Impending sale of a Victorian prompts review of a 1997 law
Monte Sereno's historic listings are voluntary
By Nathan R. Huff
The pendulum may be swinging back toward historic preservation in Monte Sereno. Faced with the eventual sale and possible demolition of one of Monte Sereno's most historic homes, City Council members agreed on April 4, to take another look at its heritage preservation ordinance.
The council, at its April 18 meeting, will consider the possibility of placing a moratorium on the destruction of any pre-1950 Monte Sereno buildings. During a moratorium council members would try to find the elusive middle ground between historic preservation and individual property rights.
The existing ordinance, adopted in 1997, was crafted by former councilman Joel Gambord. It replaced a much stronger 1995 preservation ordinance that changed the city's preservation list to a volunteer-based registry. Current council members Gordon Knight, Jack Lucas and Suzanne Jackson supported the swing toward individual property rights. In protest over the change, the majority of heritage preservation committee members resigned.
The decision to reconsider the 1997 ordinance comes in response to a plea from the city's current heritage preservation committee, which is concerned over the potential sale of an 1890s Victorian. The home, owned by Elizabeth Ross, is being advertised in The Los Gatos weekly-Times as offering "unlimited potential for remodel, restoration, expansion or possible new construction." The four bedroom, three bath, 1.5-acre estate is listed for $3.5 million. Under the current ordinance, a new owner could demolish the house within a month of filing for a permit.
"People on the committee are alarmed about the possible destruction of the Ross house," said Fred Hawkes, the most junior member of the heritage preservation committee. Hawkes, who said he was careful not to discuss the usefulness of the 1997 ordinance when he was appointed, added that he was looking forward to discussing a possible revision.
"I'm delighted to see them come around," Hawkes said. "I just hope we can make--as a committee--constructive suggestions to the council as to what to change."
The committee may have at least one ally on the council. Councilwoman Barbara Nesbet appeared the most open to discussing a possible revision of the ordinance.
"I think it would be great if a new ordinance could be created that would have enough teeth so that we could save the beautiful houses in Monte Sereno," Nesbet later said. She likened the treatment of old houses to elderly people, saying the community should value its connection to the past.
"It would be good if the city had enough gumption to make the decision that it's going to save those houses for everyone in the city," Nesbet said. "A house, even though it is a structure, is really part of the community."
Mayor Jackson said she, too, was open to looking at revising the ordinance, but was not ready to commit to reviving the old ordinance.
"What we're going to explore is the possibility of putting a moratorium on homes built before 1950 while we look at revising the ordinance," Jackson said. "But this is a hard one, and I don't know exactly how we can do this."
The Ross house was built some time in the 1890s, although the original builder is unknown. The second owner, a Fundamentalist Baptist Minister named Fred Hitt, bought the property in 1923 and converted it into the Pacific States Fireworks Company. In the 1940s, the state deemed the fireworks production too dangerous, but allowed Hitt to continue working with the same materials to produce a product called "Rodent Destroyer Bombs." Hitt sold the property to the Ross family in 1963.
The home is also known for the tall pine tree Ross decorates with lights during the holiday season, which can be seen from a considerable distance.
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
