Staff Report
PREPARED BY: JENNIFER ARMER
Senior Planner
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Town Attorney, Community Development Department Director, and
Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 05/01/2018
ITEM NO: 12
DATE: APRIL 20, 2018
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: ARCHITECTURE AND SITE APPLICATION S-15-056, CONDITIONAL USE
PERMIT APPLICATION U-15-009 AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
EIR-16-001. PROJECT LOCATION: 401-409 ALBERTO WAY.
PROPERTY OWNER: CWA REALTY. APPLICANT/APPELLANT: LP
ACQUISITIONS, LLC.
CONSIDER AN APPEAL OF A PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION DENYING A
REQUEST TO DEMOLISH THREE EXISTING OFFICE BUILDINGS AND
CONSTRUCT A NEW, TWO-STORY OFFICE BUILDING WITH UNDERGROUND
PARKING ON PROPERTY ZONED CH. APN 529-23-018.
REMARKS:
At its meeting on April 3, 2018, the Town Council asked questions of staff and began
deliberations. The item was continued to May 1, 2018, with a request that staff provide
information on the view impacts of the 70,000-square foot project reduction offered by the
applicant and the 64,000-square foot reduced size requested by some neighbors, without
creating visual simulations.
The table below analyzes the estimated setbacks from the project’s northern property line
(shared with Las Casitas) for these two building sizes. Staff has also included an analysis of the
existing buildings, an 80-foot setback proposed by a neighbor in written and verbal comments,
the February 2017 proposal of a 83,000-square foot project, and the November 2017 proposal
of a 74,260-square foot project for illustrative purposes. The difference between views of the
83,000-square foot project and 74,260-square foot project proposals (as viewed from across
the street) can be seen in the two photos of the story poles for those designs, Photo 1 and
Photo 2, in Attachment 20 to the April 3, 2018 Staff Report.
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: 401-409 ALBERTO WAY/S-15-056, U-15-009, AND EIR-16-001
APRIL 20, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2018\05-01-18\12 401 - 409 Alberto Way\Staff Report.docx 4/26/2018 1:08 PM
Description Square
Footage
Approximate
Setback
Existing Buildings 31,000 77 feet
Neighbor proposed 64,000-square foot 64,000 95 feet
Neighbor proposed 80-foot setback 67,870 80 feet
Applicant offered 70,000-square foot 70,000 72 feet
Applicant proposed 74,260-square foot 74,260 56 feet
Applicant proposed 83,000-square foot 83,000 26 feet
Attachment 30 is a letter from the Applicant/Appellant, received April 18, 2018. While not
required by the Town Council, the letter includes renderings and site plan exhibits for a 70,000 -
square foot building.
Attachments 31, 32, and 33 are updated version of the draft resolutions to deny the appeal,
grant the appeal and remand the project, and grant the appeal and approve the project.
Attachment 34 contains additional public comments received after distribution of the April 3,
2018 Desk Item.
Attachments previously received with March 20, 2018 Staff Report:
1. December 13, 2017 Planning Commission Staff Report (with Exhibits 3-14)
2. December 13, 2017 Planning Commission Addendum Report (with Exhibits 15-16)
3. December 13, 2017 Planning Commission Addendum B Report (with Exhibits 17 -20)
4. December 13, 2017 Planning Commission Desk Item Report (with Exhibit 21)
5. December 13, 2017 Planning Commission Verbatim Minutes (107 pages)
6. January 10, 2018 Planning Commission Staff Report (with Exhibits 22-24)
7. January 10, 2018 Planning Commission Addendum Report (with Exhibit 25)
8. January 10, 2018 Planning Commission Desk Item Report (with Exhibit 26)
9. January 10, 2018 Planning Commission Verbatim Minutes (70 pages)
10. February 14, 2018 Planning Commission Staff Report (with Exhibits 27-28)
11. February 14, 2018 Planning Commission Desk Item Report (with Exhibit 29)
12. February 14, 2018 Planning Commission Verbatim Minutes (43 pages)
13. Appeal of the Planning Commission decision, received February 23, 2018
14. Public Comments received 11:01 a.m., Wednesday, February 14, 2018 to 11:00 a.m.,
Thursday, March 15, 2018
15. Draft Resolution to deny the appeal and deny the project
16. Draft Resolution to grant the appeal and remand the project to the Planning Commission
17. Draft Resolution to grant the appeal and approve the project (includes Exhibits A, B, and C)
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: 401-409 ALBERTO WAY/S-15-056, U-15-009, AND EIR-16-001
APRIL 20, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2018\05-01-18\12 401 - 409 Alberto Way\Staff Report.docx 4/26/2018 1:08 PM
Attachments previously received with March 20, 2018 Addendum:
18. Public Comments received 11:01 a.m., Thursday, March 15, 2018 to 11:00 a.m., Monday,
March 19, 2018
Attachments previously received with March 20, 2018 Desk Item:
19. Public Comments received 11:01 a.m., Monday, March 19, 2018 to 11:00 a.m., Tuesday,
March 20, 2018
Attachments previously received with April 3, 2018 Staff Report:
20. Site Photos
21. Letter from the Applicant/Appellant, received March 20, 2018
22. Letter from the Applicant/Appellant, received March 21, 2018
23. Public Comments received 11:01 a.m., Tuesday, March 20, 2018 to 11:00 a.m., Thursday,
March 29, 2018
Attachments previously received with April 3, 2018 Addendum:
24. Geotechnical Consultant Letter, dated revised March 29, 2018
25. Town Consultant Peer Review of Geotechnical Letter, dated March 30, 2018
26. Summary of traffic observations by Mayor Rennie
Attachments previously received with April 3, 2018 Desk Item:
27. Map of adjacent residential communities
28. Letter from the Applicant/Appellant, received April 2, 2018
29. Public Comments received 11:01 a.m., Thursday, March 29, 2018 to 11:00 a.m., Tuesday,
April 3, 2018
Attachments received with this Staff Report:
30. Letter from the Applicant/Appellant, received April 18, 2018
31. Revised Draft Resolution to deny the appeal and deny the project
32. Revised Draft Resolution to grant the appeal and remand the project to the Planning
Commission
33. Revised Draft Resolution to grant the appeal and approve the project (includes Exhibits A
and B)
34. Public Comments received 11:01 a.m., Tuesday, April 3, 2018 to 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April
26, 2018
Distribution:
Shane Arters, LP Acquisitions, LLC, 535 Middlefield Road, Ste. 190, Menlo Park, CA 94025