Joint Study Session AddendumaWN nF MEETING DATE: 1/9/12
JOINT STUDY SESSION
ADDENDUM
cos cA "to COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: January 5, 2012
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER Ar
SUBJECT: JOINT TOWN COUNCIL/PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY SESSIONFOR
THE NORTH 40 SPECIFIC PLAN UPDATE. TOPICS INCLUDE PROCESS
UPDATE, VISION, LAND USE, AND HEIGHT.
REMARKS
The attached letter (Attachment 7) was received after the report on this matter was finalized.
ATTACHMENTS
Received under separate cover
1. Height discussion summary
2. Land Use discussion summary
3. Specific plan primer and specific plan alternatives memo
4. General Plan goals and policies memo
5. Los Gatos School District paper
6. Residential product type examples
Received with this report
7. Letter from Grant Sedgwick, received January 4, 2012
Distribution
Planning Commission
North Forty Advisory Committee
"A /: �
PREPARED BY : Wendie R. Rooney, Director of Community Development 0
Reviewed by: 1 ' Assistant Town Manager ((2b) Town Attorney Finance
N: \DEV\TC REPORTS\ 2012W40SP- JointSS.1- 9- 12Desk.doe Reformatted: 5/30/02 Revised: 5120/2011 11:44 AM
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank
Grant Sedgwick
401 Alberto Way —Suite 5
Las Gatos, CA 95032
January 4, 2012
The Honorable Mayor Steve Rice
Members of Town Council
Town of Los Gatos
110 East Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Subject: North 40 Specific Plan Discussion
Mayor Rice, Ladies and Gentlemen,
JAN 0 4 2012
On January 9 1h you have scheduled a joint Town Council — Planning Commission study
session to review the work of the North 40 Advisory Committee. I have attended two
meetings of the Advisory Committee, the most recent on November 3 and have both
comments and concerns I would like to offer for your consideration.
The sponsor of the proposal, Grosvenor Americas, is particularly accomplished, with an
exceptionally long and proven record of planning, building and operating significant
urban developments, both mixed -use and otherwise. The professional reputations of the
principal consultants, assembled by Grosvenor to design the project, are similarly stellar.
If the current development scheme reflected the very best possible combination of land
uses, the Town could not hope for better sponsorship.
One might question whether a shopping center and 600 new residential units represent, in
combination, the best we can hope for on the Town's last major site for development.
How exhaustively have alternatives been considered? This scheme appears to be shaped
almost entirely by three financial concerns; (i) the property owner's residual land value,
(ii) the developer's return on investment, and (iii) the Town's sales and property tax
collections.
How would this project, if built, improve or enrich the lives of current Los Gatos
residents? Not much, in the opinion of some. Here are three alternative visions with
somewhat greater potential to meet that test. There may be several more deserving ideas.
Seniors' Housing
The Town's recently updated General Plan identifies seniors' housing as an important
land use priority. Recent market studies — and anecdotal evidence — completely support
that conclusion. At the November 3` Advisory Committee meeting, former Mayor
Pirzynski asked whether the proposed Specific Plan would address the critical need for
ATTACHMENT 7
quality housing for seniors. A staff member responded that perhaps `some portion' of an
inclusionary housing set -aside could be dedicated to seniors' needs. Assuming 50% of
the 40 acre site was dedicated to residential uses and 20% of that was, in turn, dedicated
to inclusionary housing and 50% of that was, in turn, dedicated to seniors' housing, the
equivalent of 2 acres of land would be allocated to this specific land use. That would be
an almost meaningless gesture.
The most comprehensive and appealing continuing care retirement community in the Bay
Area is operated by Vi (formerly Classic Residence by Hyatt) and located in Palo Alto. It
has no vacancies and has a long waiting list of prospective residents — almost one
individual senior, or couple, for every independent residential apartment. By itself, this
community occupies almost 25 acres. The newest retirement community of this type, now
under construction in Pleasanton, is called Stoneridge Creek. More than half the
residences in the first phase are already under contract even though completion is at least
18 months away. The community will occupy 45 acres. How can an effective allocation
of 2 acres within the North 40 possibly meet the residential, recreational, dining, social
and health care needs of a growing population of seniors in Los Gatos and Santa Clara
County?
A Great University
Last year Mayor Michael Bloomberg invited universities to compete for the opportunity
to create an entirely new institution for advanced studies in New York. The campus
would be dedicated to applied sciences, engineering and technology. A total of 17
renowned universities, from 5 countries, collaborated on the submission of seven unique
proposals. Among the competitors were Cornell, Stanford, NYU, Columbia and Carnegie
Mellon. The scale of the proposals ranged from 400,000 square feet to 1,900,000 square
feet - not much more intense, ultimately, than the scale of the current North 40 scheme.
What place on earth enjoys the concentration of technological talent, abundance of
capital and fine weather of Silicon Valley? And what Silicon Valley address has more
appeal than Los Gatos? What if the Town committed itself to the challenge of attracting a
great university? You couldn't identify a more suitable site than the North 40.
An Urban Park
Some residents of Los Gatos may feel that parks and recreational space are abundant here
and they would not be wrong - if acreage was the only measure. Refined urban park
spaces, those celebrating sculpture, history or horticulture are relatively scarce, however.
In this context you could imagine Butchart Garden in Victoria, BC or Boston Common —
both comparable in size to the North 40 site.
Of course, sufficient financial resources to acquire and then build an important civic asset
(like an urban park) will not be readily available. But a great vision - and committed
leadership - can overcome obstacles like that. My family and I were fortunate enough to
live in the small town of Telluride, Colorado for four years beginning in 2001. Residents
2
of Telluride had been inspired to protect the gateway to their town by acquiring, and
preserving, a pristine 570 acres of valley ranchland at the edge of the community. In spite
of an offer by the land owner to dedicate fully 90% of the property to permanent open
space — if only permitted to develop the balance at very low density — the folks in town
decided against compromising their larger vision. In 2008, after several years of effort,
the 2,400 residents of Telluride had raised $50 million for this single purpose, and
successfully completed the land purchase. Just imagine what the people of Los Gatos
could accomplish if they were motivated by a similarly significant goal.
As the great American architect and land planner, Daniel Burnham, challenged his
followers; "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably
will themselves not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work,
remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die. "
Let's be sure the vision for the North 40 is worthy of us, and our Town.
Respectfully,
Grant Sedgwick
(408) 655 -9296
3
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank