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Town tries to streamline its hillside development process
By Gloria I. Wang
Amid soaring electricity costs and rising gas prices, there is one other topic that consistently gets local homeowners' blood boiling: development on Los Gatos hillsides. The town, however, is trying to calm the storm by updating its guidelines for building in this terrain.
On one side, there are the longtime residents, who staunchly support preservation; who dislike the construction of new homes on the hills; who "want to protect what they have," said Community Development Director Bud Lortz. On the other side are the people "who spend an arm and a leg" to purchase hillside property, Lortz says, and believe that, because it's their land, they have a right to build on it whichever way they want.
This juxtaposition is evidenced by Los Gatos Planning Commission meetings that typically run five to six hours in length. Based on observation of recent planning commission meetings, for every homeowner or developer who requests town approval to build in the hillsides, there are approximately three neighbors who speak in opposition. Common potential problems seen by those opposing hillside development include the size of the project, lighting, traffic and the adverse impact on the environment.
Potential builders often complain about the application process, citing lengthy delays, confusion as to what town staff wants and a general lack of understanding about the necessary procedure. In recent years, only one applicant has received the planning commission's approval to build a house without a continuance, which generally happens when the proposal needs additions or subtractions to meet town standards.
In this case, the homeowner managed to avoid a continuance, because he took time to attend and observe planning commission meetings, was flexible about changing his designs, and took the environment and his neighbors into consideration.
In response to the conflicts and complaints, Lortz says, the Architectural Standards Committee is revising the current set of Hillside Development Standards to fit the town's needs.
According to Lortz, the committee, which is composed of one architect and four planning commissioners, is undertaking the task of making the "first comprehensive changes" in the standards since its inception in 1980. The standards were updated in 1990 and again in 1998, but never as drastically as that which is now planned.
Responses to the current standards indicate that certain standards are not restrictive enough, while others are too limited and unclear. "For example, what ridges should the town protect? What is a ridge?," Lortz said. "What defines a hillside lot?"
An essential element to the revision is to gain feedback from different perspectives. The town wants comments from residents, architects and developers--professionals and nonprofessionals who have gone through the application process. Lortz says that those with criticisms of the process are welcome to submit their comments to the town, and be put on a mailing list for future Hillside Development Standards meetings.
Each Architectural Standards Committee meeting, held every fourth Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers, is open to the public. The committee will, however, hold a series of special meetings in the next few months that will specifically address the standards, and welcomes those who wish to speak. The first of those meetings will be held on June 6, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the town council chambers. To be placed on the mailing list, call the planning department at 408.354.6872. Written comments may be mailed to 110 E. Main St., or submitted by email to town planner Suzanne Davis at sdavis@town.los-gatos.ca.us.
The town is also exploring the possibility of making the process shorter and smoother for certain applicants and the planning commission. Instead of forcing every single application to be heard by commissioners, some houses may be approved at the staff level. The town will develop a set of standards for "modest-sized, generic" homes. The applications that fall within those standards may be approved at the staff level, while those homeowners who choose to build a larger home in the hillsides will have to go through the planning commission process.
"Then people can choose their destiny," Lortz said. That way, Lortz says, people will know what they're getting, if they decide to stick with more grand designs. Even at the staff level, neighbors will be notified of a pending approval, and will have an opportunity to voice their opinions.
Planning Commissioner Suzanne Müller calls this option the "fast track" and says that it's an incentive for applicants to study the process and their own designs more carefully.
On March 14, town council approved hiring RBF Consulting, as the consultant for the Hillside Development Standards update. RBF, the consultant for the town's most recent General Plan implementation, will be paid no more than $30,000 for their work.
On April 18, the Architectural Standards Committee took the consultant on a tour of the hillsides and pointed out problems that require work, as well as some of the positive designs of certain houses.
After receiving public comments, the committee will develop a draft of the standards that will be submitted to the planning commission. Lortz anticipates that the new standards will be completed by the fall. "Ultimately, it's going to have a huge impact on the town," Lortz said.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
