Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Villa Felice hotel could be replaced by 61 new homes

By Clarence Cromwell

A plan to replace the Villa Felice hotel and restaurant with as many as 61 new homes got a green light from the town's Conceptual Development Advisory Committee Aug. 13.

Duc Development wants to demolish the hotel and build the land out with either 51 individual houses or 61 townhomes. The plan must be heard by the Planning Commission and by the Town Council, which will make the final decision.

Previous development proposals got thumbs-down from the committee--which exists partly to discourage proposals that will never gain council and Planning Commission approval--because the developer proposed to keep the hotel open. Committee members didn't consider the hotel appropriate next to private residences.

This time, Duc plans to clear the 5.67-acre property and fill it with small houses, each about 1,200 to 1,500 square feet, on small lots. The project would average nine houses to the acre.

Committee members appeared pleased, saying the project would provide affordable housing, since the houses and lots are so small. They asked Duc to also provide open space, better views of adjacent Vasona Park and more parking stalls.

"The more view for everyone, the better," committee member and Planning Commissioner Kathy Morgan said.

Town Council member Linda Lubeck said the subdivision will need a big lawn for children to play on.

Planning Commissioner Sandy Decker agreed on the need for open space and asked that houses be clustered together to give the development a feeling of community and to break up the "grid" that planning consultant Maurice Abraham had drawn.

"It's pavement-intensive," Decker said. "It's not family-oriented."

Committee members additionally asked for more parking per house; Decker said some parking would probably have to go underground to meet the need for the number of parking stalls and the request for open lawn area.

[ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ]