
If the phone network was done LP Acquisition LLC's way, you'd wait for Yz second to hear dial tone at lAM and 4
minutes at lOAMI
This also appears to be a flaw in the ITE's methodology.
With no sensitivity study of the trips generated by the complete range of employees occupying the PD and of the width
in minutes of the Peak Period, there is no known limit to the Peak Traffic nor the "to be generated Infrastructure Capex
needed to be made long after LP Acquisition LLC has completed the construction, sold the building and left" the Town of
Los Gatos holding the Capex bag and its Residents all over Town steaming in the congestion caused by not requiring
Infrastructure First.
LP Acquisition LLC told res idents of 420 Alberto that the PD contains 350 parking spaces and told the Commons its 390
spaces. LP Acquisition LLC proposes to remove about a dozen spaces from our street parking and making none of the PD
parking available to Alberto Way residents or visitors. We object.
W e di sagr e e and note that an official work start tim e compresses the rush hour into 15-30 minute window s.
Number of Employees: 425
Layout Efficiency: Typical
Extraordinary Space : 0 sf
Usable Square Footage Indicated : 93500 sf
Powered by:
DFFICEF'INDERo
lfltOII fiAliOt. jUiD l rffi!IIA I HIJWOJtt.
Office Space Layo ut 4 -401-405 Alberto Rd = 375 employees: "Spacious Rule of Thumb" layout
This is about what LP Acquisitions, LLC assumes in its 350 employee occupancy estimate.
Rule of Thumb Method
Number of Employees: 375
Layout Efficiency: Spacious
Extraordinary Space: 0 sf
Usable Square Footage Indicated: 93750 sf
Trip Count Sensitivity Study
Powered by :
1 ..... {11 -'fl 1-
0FFIC F'II~U!3EAo
l tl~b)lt.IA11 Cit.l A~D .'ollt:F F!illAl t'n'WORK
LP Acquisitions, LLC's traffic generation assertions conveniently omit the sensitivity study which are easily calculated by
compressing the trips generated by the much more likely larger number of employees compressed into a more likely 30
-45 minute wide "busy X or Yz hour" as employees at companies with set starting times for the start of business.
Here is what's omitted . For LG to make a decision without it would be highly undesirable for the Residents of the Town
of LG who will suffer deeper traffic inconvenienc that today until the financially risky improvements are made by The
Town itself to deal with the traffic by making costly widening to LG Blvd so its capacity can wick the AM Eastbound flow
from Hwy-9 and very expensive for CaiTrans in the renovation or replacement of the Hwy-9 & Hwy-17 intersection
IV. Conclusion: Please deny the Application
Jennifer Armer
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Dear Jennifer ,
Victoriya Rufanova <rufavic@gmail.com >
Wednesday, August 03, 2016 10:03 PM
Jennifer Armer
Planning; jpeterson@bayareanewsgroup.com
AGAINST ***Proposed Construction I Development project on 401-405 Alberto Way
(near Los Gatos Saratoga Road I HWY 9 and HWY 17 I East Los Gatos Exit)***
As Los Gatos resident of Alberto way street I want to express my deepest concerns and opposition against of
recently proposed Construction I Development project on 401-405 Alberto Way. After careful consideration of
materials on www .401 albertoway.com it seems like the project does not take into account needs of current
residents. Traffic, privacy and day-to-day accommodation for elderly and younger neighbors are not properly
addressed.
With expected size of the project (about 400 new cars for small space of Alberto way and new building about
90,000 sq.ft) and almost 2 years to complete it will be extremely unsafe for kids and older residents to use their
everyday routs to schools and surrounding parks, library, downtown businesses.
Increased amount construction and business traffic will make morning school route out of Alberto way toward
Van Meter Elementary, Fisher Middle and High schools for at least 40 kids very dangerous since there are no
adequate pedestrian way away from proposed construction and traffic on Saratoga Los Gatos Rd. As
Transportation Impact Analysis indicates there are no good bike trail in or out Alberto way for less then
experienced cyclists. This situation will become worse for elementary and middle school students using bikes or
waking to school daily as soon as project will start.
