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M08-09-16 Certified TranscriptP jr f� TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING AUGUST 9, 2016 TOWN OF LOS GATOS CERTIFIED TRANSCRIPT REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Transcribed by #52367 ADVANTAGE REPORTING SERVICES BY: NOELIA ESPINOLA, CSR #8060 1083 Lincoln Avenue San Jose, CA 95125 Advantage r A Reporting Services, LLC 1083 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, California 95125, Telephone (408) 920 -0222, Fax (408) 920 -0188 1 2 3 4 Al 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 I 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 r 006511 i A P P E A R A N C E S Town Council: BARBARA SPECTOR, MAYOR MARICO SAYOC, VICE MAYOR MARCIA JENSEN, COUNCIL MEMBER STEVEN LEONARDIS, COUNCIL MEMBER ROB RENNIE, COUNCIL MEMBER Town Attorney: Assistant Town Manager /CDD Director: Community Development Director: Planning Manager: ROBERT SCHULTZ, ESQ. LAUREL PREVETTI JOEL PAULSON SALLY ZARNOWITZ 9=11 2 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Jc ,n Reporting Services, LLC Ic W 1W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 P- R- O- C- E- E- D- I -N -G -S MAYOR SPECTOR: Architecture and Site Application S -13 -090 and Vesting Tentative Map Application M -13 -014. Property Location: Southerly Portion of the North 40 Specific Plan Area, Lark Avenue to the South of Noddin -- or Noddin Avenue. Applicant: Grosvenor USA Limited. Property Owners: Yuki Farms; ETPH, Limited; Grosvenor USA Limited; SummerHill North 40 LLC; Elizabeth K. Dodson; and William Hirschman. The way that we are going to begin the hearing this evening is we will have a report from Staff, and then council members will have the opportunity to ask questions of Staff. I don't know who will be making the presentations. Mr. Paulson, the floor is yours. MR. PAULSON: Great. Thank you, Mayor. Council members. This evening we're here, as mentioned, to discuss the applications related to the North 40 Phase 1. And there's some history, and so we'll go through a little bit of brief history on the Specific Plan itself. This goes all the way back to '99, when a 3 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage P V rCmg 8ervfleej, 0 J`: 0 FBI 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 U1W, I plan was drafted but was never adopted. And so, following that, in 2010 the Town Council adopted the current General Plan, which is the 2020 General Plan. And that General Plan required the preparation of a Specific Plan. And so, as a result of the preparation of that Specific Plan, the Town Council appointed a North 40 Advisory Committee, which was established in March of 2011. The North 40 Advisory Committee began their work in March of 2011 and concluded in October of 2013. At those meetings there were opportunities, and members of the public participated in those meetings at those meetings as well as providing information in writing. During that preparation and in preparation the draft Specific Plan, a draft EIR was also prepared for the Specific Plan, and that was released for public comment in early 2014. Planning Commission considered the Specific Plan in the EIR in August of 2014 and receiving that in June of 2014 at two meetings. And then they forwarded their recommendations to the Town Council. The Town Council considered the Specific Plan of the draft EIR on eight occasions between September of 2014 and June of 2015. Final EIR was certified in 9 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W W UK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 WI AN 25 January of 2015. And the currently adopted Specific Plan was adopted in June of 2015. So now we'll go into some of just the general maximum capacities. So development capacity in the Specific Plan allows for up to 270 residential units and also up to 501 square feet of noncommercial uses. The Specific Plan also requires a minimum of 30 percent open space and have -- and should contain design elements to reflect orchard heritage of the properties and also create new bicycle and pedestrian paths and also improvements to nearby streets. The Specific Plan contains three general categories. The first is development standards. Many of those are outlined in the documents that have been provided to you through previous Planning Commission reports as well as the staff report for this evening And those generally include but aren't limited to things such as height, open space, parking, setbacks and lot coverage. Another area of the Specific Plan is design guidelines that relate to the general architecture, site planning, building form, outdoor space and landscaping that applications should be consistent with, moving forward through the process. And so the current application before you are two. There's an Architecture and Site Application, and 5 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A Reporting N�lU6842 seY� ,369, ;' ,! ©1 21 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 606 3. there's also a Vesting Tentative Map Application. The Architecture and Site Application proposes residential units in the amount of 260 residential condominiums and /or row homes. There are also rental apartments, which includes two live /work units which are included in the plan as well as 50 affordable senior units. The current application for architecture and site also includes approximately 67,000 square feet of commercial uses in this current application, and the vesting tentative,map portion of the application proposes to subdivide the area -- which the current project area is approximately 20.7 acres -- into 113 lots, with the option to further allot those into condominium lots of up to 320 units. So a little bit into the housing element . also have the Town Attorney for questions as we move through this. But I'm going to go ahead and, for sake of brevity, run through some of these topics. And so the Town's obligated to meet its regional housing needs, and California law requires the Town to prepare a housing element as part of its General Plan. Every jurisdiction must plan for their fair share of new housing for all income segments of the community. In preparation of our current housing C REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING LJI Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 element, the Town Council appointed a Housing Element Advisory Board to assist in the preparation of the draft housing element. The board consisted of our General Plan Committee as well as four additional members of the community that were appointed by the. Town Council. In 2013 and 2014 the Housing Element Advisory Board held numerous meetings. And there were, again, opportunities for public input, both at the meeting and then items were also submitted in writing. The housing element is required to and did identify specific sites to accommodate the Town's required housing needs. One of those sites that was ultimately selected is the North 40 site, which is part of the application this evening. The housing element identified 270 units to be included in North 40 area and required the Town to rezone thirteen and a half acres at 20 units per acre. To obtain certification from the state Department of Housing and Community Development, the Town designated the sites within the North 40 to allow by -right development. By -right development means that the review can't require any discretionary action, whether it's a conditional use permit, plan development or other discretionary reviewer approval. So we pulled one element specifically from M REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage�S Reporting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 OU�3s5 the housing element. I'm not going to read through . this completely. But if the Town Attorney just .wants to give a brief summ ary of that rather than go through that. MR. SCHULTZ: I think the slide is very important, because it really is your guide -- guideline or your map. And it really just talks about what Joel said, that we did designate, through the housing element, this site for 13.5 acres at 20 units per acre for the 270 yield. And then down below we say during the review process we will review the application and apply the objective criteria within the Specific Plan to decide whether it can be approved. And if this project meets the objective criteria set forth in the Specific Plan, then it must be approved. If you're no going to approve the project, it must be based on objective criteria found in the Specific Plan and be based.on substantial evidence in the record. So I think that's an important slide for you to remember as you go through your deliberations and testimony. MR. PAULSON: Thank you. Another component of the application is a request for a density bonus. When an applicant requests a density bonus for development, they have to 8 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC 59 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 hit certain affordable housing percentages, which dictate the level of density bonus that they're able to receive. And state law requires that the Town not only grant the density bonus but also provide additional incentives or concessions, where needed, based on the percentage of low- income housing units. In addition to and separate from those requests for the incentives, a density bonus may request a waiver or reduction of development standards that would have the effect of physically precluding the construction of the project that the densities or with the incentives permitted under state law. So, as I stated before, the Town must grant the density bonus. But, in addition to that, they must grant any incentives or concessions that are requested unless the Town makes specific findings related to two topics. The first one is that the concession or .incentive does not require an order to provide for affordable housing costs or affordable rents. And the second is much lengthier but basically deals with a -- the incentive or concession would have a specific adverse impact upon public health and safety or the physical environment or any real property that is listed in the California Register of Historical Resources. And then, additionally, you also have to F] REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �lf'S Reporting Services, LLA1068 4 6 s rt @Q 1 determine that there's no feasible method to mitigate 2 or avoid the specific adverse impact without rendering 3 the development unaffordable to low- and 4 moderate - income households. 5 Also included in the staff report is the 6 considerations for the timing of the decision by the 7 Town Council. That generally relates to the Permit 8 Streamlining Act but also has Subdivision Map Act 9 implications. Therefore, the Council must render a 10 decision by September 7th. And, additionally, the 11 application, as I believe the Town Attorney spoke to 12 you before,.must be evaluated against the currently 13 adopted North 40 Specific Plan. 14 The Planning Commission considered the 15 applications on March 30th and then again on July 12th( 16 and July 13th. On July 13th the Planning Commission, 17 following taking testimony at two hearings and then 18 their deliberations, recommended denial of the proposed 19 applications. And generally the findings that they had 20 were that they didn't believe it was consistent with 21 the General Plan or the Specific Plan; that it did not 22 meet the unmet needs of senior housing, as noted in 23 Section 2.4 of the Specific Plan as well as Appendix C; 24 that it didn't incorporate reviews into the layouts, as 25 called out for in the Specific Plan; that the economic 10 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC ig 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 study was flawed; that the units, as proposed -- that they thought that those units should be smaller in size; and that it does not comply with Policy DG6, which is under architecture specifically relating to Buildings 24 and 25, which are the buildings that are on Los Gatos Boulevard, the residential units. And finally that the Specific Plan envisioned lower- intensity residential uses in the Lark District. And that was the -- that is what constituted the findings they made in denying the proposed project. So tonight before the Council -- the Council has the discretion to evaluate the applications based on the objective standards that are in the North 40 Specific Plan. And as the Council comes to formulating an ultimate decision, it will be important that they identify specific facts associated with the application to support those findings. In the staff report, Staff had a suggested sequence which kind of tied with the major categories of development capacity, development standards and design guidelines. Obviously, the Council is free to choose another option, but that was just a suggestion from Staff. And that concludes Staff's report. And we are available for questions. 11 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage l ' Reporting Servsee.,, Iffiyy� 1�/ D`y ,'., �Y & 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 L L L L L MAYOR SPECTOR: Yes. We will now have ? questions of Staff. 3 Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor 51 Spector. 5 So, in my mind, the housing element is the 7 most important factor keeping us from, I would say, 3 sort of a no- brainer decision by the Council. So you 9 went through it a little bit fast. I'm -- I was hoping 0 that we could talk about it a little bit more. 1 So, for example, how many -- if I could ask a 2 series of questions here. How many units does the 3 General Plan allow out on that site, approximately? 4 MR. PAULSON: So the General Plan, with the r" 5 Specific Plan adoption, allows the 270 units. 6 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And how many are 7 required in our state housing element? g MR. PAULSON: Our remaining arena. Right 9 around -- 0 MR. SCHULTZ: The question is both our 1 General Plan -- when we adopted our Specific Plan, that 2 also required us to amend our General Plan to allow for 3 270 units on the North 40 site. 4 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And before we amended 5 it, how many were out there? 12 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Serviees, LLC r1*0) W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MR. PAULSON: I think it's approximately 33, 32 units exist out there on -site current. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: How many were allowed by the General Plan before? MR. SCHULTZ: I'm sorry. The General Plan, back in 2010, when it was adopted, allowed for up to 750 units. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And so we've limited that to 270 now? MR. PAULSON: That's correct. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And when we were considering -- so it's sort of painful to have to place units at 20 units per acre. We can't reduce that, correct? And so what other sites did we consider putting these 20 units per acre when we were doing our housing element? MS. PREVETTI: The Housing Element Advisory Board considered several sites. And the final approved list of sites include the South Bay site, an expansion of our secondary unit program as well as some vacant properties along Oka Road. So together all of those sites, including the North 40, bring us to our total of approximately 620 required homes in our housing element. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And if we wanted to 13 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting Suu�$5a Servi�es.aLG_ ±{ a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 2L 2_` 24 2` stick -- if we didn't want 270 on the North 40, where would we have put them? Or where are we considering putting them? MS. PREVETTI: That would require an amendment to our General Plan and housing element, and the Council would need to find an alternate site. Some of the other sites that were considered but rejected in this go- around include the Los Gatos Lodge, by example. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. So I guess another way to look at this is how -- how serious is this housing element? What if -- I mean, why do we have to do this? What happens if we don't do it? MR. SCHULTZ: So state law requires you to do it. The towns that have not done it have either been sued by a third party, usually building associations ox by developers. Or even the State has come in and required it. So it's a mandate by State to follow state law to meet your housing numbers. There's a - you know, there's all preamble within the density bonus law and through the Housing Affordability Act that talk about the need for more housing in California. And that need is driven by providing this for all the different towns and cities are giving the number to come up with that additional housing. 14 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 19 bJ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And I understand that Pleasanton tried to not do a housing element. What was the result there? MR. SCHULTZ: They were ultimately forced to do it and also had to pay back substantial legal fees... And if they hadn't been forced, then the next step -- sometimes the State will force -- can force to take over the planning process through other avenues. But that has not been done yet. But they were forced to pay substantial attorneys' fees, and the projects were -- ultimately occurred. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. I have other questions, but I will give other council members a chance. MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Jensen. MS. JENSEN: On the same subject, at least for now. Following up on the General Plan. If we didn't have a Specific Plan, per the General Plan, there is 750 houses and 580,000 square feet of commercial, correct? MR. SCHULTZ: Before the Specific Plan was adopted, those were the numbers, correct. MS. JENSEN: And then with respect to the consequences of not having a housing element, that also 15 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage rnn Reporting serviof%:.I�.E° €�:� 1 includes, for example, suspension of the Town's ability 2 to issue building permits, even for, like, a home - 3 remodel? 4 MR. SCHULTZ: It can. That's one of the 5 potential ramifications. 6 MS. JENSEN: Okay. More specifically to.the 7 thirteen - and -a- half -acre -- what I'm going to call the 8 default density, which is the 20 units per acre that 9 the housing element contains on the North 40, I have a 10 couple of questions on .that. 11 The first one came up with the Planning 12 Commission. And the Planning Commission asked, if we 13 were to determine that we wanted to recommend that, for 14 example, ten acres remain on the application site but 15 13.5 acres be deferred to another part of the North 40 16 The applicant took the position that if the application 17 contained all 13.5, we had no discretion to move 18 anything. 19 Mr. Schultz, at the Planning Commission you 20 said.you were going to assume that we could move them 21 at the Planning Commission, but the answer may change 22 at the Town Council. What's the answer now? 23 MR. SCHULTZ: So at the Planning Commission 24 they were taking an arbitrary number, saying -- I think 25 at one time it was 96, and we just want to move 16 REPORTER'S.TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING t " MS 5-? Advantage `4q Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 96 numbers off and they weren't basing that on any objective criteria within the Specific Plan. They just didn't like the number associated with this. You don't have the ability to do that. You do have the ability, though, if you can find objective criteria, objective standards that they have not met within the specific application that's in front of.you, to -- to either modify the vested map or reject that part of it or reject the whole because it has not met those objective criteria set forth in the plan. But you can't just say the number that they've now presented, the 237 plus the density bonus, I just don't like that number, and I'd like to defer some of it over. You have to find in the Specific Plan specific language or specific substantial evidence that allows you to reject that part of the proposal or those units to be able to move them onto a different development. MS. JENSEN: So the Council has the discretion to do that as long as it makes a finding that there's a basis in the plan for doing that? MR. SCHULTZ: Exactly. MS. JENSEN: Okay. A follow -on to the default density. The language that was quoted in the 17 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting Servic P q 3 51 1 PowerPoint and that we've seen in various.iterations is 2 that we can only judge the project based on objective 04 3 standards. I read that as applying to the 13.5 acres 4 of default density, not everything else. Am I correct 5 or incorrect about that? 6 MR. SCHULTZ: I'm going to allow you to 7 interpret that, because I think I can make an argument 8 both ways. It's not clear in our Specific Plan exactly 9 whether it would apply to the 13.5 acres. So your 10 interpretation, in my mind, is correct. 11 I know there's another argument that can be 12 made that it has to apply to the entire project because 13 the application is one and whole and they go together. 14 MS. JENSEN: One more question. With the 15 state density bonus -- the applicant has requested 16 additional units per the state density bonus. Based 17 upon the percentages and the numbers that they've 18 applied for, they're entitled to two concessions, if 19 you will. Two alterations to our standards. Right? 20 MR. SCHULTZ: I believe it's three. 21 MS. JENSEN: Three? Okay. They've 22 requested -- the two I care about -- well, I care about 23 all of them. There was a letter -- I forget -- 24 Exhibit 9 or something -- where there were two 25 exceptions requested. One was height from finish 18 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage JCS In Reporting Services, LLO W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 grade, and one was overall height. The height from finish grade in the letter that was provided by the applicant contained lots of information or arguments with respect to why that was required to provide the affordable housing. And my question is, given the state law, does the Council have to accept the basis or justification that's put forward to request the exception, or are we required under state law to just simply grant it because -- unless we can find one of the -- it's against state or federal law; there's a public health hazard? So does it matter that they provided the justification? Do we just have to say, Fine? Or can we look back at the justification and say, Eh, I'm not so sure? MR. SCHULTZ: If you're not going to grant . that concession or waiver, you would have to, based on substantial evidence, show that it's not necessary for -- to build the affordable unit. MS. JENSEN: But I can't look behind their justification particularly? MR. SCHULTZ: You can ask questions behind it and follow up on that if you're not completely convinced. MS. JENSEN: Thank you, Madam Mayor. 19 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage rn^ Reporting Services, LLC 1 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. 2 - Other questions? 'a 3 Ms. Sayoc. 4 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Thank you. 5 Two quick questions. Still on the housing 6 element. The first -- similar question to Council 7 Member Jensen. The by- right. All the discussion that 8 is happening statewide seems to follow residential. 9 Are there by -right that is applicable to commercial 10 design guidelines as well? 11 MR. PAULSON: No, they're not. 12 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: So second question. 13 Just an affirmation or clarification. When we attached 14 the housing element to the Specific Plan, we did not 15 specify which 13.5 acres were going to be by -right of 16 20 units, correct? 17 MR. PAULSON: That's correct. 18 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. 19 Let me follow up on that. Is it Staff's 20 position that the 13.5 acres have to be together, 21 contiguous, all one parcel? 22 MR. PAULSON: I don't know that that's 23 Staff's position. But with the current application 24 before you, with the by -right and then the density 25 bonus implications, those kind of go hand in hand. But 20 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING t1b6q�I Advantage JCP� Reporting Services, LLC 1 L 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I -) I don't know that there's anything specifically in the Specific Plan that states they have to be together. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Schultz. MR. SCHULTZ: There's nothing within your Specific Plan that said they had to be continuous. MAYOR SPECTOR: Okay. Thank you. Other questions? Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor Spector. If I could go down a little bit different line. One thing I've been struggling with quite a bit -- you know, I've gotten a lot of e -mails about -- it doesn't look and feel like Los Gatos. And, you know, as we're hearing, it has to be 20 units per acre. And what does 20 units per acre look like in Los Gatos? And then when I combine that with -- if I look at the General Plan -- if I look at the General Plan, there's a bullet that says -- hold on just a second -- "Include high - quality architecture and design that reflects the rural and agricultural history of the site." Then when I go to the vision statement of the Specific Plan, it says the North 40 will look and feel like Los Gatos. So, again, now I'm struggling with what does 21 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting Serviced, YW , W" .! i 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Los Gatos look like at 20 units per acre? Does it look -- do we have an agrarian look in Los Gatos at 20 units per acre? And then how do we make it feel like Los Gatos? How do we mix all of those strengths together? So my first question is -- so we've got three documents. We've got the General Plan, we've got this housing element requiring the 20 units per acre, and then we have the Specific Plan. What's the precedence of our documents? What comes first? MR. PAULSON: Well, I think the General Plan -- I'll go ahead and start, and then Ms. Prevetti or Mr. Schultz can jump in as well. We have the General Plan. We have adopted a Specific Plan, which ( became part of the General Plan and was termed to be consistent with the General Plan. And then the housing element also is part of the General Plan. I think that they're separate documents, but they are intertwined and they work together. And so I think the challenge there is -- with the look and feel, as stated in the Specific Plan, the development standards and the design guidelines were intended to implement a project that comes out of those, given those specific parameters, would look and feel like Los Gatos. You know, the maximum height in 22 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq porting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Questions -- Ms. Jensen. MS. JENSEN: Question on a different topic, if that's okay. It's a general question regarding glossaries, examples, charts attachment to the Specific Plan. So the Specific Plan has various things that are attached to it but aren't actually in the body of the plan. So, for example, housing sizes that was cited by the Planning Commission, economic reports that were contained in the EIR but not necessarily in the Specific Plan. What force do they have as decision - makers for those things that aren't actually contained as a section of the plan? MS. PREVETTI: Everything that you just referenced is part of the Specific Plan. So there is the body of the document, the glossary and then the appendices. So together it constitutes the Specific Plan. Typically, the body of the Specific Plan provides the policy guidance, and then the support materials help give further definition or illustration, as needed. MS. JENSEN: Okay. So there is no priority? MS. PREVETTI: No, there is no priority. MS. JENSEN: Thank you. 25 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Re�ppc�rfingg Services,LL�C i 1 MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Other questions? 2 Seeing none, I understand, Mr. Rennie, you 3 may have questions after Staff displays these photos. 4 MR. PAULSON: So we'll have those up there. 5 And Sally Zarnowitz, the Planning Manager for the Town, 6 will go over and describe some of the architectural 7 styles. 8 MS. ZARNOWITZ: Good evening. Thank you. 9 Can you hear me? 10 So this would be mid - century modern, 150s, 11 160s. Modern architecture with kind of a ranch feel to 12 it also. 13 This would be -- we call it more of a -- it 14 is sort of a neoclassical. Contemporary neoclassical 15 is very minimal, so it's sort of a stripped -down 16 minimal current. 17 This is more neotraditional. 18 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Is that also Spanish? 19 I would -- 20 MS. ZARNOWITZ: Yeah. Neotraditional, 21 Mediterranean, eclectic. So, I mean, those styles came 22 in in the 120s, all the eclectics. But, then again, 23 with postmodernism after the 180s, we saw a big 24 resurgence in that kind of architecture. 25 And then this is, you.know, also mid - century, 26 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage (.A 1 Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 maybe ranch influence. You see the horizontal board siding. It's pretty low- slung. This is very mid - century modern as well. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. I don't think I have any more questions. I sort of have names to refer to them in the future. Thanks. MS. ZARNOWITZ: Okay. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Savoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: So two questions real quick on this. The first -- I don't know how to pronounce it. Viveri -- I think that was the -- MR. PAULSON: Verve. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Verve, is it? MR. PAULSON: Viveri. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: My understanding -- and remind me: This is one example of where an applicant used the state density bonus or concession or -- MR. PAULSON: That's correct. This is the only one, I believe, that has been approved by the Town. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: So remind me: When this came before and did its process, was there any discretion on the architectural look of this building? MR. PAULSON: There was discretion. So the 27 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage S Reporting Services; LJ V J 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 A 006864 density bonus isn't necessarily the same as the i by- right. That's why they're a little bit separate. r. But this did go through architecture and site approval and conditional use permit through the Planning Commission. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Okay. MR. PAULSON: And actually -- this actually, I believe, was a -- no, it actually may have gotten an appeal to the Council. But Planning Commission could have ultimately decided that. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Okay. And so if I'm understanding correctly, then -- architectural look and feel. We've had a lot of discussion about the look and feel of Los Gatos. That's not a by- right. Architectural type is something that we can still have discretionary approval over? MR. PAULSON: That's correct. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Okay. MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? Mr. Rennie? COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor Spector. This one is interesting to me, because there is a type in the application with flat roofs. It has a lot more articulation than this one. But, really, is 28 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING KI Advantage STS Reporting Services, LLC Aw N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8' 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 this the only flat -roof residential in Los Gatos? I mean, this seems so out of place to me that -- but maybe I'm wrong. MS. ZARNOWITZ: Well, I think you saw some of the earlier -- the mid - century that, of course -- you know, Eichlers and mid - century modern, Bauhaus. All of that is flat roof. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Is flat roof also? For some reason this one -- oh, okay. It is. MS. ZARNOWITZ: There you go. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: For some reason this seems less -- I don't know -- boxy. MS. ZARNOWITZ: Yeah, the overhanging eaves, projections, things like that. MAYOR SPECTOR: Okay. Questions, Mr. Rennie? COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: That's it. MAYOR SPECTOR: I see no other questions from the Council, so we will get into testimony. First of all, starting very basically, if you want to address us, please submit a card to Staff. Many of you already have. And the way we will be proceeding is, as we always do, the applicant team will begin with ten minutes. Then those of you who wish to speak will have three minutes. I will be calling the speakers up three 29 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage l i'^ Reporting A V '6 J 6 Services, CLC� - +' 1 2 0 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 at a time so that we can keep the process moving. Once again, I will ask that everybody have a seat and keep the doorways fzee and that we -- we listen with respect to each and every speaker. Having said that, turn the floor over to the applicant and the applicant team, and you have ten minutes. MR. CAPOBRES: Good evening, Mayor Spector, members of Town Council. I'm Tom Capobres, representing Grosvenor. I'm joined tonight by my partner, Wendi Baker from SummerHill Homes, Andrea Osgood from Eden Housing and Bill Hirschman of Lexor Builders. And we're excited to be here tonight to discuss our application. We sincerely believe we will be delivering a new Los Gatos neighborhood that we all can be proud of. It wasn't easy to mesh the competing interests that the North 40 has to consider, but we believe we have done it at a very high level. We have done that by being active participants in the community and listening to all the issues that are faced by Town. Change can be hard, and we certainly understand that. That's why the Town has spent decades of planning to make sure this neighborhood is designed to be built the right way. The.North 40 Specific Plan 30 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Servaces, LLC W 1� 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 was developed over six years and was finally adopted over one year ago, after the most transparent community process that has ever been experienced in Los Gatos. There are members of the community that would like to change the North 40 Specific Plan. In contrast, we are not here to ask for any changes at all. As supported by the staff report, we meet or .exceed every objective standard in the Specific Plan. We would be happy to go through each of those objective standards with you during your deliberations. We all lead busy lives, so it's not surprising that there are also members of the community just recently been alerted to the North 40 and may not be aware of the layers of other town policies that ultimately shape the type and scale of development that can.occur on the North 40. Key policies that Staff has already gone through include housing element, which I remember this Town Council voted for in May of last year. The housing element dictates that any residential development in the North 40 that is proposed at a minimum density of 20 units per acre meets -- and meets the objective standards must be proved by right. Although we have designed and proposed an open space program that is the centerpiece of a modern ON REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Rgmrdng 7 9er5ices;1 7 �U 3 6 I ©1 21 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 091 24 25 5 model agrarian neighborhood and we provide more open space than any recent project, some may not be aware that the Town cannot require any further open space. This is because the EIR of your 2020 General Plan determined that the Town already has abundant open space. And that was found in 2010. The North 40 EIR reached the same conclusion. When you add these town policies to the laws enacted by the State in order to help solve its acute housing shortage, the opportunity for discretion for a project application like ours and at the state that this application is in becomes increasingly limited. I would add in your conversation about the housing element and your density vote statute, that yo also have to include the Housing Accountability Act. can appreciate that this is not a comfortable feeling for some, especially when the governing body and the community is accustomed to last- minute compromises that have been experienced in the Town's PD zoning process. This is the process that was used at Albright, Lamuse (phonetic) and Lester Lane In that setting, dramatic changes to an application can be and were made at the actual hearing. For example, Albright lost 65,000 square feet, and portions of its height -- not all -- were dropped from 65 feet to 50.feet. 32 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ` 4q Reporting Services, LLC W i� 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 `may Contrast this to the North 40, where the changes to the plan took place over decades. As you can see in this slide, there have been dramatic decreases in residential density on the North 40 the past decade -plus. 985 residential units eliminated from consideration over a 26 -year period. So it is understandable that folks who have only observed the PD process, such as Albright, could be expecting wholesale changes during this hearing. But this is not the equivalent to a PD stage, for the North 40 that already happened when the Specific Plan was approved over a year ago. Now, does that mean there are no opportunities for discussion at this stage? Of course not. As this is an architecture and site plan review application, there are many significant design components that we can discuss during this hearing to potentially assist in further strengthening the project. These include materials, colors and elevations for the commercial and residential program; open space program and recreational amenities; the landscape palette, including the orchard trees utilized and the freeway perimeter trees; the materials of the paved and surface areas of the project; fencing types; and on -site bicycle facilities, such as in design and 33 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage` I / Reporting (rS'(MG9169 . Services, LLC i 1 distribution of bicycle parking. 2 I'll let Wendi carry on and talk about the 3 project in particular. 4 MS. BAKER: Good evening. We would like to 5 take some time to describe features of the project that 6 are designed specifically to meet the Town's desires. 7 To begin, the Specific Plan's interior street 8 network is defined on both Page 4 -3 as well as the 9 Specific Plan EIR, the site access points from Lark 10 Avenue and Los Gatos Avenue and the grid circulation 11 pattern in the Lark and Transition Districts. However, 12 the intensity -- the interior multi -use of pedestrian 13 paseos have greater flexibility to meander between lush 14 landscaping, which enables the softening of the street 15 network. Excuse me. 16 Within the perimeter setback, interior paseos 17 and open spaces, there are over 1800 trees, of which 18 500 are proposed to be fruit - producing orchard trees, 19 which will bloom and create vibrant colors throughout 20 the property during various times of the year. These 21 are the community gardens -- these and the community 22 gardens form the backbone for the agrarian 23 neighborhood, which is over 2.7 acres of agrarian uses 24 and supported by the Historic Preservation Committee. 25 Ultimately, eight public parks and plazas are connected 34 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_ATq Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 W"I by these plentiful and organic meandering pedestrian paseos. The Specific Plan also allows for flexibility in building setbacks and roof lines. And while the story poles do reflect the building corners and peak heights, they do not identify the one- and two -story building elements, recessed and articulated porches and landscaping, which soften the primary streets and alleyways. Roof lines are varied, both with pitched and flat roofs. And we propose -- the Lark District architecture was almost two times the required two - story elements. As a result, as you enter onto A Street from Lark Avenue, the varying residential building heights and mass actually reduce the sense of the project; instead create a neighborhood streetscape of varying heights and setbacks, small block size and lush landscaping. Because the garages are accessed via secondary alley, the entryways are designed to front onto primary streets. But the architecture on the alleys did not forget height and mass variation. During the review process with the Town's consulting architect, we worked to increase landscaping, vary the building heights, diversify garage door types and create pavement bands to create a unique experience, 35 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Jl, q,,,,�f.J�(Y,O t "[. Services, LL® 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 L L L L even in the secondary drive aisles. > Though not required, we propose that the 3 community park, which is the size of the town plaza, I have two -story homes on the perimeter, which soften the 5 edges and further varies the heights within the Lark 5 District. The residential then moves from 29 percent 1 two -story in the Lark District to primarily 35 percent 3 and taller heights for the residential, commercial and 9 mixed uses in the Transition District. The roof lines 0 and architecture continue to provide variety both in 1 the residential and neighborhood- serving commercial 2 areas. Further, the tallest buildings are the lowest 3 topographical area of the application. 