Item 03 - 11 N. Santa Cruz Ave - Desk Item & Exhibit 10TOWN OF LOS GATOS ITEM NO: 3
DESK ITEM PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: October 14,2015
PREPARED BY:
APPLICATION NO:
LOCATION:
APPLICANT:
PROPERTY OWNER:
Jocelyn G. Puga, Assistant Planner
j puga @lo sgato sca.go v
Conditional Use Permit U-15-005
11 N. Santa Cruz Avenue (Located on the west side of N. Santa
Cruz Avenue, 140 feet north ofW. Main Street)
Bluemercury, Inc.
La Canada Investments, LLC
APPLICATION SUMMARY: Requesting approval to operate a formula retail store
(Bluemercury) on property zoned C-2:LHP. APN 510-44-077.
EXHIBITS:
REMARKS:
1-9. Previously received with October 14 , 2015 Staff Report
1 0. Letter from the property owner (one page) received
October 13 ,2015
Staff received a letter from the property owner (Exhibit 1 0) after distribution of the staff report .
The property owner's letter is in response to a public comment received from a downtown tenant
(Exhibit 8 , previously received).
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Town Manager/ Community Development
Director
La.
Camd a
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Town of Los Gatos
Planning Commiss ion
110 E. Main St.
Lo s Gato s, CA
95030
VIA : Email
Honorable Planning Commis si oners,
October 13, 2015
#11 N. Santa Cruz Ave has had a difficult history of leasing. We, as own ers of the building since the
1920s, have tried over and over to succeed with many small businesses as tenants in the space including
many different boutiques and art galleries. We have assi sted these busines ses time and time again to
lea se the space at an affordable rate. For whatever reason , they still cannot seem to succeed in this
particular location.
We are very excited to have Bluemercury interested in the space. They will bring an exciting new
business to the Town that has the "mom and pop" feeling but is backed by a strong and well operated
business model. In fact, the store is operated by a husband and wife team and gives the experience a
small business feeling. Bluemercury is not ju st a "cosmetics store" as was recently suggested. It offers
different and unique health, skin care, and beauty products and services which are not found anywhere
else in Los Gatos. Bluemercury is all about "local" and is excited to engage the Los Gatos re sidents as
well as draw other shoppers from out of town with their experience that cannot be found anywhere el se
locally. The ne xt closest location is Corte Madera, so not only will it provide a nice amenity for our
re sidents, but it will also add to the draw for other shoppers in the south bay. You can tell by the list of
communities where Bluemercury has chosen to locate that they are very specific when selecting their
suburban locations, such as Brentwood CA, Buckhead GA, and Georgetown Washington DC. Los Gatos is
a great town to add to that list .
Plea se approve their application for a conditional use permit and let us move forward to bring
Bluemercury to Town and solidify a long term tenant in a space that has struggled for many years .
Thank you,
La Canada Investments
Mary Anne Van Dalsem
James Brady
Ja son Farwe ll
Cc Via Email:
Jocelyn Puga
Laurel Pravetti
Monica Renn
RECEIVED
OCT 1 3 2015
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNIN G DIVISION
EXHIBIT 1 0