Historic Preservation Committee

TOWN OF LOS GATOS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE REPORT MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING APRIL 24, 2024 The Historic Preservation Committee of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a regular meeting on April 24, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 4:00 PM ROLL CALL Present: Vice Chair Lee Quintana, Planning Commissioner Adam Mayer, Committee Member Barry Cheskin, and Committee Member Martha Queiroz. Absent: Chair Susan Burnett. VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION) 1. Approval of Minutes – February 28, 2024 2. Approval of Minutes – March 27, 2024 MOTION: Motion by Committee Member Cheskin to approve the Consent Calendar. Seconded by Commissioner Mayer. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC HEARINGS 3. 48 Chestnut Avenue Request for Review Application PHST-24-005 Requesting Approval to Remove a Presumptive Historic Property (Pre-1941) from the Historic Resources Inventory for Property Zoned R-1:12. APN 510-40-014. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15061 (b)(3). Property Owner: Mohit and Aya Singh Applicant: Jay Plett Project Planner: Maria Chavarin 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874 www.losgatosca.gov PAGE 2 OF 5 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 24, 2024 Maria Chavarin, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report. Opened Public Comment. Jay Plett, Applicant - The lot is non-conforming with a steep hill. According to Bloomfield study, a garage was added in the 1950s. Nothing stayed the same. The doors and windows do not match older photos. The structure is architecturally and structurally in bad shape. The foundation is moving down the hillside. The new design will be a simple farmhouse style with historic flair to fit in the neighborhood. Aya Singh, Owner - The existing size of the house is 1,500 square feet, but unpermitted additions were made in the 1950s. Only 950 square feet is counted as permitted. Closed Public Comment. Committee Members discussed the matter. MOTION: Motion by Committee Member Cheskin to recommend approval to the Director of the request to remove a presumptive historic property (pre- 1941) from the Historic Resources Inventory for property zoned R-1:12. Seconded by Committee Member Queiroz. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. 4. 16488 Bonnie Lane Minor Residential Development Application MR-24-007 Requesting Approval for Construction of a Second-Story Addition Exceeding 100 Square Feet and Exterior Alterations to an Existing Pre-1941 Single-Family Residence on Property Zoned R-1:8. APN 532-02-014. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15301: Existing Facilities. Property Owner: Mai of Tran 2020 Trust Applicant: Vu-Ngan Tran Project Planner: Maria Chavarin Maria Chavarin, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report. Opened Public Comment. PAGE 3 OF 5 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 24, 2024 Vu-Ngan Tran, Applicant - They are adding 360 square feet on the second floor. Adding a second-story master bedroom suite for the clients would allow their elderly parents to live on first floor. The structure was remodeled in 1980. The front was reconfigured as seen from a 1989 drawing. They tried to maintain the first-floor footprint because it supports the second floor. The loft becomes a walkway and closet. They can come up with more conventional layout and rooflines. The balcony was created for the two children. Closed Public Comment. Committee members discussed the matter.  Not opposed to adding the second floor.  The design was unusual and not consistent with the style of the house: o Angle of the two walls in the new bathroom; o Atypical roof slope line; and o Wrap-around second-floor deck. MOTION: Motion by Commissioner Mayer to recommend that the applicant come back, at a later date with a revised design to address the atypical angle of the roofline, the angle where the two walls meet at the master bathtub, and extent of the wrap-around deck. Seconded by Committee Member Cheskin. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. 5. 15385 National Avenue Request for Review Application PHST-24-008. Requesting Approval for Construction of Exterior Alterations (Window Replacement) on a Presumptive Historic Residence (Pre-1941) on Property Zoned R-1:8. 424-12-127. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15301: Existing Facilities. Property Owner: Hossein Shenasa and Mojgan Moghaddam Project Planner: Sean Mullin Sean Mullin, Senior Planner, presented the staff report. Opened Public Comment. Peyman Moghaddam, Applicant - All the windows were replaced with aluminum windows. An addition was done between 1950 to 1970. It is outside the historic district. Photos of old windows show that were replaced by aluminum windows. Some windows are vinyl. PAGE 4 OF 5 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 24, 2024 - The replacement windows are the same size. They are vinyl with no grids and are high quality Milgard windows. They are an improvement over the 30-year-old windows. Closed Public Comment. Committee members discussed the matter. MOTION: Motion by Committee Member Cheskin to recommend approval to the Director of the request for construction of exterior alterations (window replacement) on a presumptive historic residence (pre-1941) on property zoned R-1:8, with an advisory recommendation that future window replacement should be consistent with the Residential Design Guidelines. Seconded by Commissioner Mayer. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. 6. 66 Ellenwood Avenue Request for Review Application PHST-24-007. Requesting Approval for Construction of Exterior Alterations (Window and Door Replacement) on a Presumptive Historic Residence (Pre-1941) on Property Zoned R- 1:12. APN 510-20-067. Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Section 15301: Existing Facilities. Property Owner: John and Susan Pinkel Applicant: Steven W. Plyler, DeMattei Construction Project Planner: Sean Mullin Committee Member Cheskin recused themselves from Item 6, as their property is located within 1,000 feet of the subject property. Sean Mullin, Senior Planner, presented the staff report. Opened Public Comment. Mark DeMattei, Applicant - Client’s wood windows and sashes are in bad condition. Client wanted less maintenance. They selected a Marvin product with divided lites. It is wood on the interior and aluminum clad on the exterior. - The casing will be the same. They were considering using a wood simulated and paintable product called Azek. But they can use wood if that is preferable. Closed Public Comment. Committee members discussed the matter. PAGE 5 OF 5 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 24, 2024 MOTION: Motion by Committee Member Queiroz to recommend approval to the Director of the request for Construction of Exterior Alterations (Window and Door Replacement) on a Presumptive Historic Residence (Pre-1941) on Property Zoned R-1:12, with the modification to use fiberglass clad windows. Seconded by Committee Member Mayer. VOTE: Motion passed unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS (Up to three minutes may be allotted to each speaker on any of the following items.) None. DIRECTOR REPORT All the Director’s decisions aligned with the recommendations of the Committee from the last meeting. COMMITTEE MATTERS  Would like to see the window material options.  Public education is needed on the role of the Historic Preservation Committee and the responsibilities of owners with older homes. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 5:32 p.m. This is to certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the April 24, 2024 meeting as approved by the Historic Preservation Committee. /s/ Jennifer Armer, AICP, Planning Manager