4 In addition, our proposal has unprecedented 5 benefits, including 49 very low - income senior 6 apartments and one moderate -rate manager's apartment, 7 over $10 million of traffic - related improvements above 8 and beyond the EIR requirements, resulting in a 26 9 percent reduction in traffic delays at Lark and Los 0 Gatos Boulevard, bicycle lanes from project -- the 1 project frontage to the Los Gatos Creek trail, 2 compliance with the state - approved housing element and 3 unprecedented voluntary school agreement. Over 4 $2.7 million gross revenues added to the Town of Los '5 Gatos, including $1.9 million annually to LGUSD and the 36 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_ATq Reporting Services; LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 high school and $800,000 to the Los Gatos General Fund as well as $462,000 annually to the Santa Clara Fire Department. It satisfies the unmet housing needs in the Town with affordable apartments, multi - family rental and for -sale housing. Eighty -four percent of the residences are one- or two - bedroom units, with an overall bedroom count of 1.77 bedrooms, average. Residences range in size from approximately 550 square feet to 1950 square feet, with an average residence size of 1,393 square feet. The new neighborhood- serving retail and restaurants will serve both the new and the existing residents on the north side of town. There will be 14.5 tons of diverse fruits and vegetable produced, which will honor the Valley of the Heart's Delight. There is 1500 new trees, over six times the required 276 replacement trees. And there's high - quality execution of the Town Specific Plan, with more open space and trees, less height and greater setbacks. In conclusion, our proposal is consistent with the governing laws and policies enacted by the Town relating to the North 40 property. And, simply stated, we are not maxing this application out. We are less than (inaudible) permitted, and we provide many, 37 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage`' Reporting Services, LL� Jj f j g � � ` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 15 2C 21 2L 2-� 2[ 2` many more benefits than required. Thank you and we are happy to answer any questions. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. And before we get to asking you questions, I'm going to ask those individuals who are seated in the lobby to be as respectful as those who are in the chambers We can hear you, and it is disruptive. And so the next step, since I can't see you, is to ask someone from Staff to stand out there with you and ask you to leave. So questions for the speaker? Ms. Jensen. MS. JENSEN:. It's actually a question for Ms. Osgood. MS. OSGOOD: Andrea Osgood, director of development for Eden. MS. JENSEN: One of the things that we have all gotten and was the subject of the Planning Commission was the appropriateness of the placement of the senior residences over the market hall. And so, with your experience in developing senior housing, can you just give me an idea of why you, as a representative of Eden Housing, think that that's a good idea and support that. 38 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 .7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 P,17 MS. OSGOOD: Sure. So I've been with Eden for almost eight years now, and for seven and a half years of those -- of that time we built many senior projects. But every day I go to work, and there are 60 units of senior housing above Eden's main offices at the South Hayward BART station in Hayward. It's one of our most popular properties. Seniors really like to be close to where the action is. They like to be able to walk down to a grocery store, to a coffee shop, to a restaurant. Many of them can't drive and have to get around either walking or on buses. So a location like this is really amazing for them. They're going to be right in the middle of a neighborhood that's very vibrant, an active part of the community. MS. JENSEN: Okay. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Are there other questions? Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: I think it will just be a small one. You listed several things that you're willing to change in the plan, and one of them was elevations. My guess is most people in here are thinking you're going to change the height. What do you mean by 39 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �rnn Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C. 2C 21 2L 2- 24 2` Y UO6S76 "elevations "? MS. BAKER: This is going to sound very oversimplified, but I was -- when I say "elevations," effectively, we mean the skin of the.buildings. You could change things such as roof pitch and so forth, so long as they're in conformance with the height restrictions within the Specific Plan. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And so we could change the architectural style also? MS. BAKER: Right. For example, you know, you -- if Council were to direct us to look at colors, materials, different architectural styles, that's something that we could do. MR. RENNIE: Okay. Thank you. I just want to make sure that was clear to everybody. MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: So there were a couple of slides that I needed clarification on. One -- it was early on. It was a discussion on the reduction of residential units over the course of years. You had two colors, and you went through it rather quickly. So I saw the 270, but above that you had a different color and different numbers. Could you just explain what that is. M REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2. 2: 2. 2, 2! 1 MR. CAPOBRES: We wanted to -- Don Capobres. 2 Thank you. Answering the question there. We wanted to 3 do apples to apples and not just show the base allowed. 4 So we included the 35 percent density bonus if a 5 developer were to take advantage of that density bonus, 6 as we are on the North.40. 7 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: And then the other 3 question I have for you -- and this may be a -- not as 3 easy to answer. So you've heard the discussion of the D look and feel. Now, when you have 270 units, 320, 'it's 1 hard to discern the look and feel of 320 units that 2 you're just plopping onto this property. Is there - 3 how do you plan to make this a dynamic, organic part ) and continuation of Los Gatos? I think that's 5 something that I've been grappling with. Could you 5 just give me your two cents on how you feel that your team will be able to do that. 3 MR. CAPOBRES: Sure. And I'll take a shot. Maybe Wendi can step in as well. I mean, it starts with the North 40 Specific Plan. And I think, over all the years that we've been ? working on it, that's what all the guiding -- the 3 objective standards and all of the development standards that went into the plan lead you to create. Now, it's open to interpretation. You know, 41 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4 Reporting S 006677 Services, `1F I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 lc 1E li 1 1s 2( 2' 2: 2: 2, 2' those numbers have to be interpreted by a developer. But it really does start with your -- with your Specific Plan. The height that you have on the perimeter ties very well with Highland Oaks, for example, on the Lark Avenue side. It does take advantage of some of the slope on the -- on the site. But -- you know, so we took that -- those design guidelines, and we've been participants in the process for all of this time as well, recorded. But, you know, so, after that, what did we do? We didn't want to create a gated community. We didn't want to create an exclusive community. We wanted to be able to tie into the existing fabric of the surrounding neighborhood. We started inside first, and we started with an unprecedented -- over 85 percent of the public open -- of the open space in this -- in this new neighborhood would be accessible to the public. That's nothing -- that's actually something the Specific Plan didn't require but we chose to do to make it accessible. The North 40 is not very accessible to the public today, if at all. And so we did that by connecting -- you know, it really starts with the open space plan, where we connected what we think are really dual parks and 42 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage _,41�S Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 gathering spaces with a heavily landscaped paseo system that has been inspired by community gardens and the agricultural history of the site. And to do this at a density of 20 units per acre a minimum density of 20 units per acre is somewhat challenging. You can see how other communities in Los Gatos that are at 20 units per.acre achieved it. They achieved it with kind of more longer buildings, blockier buildings. We chose to go with smaller blocks and smaller building groupings so that we can create kind of a -- more lushness that we can interweave the paseo system through and the multimodal path through. So, on the interior, it really starts with the open spaces, which we've taken great pride in making it publicly accessible. Somewhere -- somewhere down the line we were at a community meeting. We were challenged and folks said, Okay. Maybe we buy off on the interior of your site or maybe we don't. But where you're failing to make the connection is to the outside part of the community. And specifically -- and we're excited about the dramatic kind of change in the conversation related to bike and pedestrian access that's happened in this town maybe starting 18 months ago, two years ago. And 43 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4� Reporting Services, LLC - 1 rJ / y R 1 this community group challenged us to connect our 2 multimodal bike path system and try to get it to Los 3 Gatos Creek trail and tied to the larger regional 4 system. And that's not something the Town controls or 5 we control. But working with VTA, Caltrans, with the •6 assistance of Silicon Valley Bike Coalition and other 7 community members and the Town, we're able to make 8 thos.e connections. g And so I'm trying to answer your question 10 by -- we're just trying to be -- connectivity be a key 11 factor in public accessibility in the site. 12 MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Sayoc. 13 MS. BAKER: Do you want me to talk about the 14 architecture? 15 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: You know what? I'm 16 going to save -- keep that question in the back of my 17 mind. I know that's a lot of questions we'll have, and 18 we can save that for the wrap -up. 19 MAYOR SPECTOR: Okay. Now I'm recognizing 20 myself, Mr. Rennie. 21 What I want -- I'm going to sort of follow up 22 on what Ms. Jensen was saying, which is there have been 23 a lot of questions that we've received, a lot of 24 e -mails that we've received, with regard to the 25 application, and I wanted to give the applicants the 44 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC N l 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 opportunity to respond. One of them had to do with the senior market -- the senior units over the market. And the response that I heard was it allows the seniors to be in a vibrant place. But my question is more specific. Why over the market? MR. CAPOBRES: Delivering -- delivering the senior units at the affordability level that we're delivering -- I understand we get the state density bonus for it, but trying to make that work is difficult. And that's why it doesn't happen as frequently, especially in the town of Los Gatos. We had a unique situation where, in working with Eden in the site selection process, we kind of gave them a blank slate. They wanted to be, as Andrea noted, in the active area for the seniors to be able to access services and amenities. You know, we -- we -- Grosvenor is actually donating -- essentially, donating land to Eden Housing to be able to do this. But to make the economics of this work, we're selling them air rights over the parking structure and market hall. Eden thereby is able to participate with us pro rata on the cost of the parking structure and also on any site costs and design costs, which makes the project more feasible for both Eden and Grosvenor 45 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantaged J R@P9rtinB . Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1s 2C 2] 2L 2; 24 2` in this case. So it's a bit of a, you know, jigsaw puzzle.( But because of, you know, their desire to be in -- in that site, in our opportunity that was afforded tows by our design team to make it happen, we are willing to make that work. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Another question that keeps -- yes. MS. BAKER: Eden keeps an interest list. It's not really a waiting list, but it's an interest list for anyone that's interested in any property that we're working on. So we've been working on this for several years. And, to date, even though we haven't really advertised anything, we have over 35 people on that interest list, 15 of which are Los Gatos resident already. So there are community members already living in your town that want to live at this location. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Question, maybe for you. Another one that keeps coming up is that there are no elevators either in the -- that -- the senior location or in any location. So the question would be why no elevators anywhere on the site? MS. BAKER: So our building absolutely has elevators. MAYOR SPECTOR: That's a good answer. What 46 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC l� I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 about any other location? MR. CAPOBRES: You know, it is one of the waivers that we're seeking through state density bonus because of the elevator parapet. It's only in limited areas that we exceed the 45 feet. And it makes sense that the elevator parapet will exceed the height of the building, and it's precisely because of the elevator. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. So you will have them in these other units also? MR. CAPOBRES: So there are also ten -- ten multi - family units located in the Transition District that will also be served by elevators as well. So that will be the Eden program. That will be residential above retail in the Transition District. And those will be elevator- served as well. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. An organization -- and I do not recall the name of it -- submitted a letter in support of the application. And they included in their letter information relating to the income earned by various age groups in the -- in this county or in this area, and that segued into the purchase price of the units. And so I'll just ask you: What do you anticipate to be the purchase price of the units on this site? °19l REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A Rte'$`o tinnng , Services, L C, U b 3 8 >y 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 2'2 2�_ 24 2E MS. BAKER: In today's market, we would expect to start at about $900,000 and go north from there. MAYOR SPECTOR: And do you know what the max would be? MS. BAKER: Let's say about -- with the highest- square- footage unit being about 1955 square feet or so -- it would be probably in the mid 1 million. MAYOR SPECTOR: And do you have information as to the income necessary to purchase a 900,000 to a one - and -a- half - million - dollar unit? MS. BAKER: Again, for the town of Los Gatos -- although I do hear some chatter behind me. In l the town of Los Gatos, that actually is a very reasonably priced unit. If you do market studies, that's pretty -- that pretty reasonably priced unit. But I do not have the information. I could find that information and respond to the question during Q and A. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. MS. BAKER: It also depends on your down payment, of course. MAYOR SPECTOR: Okay. Thank you. And the last one, again, that keeps coming up a lot is why was -- what was the decision - making 48 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ` nq Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 process for excluding the cottage units? MS. BAKER: Cottage cluster are -- you're required -- with a conditional use permit. They also end up being about -- I think we figured about 12 units per acre. The cottage clusters were considered in the Specific Plan prior to, I believe, the North 40 being considered as a possible housing element site. So I don't know if those two documents ever married in watching the proceedings for both of those committees, but -- it was kept in the Specific Plan. But with the minimum 20 units per acre, it's not, ultimately, a feasible product to build. MAYOR SPECTOR: Because? MS. BAKER: Because it plots at, maximum, 12 units per acre. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor Spector. I guess I have two questions. First of all, in the answer to one of Mayor Spector's questions, I was expecting that she was asking what are the price of the affordable units, but it sounds to me like you gave the price of the market rate unit. So I'm wondering if I could get what I thought she was asking. HE REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting S(T -6S 5` Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1s 2C 21 2L 2 24 2` 0 006586 MS. OSGOOD: So our units are all rental, based on the area median income. And, you know, that will vary every year. But right now, if we were to rent them out, they would range between 600 and a thousand dollars. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: One more question. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: So -- go ahead. Did you have something else to add? MS. OSGOOD: No. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. So my second question may be a little bit longer, for Ms. Baker. And I ask it now instead of at the end because I'm hoping people maybe comment on it. From your architectural styles, how -- other than adding a bunch of trees, how is this agrarian style, which is one of the things called out on the General Plan, to celebrate agrarian architecture? MS. BAKER: Because I am not an architect, I am going to defer to my architect so he can speak a little more eloquently on this topic. MR. THATCH: Good evening. My name is John Thatch, Dahlin Architecture. As far as agrarian, we're influenced, I think, and we're not solely agrarian as far as our 50 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage _ ��� q Reporting Services, IM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 architecture. We look at Los Gatos as -- it's very,.I think, eclectic as far as being traditional and contemporary and agrarian -- agrarian (pronunciation). Excuse me'. But we looked at sort of the influence of some of the architecture to see they have some simple forms, the barns. It's sort of reflective, I think, of the simple shapes of barns and farm architecture. I think you can see, some of the architecture, we have steeper pitches and board and batt. I think, materials that we're using, you know, such as, you know, wood siding, horizontal in different features. And also looking at, say, metal. Metal siding that you might see on barns and old farm structures. So we're trying to use influences from that historic past as far as -- using that as far as the character of the architecture and being very eclectic, not only of the different characters of the architecture but also in the different planes and a lot of articulation and the materials. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Jensen. MS. JENSEN: A couple of questions. One was a follow -up for Ms. Baker regarding the cottage cluster. So I'm looking at -- for the record or people's reference, Table 2 -1, "Permitted Land Uses," 51 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4q Reporting O 0 6 8 $Ak ices, ,LLC u 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 17 18 1s 2C 21 2L 0 24 2: 006,688 k Page 2 -7 of the Specific Plan. And indeed it says cottage cluster requires a CUP in the Lark District. And do I gather correctly that the reason that you.would go away from the cottage cluster in the Lark District or anywhere that a CUP is required is because of the default density, by -right housing, that we cannot impose the CUP on it? Is that your position? MS. BAKER: That is correct. And to take a bit of a step back, you can see that -- there's an exhibit on the wall that talks about 20 units per acre and how each of these sort of subsets of this specific application satisfies 20 units per acre. If you consider that you're going to put -- and it would be a conditional use permit, so there wouldn' necessarily be rights granted. We would ask for them. But with that you would have to then up your intensity significantly more in a different part of your project in order to blend the density at about 20 units per acre. So.we have a -- we still have a blended density. But rather than to go from 12 to 30 units and then somewhere landing in between, we would end up having more of a closer -- a blended density. Twelve units is -- that's a maximum on an ideal one -acre sort of square site. The cottage 60 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC FK W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 cluster units has certain design specifications, certain square footage sizes, second floor limitations, opening onto green space and surface parking. So that's why you have a limited density for that type of product. MS. JENSEN: Okay. Thank you. Two more. MAYOR SPECTOR: Go ahead. MS. JENSEN: One is just really simple. Can the Council please get a copy of your PowerPoint? Because I don't think we have that. It wasn't in your letter earlier. And the second question is what was in your letter earlier was -- going back, again, to one of the Planning Commission discussions and findings -- was that there was a discussion regarding the intensity of the development on the Lark District and the actual size of the units. So the square footage sizes. And you provided in the letter, which you didn't really talk about -- and I'm curious if you could just give -- someone would give us a summary. You had a real estate consultant talk about square foot -- square footage sizes. And I just want a better explanation of that. MS. BAKER: So, to start, we -- we established that -- I just want to draw from a couple. 53 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage s "grttinng Services, J 8 9 1 1 1 1 7 7 1 of places in the Specific Plan. Because this was our Bible. And in the residential -- residential portion,(' 3 it says "Residential units shall range in size." And 4 then it says "Refer to Residential Unit Size Mix" in 5 the glossary. 6 MS. JENSEN: Cite, please? 7 MS. BAKER: You bet. It's paper- clipped. 8 2 -26. And it's A. 2.7.3, "Residential Units." And 9 that beginning paragraph states specifically "The 0 Specific Plan Area should accommodate a mix of 1 residential product types and sizes to create the 2 character of.an authentic neighborhood rather than a 3 typical development project. The following standards 4 set parameters to guide future residential 5 development." 6 On the following page I referenced A and then 7 D, which also has the "new residential shall be a 8 maximum of" -- total of 700,000 square feet. It's a 9 little convoluted because one is gross and one is net. 0 And then on Section 3.3, "Residential .1 products should be designed to meet the unmet needs of 2 the community and ... the following guidelines apply '.3 ... cottage cluster, townhomes /garden cluster, A rowhouses, multi - family, condominium, live -work loft." ?5 So these are the -- these are what we've 54 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC ig W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Mi proposed. Townhome /garden cluster, row homes, multi - family, condominium and live -work loft. The only thing we have not proposed in this application is what requires 'a CUP and a lower density, which is cottage cluster. So what we did ask also, though, because we feel this is our Bible -- we wanted to understand where the market was, what it could bear and what is typical in Los Gatos or not typical in Los Gatos and what this unmet needs may need to be looking for. What is the market looking for in this category? And although we did our internal market study, we didn't think it would be very -- it wouldn't necessarily be the best to say, This is what SummerHill thinks. So we went to an outside consultant, who provided information on -- Los Gatos has a very limited supply of for -sale condominiums, townhomes, et cetera. Particularly newer product. And so they did expand a bit to Saratoga, Campbell, surrounding communities, to broaden it. But even within Los Gatos, they had specified the types of square footages, the types of -- and they're far north of 1,000 square feet. Again, this is for a product that is actually very limited within your community. It's not -- there's not a lot of for -sale multi- family in the town 55 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage RepQorting 3erdates, �titl J 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 17 lE 15 2C 2] 2L 2� 24 2. •. OU6�3' of Los Gatos. There is a need for it. It's selling. But it's -- the need and the market desirability of a -#d 1,000- square -foot for -sale unit does not exist, based on the findings of this report. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Other questions of the applicant? Being none, thank you very much. We will now go into the community input. And I have many cards. So what I will be doing is I will be calling you up three at a time so we know -- you'll know to come forward and get in line. You will have three minutes. This is your opportunity to make a presentation to us. You may have questions, but this is not a forum where we will be answering questions. We will be listening to you. For Council, if after a speaker you have questions of Staff, I'm going to suggest that Staff take those questions and, unless it's an extraordinarily easy one, just collect them and answer them all at one time, after the public testimony. All right. And, again, courtesy to each speaker. The first three speakers are Cherie Rose, Shannon Susick and Olga Smith. Cherie Rose, Shannon Susick and Olga Smith, if you'll please come forward. MS. ROSE: Hi. I am the owner of the Cherie 56 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage `STS Reporting Services, LLC W 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2, 2. 2 Pa 1 Rose Collection, and I oppose the North 40 development. 2 I am a Los Gatos resident. I've raised my children in 3 Los Gatos public schools, and I've been developing and 4 growing my family retail home furnishing store in Los 3 Gatos on North Santa Cruz Avenue for the last 20 years. 5 My business is a survivor of the first economic 7 downturn ever experienced in my lifetime, and I am very 3 proud of the fact that I am still in business. 3 It is one thing to experience a slow business because of a national historic downturn. It is quite L another when an international company is allowed to ? build in our community and steal business from those of 3 us who have given our lives to create a beautiful ) downtown environment. Throughout our country, 3 downtowns are being disseminated by these giant i corporations trying to create their own version of l downtown. 3 We need to preserve and honor the integrity 3 of our downtown, the town of Los Gatos, the heart and soul of our community. I urge you to please vote no L and save our downtown. > Thank you. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank vou. E Questions? i Seeing none, Shannon Susick, followed by Olga 57 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage `STS Reporgji Services, LU UO6893 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Smith. Will be followed by Kirsten -- it looks like Shum [phonetic]. MS. SUSICK: I have a PowerPoint. MAYOR SPECTOR: Staff will help you with that. MS. SUSICK: Okay. here so you can see. And I'm have a clicker that I don't. I'm Shannon Susick, other unmentionable words, "t unmentionable elephant in the Council. I'm going to come over going to pretend that I Shady View Lane. Like raffic" is the chambers tonight, This is one of the formulas used by IT Engineers for trip generation. It's a formula, not actual objective data. Level of service is another method for traffic measurement. Typically software or projected analysis, not actual objective data. Oh, this is a photo of North Santa Cruz Avenue. You can see the hillsides. This is the updated chart, after.Council requested additional information about the traffic effects from potential projects. As you can -- oh, this is not it. Sorry. Keep going. This is the chart. And on the right I've highlighted all Es and Fs, not acceptable. 58 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �-ATJ Reporting Services, LLC W t� i 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 The delay time, according to the Department of Transportation -- yeah, sorry -- is .usually collected manually. So recent objective data collected on a cool summer morning -- Friday, August 5th -- finds different delay times than was in the chart. Mitigation by the developer includes a bike path. I know the photos are dark, but we saw one rider at the corner of Los Gatos Boulevard and Lark on Friday morning. For an hour, one bicycle rider. I mean, it's a very nice offer, but realistically, without adjacent mass transit and better overall symptoms, it's just a drop in the bucket. And under no circumstances, including additional projects, will these funds compensate what we, as residents, will be left with. Notice was provided prior to the ER certification and after by the City of San Jose for the Samaritan Master Project. However, the entire scope was not included in the TIA or the potential project study and should be reviewed as grounds for denial. As you can see, only 64,000 square feet of medical office building was included. There's going to be almost 375,000 square feet of medical office space in the Samaritan Master Project. As much as in the North 40. This omission is unacceptable. The project -- trip generation for the North 40 is almost 59 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �n ` R.e�CC°rQtfiFlng Services, U 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 i L L L L UU6S3f 15,000 daily trips on a car. The Samaritan Master Plan is 14,000. That, to me -- 30,000 additional trips. 3 Are you willing to live with that? 1 The residents of this town support you and 5 the Staff for your recommendation to deny. 51 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank your Ms. Shannon 71 Susick. 3 MS. SUSICK: Any questions? a MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Do we have D questions? 1 Ms. Jensen. 2 MS. JENSEN: This is actually one for the 3 Staff to put in its pile, if I could. Is this an 4 appropriate time or -- 5 MAYOR SPECTOR: Let's wait -- why don't you 6 hold on to that. 7 Do we have questions for the speaker? g Mr. Rennie. g COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Yeah. Thank you, 0 Mayor Spector. 1 Maybe you could explain -- I got a little 2 confused on the traffic when you were going through. 3 You started talking about a Samaritan project versus 4 the North 40. So, I mean, I got lost in there. 5 Because there is 64,000 square feet of medical 60 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_ATq Reporting Services, LLC A7 rag 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 PAI 24 25 currently on the North 40, but then you started talking about -- MS. SUSICK: No, no, no. There's -- I believe that Mayor -- sorry. MAYOR SPECTOR: Hold on. MS. SUSICK: Okay. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Rennie, did you finish your question? COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Yes. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Please. MS. SUSICK: Sorry. I believe that the Council requested the additional project information prior to the certification of the EIR. What was included was just this. Okay? But what is actually going to be in the Samaritan project, the additional project, is over here (indicating), which is significantly different than what was included in the EIR and will have quite an impact. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. I think I got it now. MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions for the speaker? Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: It's a simple one. 61 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage UAm ; Repurumgg Services, L C U U c° 91 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 lE 17 1E 1s 2C 2] 2L 2: 2e 2. Can you give us a copy of the Department of Transportation actual data that you showed real briefl on there? MS. SUSICK: Yes. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Okay. And then I too have, similar to Council Member Jensen, a list to add. MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions for the speaker? Seeing none, thank you. MS. SUSICK: Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Before we go to the next speaker, we do have questions for Staff to put in their reservoir. Ms. Jensen. MS. JENSEN: My question is -- Ms. Susick is correct. The Council did ask for additional information before certifying the EIR, which included the Samaritan EIR expansion and Samaritan office building and the Dell Avenue proposed project. My question is the differential that Ms. Susick has shown. I know that there are legal standards for the Town to be able to ask for an EIR, ask for an amendment, ask for additional information. And what I would like the Staff to come back with is its analysis of whether that meets any of those 62 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1' 1 1 2 2 Z 2, 2 2. 11 criteria. ? MAYOR SPECTOR: And I would join in on that 3 request. And also just confirm for me whether it was & the Master Plan -- the Good Samaritan Master Plan that 5 we considered. 5 Ms. Sayoc. 7 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: And, actually, that 3 was the first part of my request to -- request to 3 Staff. The second is, having the Department of L Transportation data -- it may already be in there, and ? the actual counts may be -- maybe have been looked at 3 and are similar. But can Staff come back and take a 1 look at that? And if there are any discrepancies, 5 again, the legal ramifications of those. 5 MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? Seeing none, the next three speakers will be 3 Olga Smith, Kirsten Shum and Ron Hershberger. Ms. Smith. MS. SMITH: Honorable mayor and council member, thank you very much for the work that you do ' for our town. 3 My name is Olga Enciso Smith, not Olga Smith. I As our town is Los -- the town of Los Gatos iJ is not just Los Gatos. 63 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Re006899 pordag Services, LLC4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1? 14 1E 1 1. 1E 1� 2( 2' 2: 2: 2, 2' SIBB I it U I testified before you about three months ago, and I opposed the North 40. I live on Lark and Garden Hill. I have been there -- we've been there since 1972. As I indicated, I was hit by a car in December of last year in the Trader Joe's parking lot while I was walking, and I suffered a fractured back. I'm a little bit better now but not completely better. I also brought up attention that a daddy was killed on Lark and Garden Hill some years ago. And this young father was, I think, taking his child to elementary school or bringing him back from school. And for many -- couple of years there were flowers there. This major development will cause more accidents and death. I will never be the same. And w( could never bring that daddy back. The traffic generated, as I say, will cause more accidents and .death. I heard earlier that the development will have the look of Los Gatos. I don't think that will happen, as Santana Row doesn't have the look of in downtown. It's a fake one. We know that. I opened in 1974 a retail store, a folkloric store, in downtown Los Gatos, and I was here from 1974 to 1985. And I thrived at that time. It was a 64 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING 1 _y Advantage �_ATq Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 small -town downtown, but it changed when we brought chain retailers here. I had to leave my -- move my business from here. I still live here. This will affect, totally, the look, the character, of our town. I would like to keep it like that -- like this for our children, for our descendants. We don't have an attorney. The Town has an attorney. The developer has an attorney. And the residents, we don't have an attorney. So please continue listening to us. And thank you so very much. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Questions? Seeing none, Kirsten Shum, Ron Hershberger. MS. SHUM: Hello. My name is Kirsten Shum, and I live at 15595 E1 Gato Lane here in Los Gatos. And I want to thank everybody for all of your work, and I want to tell you a couple of things. I live close -- fairly close by to the proposed development. I know everybody has been trying to work really hard to meet that 20- units - per -acre goal. I know the City -- the Town of Los Gatos doesn't want to incur a lawsuit, and I appreciate that. I think that some of the speakers who have Z REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage l' , Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 17 1 1s 2C 2] 2L 2: 2z 2` already spoken had some really good points, so I'm just going to refer to those quickly. I think that tthe speaker who was just talking about the traffic and how the traffic at Samaritan, which is in the City of San Jose, will overlap along with the other traffic from this proposed development is a huge factor My spouse is too shy to talk. She rides her bicycle. And she rides her bicycle, and it's very hard going from the corner at Samaritan and then crossing over 85. I'm glad that.there's going to be a bicycle path, and that's very nice. But she gets scared, and I feel scared. But, despite that, she does ride her bicycle and puts lots of lights and things like that. So it's -- traffic is a big issue. I think that the owner of the business -- I think it was Cherie Rose -- was talking about the downtown -- the downtown is really important. Sales tax is really important, especially since, you know, some of our car dealerships have gone. I know that the Town of Los Gatos is trying to figure out how to balance out all of these things, and I really appreciate that. I think that -- I'm really concerned already with the traffic. I mean, if, like, people are driving by on the way to Santa Cruz and everything is so backed up anyways, why would they 66 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 1, 1 1 1. 1 1' l 1 2 2' Z 2, 2 2. L want to come to downtown to spend those dollars which ? would go towards sales tax? 3 So I think that those are really important I considerations. I know you're all working hard, and I 5 truly appreciate that. My -- I think it's just really, 5 really important to think about the.long term. And I 7 know -- my understanding, from reading the Los Gatos 3 Times, is that's what you're working towards. a So thank you very much. And I just really appreciate all your time and effort. L MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. ? Ron Hershberger, followed by Kathryn Schmidt, 3 followed by Robert Williams. Ron or Gayle Hershberger? 3 All right. We're going to go to Kathryn 3 Schmidt, followed by Robert Williams. 5 Well, this will move the hearing along. All 7 right. We have Robert Williams. 3 Mr. Williams. MR. WILLIAMS: I'm not as prepared as the rest of the people who have been speaking here. I'm a resident of -- ? MAYOR SPECTOR: Please bring the microphone 3 up. l MR. WILLIAMS: Sorry. i MAYOR SPECTOR: That's okay. Thank you. 67 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Rg�prtiaft {'3 Services, LLC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 L L G L L L L MR. WILLIAMS: My name is Robert Williams.. ? I'm living on Kingston Hill Way, which is off of Garder�� 3 Hill Drive, at the Lark intersection. So I'm fairly I close to the project. 3 I haven't been too involved in city business, 5 but this is enough to bring me down here. I'm -- I 7 have more questions than I have statements, like some 3 of the other people. 3 What I'm used to, in normal city planning, J is -- okay. You've got busy intersections. Typically, 1 what you end up with around that is the apartments. 