Currently, walkway on Saratoga Los Gatos Rd is very unsafe. The pedestrian side way is very narrow, goes
steep uphill, and too close to car road. Some part of walkway has quite uneven pavement that presents a tripping
hazard. The side way is only on one part of the road and there is neither bike lane nor lawn to separate the
pedestrian part from the car road. The road itself is especially extremely busy at tqe morning hours with all two
lanes of the cars rushing down to HW 17. There is a true danger of getting right on the road in front of the cars
should someone trip. Kids often ride bikes or scooters. They walk this part of the road but they have a bike/scooter to push which
makes narrow and uneven pavement an additional danger to them. During rainy season that gets even worse as th e path becomes quite
slippery and passing by cars make the pools splash to the pavement and pedestrians. Proposed construction will increase dramatically
morning traffic and danger for kids and other pedestrians using this route.
Suggestions to consider:
1 -Down-scaling of proposed construction can help to keep safe or kids and neighbors.
2 -Add safe pedestrian crossing on Alberto way for kids and elder residents before any construction.
3 -Remodel pedestrian side way on Saratoga Los Gatos Rd to make it safe for walking and biking student
residents.
4-Additionally, an alternative path going Alberto Way , Maggi Ct, Bella Vista Ave., Caldwell Ave and then Los Gatos Blvd can
be helpful. Howe ver that route has a piece of the road on Maggi Ct. that is gated and seems to be unavailable for general publi c.
I expect to see your answers regarding proposed project danger for younger and older residents of Alberto way.
Thank you for your time, consideration, and help.
1
Sincerely,
Victoriya Rufanova
435 Alberto way, #5
Los Gatos, CA
2
Dear Planner,
I live at 420 Alberto Way, Unit 4-directly across the street from the proposed development at 401-409
Alberto Way. I am submitting this letter in opposition of the proposed project for the reasons listed
below:
Size, Location and Mass of proposed buildings:
When attend ing the first open house that was hosted by the developers at the beginning of this year, I
spent over an hour asking detailed questions about the plan and reviewing the story boards that showed
the mockups of the proposed buildings with them. I clearly expressed my concern to them about how
tall the buildings would be, given the main feature that solidified the decision to purchase my condo was
the peaceful patio view of the landmark trees and hills that this town is known for. I was told, and
shown, how the buildings that were being proposed would be constructed within the existing building
locations, that the building on the Hwy 9 side would be raised to match the current height of the
adjacent building in the back of the lot on the Hwy 17 side, and that both buildings would be up to but
not more than a handful of feet taller than the current highest point.
Last month, story poles were constructed to illustrate the size and scope of the project, and this
portrayal was a complete mismatch of what was communicated back in that Open House. The building
that is on the Hwy 9 side is not only towering far into the sky, but it is expanded right all the way out
across the parking lot to approximately triple the current width, hugging the curb along Alberto way.
The result of this, as you can imagine, is that now all of the residents in units located on the Alberto Way
street side and/or upper units of the neighboring complexes are greeted with views of a sea of Orange
from some or all of their windows. In my case , it is all of them, including my once magical mountain and
su nset patio view. I have included pies so you can get a small taste of the looming ugliness that I am
currently forced to wake up to every morning, and go to bed with every night.
I purchased my condo in June of 2011, and for over 5 years I have come home to a serene sunset that
has literally been my fleeting piece of sanity during challenging or stressful times. I have hundreds of
pictures that I have taken of my patio sunset view that have been posted to Social Media and shared
with friends and family over those 5 years, and it is one of the key moments of my day that reminds me
just how blessed I am to live in this gorgeous town. The height, mass and layout of the proposed
development is completely inappropriate and out of line with the values and features that make this
town so unique and attractive to live in. It will negatively impact the value of our homes, taking away
the main selling point for all of us who reside in the front or upper hill-facing sides of the complex. This
is a tiny, quiet cui de sac within a tiny gorgeous mountain town ... that is why we all chose to invest in
building our lives here, and we want to keep it that way.
