Attachment 20 - Planning Commission Recommendation Informational MemoPREPARED BY: Jennifer Armer, AICP
Planning Manager
Reviewed by: Community Development Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
To: Town Council
From: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
Subject: Planning Commission Recommendation on the Draft 2040 General Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report
Date: May 19, 2022
BACKGROUND:
On Monday, May 2, 2022, the Planning Commission completed their deliberations on the Draft
2040 General Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR). The recommendation
was to adopt the Draft 2040 General Plan with modifications and certify the Final EIR. This
memorandum summarizes the Commission’s recommendations to allow the Town Council and
public an opportunity to begin to prepare for the upcoming Council meeting on June 20, 2022,
regarding the Draft 2040 General Plan and Final EIR. A staff report to the Town Council with
additional information will be prepared for the June 20, 2022 meeting.
The Planning Commission’s deliberations occurred on April 13, April 25, April 27, and May 2,
2022, and were based on the materials provided in the staff reports, particularly Exhibit 7 to the
April 13, 2022 Planning Commission Staff Report. All staff report materials are available online:
https://losgatos-ca.municodemeetings.com. Verbatim Minutes will be posted once completed
on the General Plan update website: www.losgatos2040.com.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning Commission’s final unanimous recommendation was to adopt the Draft 2040
General Plan with modifications and certify the Final EIR. The recommended modifications
included:
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
ATTACHMENT 20
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1. In the Introduction, recommend approval of the General Plan Advisory Committee
(GPAC) recommendations for the Vision and Guiding Principles (Exhibit 7, Item 1)1;
2. In the Introduction, modify Section 1.5 “The Los Gatos Community” to include additional
information about the indigenous peoples in relation to the land that the Town of Los
Gatos now occupies and the cultural history of the land, rather than only the
topographical history;
3. Adopt modifications recommended by staff in Exhibit 7 listed as Items 2 through 7;
4. In the Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice Element, add a new Implementation
Program, “Research the viability of increasing support for the acceptance of food
vouchers at local food retailers and farmers markets” to implement Policy RSEJ-4.1;
5. In the Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice Element, modify definitions for equality
and equity, to state “Equality. The state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and
opportunities. Equal opportunity, levels of support, and allocation of resources,
regardless of different circumstances.” and “Equity. Fairness or justice in the way people
are treated. Differing allocation of opportunities, levels of support, and resources based
on each person or group’s circumstances and needs, thereby reaching an equal
outcome.” (Commissioner Barnett expressed concerned about change of these
definitions, and has provided additional input in Exhibit 14);
6. In the Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice Element, modify Policy RSEJ-6.2 to state,
“Support leadership development programs for historically marginalized and socially
disadvantaged individuals and groups to enhance effective engagement in Town
processes.” (Exhibit 7, Item 17);
7. In the Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice Element, recommend the modifications
in Exhibit 7 listed as Items 11, 15, and 18;
8. In the Mobility Element, recommend the modifications in Exhibit 7 listed as Items 62
and 63 as a single Implementation Program;
9. In the Mobility Element, recommend the modification in Exhibit 7 listed as Item 67;
10. In the Mobility Element, recommend a change to the timeframe of Implementation
Program D to 2020-2025;
11. In the Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element, recommend a new
definition of recycled and reclaimed water; and
12. In the Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element, recommend modified
language of Implementation Program C to include consideration of alternative ground
covers and a change to the timeframe to 2020-2025; and
13. In the Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element, recommend the
modifications in Exhibit 7 listed as Items 70, 73, and 80.
14. In the Open Space, Parks, and Recreation Element, recommend the modifications in
Exhibit 7 listed as Items 81 and 84, and remove “provided on a full cost recovery basis”
from the first paragraph under Recreational Services on page 7-7 of the Draft 2040
General Plan;
15. In the Environment and Sustainability Element, recommend the modifications in Exhibit
7 listed as Items 89, 90, 95, and 96 but with “ensuring” changed to “working towards”;
1 References to Exhibits are from staff report materials provided to the Planning Commission at one of the four
meetings listed above.
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16. In the Environment and Sustainability Element, recommend the modifications in Exhibit
7 listed as Items 98 (with “improve” instead of “improves”), 104, and 105;
17. In the Environment and Sustainability Element, recommend the modifications in Exhibit
7 listed as Items 106, 107, 108, 110, and 116 with the language modified to state, “Plant
Based Education: Develop and implement a plan Implement programs to educate and
support residents about the environmental, economic, and social benefits of shifting to
a plant-based diet, examples of which may include informational materials, educational
programs, community events, coordination with schools and businesses, or guidelines
for procurement which includes improved health, curbing greenhouse gas emissions,
reducing biodiversity loss and deforestation, reducing water usage, and reversing
pollution of our air, land, and water.”
18. In the Environment and Sustainability Element modify Implementation Program M to
include linkages between movement corridors;
19. In the Environment and Sustainability Element modify the existing language about the
indigenous peoples on page 8-17 of the Draft 2040 General Plan as suggested by
Commissioner Clark:
• Policy ENV-13.8, “Support a community sense of stewardship for historic and
cultural resources through supporting talks, tours, and other programs that increase
awareness and promote Los Gatos as a destination with historic cultural resources
and through including Ohlone people in the conversation and planning.”
