In 1999, the nonprofit senior care facility on Saratoga­Los Gatos Road first presented its preliminary plans to neighbors and the city for turning the site's existing buildings—the convent, chapel and offices used by the Dominican nuns who ran the nursing home there—into 34 assisted-living apartments. The project also includes a remodel of the nursing facility and the addition of an adult day care facility.

In 2000, the commission granted the project a use permit, but with the condition that the villa return to the commission to report on its progress addressing those concerns before it would receive the necessary building permits to move forward. Since then, however, the villa has had to clear a number of hurdles, including neighbors' and the city's concerns, as well as its own administrative and organizational challenges.

But finally the villa is ready to move forward, and project architect Sandy Barker, of Menlo Park­based Barker and Associates Architects, told the commission Aug. 28 that it had addressed each of the commission's five areas of concern, most of which involved nearby residents.

He said the villa had purchased and installed new, quieter laundry drying machines as well as implemented limited usage hours. The dryer ducts were also moved behind structures to help shield the noise from the neighborhood.

In addition, truck deliveries are restricted to between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., and trash removal is restricted to between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The villa is also encouraging its employees to not park in the rear lot that abuts homes between 2 p.m. and 6 a.m. and will close the upper parking lot near homes between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Barker said the villa has worked out an agreement with West Valley College that construction workers can use 10 of its parking spaces to carpool to the construction site when the amount of parking there grows scarce.

Neighbors have a 24-hour number to call if they have any problems, and Barker said he would be reporting the situation's status back to the city every two months.

To address the city's remaining concern, the villa documented that it helps to satisfy the city's need to provide more affordable housing by making 10 of its new units available to low-income individuals. The villa also agreed to give preference to Saratoga residents.

No one voiced any opposition to the project during the public hearing, and villa CEO Preston Wisner later said the organization had worked hard to gain the neighbors' support.

"We had a lot of meetings with our neighbors because we wanted them to be with us," he said.

The commission's only continuing concerns—as voiced by commissioner Cynthia Barrie and added as conditions of its approval—were that the neighbors nearest the West Valley parking spaces used by construction workers be informed of and approve the carpooling arrangement, and that the "good-faith" agreement between the villa and neighbors regarding the dryers be added to the resolution.

With the commission's unanimous approval, the villa will now apply for the demolition and building permits it needs to begin work, Barker said. He expects work to start in September and to last "a year to 15 months."

Overhearing that, Wisner said he preferred to err on the side of caution and to expect the full 15-month construction period. But regardless, he said, "I'm ecstatic about it."