Los Gatos Weekly-Times Maxim proposal still plagued by traffic, site and design problems 330 University loses on appeal to Town Council Town traffic study planned By Jeff Kearns Councilmembers on Nov. 16, upheld a Planning Commission denial of a Maxim Investments' project near downtown, saying that the plan still needs more work. "I don't think we're quite there yet," Joanne Benjamin said. "It needs to be more compatible with the neighborhood." Benjamin and other councilmembers said they were concerned the plan wasn't being designed to take advantage of the site, but rather that the site was being changed to accommodate the development. Maxim's Bill Hirschman wants to put 22 single-family homes on the 3.7 acre site at 330 University Ave., including one existing house and two below-market-price units. Now the application goes back to the Planning Commission, which will probably hold a study session on the tricky development proposal. Admittedly, the lot is difficult to design for. Connected to University Avenue by a narrow slope just 100 feet from Highway 9, the bulk of the flat area is an open meadow bounded by the highway, Los Gatos Creek and homes and apartments. "I hate this site," said an exasperated councilwoman Linda Lubeck during the discussion. "So do I," Hirschman called out from the audience. The only entrance to the site would be on University, after many Edelen residents flatly said they would never tolerate connecting the project to Bentley Avenue. The proximity to the already clogged University/Highway 9 intersection has proven to be the project's biggest sticking point with neighbors and town officials. Cars making a left into the project from University Avenue would stack up traffic onto Highway 9, some neighbors said. Hirschman says he'll widen the University/Highway 9 intersection and improve circulation, as a community benefit, which would increase its capacity. The architecture and layout of the homes also came under fire. University Avenue resident Richard Minert, also an architect, railed against the project, saying the homes were stamped from a "cookie cutter" design that didn't fit with the historical and architecturally diverse neighborhood around the site. "It appears like some kind of housing development that just appeared overnight," he said. "And what's created is just another kind of typical housing development." Lubeck said she was concerned about putting a modern development in the middle of one of the town's historic neighborhoods. Councilmembers also pressed Hirschman to do a better job of outlining the project's community benefits. Hirschman says it brings housing into an area where supply is far outstripped by demand, and includes a plan to widen part of University at Highway 9 that would actually improve circulation. Hirschman also said he might be able to throw in a third BMP unit. A date for the project's return to the planning level hasn't been announced yet. Other Action In other action, the council signed off on a comprehensive traffic study for the entire downtown area. Called the Downtown Operational Traffic Study, the plan outlines up to a dozen staffers working with traffic engineer Mark Wessel. Wessel is an independent contractor from Southern California who was hired by the town. The engineers will observe traffic patterns, look at accident histories, check signal timing and phasing, and other variables. The comprehensive report, which is expected to cost under $30,000, would most likely get under way in April or May, once Old Town is fully open but before schools shut down for summer. [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, November 25, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.