Item 2 - Staff Report and Exhibits 1 to 12
PREPARED BY: JOCELYN SHOOPMAN
Associate Planner
Reviewed by: Planning Manager and Community Development Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6872
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 03/09/2022 ITEM NO: 2
DATE: March 4, 2022
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider an Appeal of a Community Development Director Decision to
Approve Construction of a Second Story Addition to an Existing Single-Family
Residence on Property Zoned R-1:10. APN 532-10-019. Located at 289
Marchmont Drive. Property Owner: Durgaprasad Shamain. Applicant: David
Britt. Appellants: Mark Jamieson and Don Woodward. Project Planner:
Jocelyn Shoopman.
RECOMMENDATION:
Deny the appeal of a Community Development Director decision approving a request for
construction of a second story addition to an existing single-family residence on property zoned
R-1:10, located at 289 Marchmont Drive.
PROJECT DATA:
General Plan Designation: Low Density Residential
Zoning Designation: Single-Family Residential (R-1:10)
Applicable Plans & Standards: General Plan
Parcel Size: 10,000 square feet
Surrounding Area:
Existing Land Use General Plan Zoning
North Residential Low Density Residential R-1:8
South Residential Low Density Residential R-1:10
East Residential Hillside Residential HR-1
West Residential Low Density Residential R-1:10
PAGE 2 OF 8 SUBJECT: 289 Marchmont Drive/MR-21-019 DATE: March 4, 2022
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CEQA:
The project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to the adopted Guidelines for the Implementation
of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15301: Existing Facilities.
FINDINGS:
The project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to the adopted Guidelines for the
Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15301: Existing
Facilities.
As required by the Residential Design Guidelines that the project complies with the
Residential Design Guidelines.
ACTION:
The decision of the Planning Commission is final unless appealed within ten days.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is located on the west side of Marchmont Drive (Exhibit 1). The property
is 10,000 square feet with an existing 2,003-square foot one-story residence and a 483-square
foot attached garage. The immediate neighborhood contains one- and two-story residences.
On September 24, 2021, the applicant submitted a Minor Residential Development application
for the construction of a second story addition to an existing single-family residence.
In January of 2022, story poles and signage were installed on the site. On January 14, 2022, the
Notice of Pending Approval for the application was mailed to the surrounding property owners
and occupants as required by the Town Code. On January 24, 2022, the Minor Residential
application was approved. An appeal of the Community Development Director must have been
submitted by 5:00 p.m., February 2, 2022.
On January 31, 2022, the decision of the Community Development Director was appealed to
the Planning Commission by an adjacent neighbor (Exhibit 8). On February 2, 2022, the
decision of the Community Development Director was appealed to the Planning Commission by
a second neighbor (Exhibit 9). The applicant has provided a summary of their neighborhood
outreach efforts and a response to each of the two appeals received (Exhibits 6, 7, and 10).
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
A. Location and Surrounding Neighborhood
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The subject property is located on the west side of Marchmont Drive (Exhibit 1). The
PROJECT DESCRIPTION (continued):
immediate neighborhood includes one- and two-story residential structures.
B. Project Summary
The applicant is proposing to construct a new 1,320-square foot second story addition to an
existing 2,003-square foot single-family residence with an existing 483-square foot attached
garage (Exhibit 11).
C. Zoning Compliance
A single-family residence is permitted in the R-1:10 zone. The proposed residence is in
compliance with the allowable floor area, building coverage, height, setbacks, and parking
requirements.
DISCUSSION:
A. Minor Residential Development Analysis
The applicant is proposing to construct a new 1,320-square foot second story addition to an
existing single-family residence with an existing 483-square foot attached garage to remain.
The proposal also includes a reduction to the main floor of the existing 2,003-square foot
residence to 1,737 square feet, for a total proposed square footage of 3,057 square feet
(Exhibit 11).
B. Building Design
The Town’s Consulting Architect reviewed the design of the proposed project within the
neighborhood context to provide recommendations regarding the building design. The
immediate neighborhood is comprised of one- and two-story homes with a grade change
traveling north along Marchmont Drive.
The Consulting Architect noted that the proposed home is well designed with a traditional
architectural style and simple details consistent with the proposed style (Exhibit 4).
The Consulting Architect provided five recommendations for further design refinement of
the proposal:
1. Remove the second-floor porch cover and columns.
2. Increase all roof overhangs to be similar to the predominant roof details in the
immediate neighborhood.
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DISCUSSION (continued):
3. Recess all windows or add wood trim to be consistent with Residential Design Guideline
3.7.4.
4. Reduce the depth of lintels over the windows and doors.
5. Refine the roof edge details.
The applicant revised the plans to address the Consulting Architect’s recommendations
identified in the report (Exhibit 11). The plan changes are as follows:
1. The roof over the second-floor porch was removed to reduce the two-story mass along
the front elevation. The gable roof form was retained to maintain an architectural
balance with the gable roof form above the existing attached garage.
2. All roof overhangs were increased to be more consistent with the immediate
neighborhood.
3. Wood window and door trim was added to be consistent with Residential Design
Guideline 3.7.4.
4. The depth of the lintels over the windows and doors was reduced.
5. Further refinement of the roof edge details was illustrated in the plans to show a more
accurate representation of the proposal.
C. Neighborhood Compatibility
The immediate neighborhood is made up of one- and two-story single-family residences.
Based on Town and County records, the residences in the immediate area range in size from
2,211-square feet to 3,277-square feet. The floor area ratios range from 0.15 to 0.26. The
proposed residence would be 3,057-square feet with a floor area ratio of 0.31. Pursuant to
Town Code, the maximum allowable square footage for the 10,000-square foot lot is 3,100-
square feet. The table below reflects the current conditions of the immediate
neighborhood:
Address Zoning House Garage Total Lot Size FAR No. of Stories
289 Marchmont Dr. (Ex) R-1:10 2,003 483 2,486 10,000 0.20 1
289 Marchmont Dr. (Prop) R-1:10 3,057 483 3,540 10,000 0.31 2
293 Marchmont Dr. R-1:10 2,466 542 3,052 9,968 0.25 1
285 Marchmont Dr. R-1:10 2,571 480 3,051 9,840 0.26 1
273 Marchmont Dr. R-1:10 2,349 440 2,789 9,840 0.24 1
292 Marchmont Dr. R-1:10 2,385 460 2,845 10,120 0.24 1
288 Marchmont Dr. R-1:10 2,515 460 2,975 10,362 0.24 1
284 Karen Ct. R-1:10 2,211 46 2,671 15,068 0.15 1
280 Karen Ct. R-1:10 2,599 460 3,059 12,472 0.21 2
276 Karen Ct. R-1:10 2,654 480 3,134 13,717 0.19 1
272 Marchmont Dr. R-1:10 3,277 770 4,047 12,800 0.26 2
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DISCUSSION (continued):
The proposed residence would not be the largest home in the immediate neighborhood in
terms of square footage. The proposed residence would be the largest in terms of floor
area ratio in the immediate neighborhood at 0.31 with the second largest floor area ratio
being 0.26 for the homes located at 272 Marchmont Drive and 285 Marchmont Drive. If the
immediate neighborhood were to be extended, there are additional two-story residences
located at 269 Marchmont Drive and 256 Marchmont Court.
D. Appeals
On January 31, 2022, the decision of the Development Review Director was appealed to the
Planning Commission by the adjacent neighbor, Mark Jamieson (Exhibit 8).
A summary of the specific reasons for the appeal are provided below, followed by the staff’s
analysis in italic font. The applicant’s response letter addressing each of the appellant’s
concerns is also attached to this report (Exhibit 10).
1. Loss of solar easement blocking future solar access and increasing shade to yards. The
second story addition will be an encroachment on sight boundaries and sunlight to the
property. A formal shadow study should be done to assess loss of potential solar access
from the proposed second story addition.
Response: Staff coordinated with the Town Attorney and found nothing in the Town’s
Municipal Code that would prohibit or limit additions due to casting shadows on an
adjacent residence in the case where there are not existing solar panels being affected.
State Law has a restriction that trees and shrubs may only block 10 percent of existing
solar panels. A shadow study was completed by the applicant and can be located on
Sheet A9 of Attachment 11. The shadow study shows that that the proposed residence
would cast a partial shadow on the adjacent homes at 285 Marchmont Drive and 293
Marchmont Drive during the winter shadow line of December 21st.
