Loading...
Draft Mins 07.23.14DRAFT MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JULY 23, 2014 The Planning Commission of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 7:00 PM. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER Chair Smith called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. ROLL CALL Present: Chair Margaret Smith, Vice Chair Kendra Burch, Commissioner Mary Badame, Commissioner Tom O’Donnell, Commissioner Marico Sayoc, Commissioner Joanne Talesfore Absent: Commissioner Charles Erekson PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Commissioner Sayoc led the Pledge of Allegiance. The audience was invited to participate. VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS (AUDIENCE) None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JUNE 25, 2014 MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Talesfore to approve meeting minutes of June 25, 2014. Seconded by Vice Chair Burch. VOTE: Motion passed 6-0. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS DESK ITEMS 1 & 2 REQUESTED CONTINUANCES None. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS None. CONSENT CALENDAR None. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARINGS None. NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. North Forty Specific Plan General Plan Amendment: GP-14-001 Zoning Code Amendment: Z-14-001 Environmental Impact Report: EIR-10-002 APNs: 424-07-009, 010, 024 through 027, 031 through 037, 052 through 054, 060, 063 through 065, 070, 081 through 086, 090, 094 through 096, 099, 100, 424-06-115, 116, 129. Property Owners: Thomas & MiyokoYuki, Herbert & Barbara Yuki, ETPH LP, William Mattes, Peter Brutsche, William Fales. William Hirschman, Elizabeth Dodson, Patricia Connell, Hans Page 2 of 5 Planning Commission Minutes July 23, 2014 Mattes, Tak Petroleum, Dewey Ventura, Alexander & Betty Moisenco, Lucy, Dagostino, Robert & Georgianna Spinazze, Marianne Ezell, Los Gatos Medical Office Center, LLC. Applicant: Town of Los Gatos Project Planner: Joel Paulson Consider adoption of a Specific Plan for the North Forty Area (area bounded by Lark Avenue, Los Gatos Boulevard, Highway 85, and Highway 17). The adoption of the Specific Plan includes the approval of General Plan text amendments and a new Zoning designation for the area. The project could have a significant impact on the environment an d an Environmental Impact Report has been prepared. Chair Smith opened the public hearing. Vice-Chair Burch indicated she would recuse herself from participating in the public hearing, because she lives within 500’ of the subject property. Joel Paulson, Planning Manager, presented a staff report. Commission members asked questions of staff. Larry Arzie - Commented that the appendix to the plan is biased toward a metropolitan way of thinking, which is the antithesis of what the Town has worked hard to accomplish, and that Residential should not be adjacent to Lark Avenue in the North Forty Specific Plan. Laura Murphy Wilkens - Commented that she is concerned about the impact this development will have on the quality of education in the Town because of increased students, as well as traffic impacts. Bill Hirschman - Commented that he owns property in the North Forty. He encouraged the Commission to adopt plans with rules flexible enough to ensure a good product with good design and the ability for the Commission to make good planning decisions. Commission questions for Mr. Hirschman followed. Maria Ristow - Commented that she is concerned that there will not be a way for the North Forty to connect to the rest of the town. She asked for very specific language to make connectivity not just a goal, but a requirement. Barney Davidge - Commented that he created a massing study that shows how massive the project is, which is more an urban city solution than a town solution and that Los Gatos has no urban tra nsportation system to support that urban solution. Commission members asked questions of Mr. Davidge. Matthew Hudes - Commented that he was a member of the North Forty Committee. There are 35 letters with 210 comments that are not addressed in the EIR that accompany the plan. He supported the plan with the assumption that an analysis would be done and incorporated in the plan. Commission members asked questions of Mr. Hudes Page 3 of 5 Planning Commission Minutes July 23, 2014 Don Capobres - Commented that he is with Grosvenor Americas, a property interest on the North Forty. He believes the North Forty Specific Plan Advisory Committee has put together a thoughtful and balanced plan, but believes there could be regulations inserted into the plan that make retail for the North Forty more complementary to retail downtown and on Los Gatos Boulevard. Commission members asked questions of Mr. Capobres. Wendi Baker - Commented that she is with Summerhill Homes, a local developer and partner of Grosvenor Americas. She believes the plan is one of the most comprehen sive and thorough specific plans she has ever seen created. Summerhill Homes employ a village concept, which a housing concept that welcomes all generations. Commission members asked questions of Ms. Baker. Jeff Loughridge - Commented that the plan is not clear and concise and implies a Conditional Use Permit can cover height exceptions, however, building height is a land use issue. The plan also needs an all - inclusive, not to exceed, overall maximum height limit. Adding an extra lane to the right turn fro m Lark south on Los Gatos Boulevard would improve traffic flow much more than the proposed extra left turn north onto Los Gatos Boulevard from Lark. Vicki Wendall - Commented that she is disturbed that other communities are doing more than Los Gatos in requiring solar to be