Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Community must consider limits on growth

By Dave Weissman and Cecil Mansfield

The Los Gatos Weekly-Times insightfully pointed out in its Dec. 31, 1997, editorial that 1998 will be the critical year in which Los Gatos decides what the future character of our town will be. Since that editorial ran, the General Plan Task Force reported a strong citizen response against growth in Los Gatos and a strong desire to protect open space. Ironically, the county planning office just reported that the population in Los Gatos rose by 9 percent, or 2,350 people, from 1990 to 1997.

We see this increased growth every day on our crowded streets, in overcrowded schools and in threatened open spaces. Overlaid on an already crowded situation are the proposed major developments from/of SummerHill, Swenson, Maxim, Landmark, Villa Felice, Lyndon Plaza, Lexington Reservoir and the Yuki property that could easily add another 350 to 450 housing units within Los Gatos and its environs in the next three to five years.

Business as usual, without minimum-growth regulations, will be disastrous. Either the town moves expeditiously now to limit the density of future projects, or we could lose the reasons we all want to live here.

Los Gatos cannot solve Santa Clara Valley's housing problem, nor should we try. We feel like we are fighting for the heart and soul of our town against outside developers and local real estate interests. We are disappointed with the Planning Commission's action at the May 27 meeting when they recommended to the Town Council that SummerHill be permitted to build 44 houses. We believe such action is against the public's opinion as expressed in the task force's report. We believe situating 24 houses on the lower 22 acres is the plan most consistent with the Hillside Specific Plan and the Blossom Hill Open Space Study, and is called "environmentally superior" by the environmental impact report.

The Weekly-Times editorial of May 6 supported SummerHill and asked if a "community-based approach really works."

Well, it can, of course, but that depends on whether or not the developer listens to the pulse of the entire community and not just a few local interests.

SummerHill had many meetings with neighbors, but mostly covered simple issues, such as where to put a house and how many trees to plant. They have not significantly reduced the number of homes in their original plan.

We met with SummerHill in early fall 1997 and offered our support of their project and its 85 acres of open space, provided the number of houses was reduced.

We also agreed to support larger houses of 3,000 to 4,000 square feet to help make the project more economically viable. Our overtures were completely rejected, surprising all of us, given the fact the housing market has seen a spectacular price increase since SummerHill first proposed its project.

SummerHill has a right to develop this land and make a profit, just as we have a right to protect our interests. When this project is complete, SummerHill can move on. We are staying here.

It should also be noted that SummerHill did not present a complete plan: Major areas with unresolved questions include the ownership and maintenance of the open-space area, when and if to build custom homes on six lots in the project, several unanswered drainage and geology issues and the layout for the houses.

Perhaps it is time to put these larger issues before the voters of Los Gatos. We think the task force results would be confirmed. If nothing else, this discussion should require the citizens and elected officials of Los Gatos to develop a vision of what we want our future to look like.

We desire an environment that stimulates the mind and soul with excellent, uncrowded schools, abundant nature and open space, quiet neighborhoods and safe and efficient commutes. If we permit one project after another to go forth, without comparing the result to this vision, Los Gatos will be a very different place than it could have been.

Dave Weissman and Cecil Mansfield live near the site of the proposed SummerHill project.

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