Traffic and Parking:
Living here on Alberto way, one of the daily plea sures and convenien ces was always having plenty of
options for street parking due to the composition of the street and neighboring complexes. With the
recent redevelopment of the Inn of Los Gatos and the Grill 57 opening, that street parking ha s already
been inhibited by hotel and restaurant employees, forcing those of us who relied on a street spot into
vacant lot spots. While I understand this is not a good solution in itself, since those lots are likely not
going to remain vacant, it is the reality at this point. With the new proposed development at 401-409
now, they are looking to remove most ofthe r emaining street spots and move all of the current business
lot parking into underground parking structures. This will further challenge the reside nts to have options
for where to park , many of which have pets, children or are senior citizens. This will cause more
congestion and potentially more accidents as peop le are trying to maneuver in and out of the driveways
to find scarce parking .
I also find it extremely concerning that during the la st Open House a few weeks ago, the developers
mentioned about 3 times how "not one of their other developments uses more than around half of the ir
allotted parking structures/spaces". This comment was made whi le they were showcasing how they
planned to target "Green" companies who will "bus in" their employees, trying to make a point that it
won't cause as much of a traffic mess if that was accomplished. However, it was on the heels of another
conversation where they had claimed they couldn't put any part of the buildings underground because
this space was all needed for the parking structures. So they can't put a level of the bu i ldings
underground to drop the height of the current proposed structures because they need all of that space
to build underground parking lots that will then only be 50% occupied?!... this is a complete wa ste of
space and contradiction of statements.
Traffic wise, Hwy 9 already gets completely backed up every time there is any tiny hiccup of traffic
anywhere else in the town-it is a domino effect that ripple s from Hwy 9 both directions out to LG Blvd
and University, and then back down to Main Street where they both connect again . In addition , anytime
Southbound Hwy 17 gets backed up (which is all the time), it backs up those trying to get onto the clover
turn entrances, and then backs up all the way up and down Hwy 9, causing the same aforementioned
ripple effect in a circle around downtown. This will al so negatively impact the value of our homes as it
will create a living environment of spiked traffic, daily congestion and parking challenges .
Safety:
Safety wise , to consider constructi ng a 90K + square foot office co m plex and tripli ng the car influx during
peak rush hour times will make th is area on and around Alberto Way a complete danger zone to live in.
The intersection at Alberto Way and Hwy 9 is already dangerous w ith cars flyi ng downhill and often
blowing through the light without looking to rush onto the freeway. Alberto Way is saturated with
families with little children and seniors who walk to downtown or up to Hwy 9 regularly, and this
additional traffic and congestion at the Alberto and 9 intersection will drastically increase the risk of
them be ing hit or injured as a result of speeding, frustrated motori sts .
In terms of emergencies, this huge influx of congestion on and around Alberto way on a daily ba sis will
make it an o bstacle for emergency vehicle s to navigate through sh ould there be a house call that needs
their attention. There have been numerous times when ambulances, fire trucks and pol ice cars have
been called to various re sidences on the street-w ith a Senior complex and a many small ch i ldre n, this i s
not an uncommon occurrence. Wh at will happen wh en emergency vehicles need to get down Alberto
Wa y and people are double parked or backed up around ea ch other tryi ng to get o n or off t he street
during pe ak commute hours? How will the em ergen cy vehicles get to those who are in n eed ? There is
no other entrance or exit onto Alberto way, so the only avenue on or off of it is via Hwy 9 ... this is a
recipe for disaster. It will also negatively impact the value of our homes, creating an unsafe environment
that young families and senior citizens will no longer find appealing.
Noise, Air Quality, and Machinery:
Those of us who have been living here for the past 5 years have spent the majority of that t i me living
through the construction, noise and mess that accompanied the hotel and restaurant remodel-the last
stage of which just finally concluded a mere 3 months ago . To propose another complete overhaul of
demolition, dust, noise, mess, and large equipment barreling in and out of the streets for another 6
months to a year is go i ng to push people to a breaking poi nt . I do believe that the result of the Inn of Los
Gatos hotel and Grill 57 remodels are appropriate, tasteful and add to the beauty of the street and
surroundings, but we just f i nally got our pea ceful quiet street back-we haven't had any time to enjoy it
yet. This project not only will take away from those same qualities, but it will also be another onslaught
of noise and chaos for who knows how long. In addition, many of us work from home part time-several
of which have street side units-and the noise is d istracting and debilitating to our ability to be
productive and get our jobs done effectively when working at home.
