Special Meeting of the Town Council

TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Minutes of the Town Council Special Meeting Tuesday, May 27, 2025 7:00 P.M. The Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a special meeting in person and via teleconference. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:01 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Matthew Hudes, Vice Mayor Rob Moore, Council Member Mary Badame, Council Member Rob Rennie (participating remotely), and Council Member Maria Ristow. Absent: None. VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS No one spoke. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. Consider a Recommendation by the Planning Commission to Adopt a Resolution to Approve Architecture and Site, Conditional Use Permit, Subdivision, and Mitigated Negative Declaration Applications to Demolish the Existing Commercial Structures, Construct a Mixed-Use Development (30 Multi-Family Residential Units) with Commercial Space on the Ground Floor, Approve a Condominium Vesting Tentative Map, and Remove Large Protected Trees Under Senate Bill 330 (SB 330) on Property Zoned C-2. APNs 529-28-001 and -002. Located at 143-151 E. Main Street. An Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration Have Been Prepared. Architecture and Site Application S-24-007, Conditional Use Permit Application U-24-002, Vesting Tentative Map Application M-24-004, and Mitigated Negative Declaration Application ND-24-003. Property Owner: David Blatt, CSPN LLC. Applicant: Kenneth Rodrigues and Partners, Inc. Project Planner: Ryan Safty. Gabrielle Whelan, Town Attorney gave a presentation on Builder’s Remedy and Senate Bill 330. Ryan Safty, Associate Planner presented the staff report. Council asked preliminary questions. Council Member Badame, Council Member Rennie, Vice Mayor Moore, and Mayor Hudes all stated that they had visited the site. 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov PAGE 2 OF 4 SUBJECT: Minutes of the Town Council Special Meeting of May 27, 2025 DATE: June 17, 2025 Mayor Hudes opened public comment. Representatives for the applicant, Kenneth Rodrigues, Architect, and Miles Imwalle, Land Use Council - Provided opening remarks and gave a brief presentation on the proposed development. David Poetzinger, Principal, Los Gatos High School - Commented on concerns with traffic and student safety, and would like a plan to address safety concerns. Toby Mockler, Superintendent, Los Gatos Saratoga Union High School District - Commented on concerns with student safety and requested a collaborative plan to address the impacts of the proposed development. Peter Rehon - Commented on concerns with student pedestrian safety, parking, and the estimated vehicle trips. Earline Lund - Commented on concerns with parking, traffic, emergency evacuation routes, exemptions, and density. Desmond Kamas - Commented in support of the development, and spoke about the benefits of the location. Alex Kamas - Commented in support of the development, the need for housing, and potential benefits to school enrollment. Ruben Galvan - Commented on developers paying fair wages, providing health benefits, and hiring apprentices. Bruce Mitchell - Commented on concerns with pedestrian safety and traffic congestion. Carin Yamamoto - Commented on concerns about the project’s impact on students and the potential for repeated evacuations. PAGE 3 OF 4 SUBJECT: Minutes of the Town Council Special Meeting of May 27, 2025 DATE: June 17, 2025 Lee Fagot - Commented in support of the design, and stated concerns about the location, traffic, emergency access, and size. Majid Alasvandian - Commented on concerns with the building height, density, location, and traffic. Allison Zeidler - Commented on concerns with wildfires, emergency evacuations, traffic, and student safety. Tony Alarcon - Commented on concerns with location, parking, setbacks, building height, and student safety. BK - Commented on concerns with the location the development building height, traffic impacts, zoning and building plans, and student safety. Rich Stephens - Commented concerns with project location, business viability, public transportation, traffic, student safety, and emergency evacuation during a disaster. Melissa - Commented concerns with pedestrian and bicyclist safety, traffic congestion, student safety, and emergency evacuation. Galit - Commented on concerns with student safety during construction. Cynthia - Commented on concerns with parking and student safety. Larissa Cantanho - Commented on concerns with traffic, the location, fire, and evacuation, and would like the size reduced as well as an increase in parking. Miles Imwalle, Land Use Counsel, and Kenneth Rodrigues, Architect - Provided closing comments and addressed the public comments and questions. Mayor Hudes closed public comment. Mayor Hudes called a recess at recess at 9:05 p.m. PAGE 4 OF 4 SUBJECT: Minutes of the Town Council Special Meeting of May 27, 2025 DATE: June 17, 2025 Mayor Hudes reconvened the meeting at 9:17 p.m. Council asked questions and discussed the item. Mayor Hudes opened public comment, to allow the Architect to answer council questions. Kenneth Rodrigues, Architect - Addressed council questions. Mayor Hudes closed public comment. Council further discussed the item. MOTION: Motion by Council Member Ristow to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation to adopt a resolution (with Exhibit A – Condition of Approval) to approve Architecture and Site, Conditional Use Permit, Subdivision applications, and a Mitigated Negative Declaration, to demolish existing commercial structures, construct a mixed-use development (30 multi-family residential units) with commercial space on the ground floor, approve a condominium Vesting Tentative Map, and remove large protected trees under Senate Bill 330 (SB 330) on property zoned C-2, APNs 529-28-001 and 002 located at 143-151 E. Main Street AMENDMENT: to require the developer to meet regularly with the Los Gatos High School staff and town staff prior to and during construction of the development to meaningfully address student safety concerns, and urging the developer to adopt parking option one. Seconded by Vice Mayor Moore. VOTE: Motion passed 3-2. Mayor Hudes and Council Member Badame voted no. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10:43 p.m. Respectfully Submitted: _____________________________________ /s/ Keara Johnson, Deputy Town Clerk