07 Addendum - 371 Los Gatos Boulevard
1 DATE: COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT April 17, 2009 MEETING DATE: 04/20/09 ITEM NO. ADDENDUM TO: FROM: GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER SUBJECT: DISCUSSION: CONSIDER
A REQUEST TO DEMOLISH A CONYALESCENT FACILITY ANDTHREEPRE-194I SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND APPROVAL OF A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT TO CHANGE THE ZONE FROM RID:LHP TO R-ID:LHP:PD & RM:5-12:PD
TO CONSTRUCT 19 NEW RESIDENCES AND RENOVATE THE HISTORIC THRASH HOUSE (20 UNITS TOTAL) ON PROPERTY ZONED R-ID:LHP. APN 529-22-044. PROPERTY LOCATION: 371 LOS GATOS BOULEVARD. PROPERTY
OWNER: THRASH HOUSE INVESTORS LLC. APPLICANT: SANTA CLARA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY. &ND-07-145. A Councilmember requested infonnation on the home sizes and floor
area ratios (FAR) of the existing homes on Caldwell Avenue (inclusive ofcellars or basements) and for more detail on where the applicant is requesting reduced setbacks on the subject
property. The home size and FAR infonnation for Caldwell Avenue homes were compiled using County County records (see Attachment 20). Most of these homes were built between 1920 and 1930.
No infonnation is available on which of the homes, if any, have cellars or basements. FARnumbers for the proposed project were provided with the staff report (Attachment 18). Cellars
are proposed for 11 of the new houses and for the Thrash House. Cellar sizes are 625 square feet for Plan 2 homes (four units) and 645 square feet for Plan 3 homes (seven units). The
Thrash House cellar is 775 square feet. All ofthe cellars are below grade elements and will not impact the above ground massing of the residences. Discussion on reduced setback locations
is included in the staffreport (see Zoning Compliance section on page 4). Attachment 21 is a letter from a neighbor on Fillmer Avenue that was received following completion of the staff
report. PREPARED BY: endie R. Rooney, Director of Community Development Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager Attorney __Clerk Finance :Z:Community Development
Revised: 4117/09 9:3\ AM Reformatted: 5/30102
PAGE 2 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: 371 LOS GATOS BOULEVARD; FILE #PD-07-143 &ND-07-145. April 20, 2009 Attachments: 1.-19. Previously received 20. Square footage and FARs for Caldwell
Avenue homes (one page) 21. Letter from Pamela Warren-Ruggieri & Leonard Ruggieri (two pages with one page attachment), received April16, 2009 Distribution: Mark Robson, Santa Clara
Development, 2185 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95128 WRR:SD N:\DEV\SUZANNE\Council'lReports\Fwd. to TCILGBJ71 \LGB311-Addelldum.doc
EXISTING HOMES ON CALDWELL AVENUE ADJACENT TO 371 LOS GATOS BOULEVARD address house site FAR aaraae 202 Caldwell 1736 5500 0.32 408 204 Caldwell 576 5500 0.10 0 205 Caldwell 1983 5500
0.36 393 207 Caldwell 1899 5500 0.35 484 208 Caldwell 1057 5500 0.19 504 209 Caldwell 808 5500 0.15 260 210 Caldwell 1586 5500 0.29 192 211 Caldwell 1076 5500 0.20 216 212 Caldwell 2103
5500 0.38 320 213 Caldwell 918 5500 0.17 0 214 Caldwell 544 5500 0.10 160 215 Caldwell 732 5500 0.13 506 216 Caldwell 1536 5500 0.28 188 218 Caldwell 1156 5500 0.20 489 220 Caldwell
1224 5500 0.22 256 222 Caldwell 1655 5500 0.30 430 224 Caldwell 2065 5500 0.38 240 226 Caldwell 1908 7700 0.25 400 FAR range: .10 to .38 House size range: 544 to 2103 Garage size range:
160 to 506 (two properties have no garage) Note: no information available on cellars ATTACHMENT 20
April 16, 2009 Town of Los Gatos Town Council Members /Planning Commission Members RE: 371 Los Gatos Blvd. Planned Development PD-070143 Architectll1'e and Site Application 8-07-159
APN 529-22-044 Dear Sir or Madam: RECEIVED APR 1 6 2009 TOWN OF LOS GATOS PLANNING DIVISION We are writing onr concerns about the abovementioned proposed development to be ,located at
371 Los Gatos Blvd. We live at 105 Fillmer Avenue which is direclly across the street fi'om this intersection.' Planned Development Concept: It appears that conventional guidelines are
