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Attachment 48 - Public Comment received 12/16/14 thru 1/29/15From: John Shepardson [mailto:shepardsonlaw(@me.com) Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2015 12:52 PM To: Marcia Jensen; Council Subject: N 40 (25/25/35) For consideration of Mayor Jensen and Town Coucil: Gridlock traffic? Gradually occurs like water rising to top of a bottle. Bottlenecks. Winchester clogged, 17 clogged, Blvd clogged. Eminent domain one more lane? ATTACHMENT 4 8 setter use of road? Arr00001.txt Page 1 � . �+ 1 � ,� wa � '� . ��„�m ,; �� > 8 a? a 65 feet at Albright ATT00002.txt Page 1 ATT00003 (3).txt suggest be careful with height from pad. Maybe leeway couple feet from existing. If no firm control, add 10 feet of dirt, and 55 foot building really looks like 65 foot. BATHTUB Solution like a bathtub. cap the volume. Circumstances warrant a conservative approach. 25 percent reduction in residential to 525. 25 percent reduction to commercial to 437,500. cap height at 35. views protected. GP followed. conservative to guard against exploding traffic. Gros makes money. My understanding project can be done at 35 feet. vuk�s make money. Needed Infrastructure goes in. Town folk happy Town character being protected. onslaught from Campbell and Carlyle coming. Also for probably over 50 reduction in traffic: 1. smart lights 2. Buses (Danville) Great Town bikeways add another 5 percent. is Sent from my iPhone Page 1 This Page Intentionally Left Blank From: John Shepardson [mailto:shepardsonlaw(alme.coml Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2015 7:45 AM To: Marcia Jensen; Council; Greg Larson; Matt Morley; Laurel Prevetti; Robert Schultz; Carl Guardino Subject: N. 40: Smart Traffic Lights N. 40 and elsewhere in Town Improve traffic flow with state of the art traffic lights 1. Smart lights with artificial intelligence Quoting from http: / /en.m.wiki edn ia.org /wiki /Smart traffic light Smart traffic lights or Smart traffic signals are by definition according to developers of a pilot project inPittsbur [1] `A new system that combines existing technology withartificial intelligence to create lights that truly think for themselves'. Also known as intelligent traffic lights andadvanced traffic lights this system differs to the traditional Traffic lightsystem which are advanced signaling devices positioned at pedestrian crossings, road intersections and other places to control the flow of traffic. They are, in essence, signals that utilize a buried induction coil to sense the presence of signals that adapt to information that is received from a central computer about the position, speed and direction of vehicles. The pilot project in Pittsburgh may be the first step in their production across the United States of America. The technology for smart traffic signals has been developed by professors and students at Carnegie Mellon University and is being used in a pilot project in Pittsburgh in an effort to reduce vehicle emissions in the city. Unlike other dynamic control signals that adjust the timing and phasing of lights according to limits that are set in controller programming, this new system combines existing technology with artificial intelligence to create lights that truly think for themselves. The signals communicate with each other and adapt to changing traffic conditions to reduce the amount of time that cars spend idling. Using fiber optic video receivers similar to those already employed in dynamic control systems, the new technology monitors vehicle numbers and makes changes in real time to avoid congestion wherever possible. Initial results from the pilot study are encouraging: the amount of time that motorists spent idling at lights was reduced by 40% and travel times across the city were reduced by 26 %. 2. htip: / /www.sltrib.com /sltrib/ politics / 57276984 -90 /traffic - percent - system -state html csp JS Sent from my iPhone LAW OFFICES OF JOHN A. SHEPARDSON 59 N. Santa Cruz Ave, Ste. Q Los Gatos, CA 95030 Tel (408) 395 -3701 Fax (408) 395 -0112 December 22, 2014 Dear Madam Mayor Marcia Jensen, Vice Mayor Barbara Spector, and Council Members Steve Leonardis, Marico Sayoc and Rob Rennie: I'm sorry I missed the December meeting. However, I watched it in its entirety. Basically, with all the Town development, and exploding traffic from Campbell, San Jose, and cut - through cars from increasing levels of commuters passing through Los Gatos, it seems to me to make sense to provide a Specific Plan that offers the least additional impacts on the Town. The following are my personal suggestions for the Specific Plan for the North Forty: 1. 