Los Gatos Council has approved a 155-unit multi-family residential development for the site of the Los Gatos Lodge hotel tonight at their regularly-scheduled meeting.
After an official for San Ramon-based SummerHill Homes, LLC boasted it had received unanimous support for the project at Planning Commission, Rob Stump, one of the newest members on that body, said he wasn’t at that meeting—and if he had been he wouldn’t have voted to recommend it.
In fact, he said, he would have recused himself, because he previously worked on a plan to put a secondary access to Los Gatos High School through the site.
SummerHill’s proposal included a bike and pedestrian route to and from the school, and an emergency-only access for vehicles.
Mayor Matthew Hudes seized upon this new line of attack on the development, pressing project officials on why they didn’t work a secondary road to LGHS into the design.
At one point he even explored ways to potentially deny the project based on safety grounds.
And he got the applicant to admit their traffic surveys did not take into account beach traffic to Santa Cruz in the summer.
However SummerHill said it followed the scope of work for studies provided by the Town of Los Gatos.
In an interview with the Los Gatan, Stump said he wished his idea of a road to the high school would have gone further.
“I’m in no way shape or form against development,” he said, suggesting a secondary road would’ve relieved pressure on Los Gatos Boulevard during a wildfire—and would improve school traffic issues. “It takes about 20-25 minutes to empty the parking lot out daily.”
Because of the proximity of her home, Councilmember Mary Badame recused herself.
(Drew Penner / Los Gatan)
For Councilmember Rob Rennie, this was a good development, all things considered.
It will include 26 below market price units, in multiple categories.
Vice Mayor Rob Moore called it a “thoughtful” project, and said from his perspective it “only” provides 155 new homes.
“I think this is a pretty good way to build 155,” he said. “When I see this sort of development…I see a place where I could see myself potentially living one day…This is a good location. I appreciate that the evacuation route was worked in.”
Plus, he added, Los Gatos could face legal consequences if it doesn’t approve it.
“We would be in violation of State law and would likely be sued,” he said.
Councilmember Maria Ristow emphasized that—based on when it was submitted—the developer gets to build to the prior density level for the site (20 units per acre), not what the Town recently upzoned it to (30-40 units per acre).
The land would’ve also made a great place to build taller, she added.
But, Ristow said she likes how the design includes two-, three- and four-bedroom options, as well as homes for a variety of income levels.
“I love the way that the low- and moderate-income homes are integrated into each building,” she said. “It just all blends together, which is just sort of like what my street is like.”
Rennie made the motion to approve the project. Ristow seconded it.
In the end, Hudes said it did seem like Council was being compelled by State law to allow the developer to realize its vision.
(While the SummerHill initially pointed out it could use the so-called “Builder’s Remedy”—because it filed a pre-application during the period when Los Gatos was out of compliance with Housing Element law—the developer didn’t end up invoking this. It did, however, use SB 330 to win a number of concessions).
The motion passed 4-0.
John Hickey, vp of development for SummerHill Homes, spoke with the Los Gatan shortly after the decision.
“We think it’s going to be a great addition to Los Gatos,” he said. “It’s exciting to know that the project is closer to fruition.”
