Draft Minutes of the July 14, 2021 Planning Commission Meeting
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 07/28/2021
ITEM NO: 1
DRAFT
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
JULY 14, 2021
The Planning Commission of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
Wednesday, July 14, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.
This meeting was conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with
State of California Executive Order N-29-20 dated March 17, 2020, regarding the COVID19
pandemic and was conducted via Zoom. All planning commissioners and staff participated
from remote locations and all voting was conducted via roll call vote.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Kathryn Janoff , Vice Chair Kendra Burch, Commissioner Jeffrey Barnett,
Commissioner Melanie Hanssen, Commissioner Jeffrey Suzuki, and Commissioner Emily Thomas
Absent: Commissioner Reza Tavana
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – June 23, 2021
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Barnett to approve adoption of the Consent
Calendar. Seconded by Commissioner Thomas.
VOTE: Motion passed 5-0 with Commissioner Hanssen abstaining and
Commissioner Tavana absent.
PAGE 2 OF 3
MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF JULY 14, 2021
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 15011 Los Gatos Boulevard
Architecture and Site Application S-20-035
APN 424-56-019
Applicant: Don Capobres, Harmonie Park Development
Property Owner: Yuki Family c/o Edward Morimoto
Project Planner: Ryan Safty
Consider approval of a request for modification to an existing Architecture and Site
Application (S-13-090) to relocate an existing pre-1941 single-family residence from
property in the northern portion of the North Forty Specific Plan to a property in the
approved First Phase of the North Forty Specific Plan Area with additional below grade
square footage, a reduction of parking spaces, and the removal of one housing unit on
property zoned North Forty Specific Plan. Located at 15011 Los Gatos Boulevard. APN
424-56-019. Architecture and Site Application S-20-035. Property owner: Yuki Family c/o
Edward Morimoto. Applicant: Don Capobres, Harmonie Park Development. Project
Planner: Ryan Safty.
Ryan Safty, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Opened Public Comment.
Don Capobres (Applicant)
- (Mr. Capobres first played a video of Tom Yuki explaining how his father came to purchase
the land on the North Forty.) Harmonie Park Development has a long history on the North
Forty and is currently developing the retail portion of Phase One, which they now call the
Junction. They propose to move the Gianandrea House from the Phase Two land of the
North Forty to the Junction. The Gianandrea House was constructed around 1943. There is
no historical significance to the house, no specific requirements for preserving it in the
North Forty Specific Plan, and it would likely be demolished if not for this unique
opportunity to move and preserve it. The Gianandrea House would be an invaluable
resource for their goal of building an authentic and unique retail program on the North
Forty with the house becoming another anchor and icon for the project in addition to the
Market Hall building. The ground floor of the house would become the Yuki family business
office, with a residence on the second floor and commercial square footage below the
house in the area of the original subterranean bar. The North Forty Phase One has excess
parking capacity and the loss of spaces can be absorbed elsewhere in the larger parking
program.
Commissioners asked questions of the Applicant
PAGE 3 OF 3
MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF JULY 14, 2021
Don Capobres (Applicant)
- With respect to Building A-1 to the immediate north of the proposed location of the
Gianandrea House, the second floor is programmed to be eight residential units with the
ground floor being neighborhood-serving commercial, similar to what is seen in other two-
story, mixed-use buildings in Los Gatos.
Closed Public Comment.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Barnett to approve a Request for Modification
to an Existing Architecture and Site Application (S-13-090) to relocate an
existing pre-1941 single-family residence from property in the northern
portion of the North Forty Specific Plan Area to 15011 Los Gatos
Boulevard. Seconded by Vice Chair Burch.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
VOTE: Motion passed 3-2 with Commissioners Hanssen and Thomas dissenting
and Commissioner Suzuki abstaining.
REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development
• The Draft General Plan has been released and will come before the Planning
Commission in the early fall.
• The Objective Standards effort has been kicked off and there will be a subcommittee
meeting for those standards coming up shortly.
• The Housing Element Update will also be kicked off soon and we will go back to
TownCouncil in August 2021 to determine the make up of the Housing Element Advisory
Board.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COMMISSION MATTERS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
July 14, 2021 meeting as approved by the
Planning Commission.
_____________________________
/s/ Vicki Blandin