Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Campo di Bocce ignores needs of neighbors

By Chris Wiley

This is a difficult commentary to write because I am an active member of Campo di Bocce, as well as a neighbor directly across the street. I was an enthusiastic supporter in 1996 when the recreation facility was being created, but I was also a bit misled.

The neighbors and I were led to believe that the facility would be a recreation center with a snack bar and a wine license. Shortly before the grand opening, owner Tom Albanese announced that they would have a pizza oven.

We were also assured that the hours of operation would be reasonable and the facility, as a whole, would be a quiet little operation.

Opening day rolled around in February 1997, and every parking space on the street was occupied. Since then, on some occasions, guests of the facility are parked on private property and expanded into private residential driveways.

It was quite obvious that the tiny parking lot they built for their facility would be far too small for the number of users of the facility. This is especially obvious when they have sold the facility out as a corporation/special occasion facility. Some of my neighbors cannot even park their cars or their guests' cars near their homes because the patrons from the Campo di Bocce have filled every spot on University Avenue and the adjoining streets.

Instead of a small, quaint recreation club with a "snack bar" for guests, this facility has turned into a fully operational restaurant. The restaurant is used more than the bocce lanes. Also, we were led to believe that alcoholic drinks can only be served with meals. This is not happening.

I believe these actions are not in line with the club's conditional-use permit. Campo di Bocce is asking the Planning Commission [at its Sept. 9 meeting] to increase seating from 70 to 120. Their original plan was to be a recreation facility, yet it appears that the larger business is the restaurant/bar trade.

Increasing the seating capacity would be an increase of over 70 percent! Add this to the existing parking problems, and we are asking for trouble. Even with the proposed additional parking areas, this would be too much for the residential neighborhood.

As for the request to have an outside barbecue, we already have enough food odors from this facility and the other neighboring restaurants--you would be really surprised how much garlic can permeate a household.

As for the request to increase hours from 11 p.m. and midnight to midnight/1 a.m., this, too, would create problems. We already encounter problems from patrons and employees leaving the facility noisily, including the blare from car engines revving up and loud conversations that continue after the facility is closed.

We have even had occasions when the employees of the facility have turned the music up loud so it could be heard a block away. The headlights of the cars parked in the parking lot aim right into our homes.

There are times when I have walked over to the facility and asked the folks to quiet down. One evening, I asked the steam-cleaners to cease their task, as the noise and vibration at 12:15 a.m. was too much for the neighbors and me.

I do believe the owners/managers of the facility keep forgetting that they are operating a commercial facility in a neighborhood of high-density housing.

Permitting the facility to be open later than the current hours is not acceptable. I, for one, must be at work by 6 a.m., with a 10-hour day to follow; this includes weekends. The current noise is not conducive to a good night's sleep.

Their request for additional parking facilities is quite understandable, but I also would also like to suggest permit parking to help the neighbors, some of whom have no driveway or garage.

I want to make it clear that I am pleased with Campo di Bocce--especially compared to the empty lot it once was. I enjoy using the facility and the camaraderie of the guests and employees and owners. They have done a great job of keeping the place clean and presentable to meet the Los Gatos image.

On the other hand, I have been in this community too long to see businesses do the action first and then get the Planning Commission and Town Council to agree to it after the fact. Currently, I feel this is what's going on. Campo di Bocce is stretching its current conditional-use permit to the limit!

Campo di Bocce has been in our neighborhood for a year, and I feel strongly that their proposal for longer hours, more seats and an outdoor barbecue should be turned down. The request for additional parking needs to be addressed, and the town should also address the issue of permit parking.

Chris Wiley is a Los Gatos resident.

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