David Pitzen of Pacific Diversified Company submitted a new proposal on Nov. 12 that incorporated ideas made by the town council early this year. Unlike previous public hearings at which residents near the project site turned out to voice opposition, no one came forward two weeks ago. With little discussion, the commission approved Pitzen's plans 5-1, with Commissioner Lee Quintana dissenting and Commissioner Michael Burke absent.

The new plans call for building three two-story houses—ranging in size from 2,150 to 3,115 square feet—on Monroe Court. The houses are bounded by two single-family homes, which measure 969 and 2,625 square feet, the Los Gatos Creek and a three-story apartment building.

Previously, Pitzen wanted to build four houses, but neighbors felt that would have crammed too many buildings onto the 1.44-acre property and would increase traffic to unsafe levels. The new plans reflect the elimination of one house and the reduction in square footage of two houses, but an addition of a little more than 500 square feet to a third home.

"The neighbors are really thrilled to have three houses instead of four houses," Anne Lamborn, who lives adjacent to the project site, said after the meeting.

However, Lamborn said she is still not completely satisfied with the project and had submitted a list of items she wanted the town to consider before approving the project. She suggested that neighbors did not speak out this time as they have in the past because they're resigned and want to see development go up to erase the visual blight that exists now.

Pitzen, who did not return calls, also wants to reduce the required setback of 20 feet to as little as 6 feet in some areas.

Lot 2, which would see the greatest reduction in setbacks, would feature a community open-space area with pedestrian paths and benches. As a condition of approval, the developer would donate about 39,000 square feet of land within the riparian corridor to the town.

Pitzen plans to replace 15 trees planned for removal with 16 new trees and to plant native species within the riparian corridor. A 6-foot fence will be erected at the border of the riparian corridor to keep people from disturbing the area.

Quintana, the lone dissenter to the project, said the plans offered little private open space. Additionally, she wanted the common area on Lot 2 to become a separate parcel, with a homeowners association created to ensure maintenance of the street and common area. Lastly, she said the developer could have made the houses smaller.

"There's too much intensity of development on the site. The way it's laid out, I don't think it's good site planning," Quintana said.

Before gaining final approval, the developer must draft and have the town approve a covenants, conditions and restrictions document to address maintenance of the common area.

The last time the town considered this application, council members gave explicit instructions for Pitzen to bring the number of houses down to three with a total floor area ratio of no more than 8,000 square feet. With these conditions now met, Pitzen's application will most likely come before the town council again in January.