05-02-22 Minutes - PC SPECIAL
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING
MAY 2, 2022
The Planning Commission of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Special Meeting on Monday,
May 2, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.
This meeting was conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with
Government Code Section 54953, as Amended by Assembly Bill 361, in response to the state
of emergency relating to COVID-19 and enabling teleconferencing accommodations by
suspending or waiving specified provisions in the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code §
54950 et seq.). Consistent with AB 361 and Town of Los Gatos Resolution 2021-044, 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 Melanie Hanssen, Vice Chair Jeffrey Barnett, Commissioner Kylie Clark,
Commissioner Kathryn Janoff, Commissioner Steve Raspe, Commissioner Reza Tavana, and
Commissioner Emily Thomas
Absent: None.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. Review and Make Recommendations on the Draft 2040 General Plan and Final
Environmental Impact Report to the Town Council.
Jennifer Armer, Planning Manager, presented the staff report.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Janoff to accept the suggested changes listed
in Exhibit 7 as Items 43, 48, and 53 with language modified to include
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MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING OF MAY 2, 2022
any food producing trees; 54 with the word “public” added to the existing
Policy CD-11.6 in the Community Design Element; and add 55 as an
implementation program to study the Mills Act and its implementation.
Seconded by Commissioner Thomas.
Commissioner Clark requested the motion be amended to include the definition of “rafters”
to the key terms.
The maker of the motion accepted the amendment to the motion.
The seconder of the motion accepted the amendment to the motion.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Clark to recommend Item 20 from Exhibit 7
under the Land Use Element with the following changes: 1) Remove
housing from Office and Service Commercial designations to reduce the
development capacity by 313 units; 2) Reduce Low-Density Residential to
a maximum density of 10 dwelling units per acre; 3) Reduce Medium-
Density Residential to a maximum density of either 20 or 22 dwelling
units per acre, whichever results in more than 500 parcels .
Commissioners discussed the matter.
The maker of the motion withdrew the motion.
Commissioners discussed the matter.
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Clark to recommend Item 20 from Exhibit 7
under the Land Use Element with the following changes: 1) Remove
additional housing from Office and Service Commercial designa tions to
reduce the development capacity by 313 units; 2) Reduce Low-Density
Residential to a maximum density of 10 dwelling units per acre; 3)
Reduce Medium-Density Residential to a maximum density of either 20
or 22 dwelling units per acre, whichever results in more than 500 parcels
that are large enough to allow a four-plex. Seconded by Vice Chair
Barnett.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
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MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING OF MAY 2, 2022
MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Janoff to forward the Draft 2040 General Plan
and Final Environmental Impact Report to Town Council with a
recommendation for approval of the Draft 2040 General Plan with the
changes that the Planning Commission has documented over the last four
meetings, and to certify the Final Environmental Impact Report.
Seconded by Commissioner Thomas.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development
• Director Paulson thanked the Planning Commission for its thoughtful discussion and
consideration over the past four meetings in getting the Draft 2040 General Plan and
Final Environmental Impact Report to the Town Council, as well as members of the
public who participated throughout the GPAC process, the GPAC, t he Town’s
consultants, Ms. Armer for leading the way on the General Plan Update, and other Town
colleagues.
• The results of the community survey were given to the Finance Commission on May 2,
2022 and will be reviewed by the Town Council on May 3, 2022.
• A community meeting related to cannabis is scheduled for May 4, 2022.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COMMISSION MATTERS
Historic Preservation Committee
Commissioner Raspe
- HPC met on April 27, 2022 and reviewed four matters, one of which was the requested
removal of a pre-1941 structure from the inventory. The HPC found the structure to be
without historical significance and in need of significant repairs and granted the request.
The three remaining matters were requests for modifications to homes. The HPC provided
its thoughts and comments on those requests.
Housing Element Advisory Board
Chair Hanssen
- HEAB met on April 21, 2022 to discuss the inventory of sites for production of affordable
housing toward the Town’s RHNA number with the goal of making the inventory smaller
and saving the sites for a possible future RHNA cycle. HEAB will meet on May 5, 2022 to
continue discussion regarding the potential sites by district. HEAB is also looking for input
from staff as to what potential housing production could come out various sites before
HEAB makes its final recommendation to Town Council.
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MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING OF MAY 2, 2022
Commission Matters
Chair Hanssen
- Chair Hanssen thanked her fellow Commissioners for the time they have put into hundreds
of pages of documents and comments over multiple very long meetings to go through all
parts of the General Plan.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 10:14 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
May 2, 2022 special meeting as approved by the
Planning Commission.
_____________________________
/s/ Vicki Blandin