Staff Report
PREPARED BY : JOEL PAULSON
Community Development Director
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ●A 40 8 -354 -68 32
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
STUDY SESSION REPORT
MEETING DATE: 6 /19/2018
ITEM NO: 18
D ATE : JUNE 12 , 2018
TO : MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: PROVIDE DIRECTION ON POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN’S
OBJECTIVE STANDARDS.
RECOMMENDATION :
P rovide direction on potential amendments to the T own ’s objective standards.
BACKGROUND :
OnAJuneA4,A2018,AaA StudyASessionAwithAtheATownACouncilAandAPlanningACommissionA wasA
heldAthatAprovidedAa A reviewA ofA recentlyAenactedAplanningAandA housingAlaws,AadditionalA
pendingAlegislationAthatAmayAfurtherAaffectAtheseAtopics,AandAtheAimplicationsAforAtheA
Town’sAlandAuseAdecisions:
Following the Study Session, t he Mayor requested that this matter be placed on this Town
Council agenda .
DISCUSSION :
SeveralAofAtheAnew lyAenacted A planningAandAhousingA lawsArelyAonAaAcommunity’sAobjectiveA
standardsAinAtheAreviewAofAhousingAprojects:AATheATownAhasAobjectiveA residentialA standardsAinAitsA
GeneralAPlanA( ttachmentA1),A ZoningACodeA( ttachmentA2),AR esidentialADesignAGuidelinesA
( ttachmentA3),AandAHillsideADevelopmentAStandardsAandAGuidelinesA( ttachmentA4):AA StaffAhasA
alsoAincludedAtheA rchitectureAandASiteAConsiderationsA( ttachmentA5)AandASubdivisionAFindingsA
( ttachmentA6):
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SUBJECT: POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN’S OBJECTIVE STANDARDS
JUNE 12 , 2018
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DISCUSSION (Continu ed):
StaffAlooksAforwardAtoAreceivingAdirectionAonApotentialAamendmentsAtoAtheATown’sAobjectiveA
standards:AA PotentialAamendmentsAforATownACouncilA considerationA include,AbutAareAnotAlimitedA
to.
Amend ing the G eneral Plan and Zoning Code density and/or building intensity standards
(i.e. height, setbacks, lot coverage, FAR, etc.) that can be applied on a parcel -by -parcel
basis in an easy and predictable manner;
A dopt ing “objective,Aidentified , writtenApublicAhealthAorAsafetyAstandards”Aap plicable to
ne w housing development projects;
Adopt ing design rev iew standards that are based on objective general plan an d zoning
standards and criteria;
Downzoning properties;
Establish objective standards for views, shadows, privacy, open space, and ot her
impacts that often underlie objections to development projects; and
Other Town Council suggestions.
CONCLUSION :
This meeting will provide an opportunity for the public and the Town Council to provide
direction regarding additional objective standar ds and potential amendments to existing
objective standards. BasedAonATownACouncil’sAdirection,AstaffAwillAprepareAdraftAamendmentsA
that would then be considered by the General Plan Committee (where applicable), Planning
Commission, and Town Council.
Attachment s :
1. Town of Los Gatos General Plan Objective Standards
2. Town of Los Gatos Zoning Code Objective Standards
3. Residential Design Guidelines Objective Standards
4. Hillside Development Standards and Guidelines Objective Standards
5. Architecture and Site Con siderations
6. Subdivision Findings