I could go on for pages more, but I'm sure there will be plenty of other letters from local residents that
will touch on the other concerns that I have missed or not addressed here. On behalf of the residents of
this beloved town who will be negatively impacted by this project due to the concerns listed in this
letter, I beg you please do not approve the proposed development as submitted at 401-409 Alberto
Way. This is a matter of our safety, our sanity, our peace of mind, and our quality of life. We truly love
the serenity of our homes and the beauty of this town ... please help us keep that feeling alive .
Thank you for taking the time to review this letter of opposition,
Sincerely,
Nichole Anne Rolle
420 Alberto Way, Unit 4
Jennifer Armer
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Nickie Rolle <nickie_rolle@yahoo.com >
Wednesday, August 03, 2016 10:27 PM
Jennifer Armer
Planning
Re: Lette r of Opposition for 401-409 Alberto Way Development Proposal
To accompany the letter I just sent in, I forgot to attach the pictures referenced in the first section-please see below for
views from each of rpy kitchen and living room windows :
1
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank
2
3
4
5
Jennifer Armer
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Hi Jennifer,
Susan Cahn <susancahn@earthlink.net>
Thursday, August 04, 2016 2:12 AM
Jennifer Armer
planning@losgatoca.gov; susancahn@earthlink.net
Request for the Los Gatos Planning Department to vote against the 401-405 Alberto
Way -Construction I Development project
I have sent you several emails regarding my opposition to the development and construction project on 401-405 Alberto
Way.
I have been a resident of Los Gatos for over 40+ years. (I don 't want my residence or contact number included in any
public documents. As you know,llive at Las Casitas on Alberto Way.)
I am very tired of all of the increasing traffic and congestion in downtown Los Gatos I HWY 17 Corridor and the many
surrounding streets, and I strongly oppose the newly proposed 401-405 Alberto Way development /construction project.
As a matter of fact, I would like to ask the Los Gatos Planning Department to institute a moratorium on large scale new
construction and development projects on Alberto Way (in general and especially on 401-405), in the surrounding streets
in Los Gatos, in residential areas in Los Gatos, and as well as the North Forty project until the town and the state
government can come up with some suitable solutions to rectify the current traffic pandemonium in Los Gatos , which has
eliminated the enjoyment of living and driving in Los Gatos.
Los Gatos can't survive an increase in traffic and congestion due to the long estimated construction project and the
completed development on 401-405 Alberto Way. I strongly hope the current plan to demolish all existing office units
/buildings and parking and to rebuild from scratch the office units /buildings and a new underground parking structure for
only employees and visitors-383 underground parking spots and 7 surface parking spaces, will not be approved by the
Los Gatos Planning Department on 8/10/16.
My understanding and analysis of the recent discussion (7/25/16) and email exchanges that I had with you indicates that
the traffic and congestion would dramatically increase due to the following:
-There is only one proposed entrance and one proposed exit to the proposed 383 private underground parking spots
increasing from -120 current parking spots .
-The proposed office space would increase from 3 buildings totaling 31,000 sq. ft. to 2 newly constructed buildings total i ng
91 ,965 sq. ft.
Therefore, it is hard to believe that Los Gatos could survive at least 3+ times as much traffic at the center of town and at
the key entrance to HWY 17 and HWY 9 , etc.
The following are some key areas that I believe would definitely be affected by the new construction project and the
completed project at 401-405 Alberto Way:
-The ingress and egress access and parking on a very busy narrow corridor located at the central apex of Los Gatos.