2. A 1,320-square foot second story is not in character with neighborhood. The sheer size
of 3,057 square feet is slightly below the maximum of 3,100 square feet and is not in
character for the neighborhood. Of the 25 houses in the subdivision, only five are two-
story homes and these were originally built as two-story structures. These two-story
houses are located on corners or cul-de-sacs where they do not encroach on their
neighbors. Adding four additional bathrooms does not seem in alignment with
California water conservation guidelines.
Response: The proposed expansion of the single-family residence complies with the Town
Code requirements for floor area, height, setbacks, lot coverage, and parking
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DISCUSSION (continued):
requirements. The proposal would not be the largest home in the immediate
neighborhood in terms of square footage. The home located at 272 Marchmont Drive,
within the immediate neighborhood, received approval of a Minor Residential
Development application for a new second story addition on January 16, 2001. The
Town Code does not regulate the number of bathrooms in a residence. The proposed
addition is subject to the 2019 California Building Standards Code which requires water-
conserving plumbing fixtures.
3. A soil study should be done to evaluate potential effects on the hillside, as well as the
homes sitting below 289 Marchmont Drive.
Response: A soils report, prepared by a licensed Civil Engineer specializing in soils
mechanics, containing foundation recommendations is required to be submitted with the
Building Permit application.
4. The proposed dining room window creates privacy and noise concerns. The
construction noise will impact remote learning and the ability to work from home.
Response: An approximately six-foot by three-foot window is proposed along the left
elevation facing the adjacent neighbor located at 285 Marchmont Drive. The window is
not required for ingress and egress pursuant to Building Code, should the Planning
Commission choose to recommend a modification to its location and/or size. Pursuant
to Section 16.20.035 of the Town Code, construction activities are limited to the hours of
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays.
5. Construction vehicles will pose a traffic hazard.
Response: The applicant proposes to accommodate construction vehicles in the existing
driveway, as well as along Marchmont Drive, a public street in which construction
vehicles are permitted to park. The Hillbrook School traffic counts are monitored by the
Engineering Division should there be issues with the traffic flow.
On February 2, 2022, the decision of the Community Development Director was appealed to
the Planning Commission by a second adjacent neighbor, Don Woodward (Exhibit 9).
A summary of the specific reasons for the appeal are provided below, followed by the staff’s
analysis in italic font. The applicant’s response letter addressing each of the appellant’s
concerns is also attached to this report (Exhibit 10).
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DISCUSSION (continued):
1. Potential lethal hazard with existing shared power line infrastructure adjacent to
proposed construction.
Response: The existing electrical distribution line that runs the length of the rear
property line of 289 Marchmont Drive is serviced by PG&E. The Town does not have the
authority to require PG&E to modernize or upgrade the electrical distribution line.
2. Injury to property value from loss of privacy created by proposed construction.
Response: The Town Code does not regulate views as a protected right from proposed
construction. The applicant proposes to retain all existing trees on-site, including trees
along the rear property line which currently provide screening.
E. Neighbor Outreach
The applicant provided a summary of their efforts to communicate with their neighbors
(Attachments 6 and 7).
F. Environmental Review
The project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to the adopted Guidelines for the
Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15301: Existing
Facilities.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Story poles and signage were installed on the site and written notice of the Planning
Commission public hearing was mailed to property owners and occupants within 300 feet of
the subject property. Public comments received by 11:00 a.m., Friday, March 4, 2022, are
included as Exhibit 12.
Following the filing of both appeals the applicant has met separately with each appellant to
discuss the concerns raised by each party. No update has been provided at the time of this
report’s preparation.
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CONCLUSION:
A. Summary
The proposed project is in compliance with the Residential Design Guidelines and Town
Code regulations. As proposed, the project would create a 3,057-square foot two-story
residence with an existing 483-square foot attached garage.
B. Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission deny the appeals and uphold the decision
of the Community Development Director to approve the Minor Residential Development
application subject to the recommended conditions of approval (Exhibit 3).
C. Alternatives
Alternatively, the Commission can:
1. Continue the matter to a date certain with specific direction;
2. Grant the appeals and deny the application; or
3. Approve the application with additional and/or modified conditions.
EXHIBITS:
1. Location Map
2. Required Findings
3. Recommended Conditions of Approval
4. Consulting Architect’s Report, dated October 6, 2021
5. Letter of Justification, received February 16, 2022
6. Applicant’s Neighborhood Outreach Efforts, received February 15, 2022
7. Additional Neighborhood Outreach and Signatures of Support, received February 26, 2022
8. Appeal of the Director of Community Development, received January 31, 2022
9. Appeal of the Director of Community Development, received February 2, 2022
10. Applicant’s Response to Appeals, received February 16, 2022
11. Development Plans, received November 29, 2021
12. Public Comments received prior to 11:00 a.m., Friday, March 4, 2022
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Update Notes:
- Updated 12/20/17 to link to tlg-sql12 server data (sm)
- Updated 11/22/19 adding centerpoint guides, Buildings layer, and Project Site leader with label
- Updated 10/8/20 to add street centerlines which can be useful in the hillside area
- Updated 02-19-21 to link to TLG-SQL17 database (sm)
EXHIBIT 1
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PLANNING COMMISSION – March 9, 2022
REQUIRED FINDINGS FOR:
289 Marchmont Drive
Minor Residential Development Application MR-21-019
Consider an Appeal of a Community Development Director Decision to Approve
Construction of a Second Story Addition to an Existing Single-Family Residence on
Property Zoned R-1:10. APN 532-10-019. Property Owner: Durgaprasad Shamain.
Applicant: David Britt. Appellants: Mark Jamieson and Don Woodward. Project
Planner: Jocelyn Shoopman.
FINDINGS
Required finding for CEQA:
■ The project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to the adopted Guidelines for the Implementation
of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15301: Existing Facilities.
Required Compliance with the Residential Design Guidelines:
■ The project is in compliance with the Residential Design Guidelines for single-family homes not
in hillside residential areas.
EXHIBIT 2
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PLANNING COMMISSION – March 9, 2022
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
289 Marchmont Drive
Minor Residential Application MR-21-019
Consider an Appeal of a Community Development Director Decision to Approve
Construction of a Second Story Addition to an Existing Single-Family Residence on
Property Zoned R-1:10. APN 532-10-019. Property Owner: Durgaprasad Shamain.
Applicant: David Britt. Appellants: Mark Jamieson and Don Woodward. Project
Planner: Jocelyn Shoopman.
TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:
Planning Division
1. APPROVAL: This application shall be completed in accordance with all of the conditions of
approval and in substantial compliance with the approved plans. Any changes or
modifications to the approved plans and/or business operation shall be approved by the
Community Development Director, DRC or the Planning Commission depending on the
scope of the changes.
2. EXPIRATION: The approval will expire two years from the approval date pursuant to Section
29.20.320 of the Town Code, unless the approval has been vested.
3. STORY POLES: The story poles on the project site shall be removed within 30 days of
approval of the Minor Residential Development application.
4. OUTDOOR LIGHTING: Exterior lighting shall be kept to a minimum, utilize shields so that no
bulb is visible, and shall be down directed fixtures that will not reflect or encroach onto
adjacent properties. No flood lights shall be used unless it can be demonstrated that they
are needed for safety or security.
5. EXISTING TREES: All existing trees shown on the plan and trees required to remain or to be
planted are specific subjects of approval of this plan and must remain on the site.
6. TREE FENCING: Protective tree fencing, and other protection measures shall be placed at
the drip line of existing trees prior to issuance of demolition and building permits and shall
remain through all phases of construction. Include a tree protection plan with the
construction plans.
7. FRONT YARD LANDSCAPE: Prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy the front yard
must be landscaped.
8. WATER EFFICIENCY LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE: The final landscape plan shall meet the Town
of Los Gatos Water Conservation Ordinance or the State Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance, whichever is more restrictive. A review fee based on the current fee schedule
adopted by the Town Council is required when working landscape and irrigation plans are
submitted for review.
9. TOWN INDEMNITY: Applicants are notified that Town Code Section 1.10.115 requires that
any applicant who receives a permit or entitlement from the Town shall defend, indemnify,
and hold harmless the Town and its officials in any action brought by a third party to
EXHIBIT 3
overturn, set aside, or void the permit or entitlement. This requirement is a condition of
approval of all such permits and entitlements whether or not expressly set forth in the
approval, and may be secured to the satisfaction of the Town Attorney.
10. COMPLIANCE MEMORANDUM: A memorandum shall be prepared and submitted with the
building plans detailing how the Conditions of Approval will be addressed.
N:\DEV\CONDITIONS\2022\Marchmont 289 - MR COA - 03-09-22.docx
October 6, 2021
Ms. Jocelyn Shoopman
Community Development Department
Town of Los Gatos
110 E. Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95031
RE: 289 Marchmont Drive
Dear Jocelyn:
I reviewed the drawings and evaluated the site context. My comments and recommendations are as follows:
NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT
The site is located in an established neighborhood of traditional Ranch Style homes. Houses are all one-story
in height with a couple of homes with partial second stories. Photos of the site and its surrounding neighbor-
hood are shown on the following page.
EXHIBIT 4
289 Marchmont Drive
Design Review Comments
October 6, 2021 Page 2
THE SITE SITE and house to the immediate left
Home to the immediate right
Nearby home on Marchmont Drive
Home to the immediate left
Nearby home on Marchmont Drive
Nearby home on Marchmont Drive Nearby home on Marchmont Drive
289 Marchmont Drive
Design Review Comments
October 6, 2021 Page 3
ISSUES AND CONCERNS
The proposed home is well designed with a traditional architectural style and simple details consistent with the
architectural style - see proposed elevations below.
Proposed Front Elevation
Proposed Left Side Elevation
Proposed Rear Elevation
Proposed Right Side Elevation
289 Marchmont Drive
Design Review Comments
October 6, 2021 Page 4
There are, however, a few issues worthy of further design refinement.
1. The two-story house would be visually taller, with more building mass than is common for the neighbor-
hood.
2. There are only two homes nearby that have a second story, and those have mitigating measures to minimize
their visual bulk in order to blend in with the adjacent predominantly one-story homes. The two-story bal-
cony element on the front facade would be especially out of character and scale with this neighborhood - see
air photo, streetscape, two-story home photos and front elevation illustrations below.
289 Marchmont Drive
Design Review Comments
October 6, 2021 Page 5
3. Wood lintels over windows and doors are acceptable for this architectural style, but those shown on the
drawing look too large and out of scale with the size of this house.
4. The drawing do not appear to show deep recessed windows or trim around the windows which would
not be consistent with Residential Design Guideline 3.7.4.
3.7.4 Design the windows with attention to matching the traditional details of the architectural style
• Most architectural styles - except Mission, Spanish Eclectic or Modern - should have wood trim around
the windows. The trim width should be matched to the style, but in general, should not be less than 3
1/2 inches wide. Head trim depth should be equal to or wider than the jamb casing, but not less than
one-sixth of the opening width.
• Projecting window sills and heads are strongly encouraged unless the architectural style would not nor-
mally have those features.
• Wood trim is also encouraged on stucco houses unless the window frames are recessed at least 6 inches
from the outside face of the wall. The use of stucco covered foam trim is strongly discouraged.
• Divided lights (i.e., larger window panes broken up into smaller pieces) are common in many home
styles found in Los Gatos. Use either vertical or square proportions for the smaller window elements. Be
consistent in the proportions (i.e., the ratio of the horizontal to the vertical dimension) of the smaller
panes. Do not use snap in flat grids to simulate divided lights. Use either true divided lights or one of
the newer window systems that have dimensional muntins on both the exterior and interior of the glass
along with a spacer muntin between the panes of glass. Use consistently for windows on all sides of the
house.
5. The roof overhangs appear small which would not be consistent with Residential Design Guideline 3.5.3.
3.5.3 Relate roof overhangs to the architectural style and to the surrounding neighborhood
• Some architectural styles (e.g., Mission and Spanish Eclectic) often come in small and large overhang
versions. In those circumstances, tailor the roof overhangs to the general character of the surrounding
homes.
6. The roof is noted as composition shingle, but the drawing show roof edges that appear more consistent
with tile roofs.
289 Marchmont Drive
Design Review Comments
October 6, 2021 Page 6
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Remove the second floor porch roof cover and columns.
2. Increase all roof overhangs to be similar to the predominent roof details in the immediate neighborhood.
3. Recess all windows or add wood trim to be consistent with Residential Design Guideline 3.7.4.
4. Reduce the depth of lintels over the windows and doors.
5. Refine the roof edge details.
If we need to discuss this further, I am available at your convenience.
Sincerely,
CANNON DESIGN GROUP
Larry L. Cannon
Britt/Rowe
108 N. Santa Cruz Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
408.354.6224
November 12, 2021
Revised February 16, 2022
Town of Los Gatos Planning Department
110 East Main St.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
RE: 289 Marchmont Drive
Letter of Justification.
Property owner and Britt/Rowe are proud to propose a new two story addition to an existing
single family residence located at 289 Marchmont Drive. The house is designed to
accommodate the needs of the family that has lived in this house for the last 8 years and
has grown over that time from 2 to 3 kids. The proposed addition is designed so that the
2nd floor has the kids' 3 bedrooms and master. The kids are young and this way parents can
stay close to them at night. Janhavi is a doctor at Good Samaritan hospital and Valley
medical, and she treats Covid patients. We decided to have an isolated bedroom on the first
floor as a quarantine room for her in case of infection exposure. We did not increase the
footprint of the house, so that we could preserve all the established trees, outdoor spaces
and existing long driveway.
The residence has been designed within the allowed development standards of the R1-10
zone. The residence remodel/addition adopts several of the design goals as outlined in the
town's Residential Design Guidelines which includes, but is not limited to:
1. Strong one story elements to mitigate two story mass. This includes a large front porch
consistent with the design review guidelines as outlined in section 3.10.1.
2. Proposed exterior finishes have been specified to be high quality and consistent with the
architectural style per design review guidelines as outlined in section 3.3.1
3. Proposed exterior finishes have been specified to be compliment the neighborhood as per
design review guidelines as outlined in section 3.3.2
4. Proposed window and door material have be specified to match the surrounding
neighborhood per design review guidelines as outlined in section 3.7.3
5. Proposed garage adopts design review guideline recommendations as outlined in section
3.4.1.
6. Although proposed addition will increase the total square footage of the home, it will not
be the largest home in the neighborhood, and falls within a few hundred feet of
approximately 45% of the homes in the neighborhood.
Other design features have been incorporated to mitigate privacy impacts. These include:
- Second floor window with high sills on right and left sides of house.
EXHIBIT 5
- Second story setbacks increased from minimum allowable.
We have followed Town residential design guidelines and asked for no exceptions. We have
incorporated all of the recommendations of the town consulting architect. We think a well
designed house by Britt- Rowe will be a nice addition to the neighborhood.
Thank you Staff for you assistance with our application. If there are any questions regarding
the proposed design, please feel free to contact me.
David Britt
Britt/Rowe
We are your neighbors at 289 Marchmont Dr. We need space for our family that has grown since we
moved into this nice neighborhood 8 years ago. Our 3 kids, Arya (11y), Tara (9y) & Manu (6y), are
growing up & asking for their personal space. This became more evident when everybody was working
from home during the pandemic. So, we are finally going in for a remodel & addition to our existing
house. We want to get it done fast since our oldest son is already in middle school & we want to
optimize the amount of time he gets to enjoy his own room & our new house. We wanted to give you a
heads up since you are our neighbor.
We are collaborating with ‘Britt-Rowe’, a well established Los Gatos architecture firm which has worked
with the town for over 2 decades. One of the partners Mike Rowe lives in Los Gatos on
Please review the details below & pics at your convenience, & do not hesitate to contact us & our
architect with your questions.
Architect Contact info: David Britt 415-595-3458
Our contact info: Janhavi & Prasad / email:
•Second Story addition is setback from existing one story side walls, 12.5' on left, 15.5' on right.
•The second story is set back from the garage as viewed from the street.
•No large windows are proposed on the second floor side walls-50% of windows on the side are
bathroom windows & all are high silled ( not portrait) to maintain privacy for all.
•Proposed addition is designed to the allowable town standards for the neighborhood. We are not
asking for any special variances.EXHIBIT 6
Britt/Rowe
108 N. Santa Cruz Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
408.354.6224
November 12, 2021
Revised February 16, 2022
Town of Los Gatos Planning Department
110 East Main St.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
RE: 289 Marchmont Drive
Letter of Justification.
Property owner and Britt/Rowe are proud to propose a new two story addition to an existing
single family residence located at 289 Marchmont Drive. The house is designed to
accommodate the needs of the family that has lived in this house for the last 8 years and
has grown over that time from 2 to 3 kids. The proposed addition is designed so that the
2nd floor has the kids' 3 bedrooms and master. The kids are young and this way parents can
stay close to them at night. Janhavi is a doctor at Good Samaritan hospital and Valley
medical, and she treats Covid patients. We decided to have an isolated bedroom on the first
floor as a quarantine room for her in case of infection exposure. We did not increase the
footprint of the house, so that we could preserve all the established trees, outdoor spaces
and existing long driveway.
The residence has been designed within the allowed development standards of the R1-10
zone. The residence remodel/addition adopts several of the design goals as outlined in the
town's Residential Design Guidelines which includes, but is not limited to:
1. Strong one story elements to mitigate two story mass. This includes a large front porch
consistent with the design review guidelines as outlined in section 3.10.1.
2. Proposed exterior finishes have been specified to be high quality and consistent with the
architectural style per design review guidelines as outlined in section 3.3.1
3. Proposed exterior finishes have been specified to be compliment the neighborhood as per
design review guidelines as outlined in section 3.3.2
4. Proposed window and door material have be specified to match the surrounding
neighborhood per design review guidelines as outlined in section 3.7.3
5. Proposed garage adopts design review guideline recommendations as outlined in section
3.4.1.
6. Although proposed addition will increase the total square footage of the home, it will not
be the largest home in the neighborhood, and falls within a few hundred feet of
approximately 45% of the homes in the neighborhood.
Other design features have been incorporated to mitigate privacy impacts. These include:
- Second floor window with high sills on right and left sides of house.
- Second story setbacks increased from minimum allowable.
We have followed Town residential design guidelines and asked for no exceptions. We have
incorporated all of the recommendations of the town consulting architect. We think a well
designed house by Britt- Rowe will be a nice addition to the neighborhood.
Thank you Staff for you assistance with our application. If there are any questions regarding
the proposed design, please feel free to contact me.
David Britt
Britt/Rowe
Page 1 of 4
Janhavi Gudal & Durgaprasad Shamain
MRA: 289 Marchmont Dr, Los Gatos, CA
Neighborhood Outreach
In our earlier outreach in November 2021, we were able to meet our immediate neighbors in-
person to discuss our project. Once the story poles were installed in January 2022, we went
door-to-door to discuss our proposal and solicit feedback from the Upper Marchmont
neighborhood. We also tried to reach out by email to the neighbors whom we could not meet in
our in-person outreach.
Twenty-four neighbors, as marked with green circles in Figure 1, have indicated that they
support our project or have no concerns. The neighbors whom we reached out to but did not
respond are labelled “NR” for no response. 244 Marchmont Dr decided to stay neutral stating
that while she had no concerns about our project, she had a longtime friendship with one of the
appellants (Jamiesons). 284 Karen Ct said that while she had no concerns about our project, she
needed to discuss with her husband. These 2 households are not marked in green.
Figure 1: Upper Marchmont Neighborhood Support
Out of twenty-four neighbors who are supportive, we were able to meet seventeen neighbors in
person. The following two sheets, namely Table 1 & Table 2, have recorded their names,
addresses, signatures, & dates. The remaining seven neighbors, as shown in Table 3, have
indicated their support by email. These emails have been forwarded to the Planning
Department.
EXHIBIT 7
Page 4 of 4
No Name Address
1 Andrea & Claude Gauthier
2 Willem & Heather Dirven
3 Robert Brown
4 Susie Giordano
5 Doug Hembry
6 Lynn & George Rossmann
7 Ed & Valerie Lozowicki
Table 3: Neighborhood Support Via Email
Our in-person & email discussions with the appellants are summarized in a separate letter.
EXHIBIT 8
EXHIBIT 9
Monday, February 14, 2022
Don Woodward 408.464.4496
16530 Bonnie Ln dwoodward@woodward.org
Los Gatos, CA 95032
To Members of the Town of Los Gatos Development Review Committee:
I present this additional information regarding my appeal of the Development Review Committee’s decision regarding the project
located at 289 Marchmont Dr. (MR‐21‐019, APN 532‐10‐019)
1.Regarding discussions with the 289 Marchmont property owners:
a. I have met with the property owners on multiple occasions since filing the appeal and found them to be most helpful,
friendly and completely open and transparent.
b.No changes to the current plan resulted from our discussions; we focused instead on understanding each other. This is a
solid plan developed with care and attention to detail and I feel modifications deserve that same care.
2.On the issue of the hazardous power line infrastructure:
a.PGE electrical distribution lines on telephone poles run the length of the 289 Marchmont rear property line.
b.Though power line maintenance may not be the responsibility of the 289 Marchmont property owners nor the Town of Los
Gatos, I feel it important to take this opportunity to notify the Town of Los Gatos that these power lines are in extreme
disrepair, and, I believe currently represent a clear and present danger to both persons and property:
i.These lines are PGE power distribution lines in two‐sets. The lower set of 3 wires is approx. 18‐20 feet off the
ground and carries 12,000 volts or 4,000 volts per wire The upper set of 3 wires is approx. 50 feet off the ground
and carries 30,000 volts. (Source: PGE ICA & DIDF maps)
ii.One of the wires in the lower set has multiple splices, and another of the wires in that set, just inches away, is
frayed and split and this can be seen with the naked eye.
iii.In October 2021 during a storm, the lower set failed and sent 4000 volts traveling through cable TV lines also
strung along the same poles, destroying 3 Television sets at the residence of my 16520 Bonnie Ln neighbor,
melting the underground feeder cable from the pole to the junction box at my home, scorching the junction box
which was fortunately well grounded which prevented the renegade electricity from entering my home along this
path.
iv.However, transient voltages surged into my home instead through the breaker panel and destroyed my
refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, furnace, a few small fixtures and the PGE demand electricity monitoring shut‐off
device next to the breaker panel..
v.The property damage occurred in a blink of an eye when a 4000 volt power line ruptured from arcing against its
neighbor, and, spitting, came to rest in my backyard, live with 4000 volts for four days before PGE found
themselves able to allocate a crew to service it. This is the same line that is frayed and split, primed yet for
another failure.
vi.Ideally the City of Los Gatos can compel PGE to modernize the system, and rid us of this hazard.
c.Meanwhile, the power lines are relevant to this appeal because PGE maintains the right to cut foliage away from the lines,
which they do twice per year, preventing the use of shrubs and trees as a privacy barrier for lack of sufficient height.
3.Regarding the issue of injury to my property value from loss of privacy:
a.An unobstructed direct line of sight into my backyard and aldo directly into my bedroom windows will be created from
windows of proposed 2nd story construction.
b.The current view to the mountains behind my house will be obstructed from all rear facing points on my property – from
my bedroom windows, the full‐length windows in my sitting room, from my back porch, back yard, and side yards.
c.The story poles can be seen in direct line of sight all the way from the intersection of Shannon Rd and Bonnie Ln,
obstructing the view of the mountains as one drives or walks the entire length up Bonnie Ln.
Thank you for the opportunity to present this information.
Sincerely,
Don Woodward
Page 1 of 7
MRA 21-019: 289 Marchmont Dr
Second Story Addition to Our Home
Wednesday, February 16, 2022 (Updated February 26, 2022)
From: Janhavi Gudal & Prasad Shamain
To: Planning Commission, Development Review Committee, & Town Planning
Department of Los Gatos
Background
We love our Upper Marchmont neighborhood, and have lived at 289 Marchmont Drive for the last eight
years. Janhavi has been working as a doctor (MD Internal Medicine) at Good Sam Hospital since 2017 and
at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center since 2011.
After we moved here, our family grew prompting us to plan a second story to provide our three kids with
their own bedrooms and our master bedroom on the same floor to stay close to them at night, and an
additional isolated bedroom on the first floor for Janhavi to quarantine in the event of a prolonged
COVID-19 patient exposure. This house will be our forever home where we plan to retire. We want to
complete our new house at our earliest and enjoy it with our kids before they leave for college.
We have worked with Britt-Rowe, a reputed Los Gatos architectural firm to design the extra space that our
family needs. Our design followed the town residential design guidelines, and has sought no exceptions
and no variances. Per our request, Britt-Rowe has incorporated all the recommendations of the town’s
consulting architect. We do not plan to demolish the house, and we have not increased the footprint of
the house. This has enabled us to preserve established trees, our outdoor areas, and the existing long
driveway.
We visited our immediate neighbors in person with the design and the contact information (for both Britt-
Rowe & us) in November 2021, and received positive responses from them. Our story poles were installed
in January 2022. The planning department approved our proposal after their site visit after the story pole
installation.
On January 14, 2022, the planning department indicated their intent to approve the proposal by email.
The planning department informed us on January 18, 2022 that Jihun Choi and Naree Yoon at 293
Marchmont had emailed them about concerns. We reached out to Jihun and Naree by email and phone
message, and started a conversation with them; they indicated that they would like to continue the
conversation by email only. On January 21, 2022, Mark & Sue Jamieson at 285 Marchmont sent us an
email informing us of their intent to appeal the decision and detailing their concerns. We continued the
conversation with the Jamiesons and Choi-Yoons via email, and also had an in-person meeting on Feb 1,
2022 to understand and allay their concerns.
EXHIBIT 10
Page 2 of 7
The planning department then informed us that Don Woodward from 16530 Bonnie Lane had filed an
appeal on February 2, 2022. We reached out to Don via email and phone. We visited Don’s home on
February 10, 2022 to discuss his concerns. We invited Don to tour our home to assess his concerns by
climbing on the roof. Don visited us on February 12, 2022 , climbed on the roof, and toured the proposed
addition with us.
Separately, we reached out to our Upper Marchmont neighbors. Twenty-four neighbors, as shown by the
green circles in Figure 1 below, have indicated that they support our project or have no concerns. The
neighbors who did not respond are labelled “NR” for no response.
Figure 1: Neighborhood residences that support or have no-Concerns
Summary of Our Discussion with the Concerned Neighbors
Mark Jamieson filed an appeal on January 31, 2022. While the appeal is filed by the Jamiesons, it also
includes concerns from our neighbors Jihun Choi and Naree Yoon at 293 Marchmont.
Concerns Raised by Jamiesons and Choi-Yoons
1) Loss of Solar Access –The Jamiesons are concerned about solar access. We pointed them to
the formal solar study that is submitted as a part of the planning documents. The study shows
that the shadow cast by the second story lies mainly on our property. The Jamiesons do not
have any solar panels.
Page 3 of 7
Figure 2: Jamieson Shadow Study, December (Left) and June (Right)
Jamiesons’ lot sits at a lower elevation with respect to our lot, and their roof overhang and the
side-yard fence cast shadows in their side yard as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Jamieson Side Yard at 9 am (left) and 3 pm (right) in February 2022
Choi & Yoon had questions about the details of the shadow study. With the help from our
architect, we explained to them that the formal shadow study shown in Figure 4 covers the time
period when the solar gain is significant. As the established industry practice, the study shows
shadow lines at 9 am, noon, and 3 pm in the months of June and December.
Page 4 of 7
Figure 4: Choi-Yoon Shadow Study, December (Left) and June (Right)
There is no impact on their bedrooms, family room, and outdoor living area between the
detached garage and the house (shown with the green ellipse in Figure 5). The minimal shadow
cast is in the area (shown with the blue rectangle in Figure 5) which has no windows.
Figure 5: Choi-Yoon Home Schematic
2) Second Story not in Character with the Neighborhood - We discussed with the Jamiesons
and Choi-Yoons the objective and subjective process involving the town planning department
and the town consulting architect to ensure that our second story addition is compatible with
the neighborhood. We also mentioned that we have sought no exceptions and no variances.
The second story has an additional set back, beyond the minimum required, to minimize the
stacked-up effect that concerned Choi-Yoons.
The Jamiesons, as stated in their appeal, are under the impression that all the 2 story homes
in our subdivision were originally built. Our conversation during neighborhood outreach
concluded differently; there were second story additions. Our immediate neighbor Joe Regan
Page 5 of 7
at 272 Marchmont and Ed Meserve at 16578 Shady View related their experiences about
adding a second story. We informed the Jamiesons of our findings.
3) Construction Vehicles Parking and Noise- We informed Jamiesons and Choi-Yoons that our
building contractor will follow Los Gatos town ordinances for construction that will help
mitigate noise and traffic issues. Additionally, while Marchmont Drive is a public street where
construction vehicular parking is allowed, we intend to minimize traffic and parking issues by
parking the construction vehicles in our long driveway, which will be preserved and available
during the construction since we are not adding to the footprint of the house.
4) Jamiesons’ Concern about Their Daughter’s Bedroom Privacy -Their daughter’s window is
currently visible across the lower fence when we step out to our front porch and paved over
outdoor area as shown Figure 6. This window will continue to be visible from our porch in the
new design. There is no loss of privacy brought about by the new design.
Figure 6 (a): View of Daughter’s Bedroom Window (left)
(b): View of Bedroom Window and Laundry Door with Vent Above (right)
Our new dining room window will face the tall side fence that lies behind the side yard door,
and will have no line of sight to any windows because the top lines of all Jamieson’s windows
are below the top edge of the tall fence since their lot is at a lower elevation. So, we would
have the view as shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7: View from the Dining Room Window
Page 6 of 7
We also took this opportunity to mention that Britt-Rowe has followed conservative design
practices, and all our windows facing side-yards are privacy preserving high-sill windows even
when a taller fence provides an effective privacy screen as in the case above.
5) Structural Integrity The Jamiesons are concerned about the structural integrity. We informed
them that the grading and drainage are not going to change, and soil will not be disrupted
since we have not increased the footprint of the house. A soil study will be performed based
on the feedback by the Town’s Building Department.
6) Views Since all our houses are facing south, the views towards Santa Cruz mountains are not
blocked by the proposed addition.
7) California Water Conservation Guidelines The Jamiesons have a concern that the additions
of bathroom will lead to additional water usage. While we increase the number of bathrooms
in the new house, the occupancy will remain the same. With water conserving fixtures, our
newer water consumption footprint is expected to be smaller than our current house and
other similar neighborhood houses which were built during 1960s.
Concerns Raised by Don Woodward
1) PG&E Power Infrastructure There was an electrical arcing of the PGE power lines in October
2021 during a windy storm. Don plans to use the Planning Commission as a forum to draw Town’s
attention to the issue of the power lines not being maintained properly by PG&E. He
acknowledged that this issue is not related to our proposal. Since we have increased our rear
setback from 43 feet to 56 feet, the proposed second story will be at a safe distance from the
power infrastructure.
2) Privacy- Don is concerned about the privacy of his top bedroom windows. While our windows
facing side-yards are privacy preserving high-sill windows, our bedroom windows facing the
backyard are not high-sill to meet the egress requirement. Since we have increased our rear
setback from 43 feet to 56 feet, Don’s 2nd floor bedroom windows and our proposed bedroom
windows are separated by a distance of about 130 feet, a separation of 1.5 lots (our lot is 80 feet
wide), as shown in Figure 8.
Page 7 of 7
Figure 8: Distance Between the Bedrooms of Two Houses
PG&E trims the trees near the powerline twice a year, and has trimmed them heavily after the
October 2021 storm. We took the following pictures (see Figure 9) of Don’s house from our roof
at an elevation of 17.8 feet from the ground (the floor height of our second story of 12 feet + my
height of 5’8”). This provides an idea of the line of sight views from our two proposed windows.
The foliage provides sufficient privacy even though it is at its lowest due to winter. We do not
have an unobstructed line of sight to Don’s bedroom windows or to his backyard. In addition, the
distance of 130 feet separating the bedroom windows enhances privacy for both Don and us.
Figure 9: Views from the rear -facing windows, Window 1 (left) and Window 2 (right)
We shared these pictures with Don during our visit to his home on February 10, 2021, and invited
him to our roof. He accepted the invitation. He visited us on February 12, 2022, climbed on the
roof, and took pictures. He appeared to be convinced that as long as the trees are in place, there
is no privacy issue. Since we do not plan to cut any trees, the existing landscape can mitigate any
privacy concern.
Our Thoughts
Our project started in March 2021, and we wish to complete this addition as soon as possible. We decided
to be sensitive to neighborhood compatibility and neighbor concerns by working with local town
architects on a conservative and well thought out design plan with no exceptions or variances from the
Town residential design guidelines. We believe that a well-designed house by Britt-Rowe will be a nice
addition to our neighborhood.
While it is our intent to address our neighbors’ concerns as far as we can, if you are reading this
document, it means that there are differences which we could not reconcile. We appreciate your time and
your spirit of service towards our community in helping us move forward.
Sincerely,
Janhavi Gudal & Prasad Shamain
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank
EXHIBIT 11
Britt Rowe shall retain all rights
and ownership to all drawings
and specifications. The contents
of the drawings may not be used
in whole, or in part, without
expressed written consent given
by Britt Rowe. All construction
shall comply with all local &
national building codes. All
contractors shall verify all
conditions to assure
conformance to these codes.
