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01 Staff Report -Study Session General Plan UpdateDRAFT Council Meeting 11/2/09 Item # I - MINUTES OF THE TOWN COUNCIL STUDY SESSION OCTOBER 19, 2009 The Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Study Session on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 5:30 P.M. STUDY SESSION DISCUSSION Update and Discussion on the General Plan Update Environmental Review Scope, including the North 40 Specific Plan Negative Declaration ND-99-08 Assessor Parcel Numbers: 424-07-009, 010, 024 thru 027, 031 thru 037, 051 thru 054, 057,060, 063 thru 065, 070, 081 thru 095, and 424-06-047, 087, 115, 116, 120. Applicant: Town of Los Gatos Presenter: David Early of DC&E and staff ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Mike Wasserman, Vice Mayor Diane McNutt, Council Member Joe Pirzynski, Council Member Steve Rice, and Council Member Barbara Spector. Absent: None. VERBAL COMMUNICATION Mr. Rodriguez • Expressed concerns about being removed as the sub-contracted plumber for the police building project. • Commented that he has not received any compensation for work that he has completed at the site. • Expressed concerns that Swenson Development has many projects within the Town and suggested that they may have ties with the Town. Mr. Larson, Town Manager • Clarified that the bidding for the Police Operations Building was a competitive bid process. The contractor, Swenson Development was the lowest bidder by a significant margin and that the project will be completed on time and on budget. • Commented that the ribbon cutting for the Police Operations Building will be on October 26, 2009 as scheduled. Closed Verbal Communications Open Public Comments for the Study Session Discussion Mr. Davis Expressed concerns that staff has not brought the General Plan Update Environmental Review Scope, including the North 40 Specific Plan Negative Declaration discussion before the Planning Commission prior to the study session. Commented that the amount of single family homes proposed for the North 40 Plan will dramatically hurt the school district. Mr. Couchee • Commented on the excellent quality of the Los Gatos schools and expressed concerns that the amount of homes proposed for the North 40 Plan will place a burden on the Town's school system. • Requested that Council take into consideration a plan to mitigate the impacts to Los Gatos schools when moving forward with the North 40 project. • Commented that developer fees and property taxes do not come close to covering the cost to put our kids through school. • Suggested that the developer work with the Town and the school district to either add a school or add additional funding to help the current school system. Council Comments • Requested clarification about the need to work with the school district when moving forward with a North 40 Plan. • Questioned the approximate acreage of the three elementary schools within the district. Mr. Couchee • Commented that the 500 to 1000 additional homes would place a burden on the Town's school districts. • Commented that the school districts are seeing a higher than anticipated growth in enrollment. • Commented that Louise Van Meter used to have a computer lab, but the room was needed for an extra classroom. • Commented that an example of the asset side would be if a developer wishes to step up and consider building a school within the North 40 or providing the school district with funding to improve the current school system which would allow the schools to house additional students. • Clarified that the acreage for the three elementary schools within the district is approximately 4 or 5 acres per school. 2 Public Comments on Study Session Discussion - Continued Mr. Whitmore Commented that the school district may go out for bonds to manage enrollment growth since the Town's schools are at or over their capacity. Commented that the Town would need about 4.5 acres for a new school. Commented that they averaged about 100 new students a year for the past 3 years. Council Comments • Questioned what assumptions have been made by the school board relating to the enrollment growth associated with the North 40 area. Mr. Whitmore • Clarified that within the demographic projections there is an assumption on the enrollment growth associated with the North 40 area, but they feel that the projections are low and not consistent with the current growth rates. Mr. Matsuoka • Expressed concerns that the high school capacity can only handle another 150 students before the school would have to add more classrooms. • Commented that the traffic around the schools is significant and that the gridlock from more homes within the North 40 area may be a huge impact to the Town. • Commented that the school district is in the process of conducting a capacity study to determine what the school's current building can handle. • Expressed that if the school were to grow above 2000 students then they would have to add classrooms which would be a significant dollar cost that the district has not taken into account as part of the current master plan. Council Comments • Questioned when Mr. Matsuoka does his analysis, what assumption does he make with regards to the number of students generated by 750 units. • Questioned if the students would be open to arriving to school by different methods other then cars. • Questioned where the high school would build additional classrooms. Public Comments on Study Session Discussion - Continued.. Mr. Matsuoka • Commented that the demographers hired by the district have provided the district with a projected number to use to calculate the number of students and that estimate was about .2 students per housing unit. • Commented that the students are interested in living in an environmentally friendly Town and that they may take the lead on finding new ways to come to school. • Commented that he would have to remove current buildings and build second stories to the facility to add the additional classrooms. Ms. Quintana • Expressed concerns about public comments prior to the discussions about the North 40 Plan. • Commented that traffic and noise have been big issues with the North 40 Plan and for proposed projects associated with the North 40 area. Closed Public Comments Staff report made by Greg Larson, Town Manager and Wendie Rooney, Director of Community Development David Early, DC & E Consultants • Made a presentation on the site context, developmental parameters, and upcoming process for the North 40 Plan. Council Discussions • Questioned if the gateway project on the northeast corner would conflict with the new buildings at those sites. • Commented that the opening statement for the guiding principles is too vague and suggested defining it to speak to what the Town would like to create and what would benefit the community. • Expressed concerns about height limits when referring to the four and five story buildings. • Would like to see the views from the northeast and all mountains viewed from the south taken into consideration. • Questioned if there is any decision being made by Council this evening relating to the EIR and the 750 units. • Commented that the North 40 Plan will affect the whole community and is an important step for Council. • Commented that the General Plan Committee did not provide a recommendation to the Council, because they did not have enough time to consider all of the information. 4 Study Session Discussion - Continued Council Discussion - Continued • Expressed concerns that the North 40 Plan is moving too fast. • Clarified that the only use for the estimated number of units is a starting point to begin the EIR study. • Clarified that the 750 residential units and 580,000 square feet for commercial are numbers for purposes of the study and that Council is not committing to 750 residential units and 580,000 square feet for commercial or suggesting that those numbers are what the Town recommends. • Commented on the need to develop a community/neighborhood within the North 40 area and suggested that a school site would benefit the Town. • Expressed concerns about the height impacts from 4 and 5 story buildings. • Would like to see more than approximately one acre for designated park space. Mr. Early • Clarified that they will assume a maximum number of 750 units and 580,000 square feet for commercial for the EIR study. • Clarified that the consultants want to stay on the schedule that Council has suggested and that they need to know some parameter for the North 40 site in order to move forward on the General Plan EIR. Study Session Adjourned Attest: Jackie D. Rose, Clerk Administrator 5