2 Next step.back is -- would be the townhomes or 3 condominiums. And then the housing is usually set back 4 farther than that. 5 What I'm seeing from this is that it looks 6 like, on these plans -- I've only seen what's at the 7 library. It looks like you've got three -story housing 8 sitting real close to what Lark Avenue is. It's -- 9 first question would be -- is why not put the two -story 0 housing out at the outside edge so it doesn't look so 1 massive? What I see right now is it looks like 2 three - stories on the outside and the two - stories in the 3 center core. 4 The other item would be, with the 5 three - story, has there been any consideration of 68 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_A 7 Reporting Services, LLC Fi 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 Z Z 2 2' � 1 putting one of the stories subterranean or at least . 2 half underground? You look at what was put down at the 3 old Honda dealership. Those are three stories, with 4 one floor underground. But just the idea of trying to 5 lower down the total height of the buildings. 6 I noticed, just driving over Lark this 7 morning, when you look at where the story poles are, 3 you can't see through the buildings. There's no avenue 3 path. They're placed in such a.way that no matter which way you look, you're just going to see buildings. L And one of my concerns is -- I hadn't seen 2 these pictures before, but I'm used -- I drive every 3 once in a while up San Tomas and Hamilton. And I can 1 only say that the buildings that were put up there -- 3 those apartments are ugly. They look like you're i looking at a jail. It's white walls, small windows. I 7 see here -- this looks a little bit better or -- does 3 that tell me my time is up? Okay. a The only other question I had was really the mitigation for the schools. Because you're talking 300 units right now. That's, I guess, 150 to ? 300 students coming in. Elementary schools -- some of 3 them have been rebuilt. But how is this really going E to impact those schools? i I guess that's all I have to say. 69 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage AT Reporting Service'sl I:i.OJYM M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 L L 006J�Ifi L MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you very much. ? MR. WILLIAMS: Thank you. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Sayoc. 1 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: So I know -- just 3 wanted -- for the future speakers. When there are 5 specific questions, if I could just make sure the 7 applicant addresses those in their time. Or, if 3 there's any specifics, that we can just group at the 3 end. J MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. The next three L speakers, Kevin Zwick, Mei -Lie Swenberg and -- this is Z a surprise guest. So I'm going -- without a name, I'm 3 just going to go with 9940 Weldwood Court in Los Gatos. 4 If those three would please line up.. I 5 MR. ZWICK: Hi. My name is Kevin Zwick, and 6 I'm the CEO of Housing Trust Silicon Valley. Thank 7 you, Council, for giving me the opportunity to speak. B I come out in support -- strongly support of 9 this development and of the years of time and planning 0 that went into coming to this point. 1 Los Gatos -- the Town of Los Gatos has been 2 looking at appropriate sites for housing, especially 3 for affordable housing. The Town of Los Gatos, as, of 4 course, you all know, is a difficult place to site 5 housing at the densities needed.for affordable senior 70 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC f' 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 housing. So the developer, SummerHill, Grosvenor and Eden Housing, should be commended for figuring out ways to do density at the levels needed for the affordable senior housing. And I would just reiterate something that Eden Housing -- that Andrea mentioned earlier, about the appropriateness of doing mixed - use housing -- mixed -use housing above commercial and about how seniors, especially in low- income housing, don't like to be isolated. They want to be part of where the vibrancy of the development is. At the Housing Trust we've been very concerned about our region's affordable housing crisis. And one of the challenges is -- when we move from the theoretical of general plans and housing elements down to actually improving developments, that's, of course, where the challenges come in. But that's where the leadership is needed, for everyone to step up and say all cities and all towns have to achieve the densities we need to address our affordable housing and our regional housing crisis. And we believe that the North 40 Specific Plan and then how it's been -- how it's been met with this proposal will create a very vibrant neighborhood for people of all income levels., and we strongly 71 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage V ` '' ;R,�4 e {{poorting Services, 0 U `� " O 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1° 14 1� 1 li lE 1� 2C 2] 2, 2: 21 2` ,10, support its approval. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Mie -Lie Swenberg. MS. SWENBERG: I'm Mei -Lie Swenberg. I move from Maryland to California 15 years ago. So I have lived in other state, different community. So I can see a lot of changes. I live in Los Gatos five years -- for five years because, unfortunately, I lost my fortune in the bad investment. So right now I'm staying with my sons. However, I like to voice some opinion. Because Los Gatos is a wonderful town, beautiful place. All of my grandchildren born here, and I really appreciate living here. It's clean and secure, and people -are all very friendly. However, we are living in fast - moving, progressive country and society. You can really confine the community for too long. Twenty -five years ago, in the community I live in, they have affordable housing right in the middle of expensive housing, for the loft housing. Nobody have talk about it. The children, the Bethesda and the Potomac Road that we're at now, people have cooperated, and somehow they all survive. And I survive there too for many years. I 72 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage .4C q Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 1. 1. l 1. 1 1' 1 1' 21 2. 2: 2'. 2, 4 r� 1 1 don't know, how is it now. But -- since I left 15 years ago. But this has happened 25 years ago. 3 And I encourage the Town -- I am a scientist, I so I'm a problem- solver. I do believe all the problem 5 can be solved. If you focus on and really know what i the objective is, you can solve a lot of problems. 7 And the main thing is a goal. Your goal is 3 confine it. You don't want changes or additions. You 3 don't want any -- well, I shouldn't say "improvement." There's a lot of people improving residential housing. L But I haven't seen any apartment. Either torn down, rebuild. 3 Because I have trouble to find a place. I ! have serious sinus and allergic problems when I move i here. Finally I had to find something in San Jose, 3 downtown San Jose, for a new unit to live in to avoid I my health problem. 3 So I do encourage some new project. And work out all the issues you encountering or we encountering. l MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you very much. MS. SWENBERG: Thank you for your time, and thank you for the council members' hard work. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. I'm back to whoever is on Weldwood, followed by Patrick Ahrens, i followed by Jim Parravi. Is there a person here from 73 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Al Reporting services". 7�,t3:6 (k n q 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 L L L L L 71 B 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 �,,:��UU691fl as Weldwood Court? Seeing no one coming forward, Patrick -- Patrick Ahrens, followed by Jim Parravi, followed by Rabbi Aron. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I was out back. It takes a little bit to get here. How you doing? I'm on Weldwood Court. I've been living here about 15 minutes -- no, 15 years. I've been asleep 15 minutes. No, I just wanted to say a couple of things. I'm from South Jersey. We speak our minds. This is going to have to get built -- MAYOR SPECTOR: I'm going to ask you, New Jersey -- ANONYMOUS: Yeah. MAYOR SPECTOR: Direct -- direct your comments to us. ANONYMOUS: Okay. I'll do that. It's going to have to get built, whether we like it or not. The government is going to force us to do it, correct? Is that what I'm understanding? So they've been working with us for, what, 20- something years now, and you're getting a lot out of this deal, right? So I see it as -- it's a good thing, you know. Then I look at places where they decided not 74 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING l Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC 9 ( 1� 1'. 1: 1: 1� 1! 11 1' 1£ 1� 2( 21 2� 2, 24 2` 1 to do things like this, and then the economy ends up. 2 biting them in the butt, you know. East Palo Alto is a 3 good example. You have Cupertino building up. Apple. I And Los Gatos wants to sit here with their 80- year -old 5 houses and not do anything about it. So I think it's a 5 really good thing. 7 As far as Lark Avenue, it's always been a 3 problem. Not just because of this. This is going to help it. They're building it. They're redoing it. They're giving us money. So I just feel strongly that, you know, living here for 15 years, we should do this. It's a 3 great thing. And, plus, they're giving us a lot out of the deal. For us to sit here and turn our faces and go, No, we're too good for this -- it's going to end up biting us in the butt. If somebody else were to come in here and build, they won't give us everything they're giving us. So I think we should seriously think about it, because it's going to end up biting us in the butt. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Patrick Ahrens, followed by Jim Parravi, followed by Rabbi Aron. MR. AHRENS: Thank you, Mayor Spector and Council. 75 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 °. 1C 11 1L 1� 14 1 1F 1'. 1f 1! 21 2. 2: 2. 2 2 Hello. My name is Patrick Ahrens, and I'm with the office of Assembly Member Evan Low. I work ono housing policy with the Assembly Member, and he's asked me to be here today to strongly support the housing proposal in front of you. Now, we are in a housing crisis. We have a housing epidemic. And I think that Los Gatos has such a unique opportunity to approve much - needed housing for this region and to really be regional leaders in helping fight against this housing imbalance that we have as a region. So we're not just looking tonight at Los Gatos. We're looking at a region that is in dire need of housing. As your representative to the state t� government, Assembly Member Low has been keenly.aware of this, and he's worked tirelessly with his colleagues to find common -sense solutions to a very acute Silicon Valley problem that we have. Not all areas of the state suffer, you know, with this unique opportunity of I having so many thousands of jobs come to Silicon Valley. And, you know, our cities -- especially in the West Valley, cities are just not keeping up with the 3 demand. (And so I really encourage you all. The Assembly Member ember is willing to work with anyone -- 76 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 1. 1: 1 1. 1 1' 11 L' 21 2: 2: 2: 2, 2' L residents, Council, council members -- in all of the 2 cities that he proudly represents to come up with 3 housing solutions. Because I think many of us -- I majority of us can agree here tonight that we need more 5 housing. And, obviously, there are -- there are 5 nuances. There are a lot of disagreements about how -- 7 you know, the right type of housing for each and every 3 area. 3 But -- you know, the Assembly Member strongly encourages your aye vote tonight to not only look out L for Los Gatos but for our region and for -- if I could ? just speak personally. I'm probably one of the 3 youngest speakers here tonight. As a Millennial, we ! really need to look to the future. Many of you all i have kids who grew up in this community that they can't i afford to live in. And we are really experiencing a crisis here. I can't afford to -- a single - family 3 house in the own community that I have grown up in. ! And so this is a personal struggle, I think, that a lot of families here have to deal with. Yes, there are, I'm sure, lots of different proposals here tonight. And no doubt, you know, we'll continue to have these discussions after tonight. But -- what exactly needs to go here. But, you know, the Assembly Member wanted me to come down, listen to 77 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, L A U 6 9.1 9. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 the residents, listen to the council members, and strongly urge an aye vote tonight. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Questions - me first. A question you might be able to answer, given that you're from Mr. Low's. office, that I'd asked earlier: Do you know the income level necessary to afford a home that costs between 900,000 and a million and a half - million dollars? MR. AHRENS: Well, more money than I probably make. But, you know, you typically need at least 20 percent down, right? And so if -- you know, but the -- the idea is needing housing, generally speaking. We can't afford just not to build any housing and -- you know, this plan does -- is expensive, certainly. But, you know, to not build more housing, as a region, is not acceptable, in the Assembly Member's opinion. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Thank your Patrick, for coming down. And thank Assemblyman Low for sending you. My question for you -- and maybe it's sent back to Assemblyman Low -- can you get us some transportation dollars so we can do something about all 78 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1' 1 1 2 2'. 2: 2: 2, 2' 1 the people that we're bringing in these houses? 2 MR. AHRENS: Absolutely. And the Assembly 3 Member strongly encourages everyone to vote for the 4 bond measure coming up with -- the VTA bond measure 5 that would bring millions of dollars to not only Los 'o Gatos but the entire Silicon Valley. 7 But we're certainly looking and working with 3 the governor and the chair of Transportation to provide 3 more. But we all know that state budgets are cyclical and they're roller coaster, and it's hard to depend on L them, year to year. We all know that there's going to ? be, you know, a recession in the next few years that 3 will undoubtedly trickle all the way down to the Town 1 of Los Gatos. i But there is a bond measure that aims i specifically to do just that. The Assembly Member has 7 proudly endorsed and will be advocating all residents 3 of Los Gatos, if they care about transportation, to vote for that bond measure. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: There is also some bills in the legislature. I think Senator Beall's bill i must be in the Assembly now. Is Assemblyman Low going to be supporting that? i MR. AHRENS: Which bill? M1 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage J J(1 Reporting Services, LLC 1 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: I can't remember -- 2 well, I -- the number changed because.it was in last 3 year, and then they switched it to this year. But it 4 was this bill that was supposed to bring $6 billion in 5 state transportation money. 6 MR. AHRENS: Yes, absolutely. We . 7 generally -- I think we are in agreement with Senator 8 Beall on any state transportation funds. We know that 9 we need it here in the South Bay. 10 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Thank you. 11 MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? 12 Ms. Sayoc. 13 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Thank you, Mr. Ahrens, 14 for being here today. An 15 One of the things that we're faced is the 16 housing element and the RHNA numbers that have been 17 given to us. And, as a community, we also need to plan 18 for the future. 19 And one of the things that I am always 20 concerned with, and I would like some reassurance from 21 you and your office: Is there more ability for us to 22 choose or help influence the RHNA numbers that are 23 given to Us. in the future so that it's a number that 24 actually makes sense, given our current parameters, 25 rather than just, Here's your number, deal with it, and 80 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 1. 1 1 L 1 1 1 1 2 2 2. RA 2 2 E L then come back to us, how you're going to fix it? ? MR. AHRENS: It's absolutely -- it's great 3 that you brought that question up. That's a good I question. i Assembly Member Low -- you should be i receiving an invitation to a conference call with him 7 within the next couple of weeks in your e -mail. 3 Because housing is, obviously, such a hot - button issue 3 in this region. But he wants to hear from particularly his West Valley cities on some housing -- not only this L proposal but his density bonus bill, the governor's -- ? the administration's by -right proposing. There is lots 3 of different housing proposals going on in the state I right now, and it's getting hectic because it's towards 3 the end of the legislative year. i And so he would like to invite you all -- 7 next.Thursday, I believe -- to an afternoon call with 3 him and legislative staff to express your concerns, 3 your agreements or -- certainly be welcome to express the RHNA numbers and any relief when it comes to that. L But we hope that you can all participate on the call. ? And if city staff would like to participate on that 3 call as well, I can give you that information. 1 MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? > Mr. Leonardis. REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Rjep 4 9orting geTVlee9� LLf i' rD u 1 7 I COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor 2 Spector, Mr. Ahrens. Thank you for coming this 3 evening. 4 You know, we hear over and over again that we 5 need more housing in Silicon Valley, which is pretty 6 obvious. We have an economic engine here that drives a 7 lot of jobs. But how about education capacity? It 8 seems, when it comes to that topic, the builders are 9 kind of told that they don't have to add capacity to 10 our schools. What can we do to change that, moving 11 forward? 12 MR. AHRENS: Certainly. The proposal that I 13 was aware of does, certainly, provide money for -- for 14 education and relief, in the proposal that I was l 15 reading. I don't have the specifics in front of me, 16 but I can certainly get you that answer. 17 COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you. I 18 appreciate that. Because I can assure you that there. 19 are a lot of people in this room here tonight that are 20 very concerned about school overcrowding. 21 MR. AHRENS: I'm understanding 1.9 million 22 annually to Los Gatos School District and a couple of 23 other proposals that are -- that are in the measure. 24 Although a couple of people mistook me as a developer, 25 because I'm wearing a suit, in the audience. But I'm 82 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING ( Au 6311 Adv=tage ATq Reportmg Services, LLC N 1� 1'. 1; 1: 1� 1! li 1' 1£ 1! 2( 2: 2, 2: 21 2` sure someone can speak to the -- more specifics of the plan. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Sayoc. S COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: I just wanted to add 3 on -- thank you, Council Member Leonardis. I want to 5 be more specific. Any potential relief to SB 50 is 7 something I know that I, as a council member, would 3 like to hear more information on. MR. AHRENS: Definitely. And you'll have an opportunity to do that with the Assembly Member on that Thursday call. If you're not able to participate, we'll definitely give a chance for you or any members 3 of the community who wish to express their opinions. E MAYOR SPECTOR: Seeing no other questions, thank you, sir. i MR. AHRENS: Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Jim Parravi, followed by I Rabbi Aron, followed by Diane Fisher. I MR. PARRAVI: Good evening, Council. Thank I you for having me here. The gentleman was the youngest, and I'm the oldest. I'm 80 years old, and I've been in this area for the past 50 years. I was sent by the Shah of Iran to come and get an education. I went to San Jose State University, studied industrial design. And, of course, 83 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage RePortinB` Services, LLCFfrf lR91 s 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 7 L when I'm married, I basically told my wife, You're ? going to have a baby. You stay home, and I'll go ahead 3 and do the work. I I placed a job -- I have a job at a 3 restaurant called 17 West. Many of the older people 5 know where it was. So I became a Maitre d'. The 7 average money I was taking home in those days was $200 3 a night. And also a party -- one of the movers and 9 shakers in the 160s, at that time they will come to the 0 restaurant and, basically, I'll be serving them. 1 So our daughter -- my wife, when she was a 2 graduate from San Jose State, stayed with her. So she 3 went to Irvine, got a degree in microbiology, and now 4 she has her own company. t 5 So, therefore, I think this -- education, 6 though, is number one. With the.project that I have, 7 it is similar when I participated for the World Trade 8 Center design ten years before. So I thought, Well, 9 why not apply -- basically, apply this project that 0 (inaudible) executive director? And it was about 1 creating a five -acre lake. Of course, Silverstein 2 wanted to have high, higher and higher, more money. 3 So I created a five -acre lake. Then around 4 it I created an octagon, eight buildings, separated :5 about 100 feet and then about ten stories high in a 84 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING � � U �� u O Advantage ��, Reporting } i ;3� Services, LLC W !` 1 l� 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 point at levels to the pond and will end up about a . 2 hundred feet from the lake. 3 So what this did, number one, if there was a 4 -- a big -- a big earthquake or something that was 5 happening that you have to get -- I have all the 6 pictures from World Trade Center. They were jumping. 7 They cannot only can take the elevator. I explain that 8 you can come down the side, and you can come down by 9 the lake. 0 Also created interest (inaudible) that will I go into the central lake. And, basically, when you 2 take the -- basically, the bridges or the octagon will 3 be interest (inaudible) also. 4 Within that central lake -- central -- 3 central building, I created a project that was a 5 firefighting system, which is an invention. 7 Last week I was with Mr. -- Mr. -- the 3 gentleman that is the chief of firefighting. And I 3 showed him -- Mr. Engle. I showed him the project. And I've been working with him for the last five years. L This project, he said, has to be patented and basically ? used for the -- for the things that we are doing for 3 the future. Also the education. The idea is to get them i money from the -- from the government -- I have a 85 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage l �yy. ((_��R(eportting Services, LLC 1 letter from President Obama in regard to the project,- - 2 get the money from the government, build the student 3 university, buy the student money in advance. 4 I guess I'm done. I thank you very much. 5 MAYOR SPECTOR: We thank you. MR. PARRAVI: Any questions? MAYOR SPECTOR: No questions. MR. PARRAVI: Thank you very much. MAYOR SPECTOR: Rabbi Aron, Diane Fisher and 101 Rosaline Vasquez. 11 RABBI ARON: My name is Melanie Aron. I've 12 lived in the community for 26 years. My children are 13 graduates of the Los Gatos High School. 14 I serve as the rabbi at Congregation Shir 15 Hadash, but I'm here this evening to talk on behalf of 16 our clergy group. We represent the various 17 congregations that gather in this community. Some of 18 you may know that from the Thanksgiving worship that 19 some of you may have participated in. 20 Clergy are really on the front lines when 21 there are calls and visits from members of our 22 congregation who have crises with housing. They might 23 have an older relative who lives at a distance who they 24 would like to bring into this area. There might be an 25 older member of one of our congregations who is living, 86 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �C ,n ReporVmg 77 Services; LLC ro t 1 K 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 isolated, in a house that's really too large for them to manage. They have children, family members, who would like to join them in this area, who have grown up in this area, and there really is no housing. All housing that's built helps with the housing crisis. Whether it's above market value or below market value, it's the total number of housing units that makes an impact. And we are particularly pleased that there's housing for the elderly designated as below market housing as part of this project. The traffic is very unfortunate. It is very unpleasant. When it keeps people away from worship, the clergy are even angrier than anyone else about it. But it's really a red herring. It was not caused by the North 40. It has other causes, ways -- the medical offices -- and will have to be dealt with and remedied in different ways. The North 40 has nothing to do with this. This is a piece of land that is bounded by two big freeways. It is not in a residential area. There's a lot of commercial and medical development all around it. These are not going to be quarter -acre lots, no matter what. That's not going to be built there. Density housing meets.the needs of our REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage orti ng qU 662 3 Semees, "U0 t 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1s 2C 21 2L 2; 24 2` community. It makes mass transit more viable. It is something that really looks to the future for our community. People have talked about their children and grandchildren and wanting the best for them. This housing is very important to the future of our children and grandchildren, to the future of our community, and really to the future of the globe, because this is something we need to do. Thank you so much. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. .Diane Fisher, Rosaline Vasquez and Amy Despars. MS. FISHER: Good evening. I'm Diane Fisher. -,, I'm director of the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley. The Jewish Federation owns and operates the Levy Family Campus on Oka Road. So we are close neighbors, adjacent to the North 40 project. I have spoken previously in support of this project as it has gone through this Council, and I'm here tonight to continue and strongly support the current application and ask the Council to move forward as planned. We are particularly supportive of the senior 88 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_A(�q Reportiug Services, LLC ig W 1 1 1 1 1 1, 1 1' 11 1 2i 2: 2: 2: 2, 2` 1 housing provided in this project. And, in that regard, 2 I'm also representing the Jewish Family Services, 3 located also on Oka Road. They provide food and 4 counseling services. And affordable housing is the 5 number one issue that their clients face. o We are a nonprofit agency serving the 7 community and co- located with the North 40 project, and 3 we are happy that the $10 million in traffic abatement 3 plans are part of this project. For the sake of our families, for the sake of our responsibilities and our L values as an inclusive community, we want to see Los 2 Gatos comply with the state- approved housing element as 3 well as the unmet needs for smaller residences. 1 We look forward to supporting, in our agency, 5 the healthy living style promoted by the North 40 5 design, with open space and community gardens. 7 A lot of good discussions have gone on. We 3 have participated in them over all of this time. And ! we hope that you can move forward, and we look forward to supporting this when it's built. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Rosaline Vasquez, Amy Despars and Tom I Picraux. I do not see Rosaline Vasquez. All right. So Amy Despars, followed by Tom Picraux. M9 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage V `� Reporting Services, T WJ '6,925' 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 7 7 MS. DESPARS: Good evening, Town Council. . First, I would like to applaud the Planning ij 3 Commission for rightfully denying this application and 4 to all of you for reading the hundreds of letters that 5 have been sent in by concerned, dedicated and highly 6 knowledgeable citizens. I'm asking you to take a look 7 at these letters thoroughly, especially the ones with 8 specific ways in which you can legally deny this 9 application and amend the Specific Plan. 0 There are many people who have done thorough 1 research on this topic, and some should be working for 2 the Town or consulting with the Town. The breadth of 3 their knowledge and passion is invaluable to the 4 sustainability of our town. 5 I, along with many residents, are tired of 6 the developers' false advertising, not being 7 transparent and acting like they know our town. For 8 example, one of the first advertising, as many of you 9 received a couple of years ago, "The Town's North 40 0 Draft Specific Plan has been designed to address needed 1 commercial and housing opportunities in the less 2 congested northeast corner of our town." False. It is 3 the most congested corner of our town. "Unique market !4 hall setting that will complement rather than compete '.5 with downtown Los Gatos." We know this is going to be 90 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING r, Advantage (.Arnq Reporting Services, LLC a W f 1 1� l: 1: 1: 1� 1! li 1' 1£ l� 2( 21 2� 2; 24 2E 11 a big competition for our downtown. Don Capobres stated tonight this has been the most transparent process in the town. I have to disagree. As I walked around, passing out hundreds of flyers to many people, I encountered -- I encountered many, many comments about how the developers did not listen to any of their suggestions at the meet - and - greets or at the one -on -one meetings. It has been brought to my attention that people feel it is a conflict of interest that the developer worked on our Los Gatos Town Specific Plan. Everyone is frustrated with the plan because it did not follow suggestions such as larger open space areas, room for schools, low density, not outhouses in the Los Gatos Union School District. People wanted to make sure it did not become a city within our town. They do not want a mini Santana Row. Upon seeing the orange netting, many felt deceived, especially once they found out this is just the first phase. That is not transparency. We have voted for you to do what is in the best interest of our community, not for what is in the best interest of the developer. We will be here for years to come. Once the developer is done, they walk away with their pockets full, and we are left to live 91 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage � r�Reporting Services,� r V 6 92 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2- 24 2` in and clean up their mess. I have seen this with other smaller developments here in town. People oversee that all the developers' promises are filled. There are many towns and cities in the state managing growth. It is hard, but these cities are doing it well while respecting their communities. I, along with many lifelong residents, entrust you to make the right decision for our town. I wanted to let you know there were over 250 people standing outside tonight, wanting signatures, more signatures to bring in here. And I just want to say how many of -- Los Gatos alumni, from my parents' age to now, who are standing out there and G are begging you to please deny this application. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Once again -- this is the second time. All right? The next thing we do is we clear the chambers. So those are -- that is your choice. Please give respect, whether you like what they're saying or don't like what they're saying. Tom Picraux, followed by Patti Elliot, followed by David Weissman. MR. PICRAUX: Mayor, councilors, I'm Tom Picraux, 108 Panorama Way, chair of the Community and 92 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING 63 19 Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC Ill 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 A 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Senior Services Commission. I have two points to speak to regarding senior housing. The first one is that 50 units of low -- very low income housing, which is -- will be added as part of the project, which is a good addition for -- for affordable housing. And that's -- at the -- very low income, as you know, is defined as 30 to 50 percent of the average median income. I think there's a great need for affordable housing, and it's good that this is provided. A concern of our commission is that there will be, clearly, additional pressure on our community services -- service needs of our seniors through this 50 additional units, and -- but I do note that the developer, Eden, has provided for a community room and -- where one can do training and also have case management and other type of support provided locally on -site, and they promise to provide a manager -- a local resident manager that would be there for the future -- through the life of the project. And I think it's very important that this happen if we're going to maintain the senior needs. And so it's important that they be held to that promise. Second point -- that's fine. The second point is on senior housing needs. And excuse my voice. 93 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting Services, L C o 0 6 9 2� 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 A little rough. Los Gatos is estimated to have about 5,OOO seniors. The estimates I've been told for Santa Clara County is about 49 percent of seniors in the county are in some economic need. There is economic need. And that that would translate to the order of 2,000 seniors in Los Gatos. This need, I would suggest, has to do with fixed income, maintaining your place of living, as well as food and medical expenses and all. And so I would suggest that the 50 to 100 percent of average median income, which is above what would qualify for the 50 units, is quite important and that, as far as I can see, that's not available -- doing a quick estimate -- what a 90,000 home would be.( And it's far above that. It's actually above the average income, easily. And so, in that sense, I regret to say I don't think the plan meets our true needs of seniors in Los Gatos. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Questions? Seeing none, thank you, sir. For those of you who do not come here often, the yellow light means you have.30 seconds. The red ion REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, L C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 [PU light means your time is up. Patti Elliot, David Weissman, Rod Teague. MS. ELLIOT: Patti Elliot, Marchmont Drive. Council, the developers want you to completely ignore the vision statement of the Specific Plan. They contend that the vision statement is subjective. And, therefore, we, the residents, and you, the Town Council, cannot determine that the project conflicts with the Town's vision. They say that the look and feel of Los Gatos is all in the eye of the beholder and that we must view the project through their eyes. They will determine what Los Gatos looks and feels like. Of course, the project is very familiar to them. They created similar formulaic high- density projects all over the world, just like this. When I first read the Specific Plan, I thought the vision statement would ensure that the North 40 development would complement and fit with Los Gatos's small -town character. I could no longer delude myself when I saw the story poles and the model of the site and then realized what the developers had in store for us. There is nothing subjective about the reaction most Los Gatons have about the reality of this project. Law students learn early on about the concept 95 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage JT Reporting Services, LLY U b 9 31 14 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1E 17 I 1s 2C 21 2L 2; 2e 2` of negligence, and that is that people should exercise reasonable care when they act. Reasonableness is an objective standard, one that is determined based on the common experience of the reasonably prudent person. Just as the concept of reasonableness is objective, so is the look and feel of Los Gatos based on the common experience and feel of Los Gatos -- based on the common experience of Los Gatons. The Specific Plan intentionally avoided detailing how the North 40 was to be laid out to allow the creativity necessary to achieve the look and feel of Los Gatos. It was not a blank check to ignore the vision statement. What the developer is doing is cramming as much shipping container -like housing into as small as possible space in order to generate maximum profit. The evidence you have before you -- voluminous testimony, hundreds of letters and e -mails and over 1300 petition signatures -- is that the project does not even come close to the feeling of Los Gatos. No reasonable person with any familiarity with Los Gatos could conclude that the project could be seamlessly woven into our town. As the elected representatives, you must exercise your collective judgment in determining whether this application comports with the Specific REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING U f) 6 9 3 ? Advantage `ATS Reporting Services, LLC ba I1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Plan. The developer is trying to maximize profit. That's their job. Thankfully, the planning commissioners did their jobs and denied the application. We hope that you will do so too. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. David Weissman, followed by Rod Teague. MR. WEISSMAN: David Weissman, Francis Oaks. We've all heard the adage "A picture is worth a thousand words." And how true that is for this project. The North 40 Specific Plan was approved last year with minimum public unrest. There were all of five letters in the Times Weekly in the three months around the hearings. And then in February of this year the story poles went up, and the figurative beast arose among the citizens of Los Gatos. Why? Because now we had something to look at and appreciate the intensity and immensity of this project. Usually while sitting in traffic along Los Gatos Boulevard. Of the 33 letters in the Weekly in the three months around those hearings, only one was in support of the project. And the Planning Commission hearings were packed. Tonight there are over 120 people in the lobby. I walked the project last week -- or, more accurately, attempted to walk the project, because "No 97 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ,; ; RTor ling Services,19 033 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Trespassing" signs were posted along the entire perimeter. While I appreciate this is private property, how are citizens supposed to effectively evaluate this proposal if they can't walk the area? The Town should require that the developer hold several on -site open houses. My next best option was to view the project while speeding along Highway 17. Hardly satisfactory but, nevertheless, compelling. Especially when one realizes that the present story poles represent less than 50 percent of the entire project. Additionally, some of the tallest netting to the north is white and not the required and /or visible orange. Why hasn't Staff required replacement with i orange netting? Conveniently for the developers, this white netting is almost invisible against the sky when viewed from Highway 17. Yet despite the usefulness of the story poles in informing the public, they were scheduled to be removed today. These poles should remain in place until the Phase 1 hearings are complete. So, in summary, I request the following: One, that the Town Council require an open house period on the project while the hearings continue. Two, keep the netting up while the hearings continue and require REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING m WFIN 00693 � _�1 � Advantage J Reporting e% t t i a '' 1, LLC !J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 IE L said netting to be orange. Sun - bleaching is a bogus ? excuse that one staff member gave me. Three, reaffirm 3 the Planning Commission denial of this proposal. 4 In closing and to state the obvious, there 5 are limits to growth. This project is not ready for 5 prime time. This is our town. We will still be here 7 in five years, while the developers will be gone. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. 9 I have a question from Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Hello, Dr. Weissman. L I appreciate your comments. I know we've had several 2 conversations on trees, given your participation on the 3 tree ordinance. Have you had a chance to look at the 4 trees with this proposed application, and what are some 5 of your thoughts in that specific area? 6 MR. WEISSMAN: My understanding is that the 7 oak trees that are on the property will all be removed. B If -- even if there were efforts to maintain -- to keep 9 some of them, because there's going to be so much fill 0 in the area where those trees are, that will basically 1 result in killing them. 2 We're in a drought. Still California. It's 3 going to continue. And the developer is talking about 4 putting in lots of ornamental trees. And I've heard 5 nothing about -- that the vegetation that is going to 99 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ��' , Report�nag _IC jj'� Services, 0 8 3 3 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Mau u be planted here will be drought - tolerant. And we should be doing that. Certainly oak trees would be thi appropriate tree -- live oak -- coastal live oaks would be the appropriate tree for the -- this property. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor Spector. So my understanding is the developer is planning to plant a lot of fruit trees. They had some -- and there are large number of tons of fruit, which is different than what you just mentioned. Given the drought, is that better or the same? I mean, typically -- you call them ornamental, but if they're actually producing fruit that is being sold or used in t' the restaurants, doesn't that disregard the drought issue? Usually we allow people to water their sources of food. MR. WEISSMAN: Well, fruit trees, certainly for the first couple of years, need water. Probably -- after a couple of years, they probably would do well without it. But in times of major droughts, they will require water during the summ er. You look at the -- what's happened to the almond growers in the Central Valley. Normally they don't -- it hasn't been a problem. But they've lost 100 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage J Jn Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 1, 1. 1 1. 1 1' 1' 1. 2 2. 2; 2. 2, 2' L thousands and thousands of almond trees.and other fruit ? trees in the Central Valley because of the lack of 3 being able to water them. & Who knows what's going to be in the future? 3 I mean, it's a nice idea to be able to walk outside, S pick your apricots, but I'm just not sure how realistic 7 that really is. 3 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Just a quick 3 follow -up. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Rennie. L COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: So are there any ? fruit trees that are better than others? I mean, it 3 seems to me like orange tree needs a ton of water. So ! maybe you wouldn't want to plant orange trees if there i was drought issues? i MR. WEISSMAN: I'm not an arborist. 7 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Thank you. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? 3 Seeing none, thank you, sir. Rod Teague. MR. TEAGUE: Madam Mayor, council members, thank you for your time. 3 My name is Rod Teague. I live on Johnson Avenue. i I'd like to just start by stating a couple of 101 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage } r �orftg Services, 7 T C r 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1°. 2C 21 22 22 24 2E facts. This project is not state - mandated, so that's a farce. And all the Town Council member -- the Town Council members know that. 'Another fact, that Evan Low wants to take away the public process with Trailer Bill 707, which will remove the process we're going through right now. So please look that up. What I came here to talk about was -- the developers of the North 40 declare that they've met all objective criteria and we must approve their application. But let's not forget that there are subjective components to the Specific Plan. Some of these components are the North 40 will look and feel like Los Gatos. And, obviously, we have a look and feel in Los Gatos. There are things that don't look like Los Gatos, and they do exist here. We don't want to use those to compare it with. The North 40 will embrace hillside views, trees and open space. The North 40 is seamlessly woven into the fabric of the community. Let's not forget this is our gateway. We've got to go through this every day, through the most intense development in this town's history. These subjective mandates are the backbone of the development. They drive the final outcome so this 102 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING AI Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 .2 2 2 2 2 2 historically large and intense development can integrate into the community, respectfully, at the same time Grosvenor demands that their design proposal be reviewed objectively, which creates a double standard by forcing the Town to review their subjective design in a way that gives them all the benefit. They clearly structured their design based on objective criteria and profitability, giving little consideration to the Town's mandated vision. It is as if they just skipped the most important page of the Specific Plan. Grosvenor's lawyer is saying that their objective design trumps our town's ability to critique anything about it because it has to be reviewed objectively. They want us to be blind to the standards that we have set for our community. They want to define these things for us. They are saying that their formulaic, cookie - cutter design, which can be found alongside any freeway or highway throughout the state, must be approved. I urge you to use your rightful discretion to judge this application as well as the subjective discretion you are entitled to in the by -right agreement. And if you can't do that, use the discretion of the community. We have a consensus. I have 1400 petition signatures and comments that say 103 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage m Reporting '411 939 Services, 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 s L this looks nothing like Los Gatos. I have -- there is ? well over 90 percent of the community that disagrees 3 with the current application. I So please deny. 5 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Thank you. 5 We're going to have -- operative term, 7 "short." We are going to have a short break, and then 3 we will be starting again in ten minutes. 3 (Recess taken.) MAYOR SPECTOR: If I can have your attention. L I have been informed by the fire marshal that -- the ? fire marshals have made request, which the attendees 3 here this evening -- some of whom are ignoring and a refusing. I am asking you -- if the fire marshal make 5 a request with regards to not blocking the doorway, no 5 blocking any pathways, we are asking you at this point 7 to follow the directives and requests of the fire 3 marshal. If that is not done, I will ask the fire 3 marshal and Staff to ask those who do not want to do what the fire marshal requests to leave. L And thank you again, Staff and fire marshals, 2 for your assistance here this evening. 3 All right. Now, getting back to the fun. I Next three speakers, Angelia Doerner, Jeffrey Aristide 5 and Lainey Richardson. 104 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage `ATS Reporting Services, LLC W C� 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MS. DOERNER: Hello. My name is Angelia Doerner, proud resident of the Almond Grove. I've walked up and down Bennett Way many times, which will be the community park in the current plan. Instead of .just looking at the poles and the hidden views, I started focusing on the existing homes and the families that will be displaced. Even though I read the density bonus law many times, I had always overlooked a certain section. I have given you all the detailed information, so I.would just like to recap it here. An applicant shall be ineligible for a density bonus on any property that includes units that are or, if now vacant, have been, in the five years before the application, occupied by a low- income household unless those units are replaced on the property. "Replace" shall mean either of the following: If occupied, they "shall provide at least the same number of units of equivalent size or type" and made available to persons and families of the same type -- same or lower income level as the current occupants. If unoccupied, the same rules apply. Let's look at the residents that will be displaced and the homes demolished under this plan. There are 15 along Bennett Way and four along LGB. 105 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting Service6 9 4 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 This is an accumulation of data concerning their square footage and whether they're occupied or vacant. Of th / 19, total, five are currently vacant and 14 are occupied.' Most of this, though, is derived from the MetroScan. But on some existing units, square footage had to be estimated. Let's look at the key elements as it relates to applying this law. The majority-of units are 750 to 800 square feet, but a couple are over a thousand. All are detached single - family units occupied by persons or families. I can attest.that some of these households are definitely low income. And I'm confident many more, if not all, are as well. I cannot see how any of these elements have been met in the plan's affordable housing. Therefore, it must be denied, as it does not comply with the law. Also, I could not find any - -.any cases that says that the 113.5 acres must be contiguous. The applicant claims it cannot achieve the allowed 27 units per acre directly over retail. However, this is a project for 80 residential units over 59,000 square foot of retail on two acres. That's 40 units per acre, and that's a lot more than 27 per acre. These are one- and two -story townhomes and flats targeted at downsizing residents who value 106 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING LJ Advantage �_ATq Reporting ` Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 R&I comfortable square -foot features like in their existing single - family homes and want to stay in their communities. It includes design innovation that hides larger stores within the heart of the building, with village scale frontage retail, public squares and expansive landscaped courtyard, brought to you by Grosvenor. If they can do it in Edgemont Village, Canada, they can do it in the town of Los Gatos, California. Thank you._ MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Let's go to -- yes. Let's go.to Council. Ms. Jensen. COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: It's a parking lot question for Staff, not for Ms. Doerner. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Let's hold on and see if we have any questions for Ms. Doerner. We do. Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Thank you, Ms. Doerner. As always, you always come well prepared with information. So thank you. MS. DOERNER: I try. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: But quick question: You made a statement that you can -- I forgot your exact word -- KIRA REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting I` 6 Services, 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 r. [in 61114 L MS. DOERNER: Attest? ? COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: -- attest, yes, that / 3 the homes that are in existence there are lower income. L How -- can you elaborate? How can you attest that 5 without providing data such as what you are showing 5 tonight? 7 MS. DOERNER: I am asking you to trust my 3 credibility, in that I have seen proof of evidence of 3 income on a couple of these existing homes and that D have -- I wouldn't divulge this information, under L attorney- client privilege, just to protect their anonymity. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Rennie. I COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor i 5 Spector. 5 Ms. Doerner, this development we're looking 7 at, do you now what the height of it is? It looks like 3 it's probably closer to 45 feet. a MS. DOERNER: Actually, it is three -story D with a partial fourth story. But if you take away L one -half of the floor, the units per acre, I think, ? comes down to about 32. And we're still looking at 3 just 27. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And that would get it 3 under 35 feet, then? 108 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage J( 7 Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MS. DOERNER: Correct. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Thanks. MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions for the speaker? Yes, Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: What is this 27 you keep referring to? MS. DOERNER: The 20 density plus 35 percent. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Oh, okay. Got it. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Ms. Doerner, you brought forth some interesting information about the state law, January of 2015. Is it -- and you w, presentation. Is it your individuals who are being first right of refusal at the development, or is it what do we do? =_nt very fast through your understanding that these displaced, they must have a purchase at a new unit in one of those things where - MS. DOERNER: It is not necessarily going to benefit the people who are currently being displaced. However, the intent of the law is so that developers -- so that developers cannot buy up properties that have 109 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A Reporting 0069,1115 Services, Md .. . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 affordable units on them, vacate them or demolish those units and then build on that same property, including " affordable housing, and then achieving the density bonus. You've got a net zero as to affordable housing in that kind of a scenario. So they need to be made available to families -- okay -- families or persons at the same or lower income of the current occupants. So it's a requirement as to the level of affordability for those units. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor. So are you suggesting that our Staff would have to potentially go out there and verify the 4 0 individuals who live there, their income levels? How do we make a determination? MS. DOERNER: I understand that all of the Yuki properties are managed by one particular property manager, Stateside something or another. They should have -- if you ask for proof of income, they should have all the documentation that one should need. And I can provide what I have already seen. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR:. Other questions of the speaker? 110 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4q Reporting Services, LLC 1 l 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Ms. Jensen. All right. Hold on to the parking lot. Ms. Doerner. MS. DOERNER: Yes. MAYOR SPECTOR: The -- I may have misunderstood. I thought what you said at the beginning was that because there were these -- these homes and occupants existing on the property, it may result in the applicant not having an entitlement to the density bonus? MS. DOERNER: Unless he replaces homes that are equivalent in size or type, or both, on the new development. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. MS. D02RNER: Made available at the same affordability as the existing occupants. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Questions for Ms. Doerner? Seeing none, thank you. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: I might have the answer to her parking lot question. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Thank you. And go to Ms. Jensen. COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: You do but you don't. I respect you, but I'm going to.want this question 111 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage `ACpS Reporting lJ , Services 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 FI1 25 answered by our Town Attorney. I did submit it in writing earlier, and I would like it to come back to us. And, basically, the question is state density bonus law -- and forgive me while I be a wonk -- Section 69515(3)(A) [sic] says "An applicant shall be ineligible for a density bonus or any other incentives or concessions ... if the housing development is proposed" -- I'm not reading the entire thing -- "on any property that includes a parcel or parcels" which is rent - controlled or -- that's number one, but we know it's not rent - controlled -- or it is "occupied by lower or very low income households" -- and that's a term of art. We have to determine what that is, based on a percentage of the median income in Santa Clara County -- "unless the proposed housing development replaces those units." And then there are two options. Either it -- it is "inclusive of the units replaced" and contains "affordable units at the percentages set forth in subdivision (b)" -- and the percentages set forth in subdivision (b) are what I'm assuming the applicant says qualifies them for the density bonus in the first place. So I want to see, is that correct? Or "each unit in the development ... is affordable to, and occupied by, either a lower or very low income 112 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ` q Reporting Services, LL® rk W l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 L household. > For the purposes of this paragraph, 'replace' 3 means," as Ms. Doerner said, "provide at least the same I number of units of equivalent size or type, or both, to 5 be made available at affordable rent ... and occupied 5 by, persons and families in the same or lower income 7 categories" as those households in occupancy. 3 So I want to know, does the Town have to i figure it out -- and can it, exactly? -- how those houses are occupied and what their income level is, or L is that -- does that not matter because the units are ? being replaced or the percentages that qualify for -- 3 them for the bonus? L And, finally, it's my reading that -- made 5 available to the population at large that qualifies 5 under those income categories, not the people occupying 7 the units presently. 3 So that's the information that I would like to have come back to the Council. MR. SCHULTZ: We'll bring that back. L MAYOR SPECTOR: And I will follow up on that. ? I will be the policy wonk -not. Which is, I just want 3 to know if the density bonus assumption -- presentation L made by Ms. Doerner is accurate and if that factual 5 information is foundational to the applicant's 113 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4q Rep" Services, I,LC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 2L 2. 24 2` entitlement to a density bonus. Any other questions? All right. We're going on with our speakers. Let's bring in the next three names. Jeffrey Aristide, Lainey Richardson and Cindy Schneider. MR. ARISTIDE: Good evening. My name is Jeffrey Aristide. I have a wife and four children. I've lived here for several years. I'd like you to deny the application, based on it doesn't have, as many people have already said, just the look and feel of Los Gatos. I do want to say, though, the property should be developed. And I know that the developer has spent a lot of time and energy in that way. They probably need a little bit more direction. Also, there was, I think, initially a step -down program, where they had people that lived in the town that wanted to move to a smaller residence. And that's been eliminated, apparently, because of the height restriction, which might want to be looked at again. Thank you. .MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Rennie, question. Mr. Aristide, we have a question for you from Mr. Rennie. 114 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 l� COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor ?j Spector. 3 So what -- you know, you said something 4 should be built. So, in your opinion, how do we make 5 it look and feel like Los Gatos? 5 MR. ARISTIDE: Well, I don't want to upset 7 the applicant. I was not involved initially. I know 3 this goes back many, many years. I think mixed use 3 would be a lot better. Have the commercial along the D road and have some type of smaller - impact housing. L I know that, you know, there's a constraint 2 as far as how many housing units you want to put in 3 there. You know, I guess, traditionally, you would want to put single detached homes. I guess that's not 5 practical. So the next phase would be some type of 5 clustered properties. But I would have it so it didn't 7 look so massive. 3 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Thank you. D MAYOR SPECTOR: I see no other questions. D Lainey Richardson, Cindy Schneider and Jane Hubert. L MS. RICHARDSON: Hello. Lainey Richardson, a 7 55 -year resident of Los Gatos. Thank you for listening 3 to your constituents tonight. 4 O.J. Simpson was one of most beloved 5 professional athletes of all time. Rumor has it that 115 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage`' Reporting Services; 1 U 6y51 1 when O.J. went out to dinner, people in the restaurant 2 stood and applauded. He most likely never had to pay 3 for drinks or dinners for years. 4 Then O.J. was accused of murdering his.wife, 5 for which he was tried and acquitted. After the trial 6 ended, even though he was found not guilty, O.J.'s life 7 changed forever. Instead of getting standing ovations 8 and applause when he entered a restaurant, patrons 9 stood and left in the middle of their meal, calling him 10 a murderer as they passed by his table. 11 Many restaurants would not accept 12 reservations from him anymore. His old circle of 13 friends stopped including him in their golf games. You 14 get the idea. 15 O.J. may have been a free man, but the trial 16 changed his public persona from hero to murderer. It 17 quickly became apparent that he had lost the respect of 18 his community and many of his oldest and closest 19 friends. 20 I see the North 40 application as the 21 development that will murder the town of Los Gatos. 22 You, the elected Town Council members, have a choice to 23 make. If you can stay strong and represent the 24 majority of your constituents and follow the vision 25 statement for Los Gatos, you will all be heroes for the 116 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING r rt � �1 L f7 `7 A W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 L rest of your life to everyone in this town. If you . ? choose to kowtow to the big developer and,.in so doing, 3 ruin our small -town feel forever, you will always be I remembered as the Town Council that voted to murder the 5 town of Los Gatos. 5 It is very apparent to all that Grosvenor is 7 in this for the money. Grosvenor has not followed 3 through on many promises made and agreed to in their a application. You will hear numerous arguments that will L provide you with a legal basis to deny this application. Many of them will be mentioned this 3 evening. Please deny the application. Give this town 5 a chance to come up with a more realistic plan for the 5 North 40 that complies with our vision statement. 7 Let's amend the Specific Plan, and then let's work with 3 a developer who actually listens and acts upon what is a important to those of us who live and work here. We need a developer who will sit down with us and come up I with a plan that reflects the look and feel of Los 2 Gatos. 3 We need our Town Council to listen to their 4 constituents and vote against this application. A 5 denial is what the majority of town citizens want. 117 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A9 Eteporgng Services, LLC 0069513 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I am here to night to beg you to deny this application. I want to encourage you to amend the Specific Plan. Make sure that something like this never again becomes an issue for our town. Please do not be remembered as the Council that murdered the town of Los Gatos. It does not comply. You must deny. MAYOR SPECTOR: Cindy Schneider, Jane Hubert and Jeff Eisenbaum. MS. SCHNEIDER: Good evening, Mayor and Council. Cindy Schneider, 30 -year resident of Los Gatos. I have been here before you many times, but tonight, I feel, is the most important plea I have eve made to you. Please, please deny this proposal. It i not a good fit. To me, it's kind of like a marriage proposal. Ladies, we don't accept the first suitor who comes along. Right? Well, this is our first suitor. Why not look around a little? Why rush into the first one who comes a- calling? This is a mismatch. You, Los Gatos, are just a small -town girl. Him, Grosvenor International is a huge developer with projects around the world. You, Los Gatos, love your hillside views. REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage _AT� Reporting 47'7 Services, LLC W IN 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 L Him, Grosvenor -- well, we've all seen those story poles. 3 You, Los Gatos, love your quality of life, I and you want to maintain your quality of life. Him, 5 Grosvenor, he looks to me like he's more concerned with 5 quantity of life, as everything he's proposed is the 7 maximum limit. 3 You, Los Gatos, hope to provide your parents 3 with step -down senior living in your quaint town, near you and your kids. He, Grosvenor, is only willing to 1 provide 49 senior units for very, very low- income seniors. Your parents would never qualify. 3 You, Los Gatos, are easygoing, friendly, 4 welcoming. Cool, according to a recent article in the 5 San Jose Mercury News. Him, Grosvenor; he's arrogant. 5 I mean, he has.threatened to sue you if you turn him 7 down. 3 You, Los Gatos -- naturally, you want to send 3 your children to a nearby school with no overcrowding. ) Him, Grosvenor, he says you can put the kids on a bus L every day for a commute up to 17 to Lexington School. You, Los Gatos, none of your friends, fellow 3 Los Gatos citizens, like him. That's a red flag. Him, 4 Grosvenor, he really doesn't care. There's plenty of 5 fish in the sea. 119 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantap (j_Reporing Servacea-,6 6 ,`3 §,. 1 You, Los Gatos, your relatives, the Planning 2 -- Commission and now the Town Staff, have already advisee 3 you against this. Him, Grosvenor, again, he's 4 threatening to sue. 5 So please, Town Council, deny this proposal. 6 It would only be a disaster, destined for failure, with 7 unhappy consequences. These two are not compatible. 8 Had they met on Match.com, it never would have gotten 9 this far. Please deny this application, for the love 10 of your town. Please do not give your blessing to this 11 union. Amen. 12 MAYOR SPECTOR: Jane Hubert, Jeff Eisenbaum 13 and Ed Rathmann. 14 MS. HUBERT: Good evening. My name is Jane 15 Hubert. And thank you, Madam Mayor and councilmen, fo: 16 this opportunity to speak to you tonight. 17 Having worked closely with Senator Beall in 18 the past, I come to you this evening on behalf of the 19 Ponderosa Homeowners Association. What or where is the 20 Ponderosa Homeowners? We are 240 homes located between 21 White Oaks and Highway 85, right off of Bascom Avenue. 22 I reside -- why am I here? Well, although I 23 reside in San Jose, your project will directly impact 24 us. We use Bascom Avenue, Los Gatos Boulevard and Lark 25 Avenue daily. Having lived in our home for 42 years, 120 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Apq Reporting Services, LLC W l� 1 1 1. 1. 1 1. 1 1' 1 1 2 2' 2: 2, 2 2. L we've seen growth. Some good; some bad. Although we, ? the Ponderosa homeowners -- Ponderosa homes, oppose 3 this project, it's inevitable that something will pass. 3 We ask that -- it's imperative that this project will 3 widen the four -lane roads to accommodate the rise in i traffic to maybe six or eight lanes. 7 Having lived here a long time, we are not 3 opposed to growth but realize that sometimes developers don't look to the future; instead, only look.to the present and their pocketbooks. Please widen these L roads. Do something now to eliminate problems of the ? future. And please work with surrounding cities, 3 Campbell and San Jose. 3 Thank you. i MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. 3 Jeff Eisenbaum, Ed Rathmann, Anne Robinson. 7 MR. EISENBAUM: Good evening. Jeff 3 Eisenbaum, Crescent Drive. Okay. This is a copy of Figure 1.3, Specific Plan, showing existing conditions. I'd like to just point out a couple of items I'll be referring to during ? the discussion. 3 The first one is the direction of the storm I water drain. You can see it. It is in the 3 northwestern portion of the thing, and it's channeling 121 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage (( Reporting Services,Y.L�� b� x 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 to go northwestern. This was part of the 85 to 17 when 2 the 85 -to -17 interchange went in. This was in there 3 specifically for this property. The other area I want to point out is that 3 there's a steep slope from -- along Los Gatos 5 Boulevard, you can see the green wavy lines, hopefully, 7 the steepest of the slope being in the center, where 3 there is existing medical building. Many of you have 3 driven down this portion. You can see where that D yellow dot is. It reflects -- if you drive down that 1 steep slope there, when you get to the end of that 2 yellow dot, if you look for it, it's relatively flat in 3 all directions. I Go to Slide 2. So the state law states that 3 the waiver must be given if they physically prevent the 5 project from being built at the permitted density. So 7 these are the points of clarification that were part of 3 that letter that the attorney claim -- the attorney for 3 the developer claim would physically keep them from D getting their density. 1 So Items 1 and 5 relate as they both deal 2 with steep slopes. They only exist right along that 3 Los Gatos border that we showed, the worst of which are I on the existing building sites. And, as pointed out in 5 the attorney's letter, the interior is relatively flat. 122 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �,4c ,n Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Also, they use the terms "minimizing" and also "improving site appearance," which are subjective terms. If we look at Items 2, 3 and 4, they deal with storm water -- excuse me -- storm water. In the letter it says that it is supposed to channel water to the northwest -- I'm sorry -- the northeasterly portion. And we saw in that picture before. It's supposed to be the northwesterly portion. Also, there is standard drainage requirements on all developments. I'm not sure why this development would require this level of grading to achieve these requirements. Item 6 is probably the most troubling, when they talk about related environmental impacts, minimizing the off -haul of dirt. If we look at this diagram -- this was Page 7 of the attorney's letter -- we can look how much area is cut, the red versus the green, which is the fill. The letter states "The depth of fill ranges up to five feet, with most residences constructed over two to five feet of fill." In fact, they said that 75 percent of the residential buildings have a third story. And if the height having been measured from the existing grade, as required by the Specific Plan, it would effectively eliminate the third 123 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage V ` Repgrting Services, ),018 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 �; s her r. �(1b9oO story of all of these fill areas. However, after going through all the points in the letter, I still can't understand why this magnitude of fill is required. Imagine how much dirt would be required to achieve two to five feet in this green section. Since the interior of the site is relatively flat, it's definitely not coming from the cuts in the red sections. So, getting back to Point 6, talk about minimizing of off -haul. What about the in -haul of dirt? How many hundreds of thousands of truckloads of dirt are going to be coming in, and has that been worked into the EIR? And I say we deny it, because this grading plan does not seem necessary to achieve the density. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Questions? Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Actually, so I'm going to be a wonk for a little bit. Could you go back to your slide on Point 2 on the drainage. I think your bullet points on the storm water drainage. So I've been thinking about this quite a bit. So is it your assertion that it will -- the proposed changes aren't necessary because it's -- it will meet 124 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC Im 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 current storm water requirements, or is it you're looking at -- I guess I'm trying to understand the engineering that you're looking at. Are you looking at the current, as is, or are you looking at the future upcoming proposals that storm water requirements are changing to? Because -- and that's a question I will be asking of Staff as well. MR. EISENBAUM: I don't know if I understand the question so much. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Okay. So storm water requirements constantly change, and they're constantly getting more stringent. So the question that I will be asking of Staff and what I would love your input on is, is it your assertion that they meet the requirements as is, without the -- without the other existing grade and cuts and fill that they are proposing? MR. EISENBAUM: I don't believe so. It .deals -- in my opinion, it deals with generalities. This letter does not specifically state any of those items, from what I read through the attorney's letter. Whether they're meeting it now or whether they could meet it once they put in the fill. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Okay. And then -- okay. So that's my question for you. Thank you. MR. EISENBAUM: Sorry. 125 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage; A Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 it Oi163�' MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Mr. Eisenbaum, reason, perhaps, other t they would be requesting MR. EISENBAUM: they have other reasons construction. -- of doing mentioned. so do you think there's some san drainage and needs, why this? I do, potentially, think that -- potentially, cost of it their way that was not COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Okay. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Wait, wait, wait. I'm going to follow up on that. You say that you think there really are othe reasons that they're asking for this concession or whatever it's called on grading. What do you think that real reason is? MR. EISENBAUM: So we require underground utilities -- is that correct? -- for developments such as these? MAYOR SPECTOR: Assume that to be accurate. MR. EISENBAUM: So, if that's accurate, then they're going to have to dig a considerable amount to bury these utilities. And there's going to be -- require to be grade over those utilities, right? 126 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1' 1 1 2 2'. Z 2. 2 2 1 They're not going to be just subsurface. There's 2. probably a certain amount of feet and then a certain 3 amount of fill over those utilities. I If I had to dig these trenches for those 5 utilities, then this grading could.potentially help 5 with that. They don't have to -- if they're going to 7 be filling two to five feet, it may eliminate digging 3 two- to five -foot trenches. For benefiting the 3 developer in terms of the cost of their construction. They're starting with a relatively flat -- per the L lawyer's own admission in this letter, relatively flat ? site. At the very end, they're getting another -- 3 we're getting a flat site that's five feet higher. L You look in that letter; you don't see a i whole lot of real reasons. They use great words like 5 "ADA" and "hydromorphic," "hydromortification." But if 7 you look for the real substance as to why -- there 3 could be, but I don't think it was explained in that 3 letter. Not in a way that I was able to comprehend. MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? Seeing none, thank you. ? I'm going to go to Staff with a question. I 3 would like -- following up on Mr. Eisenbaum, what -- 1 what is the -- and "concession" might be the wrong i word. But what is the exception that the developer is 127 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage UAm sporting Services% 6 9 6 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 L 1 asking with regards to fill and why? And does the 2.. Staff agree? 4� 3 Ms. Sayoc. 4 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: So three questions for 5 Staff for the parking lot. The first is, if you could 5 just remind me what storm water requirements are 7 triggered. Is it at time of Specific Plan versus at 3 time of application? And if there is a difference in 3 the requirements -- I know we're always talking about the burden that's onto the Town. Who carries that 1 upcoming burden? 2 Second question is, with the in -fill coming 3 in with those trucks, was that part of the 4 environmental analysis? And then, if not, could you 5 give me quantities? How many truckloads do we 6 anticipate with that -- with the numbers that are being 7 proposed? B MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Jensen. 9 COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: Staff question. This 0 relates back to my initial question. Do we -- must we 1 accept the justification given by the applicant for the 2 waiver requested or not? This presentation went to you 3 should not accept it. 4 Follow -on question to that is, if we were to 5 not accept it, state law requires that we -- we shall 128 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC i W t� 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 grant concessions. And there's a number of them. The applicant has selected two of them. So they can ask for changes in height limitations, setback requirements, floor area ratio, on -site open space requirement, parking ratio, maximum allowable residential density. So if we were to reject the grading request, do they simply ask for something different and we have to give it to them? So what's the consequence of rejecting this? Do we just get another -- MAYOR SPECTOR: And I will follow up on that. And this will be a very general question. If we -- if one exception, modification, concession is given in lieu of the grading, is it something that one automatically gets, or is it something that one has to establish the foundation in order to obtain that exception? Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector. I would be interested in knowing how this affects the overall height of the project if they were to build from grade. Would it, in effect, be two to five feet lower across the whole project, as the speaker mentioned, if they were to dig and put the 129 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage , rung ass. Services, LLC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 plumbing and all of that stuff underground as opposed to potentially above ground and then filling? 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Jensen. 4 COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: And, for me, the 5 logical follow -on is, if they were not allowed to 5 measure the height from filled grade and they measured 7 it from existing grade and -- couldn't they just ask 3 for the other exception to make it higher? I mean, 3 would we achieve anything? And then going back to the mayor's question L about what kind of foundation needs to be established 2 by the applicant in requesting the exceptions, if any. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? 4 Seeing none, Ed Rathmann, Anne Robinson, Ann 3 Fisher. 5 MR. RATHMANN: Mayor, council members. My 7 name is Ed Rathmann. 3 I would like to focus on the market study 3 section of the Specific Plan. It was described as a D flawed document by the Planning Commission. The first L obvious one on the study is that in three days it will 2 be five years old. How is a five- year -old study 3 relevant today? 4 With that said, this economic study is part 3 of the Specific Plan and needs to be followed. The 130 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING (r Advantage �,4L� ,n Reporting Services, LLC WL 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 i� L following are objective examples where the study was > not followed. 3 The study says that the only leakage that is I retail sales flowing out of Los Gatos to other i communities is in the area of building material and 5 general merchandising stores. There's nothing in the 7 proposal to meet this need. Only more of the same, 3 small retail and restaurants. There is already a met need, according to the study. Study finds that 10,000- square- feet -or- larger -size spaces are lacking in L our downtown. Again, there are no large spaces in the ? proposal to satisfy this finding. 3 Here are some more flaws in the study. I Nowhere -- nowhere in it is the square feet of the i downtown mentioned. How can one compare the downtown i to the North 40 if we don't even know its square feet? 7 The study also recommends a specialty foods 3 venue, the so- called market hall, apparently because 3 there's lacking in Los Gatos. That would be news to Whole Foods or Lunardi Is. When are they not specialty L food stores? Is there anything in the Specific Plan to 3 prevent this market hall from being full of 1 restaurants,' cof fee and wine bars, like many successful i market halls are? This market hall is clearly a 131 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting servic `10f _e - 63 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 L • , ;34��b`353 L regional draw, something that the advisory committee ? stressed again and again we did not want the North 40 3 to become. I In addition, the study does not even mention 5 the lack of parking downtown, the fact that most 5 businesses downtown require a conditional use permit or 7 that formula retail is limited downtown. The opposite 3 is true for the North 40. Few businesses will be 3 required to get a CUP. There will be adequate parking, J and there will be no limitation on formula retail. 