By Clarence Cromwell
Three Town Council members said they were looking to the future last week when they turned down a 23-home development at 742 University Avenue.
Mayor Randy Attaway said it was a tough decision, but he ultimately concluded that the town is going to need the commercial and light manufacturing permitted under the current zoning more than it needs the 23 houses.
The Riding Group asked the town to change the zoning and general plan designations to medium-density residential to allow for the eight houses per acre the company wants to build.
"We need to keep the land that's left for resident-serving businesses," Attaway said.
Joanne Benjamin and Patrick O'Laughlin likewise upheld the Planning Commission decision.
Benjamin said allowing houses on the property would probably result in limitations to adjacent properties because new homeowners would complain about any noisy or otherwise unpleasant light-manufacturing uses, even those existing before the houses. She said she was also concerned that approving the houses would lead to a snowballing approval of houses on all the light-manufacturing property in the area.
Most of the town's light industrial and service commercial property lies along University Avenue, north of Blossom Hill Road.O'Laughlin agreed, saying the town needs the light-manufacturing zoning to maintain services residents need. The light-manufacturing zoning allows a variety of service businesses, such as dry cleaners and plumbers. It also allows retail outlets.
The property in question is occupied by The Woodworkers' Lumber Co., which sells lumber and other building materials.
"I think we have to be very careful of the erosion and attrition of light-manufacturing zoning," O'Laughlin said. "I'd hate to see us reach the point where all we have is residential and restaurants."
Steve Blanton and Linda Lubeck wanted to overturn the Planning Commission decision.
Lubeck said housing would be most appropriate for the site since it borders Vasona Park. And she didn't like any of the other uses that would be allowed on the site under the current zoning.
"If Los Gatos is going to remain a commmunity where there are all walks of life, we'll have to pay attention to the needs for housing."
Kenneth Riding, president of the Riding Group, told the council that there is plenty of light-manufacturing land in town, saying the town will have to allow more houses before it has enough residents to fill the zone with service businesses.
When planning commissioners turned down the project April 24, they cited reasons similar to the council's.
In a May 24 letter explaining the appeal, Riding stated that houses would be the best use for the site and that the company's design would enhance the character of the town. He wrote that residents would enjoy being close to Vasona Park, downtown and nearby businesses. Commercial outlets would not thrive on that site, he wrote, because there is insufficient traffic along University to support them.
Riding also wrote that he was dissatisfied with the planning process, because the town staff and members of two committees seemed to support the project, but later turned it down. One of the committees that supported the project early on, the Conceptual Development Advisory Committee, consisted of two members of the Planning Commission and two councilmembers. All four supported the project as members of the advisory panel, but voted against it later.
The day after the decision, Riding said the company had not decided whether to submit another, different application for the property.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, July 10, 1996.
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