REVISIONS:#
408.354.6224 (office)
408.354.6514 (fax)
www.britt-rowe.com
108 N. Santa Cruz Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
BR
SCALE:DRAWING:DRAWN BY:printed:Noted11/15/211st Floor PlanA2.1
Britt • Rowe
shamain-gudalRESIDENCEM.A.R.Professional Stamp
Jurisdiction Stamps and/or Red Line Notes m.11/15/21
289 Marchmont DriveLos Gatos, CA 950320 2'4'8'
8'-4"
5'-10"
8'-7"
Front
SW
Rear
NE
Left
NW
Right
SE
(e) floor plan: demolition 1/4" = 1'-0"
(e) Living Area: 2,003 SF
(e) Garage Area: 464 SF
(e) Cov. Porch: 55 SF
0°n
45°ne
Gas200AElec.W
FAU WH
DW
Ref Ov
225°sw
kitchen
cov.
porch
2-car
garage
dining
room
family
room
entry
living
room
pwdr.
AC
master
bedroom
m. bath
bath: 2
util.
bedroom: 2
bedroom: 3
(e) 4064
Remove/Infill
(e) 8068 Slider
Remove/Replace
(e) 8040 (XOX)
Remove/Infill
(e) 91068 Slider
Remove/Infill
(e) 51068 FR.
w/1668 SL
Remove/Infill (e) 6040 Bay
Remove/Infill
(e) 5468 entry
(e) 310310(e) 310310(e) 8068 Slider(e) 6040Replace(e) 2668Remove/Infill(e) 3030Remove/Replace(e) 3030Remove/Replace(e) 4040(e) 2668(e) 151070dn
dnproperty lineproperty linewood rwRemove (e)
Masonry FP
Remove (e)Masonry FP(e) 2x DF Stud Wall to Remain
(e) 2x DF Stud Wall to Remove
(n) Opening in (e) 2x DF Stud Wall
Britt Rowe shall retain all rights
and ownership to all drawings
and specifications. The contents
of the drawings may not be used
in whole, or in part, without
expressed written consent given
by Britt Rowe. All construction
shall comply with all local &
national building codes. All
contractors shall verify all
conditions to assure
conformance to these codes.
REVISIONS:#
408.354.6224 (office)
408.354.6514 (fax)
www.britt-rowe.com
108 N. Santa Cruz Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
BR
SCALE:DRAWING:DRAWN BY:printed:Noted11/15/212nd Floor PlanA2.2
Britt • Rowe
shamain-gudalRESIDENCEM.A.R.Professional Stamp
Jurisdiction Stamps and/or Red Line Notes m.11/15/21
289 Marchmont DriveLos Gatos, CA 950320 2'4'8'
Front
SW
Rear
NE
Left
NW
Right
SE
21'-10"
Remain
3'-7"
Demolish
8'-2"
Remain
7'-5"
Demolish
7'-9"
Remain
13'-3"
Demolish
22'-9"Remain11'-6"Remain12"D2'-7"1'-8"8'-0"Remain8"D2'-10"Remain2'-6"D3'-2"Remain13'-6"Demolish20'-9"
Remain22'-5"Remain8'-0"Demolish6'-4"
Remain
2'-7"
D
11'-3"
Remain
6'-2"
Demolish
5'-6"
Remain
14"
D
5'-5"
Remain
5'-0"
Demolish3'-1"Remain6'-0"Demolish17'-3"Remain13'-6"Demolish2'-2"
Remain
(e) floor plan: ext. wall demolition 1/4" = 1'-0"
(e) Living Area: 2,003 SF
(e) Garage Area: 464 SF
(e) Cov. Porch: 55 SF
0°n
45°ne
225°sw
(e) 2x DF Stud Wall to Remain
(e) 2x DF Stud Wall to Remove
Remove (e)
Masonry FP
Remove (e)Masonry FP
Britt Rowe shall retain all rights
and ownership to all drawings
and specifications. The contents
of the drawings may not be used
in whole, or in part, without
expressed written consent given
by Britt Rowe. All construction
shall comply with all local &
national building codes. All
contractors shall verify all
conditions to assure
conformance to these codes.
REVISIONS:#
408.354.6224 (office)
408.354.6514 (fax)
www.britt-rowe.com
108 N. Santa Cruz Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
BR
SCALE:DRAWING:DRAWN BY:printed:Noted11/15/21(e) ElevationsA2.3
Britt • Rowe
shamain-gudalRESIDENCEM.A.R.Professional Stamp
Jurisdiction Stamps and/or Red Line Notes m.11/15/21
289 Marchmont DriveLos Gatos, CA 950320 2'4'8'
6'-4"
Remain
2'-7"
Demolish
11'-3"
Remain
6'-2"
Demolish
5'-6"
Remain
14"
D
5'-5"
Remain
5'-0"
Demolish
20'-9"
Remain
(e) front elevation (SW)1/4" = 1'-0"
(e) Door
Partially Infilled
(e) Window
Partially Infilled
(e) Door
Partially Infilled
(e) Window
Partially Infilled
(e) Window
(e) Masonry fireplace
and chimney to be
removed.
(e) Asphalt Shingles
(e) Shingle Siding
@ front facade &
garage face only.
0 2'4'8'
13'-6"
Demolish
17'-3"
Remain
6'-0"
Demolish
3'-1"
Remain
8'-0"
Demolish
22'-5"
Remain
(e) left side elevation (nw)1/4" = 1'-0"
(e) Window
(e) Door
(e) Door
(e) Masonry fireplace
and chimney to be
removed.
(e) Asphalt Shingles
(e)Board & Batt Siding
@ sides & rear
TOWN OF LOS GATOS DEMOLITION CALCULATIONS
Total Ext. Wall length Wall Length to Be Removed Wall Length to Remain
Front 64’-2” LF 14’-11” LF 49’-3” LF
Left Side 70’-2” LF 27’-6” LF 42’-8” LF
Rear 64’-2” LF 24’-3” LF 39’-11” LF
Right Side 70’-2” LF 19’-4” LF 50’-10” LF
Total 268’-8” LF 86’-0” LF 182’-8” LF
50% = 134’-4” LF 32%68%
Britt Rowe shall retain all rights
and ownership to all drawings
and specifications. The contents
of the drawings may not be used
in whole, or in part, without
expressed written consent given
by Britt Rowe. All construction
shall comply with all local &
national building codes. All
contractors shall verify all
conditions to assure
conformance to these codes.
REVISIONS:#
408.354.6224 (office)
408.354.6514 (fax)
www.britt-rowe.com
108 N. Santa Cruz Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
BR
SCALE:DRAWING:DRAWN BY:printed:Noted11/15/21(e) ElevationsA2.4
Britt • Rowe
shamain-gudalRESIDENCEM.A.R.Professional Stamp
Jurisdiction Stamps and/or Red Line Notes m.11/15/21
289 Marchmont DriveLos Gatos, CA 950320 2'4'8'
2'-2"
Remain
13'-3"
Demolish
7'-9"
Remain
7'-5"
Demolish
8'-2"
Remain
3'-7"
Demolish
21'-10"
Remain
(e) rear elevation (ne)1/4" = 1'-0"
(e) Window
Infilled
(e) Window
Partially Infilled
(e) Door
Part of (n) Door
(e) Door
Partially Infilled
(n) Window(n) Door Unit (n) Door
(e) Masonry fireplace
and chimney to be
removed.
(e) Asphalt Shingles
0 2'4'8'
22'-9"
Remain
11'-6"
Remain
12"
D
2'-7"
Remain
20"
D
8'-0"
Remain
8"
D
2'-10"
Remain
2'-6"
D
3'-2"
Remain
13'-6"
Demolish
(e) right side elevation (se)1/4" = 1'-0"
(e) Window
(n) Window
Within (e)
Opening
(e) Door
(n) Window
Within (e)
Opening
(e) Asphalt Shingles
(e)Board & Batt Siding
@ sides & rear
TOWN OF LOS GATOS DEMOLITION CALCULATIONS
Total Ext. Wall length Wall Length to Be Removed Wall Length to Remain
Front 64’-2” LF 14’-11” LF 49’-3” LF
Left Side 70’-2” LF 27’-6” LF 42’-8” LF
Rear 64’-2” LF 24’-3” LF 39’-11” LF
Right Side 70’-2” LF 19’-4” LF 50’-10” LF
Total 268’-8” LF 86’-0” LF 182’-8” LF
50% = 134’-4” LF 32%68%
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank
From: Ed Lozowicki <elozowicki@comcast.net>
Date: February 22, 2022 at 4:21:29 PM PST
To: Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: 289 Marchmont dr - Request for your support
Hi Janhavi and Prasad, Valerie and I have no concerns.
