Attachment 5March 10 Re: 3.15 Parking Authority
Dear Council Members
Why do we need a C.U.P. for entry into Los Gatos by
chain store's? Originally a CUP was to protect our
small town ambiance, mom and pop retailers and
minimize demand for parking and last but not least
ease circulation.
This all went out the door in 1989 when staff in
their misguided attempt to keep the town vibrant,
pushed for more restaurants and chain stores. Later
came Old Town and from that point on there wasn't
a chain store that the town didn't love. (except
American Apparel). It took a CUP to stop them and
we got Apple instead. Something worked and we
shouldn't loose the ability to deny a chain store.
Small mom and pops, (with the exception of
women's clothing) have all but stopped entering our
market place due to rents, some of the highest in
Santa Clara Valley. Eliminating the need for a CUP
does not stop chain store applications. Today, what
stops chain store applications is our lack of parking
and a change in the way of merchandising in
America. The internet is one way but chain stores
have reversed course and want larger spaces in
small downtowns. Los Gatos has few spaces over 4K
sq feet. What does this mean? I would venture to
ATTACHMENT
say that we might be seeing the end of stable chain
stores in Los Gatos. To top it off the handwriting is
on the wall with the GAP line up of brand names (3
in Los Gatos). Their financials have not looked well
for a long time. Also restoration Hardware needs
more space but just turned down space next door
etc. Yet little stays vacant for long? A conundrum to
say the least. And if they do it is because the
landowner is waiting for a CUP tenant, as small
retail shops do not pay high rents and changeover is
frequent. The myth of Los Gatos is still alive.
We have turned the CBD into an entertainment
district with more restaurant CUPS per block than
Fishermen's Wharf. Now we need to protect what
we have always fought to avoid: chain stores and
restaurant's as they will soon be financially and
most important, our primary tenants.
Until we get adequate parking we should table
dumping CUPS in our central business district and
continue vetting chain stores. The process works.
Get ready for the nightmare if we eliminate the only
way we have of protecting what is left.
Respectfully,
Larry Justo Arzie