At the Joint Town Council- Planning Commission Study Session held on 1/9, the directive was given to the planning department to deliver a vision that would guide the developer building the North 40.
I would suggest that we already have a Vision Statement in the General Plan. Why make a sub-statement just for the North 40? I picked a few value statements from the vision that I would encourage the planning department to consider for not only the North 40, but for each and every development that is currently on the table. The bold print is from the current Vision Statement.
• “The Town provides excellent schools….” We, and a large group of parents from Van Meter, believe that excellent schools will lose that excellence if the classrooms are overfilled. In our opinion, SB 50 is typical of a government trying to over-regulate, leaving debris and dissatisfaction in their wake. It’s a loser, and the town needs to get around SB 50. The cost of new students far exceeds the monies charged to developers. There is an obvious problem when the costs of additional students far outweigh the dollars that are needed to build, staff and maintain top quality schools.
• “A wonderful downtown” could easily become the next San Jose downtown where the businesses moved to the shiny new malls. Even with all of the redevelopment dollars given to San Jose, more people flock to Westfield Mall, Stevens Creek strip malls, and Santana Row than those that shop in San Jose. I remember the vacancies we had here not all that long ago. Our downtown is US; and it, along with the setting in the hills, differentiates this town from all the others. It’s a big reason we have a positive tax flow from retail sales.
• “The residents want to protect their community from increasing development pressures from the region”. That statement was not addressed with the Albright project, and we ask that you keep this value in mind with the development of the North 40.
• “Residents expect the new development to fit into the fabric of the community” We feel that statement was totally ignored with the zoning of the Honda dealership as well as the property across the street, and with Bluebird Lane. Cramming people into small spaces is not US. It may work for others, but it isn’t US.
• “Preserving the small-town character of Los Gatos is a collection of related issues, including human scale of development, historic preservation, density and intensity…….etc.” Dittos Lane, if developed to the scale proposed, was dense and intense. It was not conceived so as to fit into the fabric of the neighborhood. So is Albright, Bluebird, Riviera Terrace, etc, etc. Please stop the intense and dense developments. Stick with our Vision. The huge developments such as Albright and the North 40 will not preserve the small town character nor soul of Los Gatos, but would help us blend into San Jose.
• Please don’t use PD’s to circumvent the original intent of the General Plan.
• I don’t think we need to reinvent a Vision Statement for the North 40. We just need to adhere to the one we have.
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Vision for Los Gatos (as taken from the Los Gatos General Plan)
Los Gatos is home. It is the type of community people want to live in because they feel a sense of belonging. When residents drive south on Highway 17, cross over Route 85, see the beautiful Town of Los Gatos nestled at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains they know they are home. Los Gatos is an oasis of calm within one of the major economic engines in the world, Silicon Valley. People feel safe here. The Town provides excellent schools, beautiful parks, a wonderful Downtown, diverse shopping experiences, and an accessible and responsive government.
Los Gatos is a truly special place and residents want to protect their community from the increasing development pressures of the region. Residents expect all new development to fit into the fabric of the community and demand that new businesses enhance their high quality of life. Residents make it clear when development projects fail to meet their expectations.
Proposed development projects are held to a higher standard and what is approved in other communities may not be acceptable in Los Gatos. New development must keep pace with the community’s needs and must reflect the community’s values. The next ten years will be a crucial time in the evolution of Los Gatos. Extreme care must be used in approving all new development applications. The impacts of new development must be evaluated in light of the development’s overall community benefit. In addition, the benefit of new development must be measured against the ability of the proposed development and its architectural style to harmonize with existing development while minimizing impacts on existing residential
neighborhoods and infrastructure. Support of new development from surrounding residents and property owners will be a major consideration during any development review process.
Preserving the small-town character of Los Gatos is a collection of related issues, including human scale of development, historic preservation, density and intensity, population growth, downtown, development in the Route 85/North 40 area, congestion, open space, views of the hills, the nature of businesses located in Town, protection of the Town’s various neighborhoods, and community design.
The Town can utilize three important means for ensuring the continuity of values: (a) providing mechanisms for broad public participation in government in general and planning in particular,
(b) taking initiative to coordinate with other jurisdictions on regional issues that impact our Town’s character and quality of life, and
(c) consistent and resolute enforcement of the General Plan, specific plans, and the Town code.
Residents expect strong leadership from their elected officials to guide the community into the next century and to ensure that the high quality of life in Los Gatos is protected for future generations. The General Plan is the Town’s guide to achieve this vision.
Many of the issues identified in the General Plan are sustainability issues, including open space, hillside protection, environmental quality, natural plant and animal life, resource conservation, and community design.
WHAT MAKES LOS GATOS SPECIAL?
The desire to protect the Town’s high quality of life is demonstrated by extensive citizen participation in many service groups and community issues. While residents may disagree over specific issues, they share a common vision of the future of Los Gatos. Residents are adamant in their desire to maintain a high quality of life and preserve the character of the Town. The overall community consensus is that Los Gatos:
• Be a full-service community that is also environmentally sensitive;
• Maintain a balanced, well-designed mix of residential, commercial, service and open space uses, fostering a pedestrian-oriented community with a small town, village-like character;
•Support an active business community that provides a wide variety of goods and
services and a broad range of employment opportunities, minimizing the need to
travel to other communities; and
• Provides a well-run, efficient municipal government that is fiscally healthy, with high levels of public safety, recreational, art and cultural amenities and that is committed to high quality education.
The Town has an eclectic mix of building styles. It is a unique combination of old and new that is indicative of a community that has evolved over a period of time. The Town’s architecture ranges from a few homes built in the 1850’s through a beautifully preserved mix of Victorian cottages and craftsman bungalows, some Victorian and Art Deco commercial buildings, post World War II ranch houses and post-modern homes and commercial buildings from more recent decades. The Town demonstrates that it is possible to value innovation while appreciating and preserving the past.
*Source: Town of Los Gatos General Plan Document
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