Attachment 5ATTACHMENT 5
From: Kate Janosky
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 10:59 AM
To: Matt Morley <MMorley@losgatosca.gov>
Cc: Keith Janosky <kj@khoslaventures.com>
Subject: Parking garage by mint
Hello Matt,
I wanted to express my concern over the proposal of a parking garage or housing units overlooking my
family's school St. Mary. There is also another preschool on that street. Will the tenants by finger
printed? There are too many bad people looking to hurt children. Allowing them to overlook our
campus and watch our kids is not okay. Protecting the children of Los Gatos should be a priority.
In addition, with the concern of school shootings which are becoming too common place, does a raised
building next to our school make our children sitting ducks for someone with a gun? It is a sad day that
protecting our children from school shootings is a concern in building planning but unfortunately it is the
reality we face. Any new school buildings or buildings around a school should be built with keeping the
children safe from people with guns in mind.
Lastly, what about the harm of the pollutants during construction to our children? The wind is quite
strong right there on days when my house in Los Gatos is perfectly calm. The dust and particles of
construction would definitely be a concern that my child would be breathing in daily and the long term
effects of those pollutants are unknown.
I would ask that you take these thoughts into consideration when deciding what should be done in that
space. The safety and health of our children should be our utmost concern.
Kate Janosky
S Kennedy
Thank you!
From: Keith Janosky
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 7:25 AM
To: Matt Morley <MMorley@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Parking Garage Project
Matt,
I hope this email finds you doing well. I wanted to write you to voice my opposition to the parking
garage project in downtown Los Gatos. I have the following objections:
1- Why is there a need? I understand parking is an issue for people, but it's not based on lack of parking
in total, but lack of parking on the street in front of the business I want to go to. No amount of parking
garages will solve that issue. I have never not found a parking space in one of our already existing
lots. If I want to go in the Willow Street Pizza area, there's rarely parking on the street, but if I go
towards 17, I always find parking. If I want to park around Italian American Deli, it's rare that I find a
spot right in front of the store, but there's always a spot somewhere in that parking lot. If I want to go
to a store or restaurant near Steamers, I would love a spot right out front, but I always find a spot. I
really don't think we have a parking problem, we have a convenient parking space problem. That's not
really a problem that gets solved by adding a parking garage. I worked in Palo Alto and parked in a
garage every day. I can tell you that people avoid the parking garage at all costs and will do a few laps
around the area before finally giving up and going to the garage. Street parking is #1, existing parking
lots are 2nd in preference and a parking garage would be 3rd.
2- I object to a parking garage and some form of residential units close to and overlooking a school, St.
Mary's. We unfortunately live in a world with a lot of sick people. Let's not enable them by providing a
bird's eye view of children
3- I object to the town supplementing funding for this project. I understand the thought that this is a
benefit to the businesses in our town and I support that. For the benefit of small business owners and
for the well being of our town and to keep downtown vibrant, I am supportive of ways to
help. However, I don't think this is the best use of our money. I'd prefer a way to better promote
downtown and have funding go to the police to better monitor our town. Have a special task force and
paid employees (although I think you could also find volunteers for this) that would man road blocks to
prevent beach traffic from using our streets. A parking garage does not fix the things that are inflicting
pain on our downtown business today (beach traffic) or tomorrow (North 40). I'd spend money to
ensure the developers of North 40 have a plan for traffic and agree to pay for the infrastructure. This is
a simple law that can be put in place now. Spend the money on that so beach traffic and the North 40
doesn't kill downtown.
Thank you for your time and consideration with this matter.
Regards,
Keith Janosky
South Kennedy Rd
Los Gatos, CA 95030
From: Mark Conroe
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 12:09 AM
To: Council <Council@losgatosca.gov>
Cc: Matt Morley <MMorley@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: West Main Street Parking Garage Project
Importance: High
Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the Town Council,
My understanding is that the meeting tomorrow night, March 20, is focused on financing and feasibility
issues related to the West Main Street Parking Garage Project, which are not areas that we have been
advising the Town on (our firm’s focus has been on the project design and economics). As such, I will
not be attending the meeting. However, my firm continues to be available to assist the Town in
whatever manner it decides. Having said this, I would like to offer my brief perspective on this project’s
evolution over time.