1 agree with Jeff Loughridge that the General Plan is the guiding document. The Specific Plan must conform to the General Plan. The Specific Plan should not be dictated by the Developer's potential proposal. When the developer says time is running is out, I don't know what that means, and speculating does not seem productive. We were not part of the developer's decision- making process to contract with the Yuki Family, and have not been provided with their internal financials. The Town has not conducted a financial review of what is feasible for the developer. Therefore, what is feasible for the developer seems largely, if not entirely, irrelevant in terms of the Town's Specific Plan land use decision. 2. The General Plan consistently calls for a thirty -five foot height maximum throughout the Town, except for certain limited areas. The Albright approval was a unique exception to the thirty -five maximum height limit (and subject to rigid development standards) that existed on the property site. There was sound legal authority,,and expert legal opinions, that the approval was unlawful, and we will never know for sure because the appeal was dropped and the case settled. 3. 1 agree with Tom O'Donnell that the Town -wide thirty -five foot maximum height limit should apply to the North Forty. Mr. O'Donnell is a "moderate conservative" on land use issues, an experienced Planning Commission Member, a land use attorney, and intimately familiar with our Town, its increasing traffic, and school impacts. 4. Adhering to a thirty -foot maximum height limit protects our special views of green mountains, avoids confusion about view corridors, and reduces density and traffic. 1 5. I'm for the EIR Superior alternative of reducing the commercial by twenty -five percent. 6. I'm also for reducing the residential by twenty -five percent. 7. I'm for lots of age- restricted senior housing. Apparently studies show such housing reduces impacts compared with more traditional housing. The elderly require more medical care than other groups, so being near the hospital and so many other medical offices, reduces impacts, and helps the elderly, perhaps saving lives because of timely treatment for live- threatening events. B. I wonder why the roads are private. 9. I'm for requiring solar panels, EV chargers, cool roads and roofs. 10. The Downtown District should be protected (and yet not coddled) with complementary, rather than competitive businesses. 11. Should parking be subject to meters? I don't know. 12. The small units to attract young people, and older persons downsizing, I'm skeptical of, because there are no controls on who actually purchases or stays in the units. If I have a young family, maybe I pack my wife and kids in a small unit in a sacrifice to get into Los Gatos Schools. I have observed at least unit on the old Swanson Ford site apparently housing two small school -aged children, their parents and a grandparent. 13. Should there be a Fire Station on the site? With senior housing, I would expect a lot of activity on the North Forty, and in neighboring areas, because of the aging of the Los Gatos population. 14. 1 suggest James Russell be utilized to address the school boundaries issue. 15. I'm for an addition to the Lark overpass for pedestrian and bike use. I suggest Carl Gardino and Joe Pyrzinski be consulted. Yoti�p tr loh4n epards Esq. 59 North Santa Cruz Avenue Suite Q Los Gatos, CA 95030 (408) 395 -3701 6 From: Anne Robinson Roley [anne4pt @icloud.com] Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2014 7:36 PM To: Marcia Jensen; BSpector; Steven Leonardis; Marico Sayoc; Rob Rennie Cc: Greg Larson Subject: Bigger isn't better: Why the next wave of condos will be under 500 square feet Dear Council Members I was intrigued by a speaker at Tues. Town Council meeting. She spoke of Millenial housing under 1,000 sf. I found this article and love the concept. The concept that the article discusses is what I think of as Millenial housing not the current housing proposed by Grosvenor in future plans for Phase 1. If you want to attract the 25 -36 age group and make it affordable in Los Gatos, you offer condos under 500 sf. This is the new trend in major cities like San Francisco. I would even consider increasing the number of housing units if they would build these units and age restricted senior housing. Or keep the number of units the same and the lower square footage units would decrease the overall density. I don't feel the current housing proposed for Phase 1 will be affordable for most of the Millenial age group. My kids are 23 and 25 years old and most kids their age are having a hard time saving any money at all - it all goes to high rent and living expenses. Here is the link to the article http / /edition cnn com/ 2014 /08/20/ business /micro- condo - development- trend/ I am all for developing the N40. What I don't want is the traffic backed up on 17 trying to get off at Lark Ave and the traffic backed up on 85 trying to get off at Los Gatos Blvd, which is what happened