Developer enters plan same day as talks on moratorium

By Kara Chalmers

Stan Gamble had quite a shock March 1.

The developer for Trafalgar Inc. of San Jose found himself in what he called a "Kafka nightmare," since he feared the property on Big Basin Way he had bought in January might be subject to the building moratorium the City Council began discussing that night.

Now, although he is somewhat heartened by the words of some council members during that meeting, Gamble says the fate of his proposal, a residential and commercial development, is still to be determined on March 15, the date the council will come to some decision on the moratorium. "I went ahead and closed on the land in good faith in January," he told the council. "I would like to be treated fairly and reasonably."

The moratorium in question would halt all development of residential uses of commercially-designated lands, until the city decides if Saratogans should vote on extending Measure G to apply to commercial areas. Measure G, a voter initiative, requires a vote of the people to change residential and open space land-use designations in the General Plan. But it cannot block changing commercial areas to residential ones--yet.

The front of Gamble's property--the mixed commercial-residential portion which abuts Big Basin Way--is considered commercial and is subject to the Village Specific Plan. Gamble said he didn't realize before the meeting that the proposed moratorium would apply to the Village. The townhomes in the back of Gamble's proposed project would abut St. Charles Street, zoned residential. That part would not be affected by the moratorium.

At the meeting, City Council members said that they would like to make an exception for any applications that had come in that day, like Gamble's, since that would only be fair. However, they made no decisions and did not vote on anything that night, except to continue the public hearing to March 15.

Bogosian, who initiated council discussions on a Measure G extension upon becoming mayor in December, said he favors a moratorium, but that it would be arbitrary and unfair to let a moratorium apply to applications that were already in the works as of March 1.

According to the tentative map Gamble submitted to the city's community development department March 1, his development would comprise six residences as well as a retail area on Big Basin Way. One of the residences would be above the retail space and the other five would be attached townhouses. Each of the residences would be 1,800 to 2,500 square feet.

The commercial area would total about 1,000 square feet. The whole subdivision would be located at 14612 Big Basin Way and 20717 St. Charles Street.

There are four homes as well as a building used for commercial space on the property now, that Gamble plans to demolish. There are both residences and commercial spaces surrounding the property.

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