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#7 - Exhibit 7 of Attachment 1DARCHITECTURE PLANNING URBAN DESIGN DESIG February 28, 2013 Ms. Suzanne Avila Community Development Department Town of Los Gatos 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95031 REt 550 Hubbell Way Dear Suzanne: I reviewed the drawings, and visited the site. My comments and recommendations are as follows: Neighborhood Context The site is located on a street with apartment complexes to the east, north and south. A couple of small single - family residences are adjacent to the west. Photographs of the site and surrounding neighborhood are shown below and on the following page. :00 LARKSPUR LANDING CIRCLE . SUITE 199. LARKSPUR . CA . 94939 TEL: 415.331.3795 CDGPLAN@P.ACBELLNET Exhibit 7 Of Attachment 1 Site with existing house to be removed Nearby house across Hubbell Way Apartments across Hubbell Way 550 Hubbell Way Design Rmew Comments Febma 28, 2013 Page 2 Apartments to the rear of the site Apartment complex immediately to the right House immediately across Hubbell Way Nearby apartments on Hubbell Way CANNON DESIGN GROUP 700 LARKSPUR LANDING CIRCLE . SUITE 199 . LARKSPUR . CA . 94939 550 Hubbell Way Design Revim, Comments February 28, 2013 Pale 3 Concerns and Recommendations Four single - family homes on this site is rather tight, and would be problematical if this were located in a normal Los Gatos single - family neighborhood. However, the preponderance of apartment complexes in the immediate area, and the recently approved and constructed complex a block south on Towne Terrace (see photo below right) provide a context within which this project seems appropriate. i Pi _ Proposed site plan l t Recent small lot single- lamily development on Towne Terrace The architect has taken substantial care to arrange the second floor layout and window distribution to minimize potential privacy intrusions between the units, as shown on the view diagram below. __ House 1 p f j , House 3 4_ J House 2 House 4 CANNON DESIGN GROUP 700 LARKSPUR LANDING CIRCLE . SUITE 199 . LARKSPUR. CA . 94939 550 Hubbell Way Design Review Comments Pebruary 28, 2013 Page 4 I believe that the design of the units is well done. My only recommendations are to deeply recess the garage doors and to consider some changes in color and detail to give the units a bit of individual character, rather than treating Units I & 2 and Units 3 & 4 the same. I noted textured driveways on the site plan. I believe that would be crucial to the success of the project since the rear units have limited visibility from the street, and the textured paving will enhance the sense of pedestrian connection to the street. If allowed under the Zoning Code, I believe it would also be desirable to provide a trellis covering over the parking spaces at the end of the driveways to further enhance the sense of the unit entries for rear Units I & 2. Note that the entries to the rear units in the new complex on Towne Terrace are visible from the street. Suzanne, please let me know if you have any questions, or if there are specific issues of concern that I did not address. Sincerely, CANNON DESIGN GROUP Larry L. Cannon l_1 CANNON DESIGN GROUP 700 LARKSPUR LANDING CIRCLE . SUITE 199 . LARKSPUR . CA . 94939