when Santana Row was built. Our town can not handle a high density development that generates a high volume of traffic. And please make the 30% open space to not include parking, roadways and other cement /asphalt areas. Would love open space to mean landscaped areas. Thank you your time and efforts Happy Holidays!! Anne From: Terry McBriarty [mailto:tmcbriartyC@gmail com] Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2014 8:50 PM To: Council Subject: North 40 Comments The North 40 will have a huge impact on me and my family. We reside on Garden Hill drive off of Lark. Is the council aware of the accident statistics on Lark avenue? I see evidence of car accidents happening on Lark several times a week. The other day I saw a windshield on the ground. It seems that must have been a very serious accident. I worry about the safety of my family daily as I see people run red lights, pedestrians ignore directions, speed limits ignored, people ignorant of traffic laws causing unnecessary congestion blocking the Lark and Garden Hill intersection. Someone will die again at this intersection, it is only a matter of time. This intersection is a disaster waiting to happen. Our town needs the trails improved. Wish we made that bridge happen so my son had a safe way to get to soccer practice at Creekside. We need improved bus lines for our youth that connect outside of town. We need a resolution to deal with those trying to evade highway 17 traffic and filling up our town streets. All of these situations will be worsened by the North 40. Any housing built will lead to our schools be even more overcrowded than they are. It makes me sick when I hear people from Silicon Valley Leadership Group given interviews on the news saying how all of our schools "have capacity." Legally having capacity means that we could convert our clay room or our music room into classrooms. No more music no more clay, art or anything else. At Blossom Hill they have a rule that there is no running on the blacktop. No running. Because it is too crowded. But we "have capacity." At Van Meter we have to stagger our lunch and all of our assemblies because our school was expanded to accommodate 700 children but our multi - purpose room fits less than the 500 the school was originally intended for. This year we were dealt another blow when the Superintendent, Dianna, Abatti, decided after a single complaint about the use of the auditorium at Calvary Church that continuing to use it exposed the district to a litigation so it can no longer be used for the Van Meter Talent Show, Promotion Ceremony. Fisher Middle School can also not use it for any purpose. Make a provision for a school in the North 40. The district came and spoke to you about this. Grosvonor spoke and acted like this was the first time anyone has ever mentioned a school. This is not. We have mentioned a school many times. The district has attempted to purchase land in the North 40 for a school. The North 40 is the LAST CHANCE for a 4th school in town. The North 40 is the LAST CHANCE to fix the mistake the LGUSD made when they sold The Berry school land to the 1CC. Every month more kids show up and the classes get fuller. Give the LGUSD one last chance. We need a magnet school or a charter school. Something different. There are so many educational needs that are not being met. I know many people who have children with specific needs that cannot be met in the South Bay and they have to commute to Palo Alto or elsewhere. Cupertino has Christ McAulliffe, Campbell has Village School, San Jose has Explorer - all of these are alternative models for education that are a part of the school system. What does Los Gatos have? Hillbrook? If you have 25k /year and your kid gets in. St. Mary's, if you are cool with Catholicism etc. People with families move to Los Gatos and pay a premium because people THINK our schools are better than the surrounding areas. I am not sure that this is true. People still seem to pay this premium but when our schools continue to crumble prices will fall. This process has already started. This Page Intentionally Left Blank - - - -- Original Message---- - From: John Shepardson [mailto:sheoardsonlaw(apme comj Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2015 9:39 AM To: Council; Greg Larson Subject: Policy and Procedures Suggestions 1. Update and review of the body cam policies and procedures. Privacy rights must be respected while allowing for transparency in the crime fighting activities. 2. Implement a new polity that for any commercial projected expected to create 100 new jobs or more that staff perform a best estimate calculation of the new housing units that will be required to be built under the existing ABAG formula. I suggest this be done for the N. 40 now. John Shepardson:) THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK