Loading...
Study Sessiontows of MEETING DATE: 10/21/14 STUDY SESSION It�s's A`tos' COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT DATE: OCTOBER 14, 2014 TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER SUBJECT: DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION ON NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY RECOMMENDATION: Discuss and provide direction on neighborhood compatibility. BACKGROUND: In the last few months, the Town Council and Planning Commission have considered applications to demolish and rebuild single - family homes that are larger than other homes in the vicinity. In some cases, the original homes were built prior to annexation to the Town, following the County's development requirements. Once annexed to Los Gatos, property owners are required to follow the Town's Codes, policies, and guidelines to meet the Town's more rigorous design and compatibility considerations. Examples include proposals on El Gato Lane and Shannon Road. The issue of neighborhood compatibility also occurs when property owners purchase a small home and wish to build a larger one in Town. Given the recent challenges with neighborhood compatibility, the Mayor requested that this matter be placed on a Town Council agenda for discussion. This study session provides an opportunity for the Council to provide direction on neighborhood compatibility in light of the Town's policy documents and to request any further staff research or analysis. DISCUSSION: Staff uses the Residential Design Guidelines and other policy documents to evaluate applications, and inform residents and design professionals who make inquiries about potential development opportunities. Neighborhood compatibility for applications is assessed on various PREPARED BY: LAUREL R. PREVETTI,V JW A Assistant Town Manager/Director of Community Development Reviewed by: N/A Assistant Town Manager Mown Attorney N L k Finance \ \1eooe\data0EV\tc reports\ 2014\ NeighborhoodCompatibility 10- 21- 14.docz Reformatted: 5 /30/02 Revised: 10 /14/14 12:18 PM PAGE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY October 14, 2014 factors of the existing homes within the immediate neighborhood as defined in the Residential Design Guidelines (see Attachment 1). As shown in the attached diagram, the immediate neighborhood focuses on parcels on the sides and across the street(s) from the subject property. Given the presence of County pockets, some of the homes within an immediate neighborhood may include properties that are still in the unincorporated County. The Residential Design Guidelines do not have a concept of "neighborhood in transition" even though property owners and others have used this term to convey the potential for change in a broader area of the subject site, typically including the affected block and nearby blocks. As such, staff has not used this concept in its evaluation of pending applications. The interpretation authority for the Town's policy documents, from least discretion to greatest discretion, is as follows: staff, Planning Commission, and Town Council. As a result, staff typically forwards any application that will result in the largest Floor Area Ratio (FAR) or square footage in the immediate neighborhood to the Planning Commission for consideration. Additionally, applications for new two -story homes or second story additions are forwarded to the Planning Commission if there are no two -story homes in the immediate neighborhood as currently defined. The following questions have been prepared by staff as a starting point for the discussion of neighborhood compatibility topics: 1. Should neighborhood compatibility be strictly limited to the immediate neighborhood? 2. In the analysis of the immediate neighborhood, should homes in adjacent County pockets continue to be included in the evaluation? 3. Should the definition of immediate neighborhood be broadened to include homes behind the subject property? 4. Should homes resulting in the largest FAR in the immediate neighborhood be forwarded to the Planning Commission? 5. Should homes resulting in the largest square footage in the immediate neighborhood be forwarded to the Planning Commission? 6. What is appropriate direction to applicants if there are no two -story homes in the immediate neighborhood? 7. Should the Town create a definition of "neighborhood in transition "? CONCLUSION: The Town Council may wish to provide guidance on each of the items above and/or provide additional direction for other topics relating to neighborhood compatibility. Council's discussion and direction regarding neighborhood compatibility will help staff provide direction to current and future applicants. The Planning Commission will also benefit from the Council's direction as they evaluate future applications. PAGE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY October 14, 2014 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: The Town Council's discussion and direction on this item is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act. FISCAL IMPACT: None. Attachments: 1. Page 11 of the Residential Design Guidelines (one page) LRP:JSP:cg Town of Los Gatos 1 1.6 HOW TO READ YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD A special workbook has been prepared to assist property owners and their design professional in looking at their neighborhoods when assessing appropriate design plans, styles and details. In addition to the neighborhood patterns and details noted in the workbook, con- sideration must be given to ensure that. privacy and shadow impacts on properties within and outside the immediate neighborhood are evaluated. The hope is that a greater awareness of one's immediate neighborhood will bring increased design sensitivity to the design of both additions and new homes. The workbook also provides some guidance as to the context that will be used by the deciding body in reviewing the appropriateness of design proposals to neighborhood compatibility. The greatest', attention will be given to the iml iate neighborhood where nearl i home owners are most likeh, to be confronted with the new house or addition on a daily basis, and where other residents driving by are most likely to see the new structure in the context of the nearby homes. Recognition will be given to the fact that a house design which is '.. appropriate in one neighborhood may not be appropriate in another neighborhood. Some neighborhoods have a distinctive character and scale while others are much more mixed and transitional. In addi- tion, some houses were constructed with little consideration to the neighborhood architectural stale or its site characteristics. Others', were remodeled with little sensitivity to the existing architectutal style. These aberrations will not be considered when analyzing a neighborhood. The presence of significantly different house styles or large scale houses located at a greater distance from the applicant's site will be given less weight than the immediate neighborhood. Common sense should be used when applying the diagram be- low to a specific site context. If in doubt, please consult with Town staff for guidance. The diagrarn below illustrates the Towns; interpretation of the immediate neighborhood in standard subdivisions. "There are sev- eral factorl, in determining an immediate neighborhood when this diagram may not be applicable. These factors include, but are not limited to, location and visibility- of the building (e.g., terrain of the lots, lots with multiple frontages and diversity- of parcel size). t]�2 ® 314, $tract '[ a as 7 8115 1 11 j Interior Parcel Immediate Neie a 's 3 R b t a _ 7 sew i Corner Parcel definition Residential Design Guidelines GENERAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES 2 fie following principles have been used im the developmentof thesegx daliner, and will be tel bj the Town to eealxate plant and designs that are not covered by a rperdfic design guideline. • Encourage a diversity of archi- tectural styles consistent with the neighborhood context • Design to blend into die neighbor- hood rather than stand out • lteriforce prevailing neighborhood development patterns • Design street setbacks with sensitiv- ity to the predominant street front character • 1Nlaintain home entries with a strong visual connection to the street • Avoid garages and carports that dominate a home's street frontage • Relate a structure's size and bulk to those in the immediate neig&mrhoad • Utilize roof forms and pitches sinvlar to those in the immediate neehborhood • Design with architectural integrity on all sides of the structure • Relate auxiliary structures to the style and detail of the main house • Use materials that are consistent or compatible with the neighbor- hood • Use quality materials and work- manship • Select colors to blend with the neighborhood • Preserve mature landscaping when- ever possible Design structures to be energy and water efficient and which take maximum advantage of renewable energy resources, where appropn- ate ATTACHMENT 1