First and foremost, we appreciate the time, effort and professionalism shown by the Town staff (led by
Matt Morley) and the Council Sub-Committee. Throughout the process it has been clear that the staff
and Council have been trying to balance the community goals with the Town’s goals, always desiring to
hear the neighbors’ and community concerns.
Second, we have appreciated the opportunity to advise the Town on this very important project. We
have spent the past two and one-half years working on this project desiring to design a first-class project
which would meet the Town’s and community’s goals. The project has evolved a great deal over time,
with the residential component decreasing by about 60% (from 59 units to 24 units) and the parking
component increasing by about 60% (from 189 to around 300 parking spaces, net of the residential
component). During 2017 the design was revised several times based on neighbor and community
feedback to decrease massing (resulting in the 3-story parking garage designed to be two levels
underground) and increase setbacks to adjoining properties. This revised design resulted in a building
which presented just two floors at the street level with a third floor set back 10’-20’ (thereby creating a
pedestrian experience similar to the surrounding two-story buildings).
Third, as a result of these design changes, as well as escalating costs over time (and prevailing wage
requirements), the garage cost itself grew to an estimated approximately $18 million (exclusive of the
approximate $25 million cost to build the residential component which includes a 25% Below Market
Rate requirement). Hence, even with a $4 million subsidy coming from the Town and the land being
contributed, the $18 million garage cost resulted in an approximately $9 million shortfall.
Fourth, the proposed project would provide the following benefits: (1) a significant increase in
downtown parking (from around 130 parking spaces currently to 337 new parking spaces) thereby
supporting a more vibrant retail, commercial and residential base over time; (2) a project which would
be compatible with surrounding buildings, and (3) an increase in the affordable housing that the Town
provides to the community.
While my firm has not been asked to advise the Town on its financing options, we have seen other Bay
Area cities finance public parking garages with paid parking (via monthly permits and “pay to play”
charge methods) and assessment/benefit districts. We defer to the Town as to which method is
appropriate here should a new project such as the one we designed be pursued.
In closing, we support the Town in whatever direction it deems fit and stand by to assist the Town in any
way it would like.
Sincerely,
Mark Conroe
Managing Partner
Presidio Development Partners, LLC
From: Elizabeth Bader
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2018 10:40 PM
To: Matt Morley <MMorley@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Proposed parking garage
Dear Los Gatos Town Council-
As a Los Gatos resident and St. Mary parent I am writing you about the proposed parking garage on
W. Main Street.
I am unable to attend the meeting tomorrow night, but I would like to express my concern of having a
three-story parking or residential structure right next to a school.
First, it would create more traffic in the area and already the police have come to monitor the cars lining
up for pickup for both the preschool and our elementary school. Second, in light of recent events going
on in our Country I feel like it is very irresponsible to put a tall structure like this next to a school. It
would provide easy access for someone to harm innocent children playing in the school yard. To have
access from above would provide a better, different vantage point into our school for strangers and it is
not safe.
I firmly stand against the parking garage. Thank you for your time.
Thank you-
Elizabeth Bader
From: Liz
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2018 10:07 PM
To: Matt Morley <MMorley@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Proposed parking structure near St. Mary School
Dear Los Gatos Town Council-
As a Los Gatos resident and St. Mary parent I am writing you about the proposed parking garage on W.
Main Street.
I am unable to attend the meeting tomorrow night, but I would like to express my concern of having a
three-story parking or residential structure right next to a school. In light of recent events in our
Country I feel like it is very irresponsible to put a tall structure like this next to a school. It would provide
easy access for someone to harm innocent children playing in the school yard.
Thank you-
Elizabeth Dolan