• Section 8.8, “Los Gatos is in an area once occupied by the Ohlone (or Costanoan)
people, which extends from the point where the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers
flow into the San Francisco Bay to Point Sur, with the interior Coastal Ranges most
likely constituting the inland boundary. Before colonization outside contact, Ohlone
lived in base camps of tule reed houses and seasonal specialized camps. Ohlone ate
food gained by hunting, gathering, and fishing. Mussels were particularly important
to their diet, as well as sea mammals and acorns.
Seven Franciscan missions were built in Ohlone territory in the late 1700s, and all
members of the Ohlone group were eventually forced brought into the mission
system. After the establishment of the missions, the Ohlone population was
decimated dwindled from roughly 10,000 people in 1770 to 1,300 in 1814. In 1973,
the population of people with Ohlone descent was estimated at fewer than 300
after what is widely cited as a genocide. The descendants of the Ohlone united in
1971 and have since arranged political and cultural organizations to revitalize,
maintain, and pass on aspects of their culture.”
20. In the Hazards and Safety Element, recommend the modifications in Exhibit 7 listed as
Items 117 and 119 subject to review by the Santa Clara County Fire Department or
CalFire; and
21. Modify definition of “equity,” in addition to the modifications to that definition agreed
upon at the previous meeting, to include a reference to “status and rights.”
22. In the Land Use Element, recommend the modifications in Exhibit 7 listed as Items 21,
33, 34, and 40 (as an implementation program).
23. In the Community Design Element, recommend the modifications in Exhibit 7 listed as
Items 43, 48, 53 (including edible food producing trees), 54 (with the addition of the
word “public” between “secondary” and “access” in Policy CD-11.6), 55 (as an
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implementation program to study implementation of the Mills Act), and add a definition
of “rafters.”
24. In the Land Use Element, modify the maximum allowed residential densities in the
following ways:
• Remove residential density from the Office Professional and Service Commercial
designations;
• Reduce maximum allowed residential density in the Low Density Residential
designation from 12 to 10 dwelling units per acre; and
• Reduce maximum allowed residential density in the Medium Density Residential
designation from 24 to 22 dwelling units per acre.
POTENTIAL HOUSING BUILDOUT:
As a result of the recommended modifications to the residential densities in the Land Use
Element, the General Plan Residential Buildout table (Table 3-1 on page 3-4 of the Draft 2040
General Plan, available: www.losgatos2040.com) would be modified as follows:
Land Use Designation
Density
Range
(du/ac)
Typical
Density
(du/ac)
Assumed
Redevelopment
New Housing
(Vacant Land)
New Housing
(Redevelopment)
LDR Low Density
Residential 1 to 10 10 5% 230 56
MDR Medium Density
Residential 14 to 22 18 10% 201 302
HDR High Density
Residential 30 to 40 36 15% 110 268
NC Neighborhood
Commercial 10 to 20 18 10% 26 91
CC Community
Commercial 20 to 30 26 15% 0 156
MU Mixed-Use 30 to 40 36 20% 126 605
CBD Central Business
District 20 to 30 26 15% 21 113
Subtotal 714 1,591
Housing Units, New and Redeveloped 2,305
Housing Units, ADUs 500
Housing Units, Existing Projects 475
TOTAL NEW THROUGH 2040 3,280
As noted in the April 13, 2022 Planning Commission staff report, the Town’s Regional Housing
Needs Allocation (RHNA) is 1,993 dwelling units plus a recommended 15 percent buffer,
resulting in 2,292 units for the eight-year Housing Element need. If one were interested to
understand the contribution of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and existing projects towards
the eight-year RHNA, then at a minimum, 300 ADUs and 400 units of Existing Projects should be
removed prior to making a comparison. As a result, the potential residential buildout for the
eight-year period based on the Planning Commission recommendation would be 2,580 units,
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which is 288 housing units above the RHNA plus buffer, instead of the 746 excess units noted in
the April 13, 2022 staff report for the Draft 2040 General Plan recommended by the GPAC. This
reduces the excess units by more than half.
Please note that the table does not include the potential for growth through new homes on
properties in the Hillside Residential designation because the 116 units noted in previous
documents is based on acreage of undeveloped lots, with no consideration of land slope or
other constraints, and the Draft 2040 General Plan does not include any changes to the current
regulations in this designation.
Please note the calculations have not taken into consideration that the Town’s zoning
regulations do currently allow housing as part of a mixed-use project in the Office zone through
a Conditional Use Permit, even though the Office Professional General Plan designation does
not specify if housing is allowed or not. It is therefore not yet been determined whether
residential could now be prohibited in these zones, due to constraints imposed by Senate Bill
330. If residential has to continue to be allowed in the Office zone, an additional 114 units
would be added back based on an existing typical density of 18 dwelling units per acre.
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