-Increase of trucks and cars to and from the new office complex during the construction and after the project is completed
will definitely prevent a timely access for all Los Gatos residents to downtown Los Gatos and the surrounding streets (i.e.,
Highway 17 corridor , Los Gatos-Saratoga Road , Los Gatos Blvd., University Avenue, North Santa Cru z I Winchester,
Main Street, etc.) and efforts to drive to and from work , to numerous surrounding private and public schools, commercial I
retail shopping , recreation, local dining, etc.
-Potential key revenue loss for local businesses; residents may elect to do errands, shop or dine out, etc .• in other local
towns to avoid traffic delays, loss of time, and frustration .
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-Very big potential safety hazard ; Alberto Way only has one entrance and ex it on Saratoga Sunnyvale Road directly
adjacent to HWY 17 at the East Los Gatos ex it; there is no additional outlet. There are four large key residential
communities on Alberto Way; for example , residents for one of the complexes have to be at least 55 where there are
-110 condos units; these senior residents frequently walk Or:l Alberto Way. In addition, the other 3 residential communities
have numerous residents , families, and children who walk and ride bikes , etc on Alberto way and on HWY 9 and the
surrounding streets . Residents and neighbor~ood dogs on Alberto Way and the surrounding streets in Los Gatos could be
at a much greater risk of being hit by construction trucks and additiona l cars. For example, currently Las Casitas has
families with 21 children. It is very concerning to think that the entrance to the underground parking garage would be
d irectly adjacent and close proximity to the only ex it and entrance at Las Casitas . There would be an e xtreme increase in
traffic, pedestrian and bike accidents. People currently speed every day when I travel on HWY 9 to turn on to Alberto Way
from Los Gatos Blvd . or on Alberto Way. I have to vigilantly look in my rear view mirror every time I drive down HWY 9
before turning onto Alberto Way, and numerous people run the lights at Alberto Way and HWY 9 . I am extremely
concerned about how all of the 390 drivers would safely fit onto Alberto Way and how they would safely merge to make a
left into the parking garage on the property crossing residents on A lberto Way and other drivers who are trying to leave
Alberto Way. The proposals fo r additional turn lanes and /or a light that is triggered by drivers ,won 't provide the solutions
to eliminate the traffic gridlock, long delays or prevent potential accidents that would affect all res idents , business owners
and patrons of Los Gatos. I am very concerned about how residents from Las Casitas and Pueblo de Los Gatos will be
able to safely get out of their driveways because of all of the merging traffic. Residents will have to wait to safely get out of
their driveways , which would also create big t ime delays and loss of revenue for many or emergency situations when
trying to get to the doctor or vet or when there is a serious health emergency.
-There would no longer be a chance for peaceful and qu iet enj oyment for many of ou r town's residents and families for
the local and surrounding Los Gatos residents .
-This project would lower residential property values on Alberto way due to increased traffic and noise from construction ,
height of the structures, loss of privacy, which would affect the values of similar residential properties in general in Los
Gatos PUDs /SFRs, condos , townhouses, retirement condos units, especially within a mile radius (or more) when used for
comparable for appraisals and real estate transactions.
-Would cause an extreme increase in pollution and poor air quality due to the demolition, construction, and increased
traffic. Many residents have allergies and asthma, and all Alberto Way's residents especially the senior citizens at the
Commons health would be very negatively affected. For example, a number of senior residents use additional oxygen or
have to walk on Alberto way for exercise, and many can no longer drive.
-Important street public parking has been proposed to be removed which would negatively affect residents , their guests
and attendees to the restaurant. There is already a shortage of parking on Alberto Way, and the developer has only
designated parking to be private on 401 -405 Alberto Way.
-The local skyline /view of the mountains would be eliminated from many residents and would kill existing trees located
directly next to the property at Las Casitas , if roots were to be damaged due to the proposed demolition and construction .
-The scale and size of the project dramatically goes against the standard look and feel for Los Gatos and for Alberto Way.
The proposed property is so tall that the privacy of adjacent residents at Las Casitas would be eliminated since people in
the office building would be able to look directly into residents at Las Casitas yards, bedrooms, and the parking lot.
-Many residents on Alberto Way are raising families and /or work from their homes so the noise from the construction and
the additional noise from the cars and parking garage would be extremely negative and destroy the tranquil enjoyment
that residents can have in their homes . I have been telecommuting /working from home for many years so I may have to
move or find an office space, wh ich I don't think I could afford .
-Possible rodent and termite infestations/displacement in neighboring residences.
-It appears that the traffic report/ analysis posted on 401 Alberto Way.com was grossly understated and must not account
for the current resident ial and freeway traffic in Los Gatos.
-It appears that the developer has dramatically overestimated the amount of space that most companies allocate today to
each worker since many companies employ bullpen environments where employees typically work very closely together.
Therefore, there is a great poss ibility that a lot more people would be hired and attempt to get 390 parking spots and bike
parking , which could create a lot of additional traffic when the parking garage is full especially during prime commuting or
lunch hours , etc . Additionally I think it is unaccepta ble for location to bus people in like they do at companies like Google ,
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Intel , etc., again creating additional traffic jams, delays and accidents, etc.
-There would most likely be an increase of crime with the influx of workers, employees, and people with the construction
and completed project to Alberto Way.
Residents of Alberto Way bought their homes and have been renting on Alberto Way to enjoy the quiet family and
neighborly environment. We did not decide to move to Alberto Way to live in the midst of a large commercial development
that would block traffic, create an extreme potential for accidents and safety hazards, and dramatically affect traffic for all
of Los Gatos residents . I think it is unacceptable to destroy the quality of life for all Los Gatos residents for the profit of one
developer to increase office space for the town , when the town already has sufficient office space available , and I don't
believe the town can afford to pay a lot of money to try to make room for this project.
I sincerely thank you and the Planning Department for your time, help, and consideration.
Best regards,
Susan Cahn
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Jennifer Armer
Subject: RE: 401 -409 Alberto Way Development
From: Brian Wynn [mailto :brian .wvnn83@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2016 9:55 PM
To: Planning
Subject: 401-409 Alberto Way Development
My name is Brian Wynn, and I'm a resident ofthe Pueblo de Los Gatos complex located at 420 Alberto Way.
I wanted to write to you in regards to the proposed construction across the street from my home. I understand
that many of the impacts have been laid out in the Environmental Impacts
document: http://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenterN iew/1 5661, however, many of the concerns of the
local residents along our small residential street are not effectively construed in this evaluation.
I'm interested in expressing my concern for the residents of our neighborhood, because that's exactly what this
street is when you drive down here. We are a neighborhood flanked by commercial developments along HWY 9
and the business complexes that are down at the end of Alberto Way. This is a neighborhood, or at least, it sure
seems like it considering all of the people living here. My concern is for the safety and the long term impacts
that having a construction crew work on this site for the duration of the proposed 18 month development. I'm
worried about the increased traffic on our small, residential street-during construction and after. We have a lot
of young families living on thi s street, with children frequently out playing in common areas. There are pets, a
senior living facility. This is a small community that we have nestled down Alberto Way. What considerations
have been taken for us?
How will this proposed building and it's construction not have a direct impact on the residents here ? What will
happen to the property values along our street as commercial buildings go up and more construction takes
place? Do you think they will go up? What are future plans for our neighborhood? Further commercial
development? What is this part of town going to be zoned as? Because right now, the infrastructure currently in
place sure seems to be designed as a residential zone, yet commercial development (first with the motel lot's
expansion, also on the comer of HWY 9) continues.
Needless to say, I am not in support of this proposed development. From the details laid out in the
Environmental Impact report , and from our recent experience with the expansion of the motel, this development
doesn 't make sense for our neighborhood. Los Gatos is a small town.
Regards,
Brian Wynn
brian. w ynn83 @gmail.com
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Jennifer Armer
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Jennifer,
Lewis Darrow <arlxd777@gmail.com>
Thursday, August 04, 2016 9:57 AM
Jennifer Armer
Lewis Darrow
401-405 Alberto Way Planning Comments
Thank you for the planning information.
Questions and concerns for the Planning Meeting on August 10,2016.
Concern: The site and limited access to and from Alberto Way-Highway 9.