1 That sure sounds to me like an unfair competitive 7 advantage. 3 Finally, I hope you have noticed the many 4 flyers in windows of merchants -- not just downtown bu 5' along Los Gatos Boulevard -- objecting to this project 6 These which I've listed are numerous 7 objective reasons to deny this proposal. It does not B matter if the proposal is for 5,000, 66,000 or 500,000 9 square feet. It either conforms to the Specific Plan 0 or it does not. This proposal does not. 1 I urge you to follow the recommendation of 2 the Planning Commission, deny this proposal and 3 immediately begin the process to modify the Specific 4 Plan. 5 Thank you. 132 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING J Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC 1 1 1: 1: l 1: 1� 1' 1. 11 21 2: 2: 2: 2, 2! L MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. ? Anne Robinson, Anne Fisher, Susan Landry. 3 MS. ROBINSON: Tonight I'd like to address I the density and intensity of the Lark District of the 3 North 40, placing residential in health- hazardous zone 5 and the feasibility of developing housing in the 7 northern district of the North 40. The current 3 high- intensity, high- density North 40 application does 3 not comply with the Specific Plan, which is why the Planning Commission denied it and why you should too. L When you look at the North 40 model, you see ? a high- density, - intensity, cookie - cutter 3 mono - elevation development that lacks creativity, open E space and the character of Los Gatos. This is a weak i design. Grosvenor can do better, and Los Gatos i deserves better. 7 The North 40 Specific Plan embraces a 3 low- intensity residential in the Lark District. Units d should be smaller typical of example cited in the 1 Planning Commission staff report dated July 12th, 2016, Page 6, which shows ranges provide -- ranges that provide smaller size and lower - intensive units. The S staff report states that current 20 -plus- units - per -acre sites in Los Gatos range from the smallest unit at i being 516 square feet and the largest unit being 1,484 133 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage rn Reporting KS, Servfcei, T.C. VIM 9,6 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 17 18 15 2C 21 2L 2; 24 2! I ',a 0 square feet. Grosvenor proposes residential units that are 918 square feet to 1,998 square feet. Only the senior affordable are small units. 96.2 percent of the housing for the entire North 40 is being proposed in Phase 1. My 40- plus -year townhouse, at 1,395 square feet, sells for at least a million dollars. How are these affordable for Millennials? I have 13 nieces and nephews that are Millennials; between 25 and 35. And none of them could afford homes here. And you heard tonight that Assembly Member Low's colleague can't afford them either. As far as the feasibility of housing in the northern district, a reputable developer in the area that has completed projects in Los Gatos commented tha 20 units of residential per acre over retail is doable at 35 feet. And depending on the below market rate, the affordable is also doable at 45 feet. The units may be small, but that means they're more affordable for the Millennials, which are the target group we are trying to serve. Reduce the density intensity of the Lark District by moving the housing units that are in the high- cancer area along 17, shown in Figure 15, of the high -risk section in the area. Reduce the building footprint by requiring subgrade_ parking. This will 134 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_A ,n Reporting Services, LLC 0 f� 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 provide more open space for the units and allow the ability for more creative in the design of the buildings. This is the gateway to Los Gatos. Don't make it look like the projects of Los Gatos. Make it look like a piece of art, creative, imaginative, in the image of Los Gatos. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Anne Fisher, Susan Landry and Edward Morimoto. MS. FISHER: Hello, honorable Mayor and Town Council members. I'm here tonight in a dual role. I'm on the staff of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and also I'm a resident of Los Gatos. The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is a membership -based nonprofit .organization that works to encourage bicycling for all purposes, for all people-in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Excuse me. My voice is going. I'm here in support of the North 40 development proposal. To give a little background on the Bicycle Condition -- Coalition's involvement, the North 40 development team contacted us over two years ago to seek our input so that they could make their 135 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage _A? Reporting Services; LL�S� 0 6 9 7 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1s 2C 21 2L 2�_ 24 2: 1 . 006317 proposal more bike - friendly, both to ease potential traffic near the site and to make the development more attractive to potential residents. They responded to our suggestions, particularly for a connection between the Los Gatos Creek trail and Bascom Avenue,. and incorporated safer bicycle and pedestrian facilities on Los Gatos Boulevard and Lark Avenue. They utilized a design team firm that specialized in bicycling design as well as engaging with the Valley Transportation Authority and Caltrans to come up with usable designs. They really put a lot into the bike -- bike lanes and pedestrian paths that are part of the plan now. From our experience, they have engaged the community and taken input seriously. The improvements they will install on the public streets will benefit many Los Gatos residents, not just residents of the development. I might just mention that -- you know, they will complete -- the plan, I believe, has bicycle lanes from the Los Gatos Creek trail to Bascom Avenue. This is a -- this is a place that there's a bike lane part of the way, but then it just ends. It's really dangerous. I rode my bike through there one time. One time only. And the person who said they stood there 136 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Servicess,11LC W b h 1 1 1. 1, 1 1. 1 1' 1 1 2 L for an hour and didn't see any bicyclists -- that's ? why. I mean, it's just not safe for a bicyclist to go 3 through there. But with the bicycle infrastructure 3 they would put in, it would just -- it would change the 5 whole constellation of that intersection. 5 Also, as a resident living on the north side 7 of Los Gatos, I look forward to having more interesting 3 shops and restaurants closer to where I live. I don't shop in downtown Los Gatos very much. Campbell is a lot more convenient. But the North 40 is really close, L and that would be really attractive to me. ? And also, as mentioned before, it's an ideal 3 situation for seniors, who are increasingly looking for ! walkable communities where they can be more engaged and 5 less isolated. 5 So thank you. 7 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. 3 Susan Landry, Edward Morimoto and Diane )I Dreher. MS. LANDRY: Hello. My name is Susan Landry. And I'm a landscape architect, and I call myself an ? environmental architect. 3 I support Staff's memo to deny this ! application at this time. On Page 10 of the council 5 memo Section 2.5.3 regarding the open space policy and 137 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4 Reporting Services, , f-3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 2G 2-� 24 2: the landscape buffers. As you look on the wall at all of these color renderings, there is all these beautifu-' green trees everywhere. And I've heard two numbers mentioned tonight, between 1800 and 1500 trees. But I'd like to point out some things that are deficient in the plans. The landscape plan did not overlay the civil drawing, electrical drawing, the storm drainage plan, sewer plans, all the underground utilities. As I see in my diagram here -- can I talk over there? How do you do this? Okay. This was taken -- it's in your Attachment 7 to the Planning Commission memo, Page 159, and it was in color. This is the corner of 17 and Lary Avenue. This shows the -- eight- -- I can't get my pe. right here -- 80- foot -tall pine trees in a continuous row along the freeway. But what it doesn't show are .all the subgrade retention basins and bioswales. These big black blobs on this drawing are where all the underground utilities are going to be located. You cannot put an 80- foot -tall pine tree on top of a five - feet -deep silver bioswale, water retention and all that kind of stuff. In between the buildings -- I think I can point to it. Right there (indicating) -- are these 138 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage J�S Reporting �lJ' Services, LLC W l 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 storm drain lines that are required. You can't put a tree in top of a storm drain. You can't put a tree on top of a utility line. And this goes continuously all down. All those big black blobs are giant water retention basins that are required because of your storm water pollution prevention plan. I would like to see one composite drawing with all underground utilities shown, because you are not going to plant all the trees that they're showing on this drawing. I'll just conclude with one thing. The 80- foot -tall trees are shown in a 48 -inch box, and the planting space is only five feet wide. I don't know how that's going to work. In conclusion, you guys mentioned the Samaritan project. It's actually called the Samaritan Medical Center. They're having a public meeting on August 23rd at the Cambrian Park library. And that project has more than doubled in size since its Environmental Impact Report. The intersection at Samaritan and Los Gatos, in their environmental states, it's an unavoidably significant impact to traffic. I think you guys should take a look at that project and, if not, come to the meeting. Thank you. 139 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting Services, LL" 6 9 7 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1E 17 1 1s 2C 21 2L 2: 2' 2` pU6�7fi MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Hold on. You have questions. Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank your Mayor Spector. In your profession, have you seen other drawings such as this or other renderings where -- you presented that this could have some inaccuracy with the placement of the trees because of the utilities and such. Have you ever noticed that in any other drawings you might have viewed? MS. LANDRY: Yes. It is a common concern of mine when preliminary applications come in like this. And time is, you know, crunched, and the landscape person draws one drawing, the civil draws another, and there's not one complete overlay with all of the utilities so when you put a tree, you know you're not hitting something underground. And it is a concern of mine. It has happened, and it does happen on other projects. And I usually bring it up. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: So, in other words, these renderings don't represent an anomaly to, I guess, practice out in the industry? It's easier to draw a tree than it is to actually plant a tree and have the tree live, it sounds like. But it sounds 140 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W l� 1 1 1, 1. 1 1. 1 1' 1 1 2 2 2, 2 2 2. L like ? MS. LANDRY: It's easier to draw it on paper 3 than it is to go out and plant. And if they're stating 3 there's going to be 1800 to 1500, somewhere in there, 5 trees, I'm seriously concerned that that many will not 5 really be planted. 7 COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. I see -- well, i hold on just a minute. Vice Mayor. L COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Actually, my question ? is of Staff. But thank you. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Oh, okay. Done with the E speaker. 5 Ms. Sayoc. 5 COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: I would be interested 7 in looking -- you may have it here, a diagram of where 3 all the storm water bio retention ponds are and the 3 proposed vegetations, either on it or surrounding it. I know we've had this issue come up once before. And L so if you could also walk me through how we resolved it ? in the past and what proposals you have. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: And I would like, as a 4 follow -up to the speaker, Staff's input or opinion as 5 to the feasibility of planting -- was it 1300? 141 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting 906977 Services, 1 1 1 T 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 L 1500? -- whatever it is -- trees of that size, given. 2 the limitations, again, that the speaker identified. 3 All right. Seeing nothing else, we have I Edward Morimoto, Diane Dreher and Betty Rhodes. 5 MR. MORIMOTO: Good evening. My name is Ed 5 Morimoto. I live at 460 Monterey Avenue. 7 And, as always, I'd like to identify that I'm 3 a member of the Yuki family. I do so because I think 3 it's important to disclose that my remarks come from someone with a particular interest in the North 40 in L relationship with its developers. ? I also hope you will appreciate I speak 3 standing on the shoulders of a 70 -year legacy of town 1 citizenship, a history of civic stewardship that does 5 not end at the doors of these chambers or.the 5 development of the North 40. 7 I believe the application before you is 3 compliant with the Specific Plan and respectfully ask 3 that you approve it. I believe it does right by our town, does right by my family and, yes, does right by L the developers too. I make this request in full awareness of the 3 issues and concerns raised by my fellow town citizens, 1 both with the application and the Specific Plan itself. 5 Schools, traffic, the downtown,.hillside views. 142 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage v q Reporting Services, LLLC W r� 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 L Unfortunately, three minutes is not enough to ? communicate my thoughts on even one of these. But 3 should it be helpful, I am more than happy to 4 elaborate. 3 In general, my comfort comes from observing 5 the hundreds of hours of North 40 discussion by dozens 7 of dedicated Los Gatos citizens. The balanced 3 compromise we see today is a product of their 9 exhaustive hard work, weighing the real -world tradeoffs D seldom found in flyers or Facebook discussions. L But let me address a popular issue tonight, 2 whether the North 40 is consistent with the look and 3 feel of Los Gatos. I appreciate many found the scale 4 and density of the story poles shocking. And I would 5 agree; there's nothing in our town like it today. 6. But I would also like to quote a comment from 7 the Planning Commission that the look and feel of Los 3 Gatos isn't any particular style or form but a mixture 9 of its elements, each a sign of the times from which 0 they come. Changes in tastes, needs and technology all 1 reflected in the mix of 19th century Victorians, 2 pre- Depression cottages and post -War ranches. That is 3 the mosaic of Los Gatos. 4 When I think of how the North 40 should be 5 reflective of our times, I'm consistently drawn to the 143 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq d"T a�+.� Services, LLC / �YY 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 imperative to think differently.about where we live, 2 where we work and how we travel, proactively addressing 3 the severe and growing housing crisis. And expanding 4 our single - family suburb comfort zone should be the 5 hallmarks of the 21st century look and feel of our 5 town. On the one half of 1 percent of Los Gatos we 7 call the North 40, taking a denser, more walkable, less 3 car - dependent approach just plain makes sense. And -- 9 yes, it's different than what we've done before and J perhaps a little intimidating. But it will also be an 1 affirmative reflection of our times and an important step in protecting the quality of life for our entire 3 town. 4 So perhaps let me leave you with this. My f� 5 family and I are citizens of the town of Los Gatos, a o town we have cherished for a very long time. We will 7 continue to be here long after these hearings are 3 complete and long after the North 40 is developed. We 9 plan to continue to enjoy our downtown, will drive its 0 streets every day. Our children will attend Los Gatos 1 schools. And we support the approval of this 2 application. 3 Thank you very much. 4 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. 5 Diane Dreher, Betty Rhodes, Jahan Andrews. 144 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MS. DREHER: Good evening. Mayor Spector, friends and neighbors on the Los Gatos Town Council, I'm Diane Dreher, 223 Arroyo Grande Way. And I have concerns about the Grosvenor development plan lacking underground parking. Yet another reason why we need to step back and look at how we really want to develop the North 40. Yes, we need to develop it. Yes, we need quality of life. However, research shows that underground parking provides many immediate benefits, including prime res- -- preserving prime real estate; offering convenient, centrally located parking; removing parking structures from street frontage; and decreasing building density, which seems to be a concern among many people in this room tonight. In addition, there are long -term benefits, many of which are providing a common pool of shared .spaces which access to any building, either residential or commercial. Also something to be considered is convenience for residents of condominiums and apartments, who can move groceries directly from their cars, up an elevator, out of the parking lot structure, to their buildings. This is especially relevant for senior citizens and to anyone in rainy -- it will rain 145 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage rn It�pU U J 9 Services, LLC t 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 2G 2�_ 24 2E again someday -- rainy, cold or extremely hot weather. It also offers more parking per square footage and greater efficiency in parking layouts with underground parking. Eliminates the need for condominium owners to have a specified parking or to purchase a parking space. And, in keeping with the future - oriented discussions this evening, it encourages ride - sharing, car - sharing, with programs such as Zipcar. But, most importantly, it also would support our Specific Plan in many ways. First of all, by creating more open space, which seems to be, again, a major concern. We have the Specific Plan specifically referred to here. Section 2.5.3, "Open Space Goals an Policies," et cetera; and 2.5.4, open space to provide grass or landscaped areas, not simply trees planted in tree wells. Moving right along, we would enhance hillside views, reduce building density and fit the look and feel of Los Gatos. The North 40 is a fruit orchard with no prior building on this land, and this is one step that we could take to achieve all of the Specific Plan criteria. So, in conclusion, we can do better. In the option we have before us, I urge the Town Council to 146 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage (A ,n Reporting Services, LLLC 19 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2. 2. 2 2. 1 deny the current Grosvenor plan for the future of Los 2 Gatos, so we can work together to create something more 3 appropriate. 4 Thank you. 5. MAYOR SPECTOR: We have a question from 5 Mr. Rennie. 7 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor 31 Spector. 3 So I'm trying to sort of absorb your parking suggestions. But you kept using the term "condos," and L there's really not condos out there. 2 MS. DREHER: Townhouses. 3 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Yeah, they're 3 townhouses, and those are not -- i MS. DREHER: Or apartments. 5 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: I mean, a 7 townhouse -- it's usually got a part of your house or 3 garage is that standard townhouse type of -- so you're 3 suggesting that we change it from townhouses to condos or -- L MS. DREHER: I lived, actually, in a 3 townhouse in San Jose for a while, and it had 3 underground parking. 1 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And your own 3 underground parking or was it shared? 147 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Services, LLC 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. 22 23 24 25 MS. DREHER: It was shared underground parking that -- you know, beneath the building, with r elevators. So that can -- that can happen. I'm concerned because underground parking would lower the height of the development and satisfy a number of needs, creating more open space, lowering the -- you know, what blocks our hillside views, et cetera. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: You say it had an elevator for each house? MS. DREHER: No, it had an elevator out of the parking structure, up to -- COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: To like ground -level kind of place? r MS. DREHER: Ground level. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. I think I'm getting it. Thank you. MS. DREHER: Okay. MAYOR SPECTOR: Other questions? Seeing none, thank you. MS. DREHER: Okay. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Betty Rhodes, Jahan Andrews, Lucille Weidman -- Weidman. All right. I've got three going. I'm going to ask that all three -- when I call these names, all 148 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage JCS s,, Reporting Services,LLLC SO (as 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2, 2, 2 2. L three line up. And the reason we're doing that is to Z move this along so that we can listen to all of you. 3 Betty Rhodes, Jahan Andrews, Lucille Weidman. I Yes, go ahead. Identify yourself. You have 3 three minutes. 5 MS. WEIDMAN: Lucille Weidman. I live in Los 71 Gatos. 3 The vision statement consists of four guiding a principles. I will highlight just the one. The North 40 will look and feel like Los Gatos. There's L nothing subjective about this statement. 2 The model of the North 40 project looks like 3 something dropped to earth from outer space. 1 Self- explanatory. As you can see, they're all in a 5 straight line. It's not linear at all. 5 This is an area in Blossom Hill Manor, which 7 you can see they're not in a straight line. 3 This is a concept of what already exists. And if you look at it, it's quite interesting how it almost parallels the North 40, at least the first L phase. ? This is the color scheme of the Grosvenor 3 project. ( This is the Port of Long Beach's color 5 scheme. You have a highway in the back. 149 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ,4 Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 These are the architectural material legend for most of their units, substandard. It's just a mishmash. Not something that we're used to seeing in Los Gatos. This does not have the look and feel. These are all the different elements in just one elevation of a rowhouse. Sort of a paint -by- number situation. Even a fifth grader could design that with some crayons. These look like a medical building and, to some degree, maybe even a prison. . And those -- all garage doors are on the bottom, where you can see those arrows. Not exactly an elegant look that we're used to seeing in Los Gatos. Please deny the application. If I may, in good conscience, it is imperative that the North 40 developer application before you this evening be denied. Please give thoughtful consideration to whatever means necessary that the Specific Plan be reviewed. What you do at this point in time will be your legacy to our beautiful town that is Los Gatos. And I thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Sam Weidman, Pilar Campo and Chuck Coe. MR. WEIDMAN: Good evening. My name is Sam Weidman. I live on Carlester Drive. I've lived in Los 150 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING �Ak Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1' 1 l 2 2'. 2: 2: 2� 2' 11 Gatos since 1946. 2 My wife made a presentation to the Planning 3 Commission on July 12 to show the look and feel of Los 4 Gatos by showing all the different architectural styles 5 of the homes in Los Gatos. She showed more than 5 70 different homes, along with all the different parts 7 that made up our current true open spaces. 3 On July 13, during the preliminary testimony, 3 the applicant's architect pointed out that hardly any of our photos showed any views of the hillsides. This L was because I had deliberately cropped the photos to ? show a closer view of each of the homes. 3 There are plenty of streets and homes in Los ) Gatos that still have views or filtered views of the i hillsides, and I would like to show you just a few of i them. I say, "still have views," because a lot of the 7 views of the hillsides have been obscured by the 3 maturity of the trees that were planted 30, 40 or 3 50 years ago. The first three, basically, are ones that I -- I haven't cropped for this, that were in original. Sometimes it looks like all the hills are blocked. 3 But, again, it is the vegetation that is doing it in ! most cases. A lot of cases behind the house, if you i could be in their backyard, you, would probably be able 151 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Jl f / ReportingQ °� 006907 Services, LLC " e 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 L L L to see the hills. This photo here is out our front kitchen 3 window, on Carlton. Until just a few years ago, we ] didn't have this view of the hillside. The trees in 3 the park behind the house across the street blocked our 5 view until the PG &E cut them down because they were in 7 contact with the power lines. Now we have our view B back. And we really enjoy this view, because a lot of 9 times we'll see the fog in the valley behind there. 0 Those six dots represent the only framed 1 views of the hillsides that you'll have with this 2 project. You can trim trees to get a better view of 3 the hillsides, but you can't trim the buildings after 4 they're built. 5 Ways to embrace -- please deny this 6 application. Review the Specific Plan to ensure future 7 applications provide Los Gatos with what the community 8 wants and needs for the North 40 and our gateway to Los 9 Gatos. 0 Thank you. 1 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. 2 Pilar Campo, Chuck Coe, Andrew Burnham. 3 MS'. LORENZANA- CAMPO: Good evening, Mayor .4 Spector, Vice -Mayor Sayoc and members of the Town 15 Council. 152 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A Reporting Services, LLC Wi W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 My name is Pilar Lorenzana- Campo, and I am. the policy director for Silicon Valley at Home or SV @Home for short. SV @Home is the voice of affordable housing for Santa Clara County. And our mission is to drive the creation of affordable housing for a more vibrant and more equitable Silicon Valley. And I disagree with one of the residents that came up to me today to say that because I don't live in Los Gatos, that I have no right to speak. The truth is is that housing is a regional issue. The lack of housing and affordable housing is not solely a problem of Los Gatos. It's not solely a problem of San Jose. It's a problem of the county of Santa Clara, and it's a problem of the nine - county Bay Area. Guess what other problem we have? We have enormous traffic and congestion issues. The two are actually tied. The fact that we have a severe lack of housing and affordable housing is the exact reason why we have so much traffic and congestion. And what I mean by that is in 2015 alone, in the 12 -month span of 2015, the county of Santa Clara County added 64,000 new jobs. We only added 5,000 new homes. What that means is that for every job that's created in Los Gatos that doesn't get housed in Los Gatos, that worker has to drive somewhere else. 153 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Repordng Serviees 06,3 p T 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 2L 2-� 24 2` 0U6 "�90 So if you guys are really concerned about traffic, one of the best ways to address that is to increase your stock of housing and affordable housing. So, on behalf of our members today, I'm here to say that we are in full support of this proposal. Over the weekend we submitted a coalition letter, our coalition that was in support of this project. Our coalition includes organizations like the Housing Trust, Destination: Home, Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Many, many, many organizations that create jobs as well as organizations that build housing and affordable housing. So, again, I guess what I'm going to say is that I commend all of you -- the members of the Town Council, the Staff -- for the incredible work and the community members at large for such an engaged process and such a transparent process And now is the time for you guys to act is the time to approve projects like these. Because the town of Los Gatos and the county of Santa Clara cannot continue to not build housing for the people that work in their communities. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you.. Now Chuck Coe, Andrew Burnham, Julie Gutierrez. 154 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage s, �`�' In Reporting Serviees, LLLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MR. COE: Mayor, Judy and Chuck Coe. For 35 years we've lived at 202 Garden Hill Drive. I grew up in Brooklyn and I left Brooklyn without a backward glance. Now I fear that Brooklyn has followed me to Los Gatos. When I arrived here, Lark Avenue was a friendly neighborhood street where, unfailingly, the light turned green in front of me. I remember walking along Lark Avenue and seeing a sign saying "Lost Chicken." I never saw a sign like that back in Brooklyn. Sadly, it's been awhile since I've seen such a sign in Los Gatos. Now Lark Avenue has become a highway, where motorists can mow down pedestrians and bicyclists. The walk on the bridge over.Highway 17 is particularly terrifying. We just don't do that anymore. Those suggesting that we bike instead of drive on Lark Avenue should try to remember the bicyclist killed by a car at the corner of Lark and Garden Hill. For along time his little daughter regularly refreshed flowers at the site. So some damage has already been done to my neighborhood. But that doesn't mean that we should complete the destruction by building this overblown project. In 1993, during a General Plan review, I 155 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Yp S Reporting ��� Ser%dees, W16 J 9 I 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2- a wrote an article for the Los Gatos Weekly. It ran for a week and no one read it. The issues are mostly the same now. In it I referred to the reverse thinkers saying Highway 85 is an opportunity. We must fill it to capacity. Well, they have gotten their wish. Our local streets are filled to capacity. Overfilling should not be an option. Any Environmental Impact Report that says that this project will not significantly increase the already heavy traffic on Lark Avenue and Los Gatos Boulevard strains credulity. I certainly don't believe it. Thank you for your time and attention. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Andrew Burnham, Julie Gutierrez, John Eichinger. MR. BURNHAM: It's still tough to follow the O.J. speech. That was pretty amazing. My name is Andrew Burnham. I'm a local bakery and restaurant owner and operator. And about six months ago Grosvenor asked myself and my business partner, David Kinch, if we would consult on the market hall portion of the North 40 project -- I guess the potential project. We're not -- we're not in the business of 156 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W ig 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 politics. We hopefully just provide good food and drink to people in a good environment. So I'm not going to dip my foot -- my toe in that pond and pound the table here for or against. I think there's been a lot of great contributions there, and I don't think I can add a lot of value there. I can say, you know, personally, I live about a half a mile away from the project and look forward to the potential of walking my one- and three - year -old down to the market hall, if it were to come to fruition. And I hope it does. So I guess what I'm here, you know, to say is that I think we've got the operating and culinary bona fides and background to make the project something more interesting than a Whole Foods or Lunardi's. And I guess that's about it. I've got a minute and a half to give to somebody else, unless you have questions. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. We have a question. Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: I have two questions for you, and I appreciate your coming tonight. One is rather direct. There's been a lot of discussion of stealing downtown.business. You're 157 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage` I''�trReporting Services!, LWi(4/ 6 J J 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 0(l6`J94 located downtown. Would you move to the North 40? MR. BURNHAM: I mean, we look at any opportunity that includes Campbell's redevelopment of to Pruneyard. It includes the billions of dollars that are going to Westfield in San Jose. It includes revitalization of Los Altos. It includes what's going on in Palo Alto with the developer money. We'll look at anything, basically, for sure, that fits sort of our brand and who we feel like we're -- we've got an edge and can be seen by people around us. So it's -- like anything, is a possibility. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: I appreciate your honesty. Second question. My understanding is you ar working on the market hall concept with the applicant. So what exactly is it? You say it's more than a Lunardi's. I hear it's not a regional destination. Can you just give me a better understanding of what it is that you are -- what's your goal, and who are you trying to attract? MR. BURNHAM: Like I said, I live within walking distance of the property. I've got two young kids, got an aspiring -- you know, my wife is sort of an aspiring home cook. I think personally, myself, I am a decent cook. Or at least I'm around it. 158 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4q Reporting Services, LLLO W N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 To me, what's important is two things. One is that, you know, it's some -- it's a place that I can go to four days a week instead of going -- you know, spending like, you know, half my paycheck at Whole Foods, where I can get curated goods and products that are genuinely local and not just, like, run by some regional director of a Whole Foods or Lunardi's somewhere. And -- I mean, that's effectively it. As I think about my day -to -day use of the place, I would also look for it to be a place where I can get, potentially, you know, easier access to, potentially, more interesting food service and restaurants than maybe our legacy, you know, downtown restaurants, of which -- you know, I'm a part of one, so I'm not -- obviously, I do business there. I'm not trying to say anything negative about downtown. I do business there, and I will continue to. And I think this is a new build, and there's a new opportunity to potentially bring in, I guess, a little bit of new blood as well. But as a resident who lives just down the street, I feel like I can get, you know, well - curated, thoughtful goods and products close to me as well as, potentially, new on- trend, interesting dining options. MAYOR SPECTOR: That's it. Thank you, sir. 159 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage *parting 006995 Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 lE 11 lE 15 2C 21 2" 2: 21 PA Julie Gutierrez, John Eichinger and Donna Tkach, I guess. And on Donna, in case I said it wrong, it's T- k- a -c -h. And I don't see Julie Gutierrez. All right. John Eichinger. MR. EICHINGER: John Eichinger, 40 -year resident of Los Gatos, 627 San Benito Avenue. I'm a real estate and mortgage broker in town, and I'll be happy to answer your question at the end of my talk or if anybody else wants to ask me about the affordability of this project, for people looking to buy a home. Thank you for your service. Difficult decision to make. Whenever I have to make a decision, I do a lot of analyzing, and then I listen to that little voice in my head that we sometimes call a conscience. This project, 30 percent open space -- I don't see -- I grew up as an engineer. I don't see 30 percent open space here. Unless you count that canyon behind Councilwoman Marico's -- that canyon down the valley there as open space, it doesn't afford any views of the hills. Conscience. Schools. Taking 100 children and shipping them up to Lexington School doesn't make 160 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING A Advantage A Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 i� sense. I don't care what deal the developer has made with San Jose and with Los Gatos Union School District about helping them find affordable land in the future. There is no school property. There is no land in Los Gatos that is going to be suitable for a school except the land on this North 40 in the future. Traffic. The EIR that was done five years ago. The traffic consultant was here at the planning session who did that traffic study for the EIR, and she admitted to me that there was nothing done on a weekend, nothing done on a Saturday or Sunday at 11:00 o'clock, when people can't even move around in this town. Nothing done at the peak traffic times, early in the morning and late in the evening. And sending a hundred kids up to -- up to Lexington is going to exasperate the aspect of Funnel Town, which is the new nickname for Los Gatos. Funnel Town. So I -- I urge you to take everything into consideration and vote your conscience. And I'd be happy to answer the question about affordability. MAYOR SPECTOR: Well, since you set me up for that one, do you happen to know how much one would have to earn to buy a home that cost anywhere from 900,000 to one and a half million dollars? 161 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage m�o�r}tiing Services, E7fi"U.'J 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1s 2C 21 2L 2� 2e 2` MR. EICHINGER: Yes. Since I'm a mortgage broker, I do this all day long. So in order to afford a $900,000 home -- we'll take this at the lower thing. Typical 20 percent down payment. Someone would have to have $180,000 down payment -- that's cash on hand, savings -- to get into this -- to get into -- to get a loan. And then it's a jumbo loan. It is not a conventional loan. This is going to be a $720,000 jumbo loan, which is going to be a higher interest rate. You can get a 30 -year fixed today at about 3 3/8, but a jumbo loan is about 3 3/4 today, at the historically -- historically lowest interest rates we have ever seen right now. Not a year trom now or rivet years from now, when this project is going to be finished and people are trying to buy into this home. So that $900,000 mortgage is going to require an income -- to meet the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau's mandated standards of a 43 percent debt -to- income ratio, that's going to require an income of $110,000 -plus. That's without having the borrower have a car payment or any credit card debt. So you're probably looking at a $125,000 -a -year salary plus $180,000 down payment. This is not affordable housing. Yes, sir. 162 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Regoriiag Services, LLC W iaw 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MAYOR SPECTOR: Excuse me. Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Mr. Eichinger, you know, could you, since you do this all day long, give us an idea of what the mortgage payment would actually be? Including the property taxes, the insurance, the mortgage payment. I guess there would be, potentially, HOA dues. MR. EICHINGER: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Leonardis. Without having any HOA dues, you're looking at at least $4500, principal, interest, taxes and insurance. That's on a $900,000 home. If you want to take that up to the $1.5 million home, you're looking at about six and a half thousand dollars per month. After you've given a $180,000 down payment on the $900,000 home. The down payment on the $1.5 million home is going to be significantly more. 300,000. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: One more question. So, on the million- and -a- half - dollar loan, what would the projected annual salary need to be? MR. EICHINGER: I'm sorry. I didn't do all that math yet. But you're looking at, projected annual salary, probably 160,000. 163 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1E lE 11 1£ 1S 2( 2: 2: F.I 2, N Baker. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR' other questions? Seeing none, thank you, sir. Donna Tkach, Stacy Hatfield and Whitnee MS. TKACH: My name is Donna Tkach. I live on Corinne Drive, which is quite close to this project. I'm going to be impacted by this project. I know that you've worked very hard on the -- trying to mitigate the traffic in downtown -- in downtown Los Gatos. However, I certainly hope that you're going to work just as hard to mitigate the traffic on this end of town, because it's already awful. And I can imagine, when you pump five, six hundred cars a day into the traffic, it's going to be way worse than it is now. And I'm really not very keen on my property values falling because people can't even get out of their street to go anywhere because the traffic is so bad. It really is that bad. Also, our Specific Plan says that this project should fit seamlessly into Los Gatos. This does not fit seamlessly into Los Gatos any way at all. It needs to be re- -- redone. It's just -- it's not right for Los Gatos. This is a special community, and we can't 164 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage s, �`� 1n Reporting Services, LLLc ,1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 L have just some project like this. It's more like a ? project that might -- it might fit on Hunters Point, 3 San Francisco, but it does not fit here. I envisioned 3 that they would have some of the housing on one side, 5 say in Los Gatos, and some of the housing on the other 5 side of the parcel, which I understand is in Campbell, 7 so that they would have it kind of balanced on both 3 sides, with the shopping center in the middle. But apparently that's not the case. And, number three, I was shocked. At the L Planning Commission meeting, the representative for ? SummerHill Homes, who apparently is in charge of the 3 rental places -- when she was asked why the rental L homes only had a half a parking space for each unit, 3 she said that the people -- and I'm quoting. She said, 5 These are people who have to choose between eating, 7 paying their rent or having a car. So most of them 3 don't have a car. 3 And so I -- I was really shocked that we would be having people living above, I'm assuming, L upscale homes, maybe -- I mean, not homes but shops. ? Maybe these are downscale shops. Because if you 3 can't -- if you have to think about whether you can eat 1 or pay your rent and you're living above upscale 5 shopping that you can't ever afford yourself, it sounds 165 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting ALE, :{)Ur70 1 Servfices, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2- 24 2_ to me like it's a recipe for dissatisfaction in the nth degree right there. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Stacy Hatfield, Whitnee Baker, Ron Kirkland. MS. HATFIELD: Hi. I'm a shy person, so this is kind of hard for me to do. But I have so many things that I want to talk about. But for me personally, the traffic issue -- I'm an avid bike rider, and I ride on Lark Avenue. And it's scary for me. I've almost fallen on my bike there. And, you know, it just freaked me out, because I thought, Man, if I would have fallen, I surely would have gotten hit by a car. So that's on a personal 6 note. But what I really must say is I was sitting in the lobby during the proceedings, and, really, every time someone said -- and I'm for the project. But, really, every time someone said they were for the project, there was snickering. And I -- I've been a resident of this community for 24 years. I want a community that is inclusive. I want a community that is going to embrace new people. And it feels like -- I'm a white person. It feels like everyone in here that is snickering is a -white person, mostly. 166 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage s, �l Jn Reporting Services, LLC ig W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 L And that makes me feel ashamed. I want to ? have an open community. I want new people here. And I 3 just feel like nobody is open to what people are saying 3 in a positive light. 3 And -- so I'm having a hard time even getting i my thoughts out, because that really makes me sad for 7 our community. I mean, I think that we need more 3 diversity in our community, and I think new housing 3 will create that. I mean, what percentage of people are white L here? A lot. I mean -- you know -- anyway. And.then the other thing.I have to say is I 3 am an avid bike rider, and I ride by Netflix all the I time. So you've got these two huge Netflix projects 3 that are not creating community. They're creating i jobs. But they're not -- they're not creating 7 community. And they're not -- they're totally 3 different. You know, one side of the freeway, it's 3 more Spanish, and then the other side is real boxy. And so it doesn't feel like there was that much energy L spent on that building project in -- you know, so I'm ? kind of confused, why there is so much energy spent on 3 housing and building community and not a lot of energy & on money coming into -- I don't know. Is it a money 5 issue? Is more tax money coming in because it's a 167 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage � , q .f�'Reporrtinng- Services, iLPJ 0A ,7 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2` Ala Ri�IJ 1.��1.1 �• business? I'm not -- I'm not sure. But I just really hope that this passes so our community grows. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Hold on, Stacy. We have a question from Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: First, I wanted to just thank you for coming and speaking, even though you felt a little shy. But my question was -- you mentioned biking a couple of times. Were you saying that -- and you biked on Lark. Are you saying that you like the idea of the bike improvements that were going to be made? MS. HATFIELD: Yeah, because we -- yeah, we -- we're really trying to go up the hills. And it' a nice little hill to go up, you know, going over the bridge there. But if there is some -- where it's going to connect to Los Gatos Creek and the bike lane going over would be nice, because we -- we like to start at. Safeway parking lot and go down -- is that University, where Vasona is? And then go up and to Lark and then go over to the other communities in Los Gatos. So it would be nice. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank.you. 168 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING 10 Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC ' 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Whitnee Baker, Ron Kirkland and Jeff Loughride. MS. BAKER: Thank you, Madam Mayor and council members. My name is Whitnee Baker, and I have lived in Los Gatos for 24 years, give or take a few years when I was in college. I attended Blossom Hill, Fisher and Los Gatos High. I live on Oka Road, off of Lark. So the North 40 is in my backyard. My areas of concern are the traffic, as many people have mentioned. I commute to work in Mountain View. So all numbers and paperwork aside, I can tell you that traffic is an issue. And I would be curious as to how the traffic is going to improve with the North 40. Expanding the road is only a Band -Aid, not a solution. I also want to express my concern with the aesthetic. I could see from the design and what was said that a large quantity of trees will be added back and then some. But how long until those trees look like the drawings shown? Because I'm not an arborist, but I'm guessing a lot of us won't be around when they look that lush and tall. I would also like to mention that California is in a severe drought, and I doubt all of the pretty 169 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage (_A WPM � U PM Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1E 17 1 1C 2C 27 2'� 2; 2L 2. green in those drawings will stay that way. Again, curious as to how the plan takes the drought into consideration without simply proposing excessive watering. Council Member Rennie, I believe that is why the Viveri looks so stark compared to the other buildings shown, because they have been around for decades and have lush trees masking them. I want to close with that as a Millennial, when most of my colleagues or friends have moved to San Francisco, I stay behind because I love the small -town feel of Los Gatos. I love that when I drive off of 85 and onto 17, I see the mountains and not housing. I love that when I walk out my front door and walk down Lark at night, it feels like a small town. It feels like Los Gatos. And the North 40 will change that. If I wanted to live in the City, I would have moved there years ago. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Ron Kirkland, Jeff Loughride, Kathleen Willey. MR. KIRKLAND: Hello, everybody. My name is Ron Kirkland. I'm a new resident, for about a year now here. And my perspectives are much simpler. 170 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC N /I 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I must, say, though, at the beginning, when I first saw the story poles go up, my first initial reaction was no. Because who wants more congestion and more traffic? But progress is inevitable, and that is the direction everyone is hoping for. And what really sold me was the agricultural side of it, where, you know, you can -- tribute to the land that it's been for so long, by having agricultural means. And then if you can add to it too, like maybe a field day trip for the kids, to take a day off school and harvest, you know, that's like some -- some Los Gatos feel, according to the museum. You know, where the families all used to take time off school to do the harvest. Anyways, that was the part there. And then go ahead and throw in the 20 percent below market rate for the elders, take care of the elders -- you know, I'm game for that. So I say yes for the North 40. Thank you.. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Jeff Loughride, Kathleen Willey, Ottoni Yangzom. MR. LOUGHRIDE: Hi. My name is Jeff Loughride, 109 Paseo Laura. It doesn't seem that long ago that I came 171 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting Se � IWI rvices, No 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 2L 2-: 2[ 2` across a town meeting notice. The meeting was a mere final notice to let those residents within 500 feet of the proposed project know what to expect. This was the first notice of this project that I had ever heard of, and I was surprised and curious and then angry. I was over the 500 -foot distance from the project since Highway 85 was between me and the project. I would not and should not have received any notice. Fueled by that anger, I got involved. I organized my neighborhood. I attended and spoke out at many meetings. Town Council, Planning Commission, as well as many neighborhood meetings. After everything was said and done, the proposed project, for many of the reasons we pointed out, did not go through. Since that time I became aware of many other projects in town that I felt strongly about, either for or against. So I got involved and spoke out. I was a regular at Town Council meetings. on how local governments function system, but it's the one we have. I got an education It's not a perfect I fought against the Albright Netflix buildings, opposed to their sheer bulk, height, incompatibility with the surrounding neighborhoods and the increased traffic. 172 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING ad Advantage An. Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 I volunteered and served on the Housing 2 Element Advisory Board, determined to minimize the 3 negative effects on Los Gatos of the State - required 4 housing -- affordable housing. 5 I currently serve as the chair on the Bicycle 6 and Pedestrian Advisory Commission and am working to 7 make walking and biking safer around town. 3 I believe that residents working with town 9 officials is the best way to. ensure that a project works out best for the town. That collaboration is a 1 transparent process. And if it were not, I would be 2 fighting against it. 3 So I understand the emotions of residents I speaking out against the project and wish you had 5 gotten involved sooner. But the North 40 is involved 5 in and is pretty far along in that town process. There 1 have been more than 50 public meetings over the past 3 two years, covering all the details of this complex 3 project. There was a period of time, for over almost a D. year, to voice your opposition to the Specific Plan. L It was dissected and gone over line by line for months 2 at public meetings. 3 In my opinion, the Town's process has L produced a pretty good Specific Plan. It's not 3 perfect, and it's impossible to please all the 173 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A Reporting Service s, � W 6 7 o n n' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 1C 11 12 1_ 14 1.` IF 1' lE 1! 21 2'. 2, 2 2 2 residents. But it's still pretty good. It could be. more precise in some places and less precise in otherst for my taste but, overall, controls the land use fairly well. I believe that the Phase 1 application meets the objective standards set out in the Specific Plan. And, with that in mind, I support the North 40 Phase 1 application and ask you to approve it. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Question from Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Madam Mayor and Mr. Loughride. So you were involved in North 40 specific advisory committee to create the plan. And you just said it meets all the objective standards. But there' a lot of subjective standards that were in there, and people have been referring to them all night. So I assume you were part of -- including the subjective standards in there. So my question is, are you surprised at what we got, given the subjective standards also, or -- you ? know, is this sort of what you think you might have 3 gotten? Can you make a comment on that? I MR. LOUGHRIDE: I wasn't involved, except as 3 an attendee, at the Specific Plan meetings. But I 174 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage (-ACP� Reporting Services, LLC n W f� 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 L attended most of them. And I was -- you know, I spoke ? out for or against those things that I thought should 3 have been in or shouldn't have been in. & I personally thought that the -- the 5 move -down units that would have been an unmet need for 5 the town of Los Gatos shouldn't have been eliminated by 7 the -- they shouldn't have been eliminated, but they 3 were by the 30 -foot height limitation. 3 And I think that the whole -- the whole development, by keeping it down to 35 feet, basically L squashes it out and spreads it out and eliminates open 2 space that could have been open. So I think that a 3 different texture, the height of the buildings at I varying heights, is -- even the one that Angelia showed 5 of -- that's much taller than what we have here. I 5 think we could have had a more interesting development 7 had it been allowed to be a little bit taller. Some 3 parts were 25 feet, some were 35 feet and some 45 feet. 3 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: So some people -- if I could ask another question. Some people have L suggested that we should redo the Specific Plan. So are you suggesting we should add height back into it? 3 MR. LOUGHRIDE: Well, I mean, you could 4 probably redo every single decision you ever make in 5 this town. So at some point - at some point the town, 175 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantw Rtt'eP7erting Services, ,LL u IN 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1°. 2C 21 2L 2�- 24 2` residents included, have to either participate and make their voices heard at the right time or they have to live with the consequences. And I realize that that's a hard decision and a hard place to be, but I was there. And I've lived through the consequence of the Netflix buildings being not 85 feet that we came out against in the first place, but now they're 65 and 45. So you live with -- you live with some things. You're not happy about them, necessarily. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector, Mr. Loughride. 4 Through the correspondence with the letters and we had a speaker earlier this evening mention state mandates, housing mandates, RHNA numbers, what is required, what isn't, do we have to do this, do we have to not do this. Because that you were on the Housing Element Advisory Committee.and you had worked through this process, obviously, you arrived at some conclusions with your committee. And you chose -- and this is for the new people, because the Council has heard it before. But you had -- chose to allocate a certain amount of 176 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING l Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 .6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 housing units to this particular development, potentially, at one point in time, amongst your committee members. Can you elaborate on that process and why there is 360 units proposed here and how that helps Los Gatos meet its RHNA numbers, such and such? MR. LOUGHRIDE: Well, I think that when -- when we were involved in the Housing Element Advisory Board, there were -- there was a. situation where we had to come up with 619 units for the Town to satisfy its RHNA requirements. And at the time we had an inventory -- not a huge inventory -- of land that could be used and designated for this affordable housing since all we had to do was plan for it. There was an opportunity with the North 40 as -- because -- I don't know exactly what the whole reasoning was before that. There was a -- kind of a. suggested project of the North 40, and in it it had this move -down housing, it had all those different kinds of housing, the Millennial housing that was separate from the move -down. And I had asked the developers, what was that zoned at? And at the time it was, like, zoned at like 19 units an acre. And I -- then I asked, at the Affordable Housing Advisory Board, whether -- if -- if that was changed, 20 units per acre, could we take advantage of 177 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage R.; U Services, LLC 1 2 01 4 5 6 .7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 2L 2�- 24 2` " on-N14 all the numbers that would have been placed on the . North 40. And the answer came back from HCD that, yes we could do that as long as we zoned it at 20 units an acre. So it made a slight difference in the Phase 1 application, I suppose. But that's how we came up with the number. And that would -- that would alleviate calling the Los Gatos Lodge into play. And it only has South Bay right now, which is another property on the border of Campbell, off of Dell Avenue. So... MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector. So, just thinking back, somebody alluded to it's not a mandate; so to speak. Is it a mandate that certain amount of housing be put on the North 40, in your opinion? Or.was it -- on your committee, did you -- the genesis of it was to identify locations where it could go. For instance, you just mentioned the South Bay site, which, for those of you who are not familiar with that, that is on the corner of Winchester and Knowles. You mentioned the Los Gatos Lodge site. I think most people are familiar with that. Those were potential other sites that may have been considered for housing or are still being considered for housing 178 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING �I Advantage `ACpS Reporting Services, LLC W W I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1' 1 1 2 2 2: 2: 2 2. 1 should the numbers fall short on this particular property. Can you comment on that? 3 MR. LOUGHRIDE: Well, yes. The Los Gatos Lodge was one that, I think, as -- as our advisory 5 board -- and I only mean the consensus, because not 5 everyone agreed on that board. So it wasn't a 1 unanimous decision. But we talked about having -- the 3 Los Gatos Lodge impact was going to be far greater than 3 the North 40 because of its location in town. And I realize that there is issues in L traffic. But the traffic mitigation that was suggested ? by the -- or that's proposed in the Phase 1 application 3 is far better than what we have. And up until now -- I i mean, I've lived here for 27 years -- nothing has been 3 done to improve the traffic. So this is the first and 5 only time that the traffic will be -- will have been 7 improved in that area. 3 So I'm not sure that -- I'm not sure that anything will make things perfect, but we've got to take some steps to.improve the traffic as it is. So -- but as far as the North 40 housing, we ? didn't have to put it at the North 40. But we had to 3 put it someplace else if we didn't put it there. It I would have had to go someplace else in town. i And no one seems to want it in their 179 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage J41�' J Reporting Servicelaq 0 7 J 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 lE 17 18 1s 2C 2] 2L 2C 24 2` '[1O7�1f backyard. I mean, I don't know if people would be very happy about the Los Gatos Lodge or Higgins Park, which4 is on Blossom Hill. And anyplace on Los Gatos Boulevard, we got, basically, shut down whenever.we suggested anything there. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector. And thank you for answering all of these questions. It sounds like you chose kind of a -- you're between a rock and a hard place. Lesser of the two evils or the path of least resistance or what you chose, the committee thought was most practical at the time. Two more comments, because this comes up in the correspondence. When it comes to the RHNA numbers, it has been said that all you have to do is identify where they are going to go, but you don't necessarily have to put them there. That would be one comment. If you can answer that. And then not to put a compound question here, but there have been a number of members from the community who say, Why do you have to put all the housing in this location or 90 percent of the housing we heard earlier this evening? .Why can't you spread it 180 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage '" q Reporting Services, LLC i' t 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 across all the districts? If you can comment on that, since we have received so many letters and comments from the community. MR. LOUGHRIDE: Well, I suppose that as long as the housing on the North 40 were still subject to 20 units an acre, that means they would have to be rezoned in separate places to be spread out. As long as that happened, it's possible to spread it out. But to spread it out into single - family homes, luxurious homes, that's not going to -- I mean, you're not going to get the numbers. And as far as the numbers were concerned, the numbers that we were able to count for the RHNA requirements allowed us to count every single unit put on the North 40 because we had zoned it at 20 units an acre. We would have had to find -- those other units -- we would have had to at least plan for those other units someplace else in town. And it's not easy to come up with 250 or 270 units unless you take over a place like Los Gatos Lodge and say, That place is going to look like the North 40 we're talking about but just housing. There won't be any commercial. There won't be anything else. It will just be all housing. MAYOR SPECTOR: Go ahead. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: One last question. 181 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage A q '71 x.17 Services, IJXY ' 0 a. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 L 2 L L L L And this is only because Monte Sereno has faced this, challenge recently, and I've been following it a littlr 3 bit. But at the time that you were working the RHNA numbers with your committee, did they consider 5 50 units will have been built 5 secondary dwelling units as a possible option, as other 8 communities in the Bay Area have? Was that presented . 7 to you as a potential option by our Staff? That's already factored in. 31 MR. LOUGHRIDE: We absolutely did. I think we have -- COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Okay. What was 1 the results of that? 2 MR. LOUGHRIDE: I think we have something 3 like 50 that are proposed, that will -- you know, over 4 the seven -year period, it's -- it's projected that 5 50 units will have been built like that. 6 COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: So, for 7 clarification sake, that's already been factored into 8 the -- 9 MR. LOUGHRIDE: That's already factored in. 0 COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you. 1 MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Seeing no other 2 questions, thank you, Mr. Loughride. And, yes, the 3 secondary unit -- use of secondary units for the RHNA 4 has been -- was expanded, and Staff doesn't have to do 5 that one. 182 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING r U o 7 iJ 3 Advantage C.4Tq Reporting Services, LLC N IN 1 2 3 4 5 1.1 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 `4 All right. Kathleen Willey, Ottoni Yangzom and Cody -- I guess it's Grecu. MS. WILLEY: Good evening. Kathleen Willey, 135 Cardinal Lane. My husband and I moved into this charming town of Los Gatos around five years ago with our young boys. We chose Los Gatos for the small -town feel. We could walk and bike to school and be able to educate our children at excellent schools. Therefore, my biggest concerns about the North 40 development are how it will impact the safety of our children and how it will impact the schools. We currently walk or bike to Blossom Hill School every day. St. Francis School has been trying to get people out of their cars and onto their feet to avoid excessive traffic.. With the added population of cars that 320 homes in the Los Gatos School District will bring, I fear people will be unwilling to do this, creating additional pollution and dangerous conditions around our schools. Additionally, getting to the Los Gatos trails at Vasona from East Los Gatos will became even more dangerous for bikers and walkers trying to navigate their way from Los Gatos Boulevard and Lark in all the traffic that this additional development will create. O NI REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING ArIlvatatage �_A .p q , Reporting Services, p40 7 0 19 k 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1E lE 1i 1E 1� 2( 2] 2'� 2`. 2z 2' I propose the developer should build a pedestrian bridge to at least make it safer getting to the trails. Also, how can a proposed -- proposal of 320 homes be approved when the current Los Gatos. schools are already overcrowded? I believe that there is still a discussion of including a school in the North 40. How can we move forward with any development until we know when or where this school might be built? The Specific Plan of the North 40 called for housing in all three districts. There's no reason to crowd all the housing into our school district. Furthermore, one project goal was to appeal just to seniors and empty nesters, thus avoiding school impacts. Now we find out that of the 320 units /A planned, 135 will be two bedrooms and 54 will be three bedrooms. This violates a Specific Plan guideline that the project should mitigate the impacts on schools. The North 40 should spread the 320 homes into additional phases and different school districts to avoid overly impacting our schools. As a mom and a taxpaying Los Gatos resident, I urge the Town to not let the greedy developers compromise the safety and education of our children. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank.you. REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Im 7 Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC NO P& i� 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Ottoni Yangzom, Cody Grecu and Cindy Steele. Ottoni Yangzom. I may be saying it wrong. Y- a- n- g- z -o -m. MAYOR SPECTOR: On Gera (phonetic) Court, Cody Grecu, G- r- e -c -u. Okay. I have a taker for that one. And then Cindy Steele. MR. GRECU: Hi. How is everyone doing? I'm very scared. My name is Cody Grecu, 21 years old. You can tell from my wrinkled shirt I'm pretty young. I live on Oka Road. I've lived here all my life. And at first I was against the North 40 because of the traffic. But living here all my life -- I've gone to Van Meter, Blossom Hill, Fisher, Los Gatos High School. There's not a lot of traffic in the morning. And if you are living off Lark or Oka Road, there is Winchester and there's University instead of just Los Gatos Boulevard. You know, there's other routes. I think it would be a great thing to have that in our town. I think it would make the value go up. And I haven't heard a lot of these people who are against it saying that they live in that area. They might live in the mountains or downtown. Schools right there. So I -- that's just what -- I haven't heard 185 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aepwdug 'l ryy� Services, Ilq 70 4 1 1 M 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 p070�? anyone say they live in that area of Los Gatos. That being said, it's on the edge of San Jos" and Campbell. You know, it's not really in Los Gatos. And they worry about that it's not Los Gatos. And it kind of sounds like all these people just don't like how it looks. But not everyone is going to agree on the same idea. So who -- I think it would be up to you guys, honestly, to think, is this -- does this look like Los Gatos or not, you know. It would be easier for me too just to walk down, go to the store, instead of driving to Safeway. Very close. You know, I'm kind of -- I'm still scared. I'm kind of talking for the low - income people, financially challenged, that live on Oka. You know, I live in a mobile home park. And, you know, I am a 104 sheet metal union worker because I didn't have enough money, growing up, to go to school. So -- 15 minutes -- 15 seconds. I know I don't know a lot about what's going on. I'm not a -- you know, a mortgage broker or anything like that. I don't go into detail. I don't look at the schematics, blueprints. But I know these guys have been working on this for, what, eight, ten years? And I'm sure that if there's nothing that the town likes about it, they'll work their hardest to do something that everyone can i:. REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage J q Reporting Services, LLC K lI 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 come to a good agreement to, you know. At least they're trying -- there's always going to be traffic, but at least they're trying to bring solutions that can accommodate everybody, you know. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. You did a good job. MR. GRECU: Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Cindy Steele. MS. STEELE: Thank you, Mayor Spector -- Spector and council members. I've lived in Los Gatos for 30 years. I oppose the project for a few simple reasons. Traffic at the main artery of Los Gatos, at Lark and Los Gatos Boulevard, will be horrific. That's the first point. Second point is adding the -- the lack of adding a school in this planned development is a major mistake. Our current schools have been recently remodeled and are at capacity. Why was a school not considered in this plan, especially if this plan includes 350 new residents? More likely they'll be families trying to get into Los Gatos school districts. Who would blame them? They're only adding 40 affordable senior units. More than likely, the families will want to take advantage of this opportunity. 187 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage; ItPp91P services, a8 0 7 0 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 2L 2�_ 24 2` � i70 1 My Point Number 3. This project does not fit in the Town's planked elision nor the standards of the (i Town's requirements. It lacks open space. The retail will compete with our charming downtown, creating a mini Santana Row. We seen what happened in Santana Row in San Jose. It's packed. Traffic is terrible. They have to close the streets down. I just worry that that type of situation will happen at North 40 and kill our charming downtown area. There's a lot of area on Los Gatos Boulevard that's currently not being utilized. It's for lease. Why would we want to add more in that area as far as to get more retail in that area? As some people were talking tonight, it reminded me why we're doing this. One of the reasons was is to go ahead and create affordable housing. Thi is not affordable. According to the earlier speaker, how many low- income people can afford approximately five to six thousand dollars a month, with $180,000 for a down payment? That's not affordable. I don't think this plan meets the Town's requirements that -- what fits in a small town of Los Gatos. I hope the showing of the residents here tonight opposed to the North 40 project will encourage you to deny this application. Each of you have.been . elected to this office to protect those of us in Los 188 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC K bo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2? 24 2E Gatos from big developments ruining our small -town charm. I beg of you to deny this application. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Wayd La Pearle, Jak Van Nada and Brennan Robins. The first name I didn't pronounce right. MR. LA PEARLE: Sure you did. MAYOR SPECTOR: I can't read your writing either. MR. LA PEARLE: I'm sorry about that. MAYOR SPECTOR: Go ahead. MR. LA PEARLE: Thank you Mayor Spector, Council. Yes, my name is Wayd La Pearle. I'm a 40 -year resident of Santa Clara County. Sometime resident of Los Gatos, but my daughter lives here right now, in affordable housing off Kilmer (phonetic) Lane with her roommate. And affordable housing is a huge problem. We all know that. All these homes aren't affordable housing. But this provides additional housing in our area. And you folks have worked a long time, six, eight years. And I think it's really unfair to demonize a developer. Because any developer that comes 189 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage IE .Reporting 07025 Services, Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 �o� a ,c in could be demonized for developing and doing what they do This is progress. I'm for this project because it's been responsibly planned. This developer builds a quality product, and they're committed to use local labor to do it. They're going to pay fair wages and benefits for this labor. And, you know, Mr. Loughride spoke very eloquently. He's a citizen who put the time in with this group to develop this project, to plan it. And I see the developer is taking notes. I think they're very responsible in trying to meet the needs and the desires of the community and the look that -- that is respected and meet the desires of this community here. So I just wanted to stand up here tonight, acknowledge that, you know, my daughter is benefiting and has benefited from affordable housing here. It's just a huge problem for young people. And another point I'd like to make. You know, everyone can complain about traffic. I moved here 40 years ago, and I've worked with people that lived here 20 years before that, that came up through the 140s and the 150s. And those folks who have been living here that long understand that the traffic has 190 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 F been that same way through Santa Cruz Avenue on the portal to Santa Cruz ever since people like to go to Santa Cruz and move through this town on the weekends. And it's been gridlocking. And this proposal is bringing along some relief to that Lark Avenue area, and they're trying to do the best they can to deal with that problem. But this is not a new problem. This is a problem that has been going on for a long time. And it's going to continue to be a problem. When people live closer to where they work, they're going to be able to get there quicker and spend less time in their cars. And you've got these people working at Netflix. And a lot of them make enough money, and they'll probably move close to home where this community will afford them an opportunity. So I thank you for listening to everyone and all the hard work you put into this. And definitely in support of this. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Jak Van Nada, Brennan Robins and Tony Alarcon. MR. VAN NADA: Good evening. My name is Jak Van Nada. And I support the North 40 development, and I support this developer, who certainly has not made the negative impression on me that I hear from others 191 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq $gu M 7 Services, I € `IJJ UU �� �(JJ y 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2E tonight. Never has a project been so open to public comment for such a long time. Never has a project taken this long to get to this point. Never has there been so much information available to the public to educate themselves. By listening and researching, I learned about property rights, planned developments and Specific Plans. I found how the developer of the Netflix project convinced our own citizens to vote for the approval of the project that increased our traffic, forced more housing upon us and then exempted that developer from paying the increase in the traffic mitigation fees. This developer, Grosvenor, is not doing any of this. In fact, they will be contributing about 18 million over and above the fees required by the Town. I have learned that there are state housing laws that require us to plan for 619 living units in Los Gatos. I learned that one of the best locations for housing would be the North 40, which has unparalleled access to the major arterials and the major freeways, serving it on all sides. While I agree that lumping all.the housing at 192 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_A In Reporting Services, IJ C W 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 the south end may make the development feel lopsided, I learned that if you spread the housing around the North 40 to put kids into the Campbell and the San Jose school districts, that it will likely cost the school districts 4 million over a 12 -year period and about 19 million over a 48 -year period. Plus, there will be the loss of about 500,000 that the developer is going to pay to the Los Gatos Union School District. Education quality will inevitably go down, and your property values will follow. The Town has held over 50 meetings for the public to discuss the North 40. Our group, the LGCA, sponsored five, and the developer has had over 300 meetings with residents. Never has a project been so open and available to the public to give opinions and to shape a project that worked for them. If you negate eight years of hard work by hundreds of us as well as yourself, Staff and the PC by altering this plan significantly, you will never rebuild the confidence and caring of the residents who have put in thousands of hours into shaping this development per your direction. Your choice -- your choice is to kill this bill or substantially alter the project or stick with the decision that was eight years.in the making. If 193 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage l' /n . Reporting Servic_es,s, LLC i i �� 7029 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2 24 2_ . pU7O3fl you kill this Specific Plan, eight years from now you'll have another unhappy group and another council will be sitting here again. I will not nor will the residents who will have lost confidence in the process. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Mr. Van Nada, thank you. Would you please -- you gave an example or you stated how the -- having the development or not impacts the monies to the school, where if the housing were spread throughout the project. Would you explain what those numbers were and how you derived them? MR. VAN NADA: Yes. The -- the reasoning behind it is a conversation with Superintendent Diana Abbati. Also James Russell, who was superintendent at - excuse me. He was administrating and principal of schools. And I believe that either the San Jose or Campbell district -- both agreed that because the North 40 is bounded by freeways and two arterial roads, they -- and it's also in Los Gatos. The residents that are put into the Campbell, Cambrian or San Jose school district will petition and will get to put their kids into Los Gatos schools. The caveat here is that the kids come into the schools, and the Los Gatos schools pick up the costs, which I estimated at $11,000 per student for the O&E, REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4n Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 first 12 years and probably 13,000 per student up to 48 years. That's where those figures came from. The $500,000 is the -- I don't know what -- how you would call it. It's not a bonus money, but it's what Grosvenor has agreed to pay the LGUSD for housing that goes into the LGUSD school district, because those houses will not be in the LGUSD school district if they were in the Campbell /Cambrian. I'm making the assumption that Grosvenor will not pay that 500,000. And, by the way, on assumptions, what I had assumed, that there would be 20 units in the north district. Nobody knows. That's up in the air. Could be 40 units. And the other thing I had guesstimated at was there would be 30 kids in those 20 units. That's extensive. There won't be. Or there will be one and a half kids per unit. I think it's less than that. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Mr. Van Nada, you actually started to answer my question, so I'll let you just explain. Originally you said it was going to cost 4. million, spread them 195 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage #'egbrtng Services, uc 00793 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1E li 1E 1s 2( 2] 2< 2: 2, 2! around. And so I'll let you add it. You just told us ,z that is what added up to 4 million; is that right? MR. VAN NADA: Four million. And then there would be 19 million over a 48 -year period, using $13,000 a year to educate a student. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. And so -- and you said that was because they didn't get the payment from Grosvenor, and I guess they don't get the property tax either from it? MR. VAN NADA: You know, there is two things there. I believe the property tax -- because it's in Los Gatos, the property tax will come up to Los Gatos. The -- what will not come to Los Gatos -- it will be the cost of the student. The money will go to the Cambrian and San Jose school districts, but the students will petition and get into the Los Gatos School District. Now, these are conversations, again, that I had with Diana Abbati and Jim Russell. So it's a -- one of these Catch -22 situations, where you -- common sense would tell you, Well, if the kids are going to go into the Los Gatos School District, the school should get the money. But that's not the case. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Another sort of separate comment. You also said they were paying 196 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING -) I Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Y l 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 18 million over required. That seems a bit high. How do you get to this 18 million number? Or I misheard? MR. VAN NADA: Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. I'm jumping paragraphs here. I believe they're paying 12 million in road improvements, and roughly 6 million is going to the schools. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: I mean, some road improvements would be -- you said above what they should have had. MR. VAN NADA: Yes. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Paying 12 million above what they should have in road improvements? MR. VAN NADA: Correct. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Maybe I'll ask them more questions on that. Thank you. MR. VAN NADA: Yeah. MAYOR SPECTOR: Seeing no other questions, I thank you. Brennan Robins, Tony Alarcon and Joseph Gemisnani. MR. ROBINS: Good evening, Mayor Spector and City Council members. My name is Brennan Robins, and I'm here this evening representing Greenbelt Alliance. Greenbelt Alliance is a group dedicated to saving how the Bay 197 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ,Arnn r�_.Rago}-aft,, ,• Services, LLFI 0 f -U3 J I 2 K7 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2E 0U i1, 34 Area grows, to preserve what's special about our region and make our community even better places to live. Greenbelt Alliance is proud to endorse the North 40 Phase 1 as an example of smart in -fill . development, which is exactly the type of growth that Los Altos [sic] needs to become an even more thriving, sustainable and affordable place to live. One of the most important actions we can take in our communities is to use our limited land wisely, bring great neighborhoods that meet the needs of today as well as tomorrow. That means creating inviting places to live that use land efficiently, create walkable and verdant streets and add new homes for residents across the income spectrum to help address our pressing housing affordability crisis. By growing smartly in this way, we will also ease pressure for sprawl developments on our farms, ranches and natural lands while reducing lengthy . commutes and the accompanying greenhouse emissions and air pollution they bring. We hope that this development helps to set a precedent for how Los Altos can become an even better place to live so that today's teenager can afford to become a part of this community as he or she graduates and our older adults can find an option to downsize 198 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage _A(�S Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 when they no longer want to live -- to take care of a large house. And our work force can live close to their job rather than facing a grueling commute at the edge of the region. If the City Council reviews this proposal, we have two recommendations. Firstly, that every opportunity be taken to create safe places for walking and bicycling. Particularly to cross the Los Gatos Boulevard and Lark Avenue. Los Gatos. And, secondly, that there's a commitment to provide free or subsidized transit passes to residents and employees, and there's someone on -site, committed to administering this program as part of a robust transportation demand management program. That's a technique that is proven to significantly increase transit use and reduce traffic and congestion. In conclusion, Los Altos faces a choice. Los Gatos. Today over 320,000 acres of open space at the edge of the Bay Area is threatened by sprawl development. Rather than losing our open spaces and facing the many negative results of sprawl development, we must instead provide the right development in the right places. By creating a walkable, well- designed mixed -use in -fill development with homes for residents across the income spectrum, the.North 40 Phase 1 plan 199 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �,4l f,`n.. Reporting services'" 7 035 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 li 1E 1� 2C 2] 2L 2: 21 Q 0713G will help make Los Gatos -- Los Gatos and the Bay Area an even better place to live We strongly support this proposal and encourage you to approve it. Thank you. And that was -- that's from Greenbelt Alliance. As a personal note, I would add that I also recommend that they do -- they give the current residents a right of first refusal. Firth. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Tony Alarcon, Joseph Gemisnani and Rhodie MR. ALARCON: Council, I'm going to veer from my prepared comments for a moment because some items have come up, I want to add some -- interject. Regarding the trees, a model that is shown going from Los Gatos Boulevard, exiting town, left on Lark, entering onto 17, headed towards San Jose -- the model trees show higher than the buildings. And that's not true. They're not factual. The architect has identified that will take 15 -plus years in a prior meeting to reach that height. I want to point that out because trees came up. Additionally, regarding all the in -fill that is coming in, having been a developer, that sounds like a cap to me. They're capping something. And I would 200 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT of VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 PIl 25 just wonder if we have anything in the grounds there. that they're wanting to cap and not dig up. Indian burial grounds or some pollution. So additionally, in terms of the affordable units, three weeks ago The Wall Street Journal had an article on garages. 110,000 to build a garage, a thousand - square -foot living unit above it. That's the new trend. That would also help create affordable housing not only for those renting it but for the. homeowner, because they can rent that unit out. And I have a 400 - square -foot studio at my house, approved unit in Los Gatos, and the rent exceeds $2,000 a month. So that's for consideration. Not to my prepared remarks. I would ask that you please follow the clear guidance that our Planning Commission voted on to deny the current application. It is self- evident and confirmed by the majority of our town residents that this does not comply with our Specific Plan, as proposed. There are many examples of noncompliance -- hillside views, size, mass. But one that I find interesting is the tandem parking, which we don't have in Los Gatos. And what it requires you to do is if you are parked in front of your neighbor and your neighbor 201 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Rep9rtmg �YUY 0 3 7 Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 is parked behind you, you hand your neighbor the keys so she can back your car out and move your car. And that doesn't comply with Los Gatos. It's nothing we have here in town. . I don't think that they built this project to comply with the look and feel of Los Gatos, as is illustrated in the development in Canada. We do have developments like The Terraces, which do sit on seven acres and have over 270 55 -plus and older residential units. That is something that I think would fit well on the North 40 and something that the developer is not building because it does not provide the profit level that they're suggesting nor does it provide the unit count. The Yuki property will be and should be developed, but let's follow our Specific Plan. And we need critical thinkers to help the Council, the town and the Yuki family develop a viable project. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: Staff question? MAYOR SPECTOR: Staff question, yes. COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: This is another one that I had asked. I don't know if it went to the whole Council. But since The Terraces was brought up, can we 202 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING La Advantage 4n Reporting Services, LLC I V 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 g� 14 1 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 please get a breakdown of the acreage, the number of units and the density per acre of that development. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. Let me give the three names. You must be Joseph Gemisnani. MR. GEMISNANI: Gemisnani. MAYOR SPECTOR: And then Rhodie Firth and then Lee Quintana. MR. GEMISNANI: Joseph Gemisnani, National Avenue. Thank you for letting me speak. The Town of Los Gatos actually sent out a survey back in 2011, the summer of 2011. And they asked the residents what -- what do you want this project to look like? And you went to the web site, and you clicked the "What's New" section. And I participated in it. And I believe there's about 2,400 people that participated in it, and the results went to Suzanne Davis. I know she no longer works here, but she did publish the results in the Los Gatos Weekly Times, and I sent a copy of that to the Planning Commission. What the people wanted, they -- first of all, what the web site did is it showed different types of looking buildings. And we wanted traditional - looking buildings. Furthermore, something like mission, 203 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Service9,1UZ - I 2 191 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 17 18 15 2C 21 2L 2 24 2` Mediterranean style. Something you would see like that Los Gatos Hotel across from the high school or like many of the buildings that -- what is his name? -- John Lien has designed, like across from this project. The three -story medical building on the corner of Los Gatos Boulevard. Whatever. We wanted those type of buildings. This project has like 30 or 40 buildings, and none of them are traditional, mission or Mediterranean style. So why did you guys ask us to take a survey if you don't really respect -- respect the results? Or did -- I mean, did -- was that information passed on to these guys? If they have been working on it for eight years -- this survey was done five years ago, and over 2,000 people replied. And if you don't have a copy of it, I have the results. I will give them to you. I gave them to the Planning Commission. I can come by tomorrow and give that to you. The State does not mandate that we build modern - looking buildings. This is not -- you know, like one guy from Brooklyn -- I'm from Chicago. And I don't want to see modern - looking buildings. That's why I came to California. I like the traditional style we have out here. It doesn't dictate that. So please ask them what, happened to these 204 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Acivantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1. 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 results. If not, we have to contact Suzanne Davis or I can print you out what she said in the paper -- in the newspaper. Thanks. i MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Hold on. You do have a question. it's a three -story building. 7 Mr. Rennie. L COUNCIL MEMBER 3 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: .Thank you, Mayor 3 Spector. 3 MR. GEMISNANI: Yeah. 1 COUNCIL MEMBER It's getting a little late. I didn't follow L you. So you mentioned the medical building that you ? said it should look like, right? 3 MR. GEMISNANI: I'm not saying -- as an 1 example. They i COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: And which -- where 5 was it, again? You said Los Gatos Boulevard and 7 something. 3 MR. GEMISNANI: Los Gatos Boulevard and Good a Samaritan Drive. I think it's a three -story building. I know John Lien was the architect. L COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Oh, in Los Gatos, the ? new one on the right? 3 MR. GEMISNANI: Yeah. 1 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Okay. Got it. 3 MR. GEMISNANI: And-that's across -- 205 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Services, LLC 1� 1 1. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 something like the Los Gatos Hotel is perfect. The Old Town area. And then if you even want to put -- what i? it? -- Craftsman, Victorian, that's fine. I'm not saying the whole development should look like that, but we are -- we have eclectic architecture here. Why have 30 or 40 buildings that look so similar? It's going to look like a I subdivision, if not a mini town, other than Los.Gatos. ! I'm just saying develop, you know, a few buildings to what we wanted, which was traditional, mission, Mediterranean. ? MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. 3 I'm going to go to Staff. If you can provide I Council with the results of that study, survey. 0 5 All right. Next three, Rhodie Firth, Lee 5 Quintana and Maria Ristow. 7 MS. FIRTH: I'm Rhodie Firth. I've lived in 3 Blossom Hill Manor for 50 years, and I have been 3 involved with this project and against it since its D inception. And so I know how hard the Town Council has L worked to try to solve this problem and make it right. 2 And I -- so I thank you a lot. And I also thank all 3 these wonderful people who have done so much research 4 and have such good input for you tonight. 5 I had a friend who sold her house in Los 206 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Regordug Services,`LLC ra 5a (1) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 M Gatos and is now very sorry. She says the reason she didn't listen to those who told her not to sell was because their reasons were all emotional and not practical. In the beginning I agreed that's true. You shouldn't make any decisions unless they're practical. Now I. totally disagree with that, and I've decided that we have to consider nonpractical reasons when considering a change. We must consider how something makes us feel. I'm often on Los Gatos Boulevard, driving in my car. And I go by that new Stanford building at the corner of Los Gatos Boulevard and Good Samaritan. And I realize -- I try not to duck because I'm driving, but that building is so obtrusive and in our face that it affects my psyche. I have had three different people come to visit me from out of town recently. And they came on Highway 17 and got off on Lark to come to my house. Excuse me. And all three of them have said, What are those story poles? What is going on in Los Gatos? I can't believe it. Two of them are from Los Angeles. And one of them said, Well, you don't have to worry because the Los Gatos Town Council won't let that happen. So I just -- I want us to consider the effect 207 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �A T� ' 'R�r ng Services, 4 7 0 4 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 y U�7U'�2't that this many buildings is going to have on us. We're just going to be fenced in. It's -- it's not like Lose Gatos, as other people said. I think it's also important that this is a gateway to Los Gatos. We're now known as a wonderful little community. And before long, if we let this happen, we're going to just be boxed in. Also, some people have said that there's a shortage of housing in this area. Well, I don't think it's Los Gatos's job to provide housing because there's a dearth of housing in this area. Also, I just want to end by asking: How come the story poles went up so late? I tried to get people involved and couldn't. But, boy, we're involved now that the story poles are up. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Lee Quintana, Maria Ristow and Ray Moses. MS. QUINTANA: Thank you, (inaudible). I'd like to give you a short history of my involvement in the North 40. I've been involved in the planning for the North 40 since before 1998. At that time I was on the -- on the General Plan Committee and I was on the Planning Commission. My involvement has continued all along. And 208 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC F59I W IE 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I have been following closely, both the amendments that were proposed to the General Plan in the 2020 update and attended most of those advisory committee meetings as well as most of the advisory committee meetings for the North 40 and all of that Planning Commission and Town Council meetings for the approval of the Specific Plan. I just want to say that, looking back at my notes on these -- the period for the North 40 Specific Plan that has been approved, I made a lot of negative comments. I had some criticism. I offered suggestions. A few were accepted and incorporated. Most were not. However, now we have an approved Specific Plan. And I think that the application that's before you needs to be judged against that Specific Plan, not against what people are raising questions about the Specific Plan itself. I have previously sent you comments on positive aspects of the project and also on the comparison of Santana Row with the North 40 project. I don't want to add to that except to say that one of the things I left off on the positive is that this will provide not only a community room for the senior housing, but there will also be.a community room P00' REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage $ep"., se�1e 5007045 io 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2- 24 2` available to the community above the market hall. There were so many things said tonight that 7 wish I could comment on, because I think they need correction or confirmation. I don't think all of the statements that were made were accurate. But I think -- I want to comment if I have time left, which I don't, on open space and the feel of Los Gatos -- feel and texture of Los Gatos. The physical look of Los Gatos, to me, is very, very different than the feel of Los Gatos. The feel of Los Gatos has more to do with the people and how they respect each other, how -- and it's changed so much over the years since I've lived here. There were never boos at Planning Commission or Council meetings. Them was often disagreements that were very strong, but it was always with respect and even with humor and laughter. I see that missing, and I don't think the configuration of the buildings on this site has anything to do but character and feel of Los Gatos. And every building on that site can be -- you could find a comparison to someplace else in Los Gatos. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. We have two questions. MS. QUINTANA: I forget to say I strongly -- 210 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING -)I Advantage .AC 1n Reporting Services, LLC 59 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 mi I strongly support the previous speakers, Jeff Loughride. and Jak Van Nada. MAYOR SPECTOR: Okay. Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Ms. Quintana, so you said we should judge the current project against the Specific Plan, but you didn't really say -- say whether it was good or bad or -- I guess, more specifically, you know, if we were to change -- ask for some changes on the project, what would you -- what would you change? Maybe that's another way to look at it. MS. QUINTANA: What I meant by that is I think that the plan, as proposed in Phase 1, needs to be consistent with the Specific Plan objective standards as well as the standards that -- the constraints that the State puts on the Town legally. And how would I like to see it differently? Is that what you're asking me? Actually, I -- let's see if I can explain this. I think that I am not opposed to the moderner architecture. I would like to see more elements of the rustic or agricultural ' heritage of the site built into the agriculture. I certainly would like to see the architecture of market hall a little bit less glitzy, a little bit more 211 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Cpn lUJJ-7 l) `2 1 Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1E 1E 1 lE 1s 2( 2] 2, 2; 2 2` reminiscent of agricultural buildings. But a modern. version of it. Not a copy of it. w And I -- to address this question in a.little more depth, I've read.the Specific Plan -- I can't tell you how many times. I've looked at the complete plan set -- I can't tell you how many times. And each time I do that, I find that -- I'm finding that the Phase 1 application -- well, first of all, both of them were difficult to understand. But I'm finding that the Phase 1 application was based on very deep thought in terms of planning and site planning and relationships of uses to other uses. I think -- I might not have chosen that exact layout, but I think it's a very well- thought -out plan. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: Thank you. So, Ms. Quintana, you mentioned that there were a couple of comments that you felt needed clarification because they were inaccurate. So, without going into a long list, give me the one most important one that you feel needs to be corrected. MS. QUINTANA: Oh, gosh. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC Putting you on the spot here. 212 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage An Reporting Services, LLC Ki W (I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 MS. QUINTANA: Can I have more than one? The plan is not all one height. It has varying heights. It's more than meets the requirements of less than 25 percent height in the Lark District, which is only required to have 15. It has 29. That's 51 one. 7 Trees and open space are another. I've heard 3 over and over again that this doesn't have very much 9 open space. It has more than open space than any other D project in Los Gatos. It has higher standards for open L space than any other project in Los Gatos. 2 . And I would say that I just came back from 3 visiting the Stanford campus. And actually, if I may, 4 I want to show you this. And the -- 5 MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Quintana, I'm going to 5 have to cut you off here, because Ms. Sayoc asked for 7 one thing. 3 MS. QUINTANA: Yeah, I need more time. 9 MAYOR SPECTOR: And I have to do this with 3 everybody. So I can't treat you better. So thank 1 you -- well, you have another question. 2 Mr. Leonardis. 3 COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor 4 Spector. 5 Ms. Quintana, there has been various comments 213 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq A Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 15 2C 21 22 2� 24 24 Y .O Q7J,aG about the senior housing element with this project, that it doesn't warrant a very good layout for the seniors in its current configuration. How do you feel about that? MS. QUINTANA: From personal experience with my mother, when -- and she lived to 98. She enjoyed living in a complex. She wished that she had retail nearby or a place to go and sit. I think this -- where this is situated is the best place on the site. It makes it in contact with other residential, with the neighborhood residential that's going to be there. And very nearby parks that would be easily walkable by them. Open space. She would have loved to live in a complex like that. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Seeing no other questions, thank you, ma'am. And Maria Ristow, Ray Moses and Sandy Decker. MS. RISTOW: Hi, Maria Ristow, 85 Broadway. Thank you for all your time that you've put into this long project. I know that for this discussion of -- how much the residents have been involved and I've been involved. I know that the Planning Commission and Town Council have been extensively involved. So I appreciate you taking time to listen to all of us. 214 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC M K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 It's not easy to get up here to support this project when there are comments made like 90 percent of the residents oppose it, because, in fact, I talked to a.lot of people that support this project, but they're afraid to get up and say something. So I hope people will be respectful of a variety of point of views. You have before you an application that meets or exceeds all of the objective standards set by the North 40 Specific Plan -- building height, open space, setbacks, residential unit size, traffic mitigation, parking lot coverage, et cetera. These criteria were set by a Specific Plan that was made over years in open and public meetings and was approved by both the Planning Commission and the Town Council. While the Planning Commission last month stated objections to the Phase 1 application, none of these objections were based on the hard objective standards. In addition, this proposal meets our town's certified housing element for the high- density residences needed to meet our affordable housing numbers. The housing element designated thirteen and a half acres for 20 units an acre at the North 40. This is only part of all of the housing that we're going to build for the housing element. But this one element was situated at the North 40. 215 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ArprtM' X1070 "51 Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 lE 17 lE is 2C 2] 2L 2: 21 2` As we are required to plan for affordable . housing, setting the density of at least 20 units an acre is sufficient to allow the possibility of affordable housing to be built. While one resident has stated publicly the housing proposed in this application won't count, that is incorrect. The same issue of 20- unit - per -acre default density was raised multiple times over the 17 meetings that the housing element held. I was on the board. This was answered in multiple ways by our Staff, and it's evident by our certified housing element. Please ask our Staff to verify this fact. When residents state this proposal doesn't have the look and feel of Los Gatos, I can somewhat understand that. Yet this is a subjective standard. Most of Los Gatos is single- family detached housing, and this project has been zoned for high- density multifamily housing. In that way, the North 40 has to look different. So let's work on the architecture, streetscapes and other components to ensure this development does look like Los Gatos. While there are a number of -- large number of residents presently angry and fearful of this project, you know the facts and the context. There's not any option to just say 216 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING M. Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC Im i 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 W1 24 25 no. This is not a routine application for planned development or small commercial proposal or residential remodel. This project has compliance with the Specific Plan, the General Plan and our housing element. It's the result of intensive and extensive collaboration. I support this plan. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. You have a question from Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Maria -- Ms. Ristow, so you said it meets all the objective standards, and you mentioned the subjective standard of look and feel of Los Gatos. What would you -- so I think you said it needs some improvement. What would you do to improve -- do you have any specific suggestions? MS. RISTOW: Well, I mean, it's hard. You .know, when you say "look and feel ". -- I live downtown in a Victorian. However, I actually love the architecture here. I could see myself living here. One of the things I like about this architecture is it's clean, the windows are really large, and I like color. It allows a variety of colors. If you did, for example, something like Spanish mission, I don't know. .What would you do? 217 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting servic+ea *dj —10 5 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 L L L L L L Pink or beige with red roofs? There wouldn't be a lot of options for color without it looking like the 3 Caribbean. And so I kind of like the earthy palettes. I I like the way it would ebb and flow. 3 I love the way they worked with the Silicon 8 Valley Bike Coalition and on the interconnectivity with 7 the bike and pet paths. 3 So there's actually not a lot I would 9 improve, given the way the Specific Plan was changed. 0 And I think another speaker brought it up, 1 but I was really dismayed when the height was pushed 2 down to 35 feet. Because I wanted to see a cap on 3 total residential square footage but allow more height 4 in some places so that you could have lower buildings, 5 taller buildings and more space in -- with the same 6 square footage. 7 But otherwise I can't give any constructive 8 comments on this. I -- 9 COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: If I can just follow 0 up, since you had a comment. 1 So what about -- you know, I agree with 2 several speakers that have said Los Gatos is kind of an 3 eclectic mix. Is this an eclectic mix enough, or 4 should we should ask for some changes in some of them 5 and not others and -- 218 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING OU7�74 J Ad,.tage An Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MS. RISTOW: I'm not an architect. I mean, I like the eclecticness of downtown. I like the little cottages. I like the Victorians. But that was all built over a lot of years. I don't know. It would look like Disneyland to me if you had a Victorian next to a cottage next to something else. I mean, I -- I couldn't possibly weigh in on that. I think the height, the different siding, the slightly different kinds of architecture and the variety of housing structure give that variability. So... COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Oh, we have one more. Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Ms. Ristow, there were a couple of speakers, I think, at least, who spoke or commented about the grid pattern, the streets, it being too much of a grid, too blocky. There should be curvy streets. How do you feel about those comments? MS. RISTOW: Coming from somebody that grew up in Chicago and lives downtown, where it is a grid, I like grids. I think it makes sidewalks more palatable. I think it is more practical for setting up bike paths 219 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Repwtimg SOU70a5 SeMees; UC - . 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 L L L L L rr ;,.i L and view corridors and other things. > I lived in the Blossom Manor for about four 3 years, and I'll tell you what I hated about it. There I were no sidewalks. So if you have to push a stroller, 3 you're out in the street. I was running one night. I. 5 actually ran into a pickup truck because I couldn't see 7 it. 3 So I have no problem with the grids. And I 9 think the parks kind of open it up. But I like things 0 orderly. It's an opinion. 1 COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you. 2 MAYOR SPECTOR: I see no other questions. 3 Thank you. 4 Ray Moses, Sandy Decker, Susan Buxton. f� 5 MR. MOSES: Good evening, Madam Mayor and 6 council members. And thank you so much for all of your 7 work. 8 Tonight I'd like -- my talk is going to be 9 about the school impaction as a result of the 0 North 40 Phase 1. And it deals with the last bullet 1 point on the Town of Los Gatos North Forty Vision 2 Statement, under the "Guiding Principles to Achieve 3 This Vision." "The North 40 will minimize or mitigate 4 impacts on town infrastructure, schools, and other 5 community services." 220 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_ATJ Reporting Services, LLC K W IE 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 As a realtor here in Los Gatos, I sell homes. 2 More than homes, I sell the benefits of the excellent 3 schools in our area. In fact, families seek homes 4 specifically in Los Gatos in the Los Gatos School 5 District. We, the citizens group, estimate that the 5 proposed 270 homes. Not the 320. And Phase 1 will, in 7 reality, generate over 500 students, who will be 3 flooding our local schools, and not the 100 to 3 125 students that has been projected. The school population is at its maximum for L the number of classrooms that currently exist in the ? elementary and middle and high schools. Los Gatos High 3 School.is already increasing at a -- at a rate of 80 -- 1 80 students per year. This year approximately 2,010 3 students will be in attendance. The building of ten 5 new classrooms on the Los Gatos -- on the Los Gatos 7 High School campus, which has begun, will not be enough 3 to accommodate any impact that the height density that 3 this proposed development will generate. The Los Gatos Union School Board L independently negotiated a deal with Grosvenor, who ? offered to pay $23,600 per housing unit when sold or 3 buy two acres of land in order for the district to buy 1 a school. Two acres? Really? Two acres of land would 3 only allow a two -story city school to be built, with 221 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage An:ttB 1 F Services, LLC b.1�14iY 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 L L L L it !'5��Y141� V little or no outside play area or breathing room. Now, that's not consistent with Los Gatos. This would only 3 result in leaving Los Gatos citizens on the financial hook in the future to increase the school capacities to i accommodate the inevitable unmet needs of the student i growth. l I propose that the Yuki family, along with 3 the Grosvenor -- along with Grosvenor, go back to the 3 table with the school district and, through mutual cooperation and collaboration, donate six acres of land L on the Yuki property for the development of a new community school, which could be named after the Yuki 3 family. This would go a long way to decreasing the 4 future impact on our town schools and forever associat 5 the Yuki family name with excellence in education in o the Los Gatos community. Just think of it. All the 7 children would be attending school in their own 6 neighborhood, virtually eliminating most traffic 9 traversing through our town on a daily basis. 0 Based on the recommendation of the Planning 1 Commission and all the relevant information being 2 presented here tonight, plus the hundreds and e -mails 3 you have received, I ask the Town Council to pass a 4 motion to emphatically deny this application for the 5 North 40 as it stands, before it is too late and to 222 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �� 1� Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 pass a motion this evening that requires any future application to adhere to the Specific Plan, with guidance from and the input of the concerned citizens of Los Gatos. This is what the town of Los Gatos needs, wants and deserves. Thank you for your time. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. We have a question from Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Yes. Thank vou, Mayor Spector. So I was thinking about your idea of a school. There's not a lot of space on the.North 40 that, legally, a school can go. I believe the Yukis still own property on Oka Road, next to the last school they donated. Would it be okay to put the school over there instead? MR. MOSES: Not really. There are schools -- my daughter lives in Colorado. There is a school there that houses 450 students, from K through high school. Fantastic school. Great results. You can do it. You put a school there for that community. They go there. No more traffic going other places to go to school. Whatever. It's there in that community. Now, you say they don.'t have the property. 223 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage l f'n Reporting Services, LLC U U/ 0 6 y 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1C 2C 21 22 2�- 24 2` There's 44 acres. The unfortunate thing about it is you're trying to do everything in Phase 1, and that's G, where the complication comes in. I had a meeting with Dr. Abbati about that. Their hands are tied in a lot of ways. I understand the complication of the whole matter. But, at the same time, things can work. You can -- you have to work around it somehow. But I think -- I think the developer, I think the landowner -- I mean, come together. Figure it out. It could be done. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Sandy Decker, Susan Buxton and Dominick DeRanieri. MS. DECKER: Good evening, Council members. This is my 90- year -old aunt at her 90th birthday party in December. This is my 96- year -old mother, who was checking out the tiles at the bottom of the spaceship Endeavor. The reason for this that I'm trying - the point I'm trying to make tonight is that out of 30,000 people in Los. Gatos, there's 5,000 of us close to 70 that weren't even considered in the unmet needs of the North 40 Specific Plan and completely ignored in this project application. We're going to be around for at least 20 more years and will.set the pace for the 224 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage JCpq Reporting Services, LLC N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 boomers right behind us. We want to stay in Los Gatos, where we raised our kids and lived our young lives. We are 15 percent of the Los Gatos population. And we want to continue to be active participants in the town, the way we've always been. We don't want to be counted out. We can't get in the Meadows or The Terraces because they have long waiting lists. And the idea of being on a waiting list for someone to die is abhorrent. But that's what we're up against as buy -down people after we sell our most valuable asset, our homes, which have become too costly to maintain or not safe anymore. This developer has a senior component. There are 49 senior units on the top -- perched on the top of a three -story garage, slash, market area that are reserved for extremely low- income Santa Clara Valley seniors. They are 500 square feet. Why can't we review the North 40 Specific Plan and create an all- inclusive senior component, where many levels of senior income can be considered? What we need is companionship, not isolation. We need to be considered an important part of this village. The people in this age range I talked to when preparing this presentation had very specific requests 225 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Repot b 1 6 Services, LLC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1C 11 1c 1': 14 1E 1E 1 lE 1C 2( 2: 2, 2: 2, 2' UU7UU? R. for the last 20 years of their life and would be happy to volunteer to be on a research and survey group as we review the North 40 Specific Plan to include them. They would like to see clusters of two -story duplexes or triplexes with elevators, where we could come out each day at ground level to join a community not unlike the one we live in. Please deny this out -of- character, overly dense and intense project and move to review the unmet needs so that we can meet the purpose and vision of the first page of the North 40 Specific Plan, where it states North 40 shall look and feel like Los Gatos, shall have trees and hillside views instead of standing on a designated view platform between boxy concrete 0 buildings, where we shall minimize the impact on the community of this huge 40 -acre development and, instead, serve the unmet needs of the Los Gatos community. Those are objective needs. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Mr. Leonardis. COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Thank you, Mayor Spector. Ms. Decker, it sounds like -- I asked Ms. Quintana about the housing for the seniors. And she said she liked it. She thought it would be a good 226 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC ki 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 ORIN place for her mother. It sounds like you have the opposite opinion. MS. DECKER: I do. I think it's a very, very sad thing to do. These people have an annual income for two people for one unit, 500 square feet -- that is smaller than a two -car garage. And that income level has to be below $32,000 a year. They're perched on the third story. They're seniors. There is an elevator. It is not connected to exactly where their units are. So you can picture a wheelchair or a walker that most of them will have, trying to get themselves to that particular elevator and then get down to walk into the market hall, a la Manresa, and buy a $2 apple. Somehow or another, this does not compute to me. If we're talking about real affordable housing and meeting senior needs, then let's look at some of our RHNA numbers. Let's bring in some moderate senior housing. Let's bring in some low senior housing. This is extremely low. And I think this is just a very, very bad concept. Yes, the idea of being in a community and not isolated is wonderful. But perched on top of three stories? No. I think that that's discretionary -- it's discretionary. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank.you very much. 227 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Pe7p z Services, 107063 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1E I 1. lE 1C 2( 2: 2, 2: 2, 2' MS. DECKER: You're welcome. Any other questions? MAYOR SPECTOR: Seeing none, thank you. MS. DECKER: Thank you. 'MAYOR SPECTOR:- Susan Buxton, Dominick DeRanieri and Erin Allen? A -1 -1 -e something. MS. BUXTON: Good evening. My name is Susan Buxton. I live on Robin Way in Los Gatos. The density bonus program outlines the number of bonus housing units that may be added to a project that has affordable housing. The requirements for the housing bonus are outlined in the State and the Town's density bonus program guidelines. An applicant can only choose one category in which to apply, and the applicants have indicated that they would apply for the maximum 35 percent bonus under the category of very low income units. According to the applicants, this would result in 83 additional market rate units in addition to the proposed 237 market rate units and the 50 senior units. In order to qualify for these 83 additional units, the applicant must show that they need the percentage of affordable housing. And they do. But they plan to apply the 35 percent bonus using the i income level of the seniors to qualify. A qualifying 228 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 `a `a L resident or senior citizen is defined in the Civil Code 2 as a person 62 years of age or older or 55 years of age 3 or older if in a senior housing development. Very low I income households are defined in the state code as 5, persons and families whose incomes do not exceed the 5 qualifyinq limits of very low income. 7 In other words, the criteria for senior very 3 low housing is both income level and their age. And 3 the criteria to qualify for very low income housing is ) just having a very low income. No restriction to age. L In order to receive a bonus in this category now, the way it is defined, a person of any age with a 3 qualifying income must be able to apply to live in the I very low income housing even if it is a senior housing 5 development, because this category now has no age 5 restriction. 7 In addition to this attempt to circumvent the 3 density bonus requirements, the applicants have 3 proposed to do the same to the town's below market price program. There are many requirements for BMP L housing, such as dispersal of units throughout the ? development, parking size and look of units that the 3 applicants wants waived. The BMP program was created I to increase affordable housing, not to be used to 3 qualify for a bonus of 83 more market rate homes. 229 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantap Reporting Services' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2E w.UUNA) The density, intensity and look of this pending development has elicited many negative comments. The blatant misuse of the density program and the BMP program indicate that the applicants have no desire to present a development plan. Please deny this application. MAYOR SPECTOR: I have a couple of questions, Ms. Buxton. First of all, as it gets later in the evening, I need to have you clarify for me. You're saying that the -- what? That the very low income units cannot be limited to seniors and, therefore, the application is an error? I mean, what is the issue there? MS. BUXTON: If -- if there are basically four different categories they can apply in. One of them is senior development. One of them is very low income, which means that they are providing one of those things or they're working in senior development. The very low income would assume that they have the percentage needed of the housing development to get the bonus density -- the density bonus and that they also can show where all of these very low income units are located. They happen to all be located in the senior housing level. But since the seniors have a criteria of income and age and because they're using 230 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage _AC , q Reporting Services, LLC W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 the very low income category -- and that is only just their income -- it would be as if a 33 -year -- or the 21- year -old guy that stood here and talked about wanting affordable housing. He could say, I have this income. I can apply to go move into the senior housing. Because I am at that level. That was the category they chose. And my level has no age restriction. MAYOR SPECTOR: Okay. And then with regard to the BMPs. What is your point there? That these units should be spread throughout the property or what? MS. BUXTON: Well, they want that waived. Because they've chosen this category. So they want the -- having them spread throughout, they want the size and look of it waived. They want -- what else did I say? Parking. The different criteria that comes with BMP units. And they want to be able to have approval to put them all in one housing area, which is fine for senior housing, but it's not fine for very low income housing. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Other questions? Seeing none, Staff question? COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: If I may. MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Jensen. COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: I think I am hearing, 231 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, 1W 007067 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 15 2C 21 2L 2; 24 2° but I just want to hear the Staff come back with the answer. It's my understanding the applicant is applying for the density bonus based upon -- I think it's an 11 percent very low income, which is in one of the sections of the state density bonus law. Senior housing is a separate section of that law.. The argument that I heard was putting the two of them together. So the question I have -- come back to Staff. Is that appropriate? Is that not appropriate? And the other part of the argument that I heard was that, if I understood it correctly, somehow the person applying for the qualified housing had to meet a certain category, not that the housing itself r met a certain category. So I want to know: Is that correct or incorrect? MAYOR SPECTOR: And I would agree with those two .questions also. Anything else? Ms. Sayoc. COUNCIL MEMBER SAYOC: In addition to that, I'm just going to -- and perhaps you've asked it already, so excuse the re- asking. But -- I'm not sure what page it is. But on March 10, 2016, the waivers 232 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �l' �n Reporting Y U U U _�,`li' Services, LLC W �I 1 2 W3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 required under the current BMP program -- and there is several, six of them. And then the justification. If I'm hearing what I'm hearing, what I need clarification from Staff is we have our BMP program. We have the concessions being asked of us from the density bonus. And is it one or the other? Are they double- counting? I need better clarification, when you guys come back, on what box are we checking off, basically? MAYOR SPECTOR: Any other questions of Staff? Seeing none, go back to the speakers. Dominick DeRanieri; Erin Allen, it looks like; and Chris Chapman. Dominick DeRanieri. Erin Allen or A- 1- 1 -e -i. Chris Chapman. One out of three. MS. CHAPMAN: One out of three. I'd like to address Los Gatos Boulevard north of Lark to Good Samaritan. I'd like to recommend that .the Town Council request a Staff member to attend the Good Samaritan expansion meeting that's due later on this month. I don't think our town can make a decision on this mega housing project in a vacuum. If there's going to be more traffic at Good Samaritan and Los Gatos Boulevard, we need to address it. I'm -- I believe that to mitigate traffic issues, the developer has committed 10 to $12 million. 233 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �^;; liepprting Services, LLC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 L L I understand there's going to be three left -hand turn ? lanes from Lark onto Los Gatos Boulevard, which then 3 will merge into two lanes. I urge the Town Council to I require that Los Gatos Boulevard be widened prior to 5 approving a massive development. 5 My specific questions are, has all the 7 property required to widen Los Gatos Boulevard been 3 purchased? I don't think it has. Is there currently D money even available to acquire the land? Has money D been identified to make this improvement? If the 1 answer is, well, maybe in five to eight years we'll 2 have the money to buy some of this property on Los 3 Gatos Boulevard, how can the Town approve this 4 high- density project now? 5 Thank you. 6 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Hold on. We have 7 a question from Mr. Leonardis. B COUNCIL MEMBER LEONARDIS: Actually, a 9 question for Staff. Since the comment has been raised, 0 do we have plans to attend that meeting for the Good 1 Samaritan project and is there any money that could 2 potentially come from that project that will help 3 mitigate traffic in Los Gatos that we are entitled to 4 pursue? 5 MAYOR SPECTOR: And let me follow up. Are we 234 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Q U U ( © Advantage Aq Reporting r U I�. Services, LLC. W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 requiring the widening of roadways for which we -- the applicant may or may not have sufficient funds at this point? All right. Next. Barney Davidge, Jan Olsen, Shigeru Iwamoto. Iwamoto. MR. DAVIDGE: Mayor, Council, town and Staff. Having been involved with architects and developers as an illustrator for 40 years and once LEED- accredited, I was asked to review the sustainability plan as a 40 -year downtown resident. I contacted -- contacted a LEED fellow and a firm that develops very large projects all over the world to review this document. This is what came out of those discussions. In reviewing the Los Gatos sustainable plan, the North 40 Specific Plan, there needs to be measurable, sustainable standards. For example, TR -4B requires bicycle parking facilities and on -site showers in major nonresidential development and redevelopment projects. A more measurable standard, plus including large developmental developments, has found in a LEED or neighborhood development would be to provide secure and covered bicycle storage for at least 10 percent of nonresidential and 30 percent of residential building occupants as well as bicycle parking for visitors. 235 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING 11 age ege Services, r.x.n " U'7 y O 7 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2° 24 P� An example of a nonmeasurable standard would be to ask the auto industry to increase gas mileage one' their cars. They complain that it would ruin them. Versus new cars need to meet an aggravate of 25 miles per gallon, which they do. Another example would be starting a running race at the start but not sure how long the race will be, 100 yards or 40 yards or a mile. You need to have measurable standards. As we have seen, if you provide the metrics of 20 units per acre which is more open to affordable housing but do not require it, then you will not get affordable housing but dense market rate homes. But sure to get the results you want, it needs to be measurable. As a council that is not an expert in thil field, you should adopt a quantifiable program such as LEED for neighborhood development as your yardstick. Many cities are adopting this idea. The City of Mountain View is requiring large developers to meet LEED platinum certification from a scale of certified silver, gold, platinum if they want to build in their city. We need to do the same. Please ask this question -- and I don't know. It might be true. They might be certified. I don't know. Has this development qualified for a LEED orl REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage l�' In Reporting Services, LLC W W t') 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 W0 25 certification that is at least silver? Do the homes qualify for any quality- certified sustainable standard? It is your obligation to interpret the plan in a way that protects Los Gatos and meets residents' expectations of sustainability. And I just looked at the sustainability plan, and I asked experts because I'm not. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Mr. Rennie. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Mr. Davidge, I believe you're an architect. Is that correct? MR. DAVIDGE: No. No, I'm an illustrator. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Illustrator. Okay. I'll save my question, then. MR. DAVIDGE: I'm not an architect. I have to dispel that one. MAYOR SPECTOR: Ms. Jensen. COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: Thank you, Mr. Davidge. LEED is a voluntary, what, goal that's undertaken by a particular developer, and then you can get certified at different levels. And what I'm hearing you say is that you want the Town to adopt a requirement for this application that the applicant, I think, has not sought LEED certification on this. Do 237 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting 7 Services, LLC Tyr' 1 ill J 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 7 7 G L you know if -- MR. DAVIDGE: What I'm saying as things get 3 more complex in this world, you need to -- and 4 especially if you're not educated in this development. 5 You can have standards that is by an outside source 6 that can certify that this is a great project. 7 COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: So you're asking the 8 Town to independently adopt LEED standards to apply to 9 different developments. You wish we had done that 0 here, but we have not? 1 MR. DAVIDGE: Correct. 2 COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: Thank you. 3 MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you, sir. 4 Jan Olsen, Shigeru Iwamoto and Andy Wu. 5 MS. OLSEN: Hello. Good evening. Almost 6 good night. Thank you all for everything you do and 7 doing this so late into the night, over and over and 8 over again. 9 I'm Jan Olsen. I live on Lester Lane. I 0 live directly behind the Office Depot, which is 1 directly across the street from the North 40. I have 2 been involved, participated, watched, whatever, since 3 1994, when I attended a Charette about the Los Gatos .4 Boulevard and the vision. Because the north -- well, 5 because Office Depot was under contract by Office Depot 238 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage nq Reporting Services, LLC W 1 a 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 or the lot was. It had been the old Nissan dealership. And everybody was so concerned about big box coming to town. And so we had this big Charette, ten teams of ten, and how this was -- what -- our vision for Los Gatos Boulevard. Included in that was the North 40. Because it was the gateway into Los Gatos. And everybody came up with all of these ideas. Open spaces, soccer fields and this and that, you know. But reality is that that's not what is happening. Over the years it's been brought up; it's been dropped. I've gone to meetings. I've spoken at the Planning Commissions. I've spoken here before. I've gone to the advisory committee. At one point, when we were thinking about leaving, I said, I got to quit going because I have to disclose this because I know about this. Well, I decided I am staying. And I really am affected by this. I see the North 40 every day. I go out of my house every day, and there it is. A couple of points that I do want to bring up is some random thoughts that I had had, based on all the different things that I've heard going on. One of the things they -- well, my neighborhood is mostly one -story homes, with a couple of two -story homes 239 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage L ", Reportmg 00,7 Services, LLC 0/ 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2- 24 2_ around. I've got Camino del Sol. I've got Carlton.. I've got Lester Lane. They're all one -story homes. This is supposed to mesh seamlessly into the neighborhood? It's not. It's totally different. We are literally across Los Gatos Boulevard from them. They had said at the Planning Commission meeting, Well, the hillside views -- nobody has them anyway. You step out in front of my house. You look up Lester Lane. You got gorgeous views. Especially in the fall, when all those trees change colors. I mean, it's -- the overall height of this is too high. We fought the like crazy to make sure the Office Depot wasn't over 20, 25 feet. I don't understand why parking can't be underground and bring this back down. The one -half parking spot per unit fo. senior housing they told us at Planning Commission -- seniors don't usually have cars. What about parking for people who are providing services for the seniors? The woman spoke about affordable housing and traffic for affordable housing -- we've only addressed traffic, but -- never mind. Anyway, active senior community, over 55. My sister lives in one in another state. Loves it. Environmental responsibility, green material. Street cleaning once a week, because there's going to 240 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage _A Cpq Reporting Services, LLC W l� 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 be dirt flying everywhere. We need that. And I'm not -- want to know the hours of the construction, because I'm going to be living with that for years. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Shigeru Iwamoto, Andy Wu and Ken Arendt. MR. IWAMOTO: Good evening, Madam Mayor, members of the Council. I have lived in Los Gatos since 1998, when I first came to this country. And I loved the town of Los Gatos. So I decided to retire here. And the reason why I am here is that I'm very concerned that the town of Los Gatos is getting to be a city of Los Gatos. I fled Tokyo because I don't want to live in a cookie - cutter monstrosity. And what I see here is a gilt cookie - cutter tenement. So I really implore you to deny the application. There's no creativity. There is no solution, well thought out, in this development. All I see here is transpose a cookie - cutter template. So thank you very much. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Andy Wu, Ken Arendt and Markene Smith. MR. WU: Madam Mayor, members of Council, good evening. P.iil REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage 4 Reporting Servic!Ott �� ] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 2° 24 2� I live on College Hill. That's south side. So you can remember. The Los Gatos Citizens for Responsible Development. While I was not its first members, I was certainly among its second. It was a hard decision for me to come here tonight to speak against some of my friends and colleagues. I hope they still remain my friends and colleagues after this evening. In support of this project, approve it. The reason why I would _like this Council to approve the project is I had a- conversation with my friend Lee Cantano (phonetic) over many -- the course of many years. And I was told that back in 1993, when I wasn't really aware of what was happening, there was a viable project that came before another iteration of this Council that was rejected. And it was rejected primarily on the same basis that is being voiced here today. Now, had that Council 20 years ago bought into that project, we wouldn't be here facing the same problem. That Council kicked the can down the road, and I'm not a big fan of kicking the can down the road. So I was thinking, what do I do in situations where I'm perplexed or perhaps I don't necessarily have the -- the moral fortitude to do the hard thing? 242 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage `STS Reporting Services, LLC W W ME 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 t&l And I'd like to go to a book that I often read in times of -- in situations like these, the Hagakure, the book of fallen leaves. Also known as the book of summary. In the first chapter. "When meeting calamities or difficult situations, it is not enough to simply say that one is not at all flustered. When meeting difficult situations, one should dash forward bravely and with joy. It is the crossing of a single barrier and is like the saying, 'The more the water, the higher the boat.'" Making the hard decision. I know you're all elected officials. But you've been elected to do what's best for this town, not -- and that doesn't necessarily mean doing what's popular with the citizenry. It may mean that you have to do what's not popular to protect the interest of a minority group or the interest of this town going forward at the expense of the majority. I'll just leave you with one word. "The Way of the Samurai is one of immediacy, and it is best to dash in headlong." "Even if it will be very difficult to succeed by advancing straight ahead, it will not do to think about going at it in a long roundabout way." Of course, that passage refers to when one has decided to kill another person, but I think the same application applies here. ' 243 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage rn Reporting Services, 7 9 % .. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1°. 2C 21 2L 2�- 2[ 2` UU7ilSO r And now I'll just leave this Council with that and thank you. a MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you, Mr. Wu. Ken Arendt, Markene Smith and Tom Liolios. MR. ARENDT: Just give me a minute. Okay. Good evening Mayor, Vice Mayor, Town Council members and friends. For the record, my name is Ken Arendt. I live on Ann Arbor Court. Resident since 1974. I sent you all a letter a day or two ago, and I'm not going to read the whole thing. Many of my friends out here repeated everything that's in there and then some. So I'm going to shorten it up a bit. I wrote earlier about how many of the L: residents are really kind of engaged in what's going o with this application. How upset we are about how it came about. Including an erroneous EIR with traffic data that doesn't reflect anything like we have today. And perhaps even an overcollaboration with the applicant, who developed the Specific Plan. But tonight you've already heard a number of very specific reasons why the existing proposal should be denied. And the factors are many, and they have merit. We're grateful that the Planning Commission, 244 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_A 7n Reporting Services, LLC NO l /l 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 whom you appointed, with the type of due diligence necessary on their own, regardless of any recommendations to the contrary. To evaluate the proposal and arrive at the conclusion that they did. As a result they identified several denial factors that you can use amongst the things that you've heard this evening. The Planning Commission findings and recommendations should be supported. And recently the Town Manager and, I think, Mr. Paulson also recommended the denial of the current application. There is two things I -- I would like to point out to you. Number one, you have two entities, the Town and its Specific Plan and you have Grosvenor. But it seemed like Grosvenor went out and even in participating in the development of the Specific Plan, cherry - picked what they wanted to adhere to. You know, they should have bought into the whole thing. Objective, subjective, whatever. They buy into the whole thing or they don't. And it doesn't look like they bought into the whole thing, because they produced a plan that doesn't meet the vision nor does it have anything to do with the culture, look and feel of Los Gatos. It's simply an oversized compound with narrow streets, obstructed 245 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �}rn Reporting Services, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2` . QU,7082 views. And, again, many of us have the opinion that.no open space. There's another business factor that you probably haven't heard before tonight But this venture is major to the town, and it kind of has the look and feel, if you will, of a merger and acquisition. And in my many years of executive consulting, I know that there are empirical standards of M &As, that 80 percent of them fail their objectives. And a lot of that is even when people like each other. And some of the reason is that -- is the lack of buying into the vision of the venture in the first place. And I think we have that here. The same parallel is true. In order for this, thing to be successful, it must not-start out as being contentious. But it is contentious. The developer has made it that way. And I'm out of time. Read my letter. Thank you very much. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Markene Smith, Tom Liolios and John Sheparson. MS. SMITH: Hi. I'm Markene Smith. Technical -- got to turn this on. Oh, okay. I'm Markene Smith. I.live on Drakes Bay 246 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC W rig 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Wl 24 25 Avenue, near the development -- the proposed development. And I have a degree in design from CalArts, and I have consulted with all the -- with the Fortune 500 tech companies in this area for 20 years. I am now a master gardener. My kids went to the schools. I volunteered heavily with youth groups. The steps of engineering design -- this is just any design. But I wanted to reassure the people and to thank the people, the Staff and other people who have worked for years and everything. But it's -- it's not like -- I don't think we're attacking them or the Specific Plan specifically. I think -- this is the first time in March that most of us -- this the first time it was revealed to the public. So define the problem. Do a research. Specify requirements with a Specific Plan or the zoning. Brainstorm solutions. There's where the public input or crowdsourcing is really a good idea. Choose the best solution. Do development work. Build a prototype and then test it and redesign it. And someone said that they had been involved with a Charette for this plan. That is the way of development'now. This is a very old - fashioned way of development, where -- they said that they did this 28 -- it started the development 20 years ago. But the 247 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage services, uc _ 1107083 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 idea that you would -- from a design point of view, doesn't produce the best design when you do a Specific" Plan or rezoning of a giant portion of land and then the developer just comes in and wants to bully the town into accepting it. And there's public hearings, and it's kind of a take- it -or- leave -it thing. A Charette would give crowdsourcing from the beginning, and we would get the needs that were mentioned in the Specific Plan. So form follows function, as the Bauhaus people said. And architectural design -- since we're doing quotes. It's -- as we think of the design, it's -- it should be a design criteria. Design is based on people. Then space. Then buildings. And so it seems like they did, (V it backwards. They did the buildings, and they're trying to work in some space. And if there's any people that can fit in -- okay. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Quite frankly, I don't even know if your time was up. Okay. Your time wasn't up. How about one more short thing. MS. SMITH: Okay. So the one more short thing is I gave you all ,a thing on open space, green space. It's this little -- what is open space, green space? This the Environmental Protection Agency's 248 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Aq Reporimg Services, LLC r 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 definition. It's schoolyards, playgrounds, public seating areas. It would really help in the design review and in the design criteria. And when we deny the plan, which I hope we will, if we go through actual definitions that are outside of the developer's or the self - selecting groups of individuals and coalitions that created the plan originally, if we would be able to -- you know, use generally -- definitions. And like the LEED standards as well. MAYOR SPECI'OR: Thank you. Tom Liolios. Staff question? COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: Staff question, if I might. MAYOR SPECTOR: Yes. COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: One of the things that was brought up by the applicant was the question of whether the Town could somehow mandate additional open space and what the nature of that would be, given that the General Plan indicated that the town of Los Gatos as a whole had enough, quote /unquote, open space through its park system, et cetera. And the other thing that was brought up was the Quimby Act, which -- we haven't gotten anything in 249 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage ^ Repor�tting Serviees,l�'LH .0 ^7 0 8 5 .. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 W the Staff -- from our Staff, versus housing element, .et f cetera. So could we please have an explanation of wha'' that is and how the Town sees it applying to or not applying to this application. Thanks. MR. LIOLIOS: Hi. I'm Tom Liolios. I live up on Teresita Way. I've lived there since 1989, which is kind of an interesting date in Los Gatos history. And I'll come back to that. In the early '90s I was on the Bike Commission, and we were talking about the North 40 then. This has been a topic that has been around for a long time. But I think for a lot of us it came home to rest when the story poles went up. That was kind of the wake -up call. I live up in the hills, so I look down on it But I can see the story poles two and a half miles away with no problem. So that means that I can see that development. As I look through this -- I'm going to take a little different approach to what I want to say. I identified four elephants in the room. We've got traffic. We've got school crowding. We've got Phase 2, which no one knows, but it looks like a huge box store is going to be out there. We've also got the impact on downtown. These are all things that we 250 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING -)I Advantage �_AC' q Reporting Services, LLC W f\� 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 consider important. And, generally, you would say, Okay. We'll have some collaboration with the developer. We'll talk about square footage. Maybe we can make it a little smaller. Maybe the underground parking idea or maybe it's basements instead of underground parking so we can reduce the height. Maybe the location of the units on site can be moved around. With some of the other. locations, they are still in the Los Gatos School District, as I understand it. Maybe some of the cottage homes could come back, because I don't really see us needing the need of seniors that want to step down. But I think the real elephant in the room is a letter that came out just before the Planning Committee met last month. And I just want to be real up front. It shocked me that the developer, before they met with the Planning Commission, basically said, If you don't approve this development our way, we'll see you in the courts. And I don't know how you can collaborate when there's a lawsuit right outside the door. During the Planning Commission meeting, developer mentioned multiple times that that was what they planned to do. I also noticed that the response 251 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage Reporting S . Services, 7!1 ry 1� 1 1, 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 from the developer this time also came from the attorney. So they're planning a lawsuit. I think we just really need to be aware of that. In 1989 I was in-escrow during the i earthquake. I was out of town for a week. I came back. Downtown Los Gatos was devastated. For those of 3 you who were here, you probably remember. The Town Council took a very hard decision. What was that? Let's just not rebuild anything. Let's rebuild the town the way it is and was. ? We have the same opportunity here. It's a 3 vision. And what I would like to say, as a taxpayer 1 and a person who lives in Los Gatos, if the decision is i that we have to fight this through the courts, I 5 support the Council to make that tough decision. 7 Because this is not the right plan for Los Gatos. 3 Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. John Sheparson and then Bruce McCombs. 1 MR. SHEPARSON: Thank you, Mayor Spector. First point, bravo to you because you passed 3 a story pole policy that was improved. And that has 4 allowed the community to become educated about this 5 project. And I honor and respect all of the work that 252 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage `4q Reporting Services, LLC K f i K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 you and other members of the community have put into the North 40 project. That said, the community has a right and they are expressing and they're standing up to communicate how they feel. And that relates to the issue of what does the term "look and feel of Los Gatos" mean? We have received various opinions of that. I would suggest, as a lawyer, you look at perhaps the concept of burden of proof. Preponderance of the evidence is like 51 percent, 49. Clear and convincing evidence, maybe 70, 75 percent. Beyond a reasonable doubt, you're about 90 percent. I suggest to you, based on what I'm hearing and what the Council is hearing, is that the numbers -- the information you get is as overwhelming from the community that this project does not meet that standards of the look and feel of Los Gatos. Not by a preponderance, not by a clear and convincing. It probably doesn't even -- it's beyond a reasonable doubt, 90 percent. I suspect that the community is saying it doesn't meet the look and feel. Third point. I'd like to -- policy passed in 2002, and it -- it promoted the idea of sellers to provide hidden square footage in lieu of above - ground visible mass. This gives clear direction to developers 253 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage dteporang Services, LAM708S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 as to sellers. And the next line: Reduce bulk and mass. So we could -- I think you could have the developer put in sellers. Then we reduce the size. We can even get articulation that others have talked about. And we reduce that look.that so many people are saying does not match the look and feel of Los Gatos. And my next point is in terms of -- and maybe it's a priority. But traffic. Winchester, the Netflix project is being built up. 17, we all know what that is like. So then the third arterial coming into town is on the Boulevard. Now we build this up. And if it's big, we're going to have like a traffic attack, all three arterials backed up. And realize that -- on Saturdays I imagine a lot of these people going to G Santa Cruz. They may just peel off and go to the North 40. I'll just leave it.at that. Oh, I got 14 seconds. I will say this, that in my dealings with the developer personally, they have been class acts. I want to put that on the record. It's been a very different experience than another bid project in this town. Thank you. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. Bruce McCombs. 254 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage �_Arnq Reporting Services, LLC W L 9 C E 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 all MR. McCOMBS: Good evening, Madam Mayor, members of the Town Council. Thank you for this opportunity to speak. My name is Bruce McCombs, and I live on Kennedy Road on Los Gatos. Like almost everyone here this evening, we love our town very much. You can see -- I'd like to take a look at some of the many cities around the world where this applicant has built substantial developments and then compare them to the population of these cities, the population of the town of Los Gatos. First is the Grosvenor International web site proudly proclaims their specialty is building cities within cities, and therein lies the problem, as we shall soon see. These are the cities that appear on the Grosvenor web site as far as their primary developments with Calgary, Cambridge, Edinburgh, London, Liverpool, Hong Kong. You can see them all. We start here with Liverpool. 466,000 people. It's 15 times larger than our town of Los Gatos. We then go to Vancouver, 20 times larger. Stockholm has a-population of 910,000. That's 30 times larger than our town. Calgary, 40 times larger. Lyons, France, with 5 million, is 164 times larger. Pardon me. And Hong Kong, 7 million people. 230 times 255 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage (�^ Reporting Services; 11 N709i 13 0 01 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 2L 2 24 2` 007f)9? larger than Los Gatos. Now we move to London, England. 8.6, 282 times larger. And finally -- oh, pardon me. And then we have Tokyo at 13 million, 426 times larger. Shanghai, China. Population, 24 million. 800 times larger than the town of Los Gatos. Oh, wait. There's one more. Oh, it's the town of Los Gatos. The town of Los Gatos. And, as we can see, the sign above clearly reads "Los Gatos Town Limit." Sign makes it very clear to all who enter that Los Gatos is indeed a town and definitely not a city, with a population of under 31,000. With a quick bit of math, you realize the population of the average -size cities we've just seen (44. is an astonishing 222 times larger than the population of the town of Los Gatos. That's the average city. Based upon the information we've just viewed, . combined with the -- combined with the manner in which the developers have attempted to guide this application process every step of the way, it's quite clear they haven't given any consideration for what might actually be best for the town of Los Gatos. The developers have proposed an incredibly oversized development, demanded that they be allowed to build maximum or near maximum height and density in most, if not all, of the 256 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING Advantage An. Reporting Services, LLC l 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 buildings in the proposed development. The developer's heavy- handed attempts at intimidating our town leaders, which include legal threats whenever our town officials question whether the project might actually be too massive for our town, are a clear indication of their intent. When all of this is put together and evaluated as a whole, the picture becomes quite clear. The developers believe we will simply give in and allow them to proceed as usual, building yet another city and this time within our town. I think it's quite fair to state that while the developer may, indeed, be capable of building cities within a city, they clearly lack the finesse and sensitivity required to make this development work in our small town. For these reasons and several others, I respectfully ask that you emphatically and unanimously deny this project. MAYOR SPECTOR: Thank you. MR. McCOMBS: Thank you. Sorry I ran over. MAYOR SPECTOR: All right. That is the last card for our people who want to give us testimony. So this is what I'm going to suggest to the Council, but it's ultimately the Council's decision. That -- that we end the public testimony right now and that we start 257 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING ?,advantage JCP^ ((Repoorting Services, LLQ I I3 7 0 93 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2E M. 007004 with the applicant on Thursday, when we start our meeting again at 6:00 o'clock. But I. look to Council because in order to go beyond midnight, I would need a motion. Ms. Jensen. COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN: I move to adopt the mayor's suggestion. COUNCIL MEMBER RENNIE: Second. MAYOR SPECTOR: See, this is how you should always be. Okay. So what we're going to be doing is we're going to close the meeting now. We're going to end the public testimony. And then when we start again on Thursday at 6:00 p.m., we will begin with the 0 rebuttal from the -- five- minute rebuttal from the applicant team. All in favor? (Five members responded Aye.) MAYOR SPECTOR: Opposed? (No response.) MAYOR SPECTOR: Passes unanimously. Thank you all. Meeting's adjourned. (End of video recording transcription.) -000- 258 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING f "P Advantage Aq Reporting Services, LLC 7 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I, NOELIA ESPINOLA, do hereby certify: That the foregoing video file was taken down by me in shorthand, and thereafter reduced to computerized transcription under my direction, And I hereby certify the foregoing transcript is a full, true and correct transcript of my shorthand notes so taken. I further certify that I am not interested in the outcome of this hearing, T Dated- October 3, 2016 l REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO RECORDING 259 Advantage 4q 1fReportmg Services, LL(U' 0 / Q 9 5