incorporated into new developments. The North Forty development is a wonderful opportunity to incorporate solar panels into the buildings, but it won’t happen unless it is required. Jak Van Nada - Commented that the plan contains too many loopholes and opportunities to become another “Albright” that ignores the General Plan. The combined projects will be so large they will overwhelm the north end of town with traffic. The traffic report is not accurate. Lee Quintana - Commented that she is concerned that the plan does not clarify the historic nature of the site. Medical should not be allowed, because it is such an intensive use. The exceptions being asked for with the use of the CUP are not land use issues; they are exceptions to Standards and Guidelines. The document has illogical formatting and organization and needs editing for clarity. Sandy Decker - Commented that the approval process needs to be specifically stated in the plan. The advisory group’s report needs to be re-scoped with a better impact study and options and alternatives. Irai Jim Parravi - Commented that businesses in downtown Los Gatos will be damaged by retail in the North Forty. Rhondie Firth - Commented that she has lived in Blossom Hill Manor for 50 years, and it is no w almost impossible to get out to the street because of the traffic. Traffic is terrible on Los Gatos Boulevard, even before several projects that are in the works have opened. North Forty traffic will have a significant impact on the Town. Kevin Quigley - Commented that he has lived in the Highland Oaks neighborhood for 25 years. He was excited about the North Forty development until he reviewed the plan. He had hoped for retail and Page 4 of 5 Planning Commission Minutes July 23, 2014 personal services, but there is more focus on residential units, which pro vides a 3% increase in households, a significant increase for a single project. Commission members asked questions of Mr. Quigley. Stephen Pratt - Commented that he lives on Highland Oaks Way. He urged the Planning Commission to consider where the additional power for the North Forty will come from. His neighborhood is in proximity to Highway 85 and is already inundated with significant pollution, which will increase with the North Forty development, as will an increase in traffic and accidents. Leonard Pacheco - Commented that he was speaking as the Chair of the Historic Preservation Committee. The HPC has not seen the document marked as Desk Item 1, which contains an analysis from EMC Planning Group that negates all the recommendations the HPC has made. Commission members asked questions of Mr. Pacheco. Woody Nedom - Commented that he lives in Blossom Hill Manor. He is concerned about the height restrictions, because there are too many fudge factors in the plan and there is rarely a need to deviate from the Town standard of 35’. The number of units, 364, is way to many. Reducing the number of houses allowed or requiring that a certain percentage be relocated into the Campbell School District would alleviate the impacts to Los Gatos schools. John Shepardson - Commented that a 35’ maximum height limit is consistent with the General Plan and the Town’s small town character, minimizes view corridor mistakes, is a clear standard for the developer, and protects views of the mountains. He agreed with other speakers about the traffic impacts. He suggested an age restriction on the residential, because the design may not result in fewer students, as intended. Andy Wu - Commented that the Town is faced with the largest project it has ever seen, and once it gets going it will not be able to “put the genie back in the bottle.” Given the magnitude of the genie the Town is about to unleash, a wise consideration would be to continue this matter for further consideration and to do further traffic studies. Jan Olsen - Commented that she lives on Lester Lane, which is across the street from the North Forty. She fears that with increased traffic from the North Forty development Lester will become a cut - through, because Los Gatos Boulevard and Lark is already a mess traffic-wise. Jason Farwell - Commented that the plan is far too dense and impactful on the Town and is not in keeping with the Town’s small town character. Ultimately this development will directly compete with downtown. The fact that the North Forty would not be subjected to the same regulations as the downtown, specifically the Conditional Use Permit process and formula retail, is a fairness issue. Bill Kasjo - Commented that he lives in the Highland Oaks neighborhood. He echoed the concerns already stated with respect to traffic and is concerned about what would happen to the traffic patterns through his neighborhood. The bridge over Highway 17 is not big enough to handle the increased traffic from North Forty development. Page 5 of 5 Planning Commission Minutes July 23, 2014 Brent Ventura - Commented that there is so much information to digest that the Town needs to take its time to ensure the North Forty is developed properly. Chair Smith closed the public input portion of the hearing and returned to the Commission for deliberation. Commission members asked questions of staff. Commission members discussed the matter. MOTION: Motion by Commissioner O’Donnell to continue the hearing to the Planning Commission meeting of August 13, 2014. Seconded by Commissioner Sayoc. VOTE: Motion passed 4-1 with Commissioner Talesfore opposing. NEW OTHER BUSINESS None. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 10:47 pm. TOWN OF LOS GATOS PLANNING COMMISSION Wednesday, July 23, 2014 ___________________________________________ Margaret Smith, Chair APPROVED AS TO FORM AND ATTEST: _____________________________ Joel Paulson Planning Manager