blurred so that both the Developer and the Town and the Neighborhood can benefit. In this case the Developer can reap the rewards of twice or more housing units. The Town can reap a
more ex.tensive tax. base and capitalize on housing elements. The Neighborhood becomes more crowded, traffic is worse and school classroom sizes increase disproportionately. There should
be some give and take in this equation: The Developer has the opportunity develop are open area within within this project to give back to the community. This can be a playground with
a picnic -bbq area, basketball or sport court -some amenity that contributes to the immediate neighborhood that will bear the burden of an increased population. Other factors to consider:
. 1) Density -as stated in the report developed by the Planning Staff-all surrounding areas are R-l:8 or larger ifthis project complied there would probably be at most 8 ·10 houses (2.59
acres x 1/8,000 x .75 road/street allowance) This would then yield a compatible housing development. Most lot sizes in this neighborhood are 7,:)00 sq ft to 12,600 (there is a 15,520
sq ft lot on Los Gatos Blvd) 2) Traffic -As brought up by many neighbors at the Planning Commission Meeting traffic is a problem. A traffic expert who authored a study for this project
measll1'ed the convalescent home traffic and rated it against a chart in a national guideline. A more accll1'ate pictll1'e would be to measure the traffic on Bella'Vista Ct. and multiply
that by 2 oi' 3 (the number of house on Bella Vista vs the proposed number) to get real information for this particular area -and then determine some viable solutions. ATTACHMENT 21
3) Setbacks -as shown there are some areas of 3-5 foot setback lines. A fire fighter in full gear with SEA (self-breathing apparatus) can barely squeak by in 3 feet so fire fighting
and safety are compromised. This is totally unacceptable. 4) Height -some ofthe proposed houses exceed the 30 foot height restriction-as this is new construction there is no existing
hardships to deal with -and there is no reason they should not comply with the rules everyone else has to follow. 5) Sunlight Shading -a shade and shadow study should be presented by
the Developer to see what impact these houses pose on the neighboring propelties on· Caldwell is. Will the cutTent or futUl'e homeowners have the opportunity of solar panels on their
roofs? 6) Residence size -most residences in this neighborhood are between 735 sq ft 3000 sq ft (there is one house on Los Galas Blvd that is 4,743) source: Santa Clara Counly assessor
website -see attached, 7) Historical preservation-I could not be more thrilled to know that the Thrasher house is finally getting some attention-but Ihis is not the swan song of this
project. This could have taken place anytime in the past that the Developer has owned tllis property. 8) I am attaching a partial site plan sketch showing sUl'rounding properties residence
size and lot size to show the disproportionate proposed lot and residence size to the existing adjacent areas. ( source of dala-Santa Clara COllllty Assessor's website). 9) Below Market
Value Housing -Resolution 2008-121 signed by the Council Members and Mayor on November 3, 2008 -B.2 Location oflinits BA1P units shall be localed throughout the development, to the extentfeasible;
in all buildings, on eachjloor, and in each project phase, A concentration ofEMP unils In one location Is not desirable, The BMP units do not seem to be well separated. Then are shown
as a small duplex unit and not of the same consistency as the remainder of the project. CONCLUSIONS -I am SOtTy that the convalescent home was not a good neighbor to its adjoining families.
I am glad that the property will be developed as a housing tract -but it should be done so in keeping with the fabric and context of its sutTounding neighb011100d, '111attk you for this
opportunity to make these recommendations. Pamela WatTen-Ruggieri Leonard Ruggieri
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