Best, Ed Lozowicki
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 4, 2022, at 6:16 PM, Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Valerie & Ed,
We are Janhavi & Prasad, your neighbors at 289 Marchmont Drive. We are writing this email to request
your support for our home improvement plan.
We have lived here with our three kids (younger two attending Blossom Hill Elementary and the older
one attending Fisher Middle) for the last eight years. You may have seen our son running laps up &
down the hill in the evenings or us playing badminton in the street on summer evenings. We love our
lovely neighborhood. Janhavi also works here as a doctor- MD Internal medicine at Good Samaritan
hospital in addition to Valley Medical Center.
Our family has grown over the last eight years. We have decided to add a second story to our existing
house to provide additional space that our family needs, rooms our for kids and an extra bedroom for
Janhavi to isolate in case quarantine is required since she treats hospitalized patients including those
who are COVID+.
We have worked with Britt-Rowe, a Los Gatos architectural firm (Mike Rowe himself is a Los Gatos
resident) to design this addition. We have added space without any demolition. We have not increased
the footprint of the house. This way, we are able to preserve our outdoor space, established trees, and
the driveway. We have not sought any exception, such as reduced setbacks or increased floor area, in
this design. The town consulting architect, independent from the Town Planning Department, has
determined that the project has followed the town’s residential design guidelines, and is in character
with the upper Marchmont neighborhood. The Town’s Planning Department has approved the project.
The details of the project are available at:
https://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28264/Plans---289-Marchmont-Dr
We come to you to seek your support for our future home where we plan to raise our kids and retire.
We completed a door-to-door outreach and missed you. Hence, we are reaching you via email.
If you wish to support us in our endeavor, you can reply to this email indicating:
“We support your project” or “We have no concerns”.
EXHIBIT 12
Please be assured that your email address will not be publicly disclosed.
If you need any more details, we will be happy to answer your questions or discuss with you. Our
contact details are given below:
Thanks,
Janhavi & Prasad
jrgudal@gmail.com 858-610-4285
prasad.shamain@gmail.com 858-610-4275
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Willem Dirven <willem.dirven@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Feb 9, 2022 at 11:07 PM
Subject: Re: 289 Marchmont Dr: Request for your support
To: Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com>
Cc: Heather <hdalcielo@hotmail.com>, Durga Prasad Shamain <prasad.shamain@gmail.com>
Hi Janhavi & Prasad,
Thank you for reaching out. I did see the sign in your front yard outlining your remodeling plan when I
walked our two dogs up to Hillbrook during one of my evening walks.
We have no concerns with your addition.
Since we are considering a remodel ourselves (but not adding a second story), is your reach out
something we should consider doing too? Is this a town requirement? Just curious.
Thanks,
Willem
On Fri, Feb 4, 2022 at 6:44 PM Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Willem & Heather,
We are Janhavi & Prasad, your neighbors at 289 Marchmont Drive. We are writing this email to request
your support for our home improvement plan.
We have lived here with our three kids (younger two attending Blossom Hill Elementary and the older
one attending Fisher Middle) for the last eight years. You may have seen our son running laps up &
down the hill in the evenings or us playing badminton in the street on summer evenings. We love our
lovely neighborhood. Janhavi also works here as a doctor- MD Internal medicine at Good Samaritan
hospital in addition to Valley Medical Center.
Our family has grown over the last eight years. We have decided to add a second story to our existing
house to provide additional space that our family needs, rooms our for kids and an extra bedroom for
Janhavi to isolate in case quarantine is required since she treats hospitalized patients including those
who are COVID+.
We have worked with Britt-Rowe, a Los Gatos architectural firm (Mike Rowe himself is a Los Gatos
resident) to design this addition. We have added space without any demolition. We have not increased
the footprint of the house. This way, we are able to preserve our outdoor space, established trees, and
the driveway. We have not sought any exception, such as reduced setbacks or increased floor area, in
this design. The town consulting architect, independent from the Town Planning Department, has
determined that the project has followed the town’s residential design guidelines, and is in character
with the upper Marchmont neighborhood. The Town’s Planning Department has approved the project.
The details of the project are available at:
https://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28264/Plans---289-Marchmont-Dr
We come to you to seek your support for our future home where we plan to raise our kids and retire.
We completed a door-to-door outreach and missed you. Hence, we are reaching you via email.
If you wish to support us in our endeavor, you can reply to this email indicating:
“We support your project” or “We have no concerns”.
Please be assured that your email address will not be publicly disclosed.
If you need any more details, we will be happy to answer your questions or discuss with you. Our
contact details are given below:
Thanks,
Janhavi & Prasad
jrgudal@gmail.com 858-610-4285
prasad.shamain@gmail.com 858-610-4275
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: susie giordano <susiegiordano@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, Feb 6, 2022 at 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: 289 Marchmont Dr: Request for your support
To: Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com>
Hi Janhavi!
It's so nice to finally know your names! Of course, we see your son running up and down the hill all of
the time. He is such an inspiration to all of us!
I would be happy to support your project; however, I must disclose that I'm not the property owner at
252 Marchmont and only just rent the property through DWM Properties in Los Gatos. If you need to
contact the owner for support, you can reach out to the property manager for contact information.
I wish you the best with your project. I'm sure it will be spectacular.
Susie
On Friday, February 4, 2022, 06:59:53 PM PST, Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Susie,
We are Janhavi & Prasad, your neighbors at 289 Marchmont Drive. We are writing this email to request
your support for our home improvement plan.
We have lived here with our three kids (younger two attending Blossom Hill Elementary and the older
one attending Fisher Middle) for the last eight years. You may have seen our son running laps up &
down the hill in the evenings or us playing badminton in the street on summer evenings. We love our
lovely neighborhood. Janhavi also works here as a doctor- MD Internal medicine at Good Samaritan
hospital in addition to Valley Medical Center.
Our family has grown over the last eight years. We have decided to add a second story to our existing
house to provide additional space that our family needs, rooms our for kids and an extra bedroom for
Janhavi to isolate in case quarantine is required since she treats hospitalized patients including those
who are COVID+.
We have worked with Britt-Rowe, a Los Gatos architectural firm (Mike Rowe himself is a Los Gatos
resident) to design this addition. We have added space without any demolition. We have not increased
the footprint of the house. This way, we are able to preserve our outdoor space, established trees, and
the driveway. We have not sought any exception, such as reduced setbacks or increased floor area, in
this design. The town consulting architect, independent from the Town Planning Department, has
determined that the project has followed the town’s residential design guidelines, and is in character
with the upper Marchmont neighborhood. The Town’s Planning Department has approved the project.
The details of the project are available at:
https://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28264/Plans---289-Marchmont-Dr
We come to you to seek your support for our future home where we plan to raise our kids and retire.
We completed a door-to-door outreach and missed you. Hence, we are reaching you via email.
If you wish to support us in our endeavor, you can reply to this email indicating:
“We support your project” or “We have no concerns”.
Please be assured that your email address will not be publicly disclosed.
If you need any more details, we will be happy to answer your questions or discuss with you. Our
contact details are given below:
Thanks,
Janhavi & Prasad
jrgudal@gmail.com 858-610-4285
prasad.shamain@gmail.com 858-610-4275
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Andrea Gauthier <andreagauthier320@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Feb 6, 2022 at 3:35 PM
Subject: Re: 289 Marchmont Dr: Request for your support
To: Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com>
Cc: Durga Prasad Shamain <prasad.shamain@gmail.com>, <claude.gauthier@gmail.com>
Hello and congrats on an exciting project!
We support your project.
Andrea & Claude
On Feb 4, 2022, at 6:22 PM, Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Annie & Claude,
We are Janhavi & Prasad, your neighbors at 289 Marchmont Drive. We are writing this email to request
your support for our home improvement plan.
We have lived here with our three kids (younger two attending Blossom Hill Elementary and the older
one attending Fisher Middle) for the last eight years. You may have seen our son running laps up &
down the hill in the evenings or us playing badminton in the street on summer evenings. We love our
lovely neighborhood. Janhavi also works here as a doctor- MD Internal medicine at Good Samaritan
hospital in addition to Valley Medical Center.
Our family has grown over the last eight years. We have decided to add a second story to our existing
house to provide additional space that our family needs, rooms our for kids and an extra bedroom for
Janhavi to isolate in case quarantine is required since she treats hospitalized patients including those
who are COVID+.
We have worked with Britt-Rowe, a Los Gatos architectural firm (Mike Rowe himself is a Los Gatos
resident) to design this addition. We have added space without any demolition. We have not increased
the footprint of the house. This way, we are able to preserve our outdoor space, established trees, and
the driveway. We have not sought any exception, such as reduced setbacks or increased floor area, in
this design. The town consulting architect, independent from the Town Planning Department, has
determined that the project has followed the town’s residential design guidelines, and is in character
with the upper Marchmont neighborhood. The Town’s Planning Department has approved the project.
The details of the project are available at:
https://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28264/Plans---289-Marchmont-Dr
We come to you to seek your support for our future home where we plan to raise our kids and retire.
We completed a door-to-door outreach and missed you. Hence, we are reaching you via email.
If you wish to support us in our endeavor, you can reply to this email indicating:
“We support your project” or “We have no concerns”.
Please be assured that your email address will not be publicly disclosed.
If you need any more details, we will be happy to answer your questions or discuss with you. Our
contact details are given below:
Thanks,
Janhavi & Prasad
jrgudal@gmail.com 858-610-4285
prasad.shamain@gmail.com 858-610-4275
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rbrown9165 <rbrown9165@aol.com>
Date: Sun, Feb 6, 2022 at 11:31 AM
Subject: Re: 289 Marchmont Dr: Request for your support
To: jrgudal@gmail.com <jrgudal@gmail.com>
I have no concerns about your project
Robert Brown
280 Karen Court
-----Original Message-----
From: Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com>
To: rbrown9165@aol.com
Cc: Durga Prasad Shamain <prasad.shamain@gmail.com>
Sent: Fri, Feb 4, 2022 6:23 pm
Subject: 289 Marchmont Dr: Request for your support
Hi Robert,
We are Janhavi & Prasad, your neighbors at 289 Marchmont Drive. We are writing this email to request
your support for our home improvement plan.
We have lived here with our three kids (younger two attending Blossom Hill Elementary and the older
one attending Fisher Middle) for the last eight years. You may have seen our son running laps up &
down the hill in the evenings or us playing badminton in the street on summer evenings. We love our
lovely neighborhood. Janhavi also works here as a doctor- MD Internal medicine at Good Samaritan
hospital in addition to Valley Medical Center.
Our family has grown over the last eight years. We have decided to add a second story to our existing
house to provide additional space that our family needs, rooms our for kids and an extra bedroom for
Janhavi to isolate in case quarantine is required since she treats hospitalized patients including those
who are COVID+.
We have worked with Britt-Rowe, a Los Gatos architectural firm (Mike Rowe himself is a Los Gatos
resident) to design this addition. We have added space without any demolition. We have not increased
the footprint of the house. This way, we are able to preserve our outdoor space, established trees, and
the driveway. We have not sought any exception, such as reduced setbacks or increased floor area, in
this design. The town consulting architect, independent from the Town Planning Department, has
determined that the project has followed the town’s residential design guidelines, and is in character
with the upper Marchmont neighborhood. The Town’s Planning Department has approved the project.
The details of the project are available at:
https://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28264/Plans---289-Marchmont-Dr
We come to you to seek your support for our future home where we plan to raise our kids and retire.
We completed a door-to-door outreach and missed you. Hence, we are reaching you via email.
If you wish to support us in our endeavor, you can reply to this email indicating:
“We support your project” or “We have no concerns”.
Please be assured that your email address will not be publicly disclosed.
If you need any more details, we will be happy to answer your questions or discuss with you. Our
contact details are given below:
Thanks,
Janhavi & Prasad
jrgudal@gmail.com 858-610-4285
prasad.shamain@gmail.com 858-610-4275
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Doug Hembry <doughembry@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, Feb 6, 2022 at 7:38 AM
Subject: Re: 289 Marchmont Dr: Request for your support
To: Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com>
Hi Janhavi & Prasad,
Thanks for your note, and the heads-up on your plans. But living as far away as we do, I don't think your
proposal will affect us!
Kind regards.
Doug Hembry
On 2/4/2022 6:37 PM, Janhavi Gudal wrote:
Hi Doug & Diane,
We are Janhavi & Prasad, your neighbors at 289 Marchmont Drive. We are writing this email to request
your support for our home improvement plan.
We have lived here with our three kids (younger two attending Blossom Hill Elementary and the older
one attending Fisher Middle) for the last eight years. You may have seen our son running laps up &
down the hill in the evenings or us playing badminton in the street on summer evenings. We love our
lovely neighborhood. Janhavi also works here as a doctor- MD Internal medicine at Good Samaritan
hospital in addition to Valley Medical Center.
Our family has grown over the last eight years. We have decided to add a second story to our existing
house to provide additional space that our family needs, rooms our for kids and an extra bedroom for
Janhavi to isolate in case quarantine is required since she treats hospitalized patients including those
who are COVID+.
We have worked with Britt-Rowe, a Los Gatos architectural firm (Mike Rowe himself is a Los Gatos
resident) to design this addition. We have added space without any demolition. We have not increased
the footprint of the house. This way, we are able to preserve our outdoor space, established trees, and
the driveway. We have not sought any exception, such as reduced setbacks or increased floor area, in
this design. The town consulting architect, independent from the Town Planning Department, has
determined that the project has followed the town’s residential design guidelines, and is in character
with the upper Marchmont neighborhood. The Town’s Planning Department has approved the project.
The details of the project are available at:
https://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28264/Plans---289-Marchmont-Dr
We come to you to seek your support for our future home where we plan to raise our kids and retire.
We completed a door-to-door outreach and missed you. Hence, we are reaching you via email.
If you wish to support us in our endeavor, you can reply to this email indicating:
“We support your project” or “We have no concerns”.
Please be assured that your email address will not be publicly disclosed.
If you need any more details, we will be happy to answer your questions or discuss with you. Our
contact details are given below:
Thanks,
Janhavi & Prasad
jrgudal@gmail.com 858-610-4285
prasad.shamain@gmail.com 858-610-4275
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Lynn and George Rossmann <rossmann1@earthlink.net>
Date: Sat, Feb 5, 2022 at 1:49 PM
Subject: Re: 289 Marchmont Dr: Request for your support
To: Janhavi Gudal <jrgudal@gmail.com>
We have no concerns and support your project.
George Rossmann
On 2/4/2022 6:48 PM, Janhavi Gudal wrote:
Hi Lynn & George,
We are Janhavi & Prasad, your neighbors at 289 Marchmont Drive. We are writing this email to request
your support for our home improvement plan.
We have lived here with our three kids (younger two attending Blossom Hill Elementary and the older
one attending Fisher Middle) for the last eight years. You may have seen our son running laps up &
down the hill in the evenings or us playing badminton in the street on summer evenings. We love our
lovely neighborhood. Janhavi also works here as a doctor- MD Internal medicine at Good Samaritan
hospital in addition to Valley Medical Center.
Our family has grown over the last eight years. We have decided to add a second story to our existing
house to provide additional space that our family needs, rooms our for kids and an extra bedroom for
Janhavi to isolate in case quarantine is required since she treats hospitalized patients including those
who are COVID+.
We have worked with Britt-Rowe, a Los Gatos architectural firm (Mike Rowe himself is a Los Gatos
resident) to design this addition. We have added space without any demolition. We have not increased
the footprint of the house. This way, we are able to preserve our outdoor space, established trees, and
the driveway. We have not sought any exception, such as reduced setbacks or increased floor area, in
this design. The town consulting architect, independent from the Town Planning Department, has
determined that the project has followed the town’s residential design guidelines, and is in character
with the upper Marchmont neighborhood. The Town’s Planning Department has approved the project.
The details of the project are available at:
https://www.losgatosca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28264/Plans---289-Marchmont-Dr
We come to you to seek your support for our future home where we plan to raise our kids and retire.
We completed a door-to-door outreach and missed you. Hence, we are reaching you via email.
If you wish to support us in our endeavor, you can reply to this email indicating:
“We support your project” or “We have no concerns”.
Please be assured that your email address will not be publicly disclosed.
If you need any more details, we will be happy to answer your questions or discuss with you. Our
contact details are given below:
Thanks,
Janhavi & Prasad
jrgudal@gmail.com 858-610-4285
prasad.shamain@gmail.com 858-610-4275
--
From: Reuel Warkov <rwarkov@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 4, 2022 1:51 PM
To: Jocelyn Shoopman <jshoopman@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Appealing the proposed changes to 289 Marchmont Dr.
Ms. Shoopman,
I'm writing in support of my neighbors who have objected to the proposed changes to the residence at
289 Marchmont Dr.
Please count me in as opposed to this plan.
Most sincerely,
--
Reuel Warkov
269 Marchmont Dr.
Los Gatos, CA
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