Problem: Congestion during commute hours and lunch .
Major additional truck traffic to build and provide ongoing building support and services .
Addition of 300 plus underground parking adds a pinch point to an already bad traffic situation which will create
delay.
Potentially 2 narrow lanes turning right onto highway 9 with merge and back up problems for Alberto way.
Problem: Access and stacking on Alberto way
How is traffic controlled going into and out of the underground parking. Where do trucks go.
Problem: Large truck traffic during construction and ongoing building support.
Concern: Construction site acce ss not large enough or layed out to support excavation, soils off hauls and concrete pours for
two story underground parking.
Cranes & concrete trucks, dirt, noise , dust, heavy equipment, vibrations, street damaage, parking elimination just
for the new construction will create a constant problem for residents creating a dangerous pedestrian and vehicular
condition, major traffic delays and problem to an already limited access street.
There is one access point to Alberto Way. This major construction project at the access point will gridlock the traffic
creating
a congested and dangerous merge point.
Pede strians on the sidewalk in front of the building at peak merge times will have difficulty safely crossing the path of
300 plus cars and service vechicles entering and exiting the building.
Sincerely,
Lewis Darrow
Owner and resident at 449 Alberto Way.
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Jennifer Armer
To: J Scott
Subject: RE: Keep our SMALL TOWN CHARM-Say no to 401-409 Alberto Way
From: J Scott <gatosbella@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 10:58 AM
Subject: Keep our SMALL TOWN CHARM-Say no to 401 -409 Alberto Way
To: JAnner@ losgatosca.gov
Cc: J annette Scott <gatosbella@me.com>
Dear Planning Commission;
I respectuflly request you de
ny
the proposal/ application to demolish a 33,000 sq ft office building, and replace it with 90,000+ sq ft office building
at the comer of Los Gatos Saratoga Rd (Highway 9) & 401 -409 Alberto Way . Our little street/ neighborhood just
lived through 5+ years of construction at the Best Western and adjoining office space, and then Grill 57. We have
seen our street overun with constructio n traffic (d elaying our traveling to dropping children at school or traveling to
and from work), contrucition noise( di sruptive to those who have home offices or animals and children at home), I
have lived on Alberto Way for 20 years and have been concerned with the speed of traffic and amount o f cars on
this curvy, narrow, dead end street. Much of the speeding traffic is heading t o and from work in the office complex
at the end of Alberto Way, but we also have several teenagers who like to u se the stret as a race track. Through the
years the neighborhoo d has grown to include many families with children who use the sidewalks and grassy areas in
front of our complex to ride their bikes, walk their dogs or just run around o n the grass and be kids. Furthermore,
we have a huge 55+ community called the Los Gatos Commons and who for some a walk to the stop light at
comer( of where this project sits),is their only o uting of the day. They chose Los Gatos as theri place t o retire
b ec asue o f our small town charm. Please don't take this from them.
Reasons to d eny 401 -409 Alberto Way:
1. Size, Mass & Orientation; not conducive to neighborhood. Robs neighbood of sunlight, view. safety &
small town charm.
2. Safety-Alberto Way is full with Children, Seniors & Animals. I fear for their safety with increased traffic &
impact on our air quality.
3. Traffic-Alberto way is a narrow, curvy, dead end street that simply can't handle more traffic. As it i s, we
need speed bumps to slow the traffic entering Alberto at LG/Saratoga Road (downhill slope)
4 . Noise;: Many o f us have home o ffices and the noise will impact our ability to conduct normal business
5. Red Light Violaters: Traffic traveling west on LG /Saratoga Road from LG Blvd, are traveling at downhill
speed and often, very often can't brake quick enough when light turns ye llow, so they jus t pass through the
red light hoping no one notices . Many of u s w h o have witnessed accidents through the year s are wise to this
so we're extra vigilent wh en trying to exit Alberto Way. A dding any amounts of cars to this location , even
with a dedicated tum lane , will add traffic and pedestrian safety issues.
T hank you for you con sideration.
]annette Scott
420 Alberto Way #1 8
Los Gatos, CA 95032
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