Attachment 08ITEM:
PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET
Engineering Division
March 21, 2017
15215 Shannon Rd; APN: 537-25-002
Planned Development Application PD-15-001
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS
Requesting approval to rezone a property pre-zoned HR-5 to HR -2Yi:PD, to allow for the
subdivision of one lot into five lots, construction of four new single -family homes, and
removal of large protected trees.
PROPERTY OWNER/APPLICANT : Fred N. Sahadi
Q: What is the current primary means of access?
A: The existing residence at 15215 Shannon Road is currently accessed from a steep asphalt
driveway located within a 20-foot wide easement over the neighboring Tzanavaras parcel.
A review of the 1937 easement document shows that there are no imposed limitations in
regards to the use of said easement.
Q: What is the proposed primary means of access?
. A: The project proposes to construct a 20-foot wide, approximately 1,100-foot long shared
private street that would provide vehicular acces s to five residence s. Thi s private street
would extend southeasterly from the shared boundary with the adjacent Lands of Emerald
Lake Investments LLC and ultimately terminate in a cul-de-sac near the existing residence .
A 40' access easement providing access to the property from the terminus of Santella Drive
and acros s said land has already been procured in 2015 by the applicant.
Q: Could the project use the existing driveway off of Shannon Road as the main means of
access?
A: Moving forward with establi shing primary acces s from Shannon Road would be problematic
for a number of reasons as documented by the applicant (Attachment 1, Exhibit 5, and
Attachment 4). Due to the existing steep grade (29 percent in one section), and narrow
width (14 feet at its narrowest point), the access drive would need to be modified
significantly. In order to meet County Fire emergency vehicle access standards, graded fill s
of up to 10 feet would be required, a new wider easement would have to be granted with
the consent of the neighbor(s), and a drainage channel would be impacted, creating
additional environmental concerns. More information has been presented by the applicant
in Attachment 4 .
Q: Can the proposed private street be designed differently to minimize grading?
A: Yes ; however, the minimal grading street configuration would require more trees to be
removed . The applicant ha s considered a minimal grading layout that would require the
Pa rks and Publi c Works Department • Engin ee rin g Divi sion • 41 Miles Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95 030
408.399.5771 • www.losga t osca.go v • w w w .facebook.co m /losgatosc a
ATTACHMENT 8
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS
removal of 17 or more trees, mostly coast live oaks , versus the currently proposed layout
that will remove around five large protected trees .
Q: What height are the proposed retaining walls associated with the private street?
A : The proposed retaining wall has a maximum height of six feet. Approximately 42 percent of
the proposed 1,141 linear feet of retaining wall for the private street is at this maximum
height.
Q: How steep is the proposed private street?
A : The proposed private road is as steep as 20 percent for two sections that are no more than
250 feet in length. This is acceptable per County Fire emergency vehicle acce ss standards .
Approximately 45% of the proposed private street has a slope between 15 and 20 percent .
Q : Will additional grading be requ ired to make the lots buildable?
A: The subdivision will create four new lots in addition to a lot with the existing single-family
residence . Each custom home site would be processed at a later time w ith separate
Architecture and Site applications . The four new lots provide natura lly flat and open
building sites for potential build ing areas of 11,500 to over 17,000 square feet with minimal
pad grading required . Additional grading would be required in order to construct each
individual lot's driveway to the respective home sites .
Q: Will the driveways need retaini ng walls?
A: Any driveway layout is speculative at this point, but the applicant has provided possible
driveway layouts in conjunction with the envis ioned buildable pad locat ions . These
driveway layouts all require addit ional grading with three of the four requiring retaining
walls extending up to five feet in height.
Q: Will the project increase peak stormwater flow rates from the site?
A: No . According to the hydrologic and hydraulic modeling performed by Balance Hydrologies
(Attachment l, Exhibit 1; also referenced in Attachment 4), the peak stormwater flow rates
will be reduced in all drainage areas through the proposed infiltration trench system . This
work was peer reviewed by the Town 's C.3 stormwater peer review consultant and deemed
acceptable and in compliance with Provision C.3.
Park s and Publi c Works Department • En gineering Division • 41 Miles Ave, Lo s Gato s, CA 95030
408.399.5771 • www.losgato sca .gov • www.facebook.com/losgatosca