February 25, 2016
My initiation into town development started with Ditto Lane in 2011. It was then I realized the immense number of developments that were forthcoming. At that time we had Albright, Knowles, the North Forty, Swanson Ford, Hillbrook, Palo Alto Medical, Laurel Mews, Safeway, and others that I have forgotten.
In all the time since those developments started, only the North Forty hasn’t been completed. I have not seen so many neighborhood letters totally rejecting a development as this one has generated. I would guess that the written support of Albright and the North Forty combined did not approach the negative support given to 16212 Los Gatos Blvd. I only wish we had found this kind of support when we objected to the over-height buildings of Netflix, the bland design of Swanson, or the high density houses of Laurel Mews. It’s too late to do anything about those developments now, but the residents are seeing what we predicted in 2011. The difference now may be that things have gotten so bad that we may a shot at stopping another poorly conceived development. Having story poles in such a prominent location has helped the anti-development campaign so farr.
Though there are many very good letters by the citizens of Los Gatos, there is one that strongly reflects my thoughts on this development so I will not repeat what Barbara Dodson has said. Her letter is in the Commission packet.
This development should not be considered for high density residential development under any stretch of the imagination. This is a piece of property that is zoned commercial and sits between two commercial pieces of property. Commercial property brings revenue the town and housing adds costs to the town. Why add to our costs when we can’t fix our roads with the money we have now?
The developer asks for so many exceptions that you wonder why anyone would ever put time into creating zoning and architectural design in the first place? Though you are not supposed to consider the impact to the schools, I ask the Commission and the Council to please take into account the rules of a state that has taken our school revenues away, and then doles them back at the lowest possible level allowable, leaving our schools short of money to pay teachers, nurses and counselors.
With in the evidence presented by the developer are projections for the students entering our school system. It is highly likely they have missed the school projections by 100%. After Laurel Mews and Blue Bird Lane were occupied, we double checked the towns school enrollment projections for both and found the actual counts to be twice the reported projections.
Additionally, the town accepts the traffic projections but then never checks to see if the counts were on target or not. Sitting in traffic on Los Gatos Boulevard, my gut tells me they are off by at least 100% also.
This development, plus Laurel Mews, have been placed at a very poorly designed intersection. Not only is the intersection design impossible, but the street narrows for southbound traffic just before an elementary school. It’s an unsafe intersection loaded with kids coming and going from school, in a town that is trying to become more bike and pedestrian friendly.
With the possible exception of one letter in over 200 presented, I haven’t seen any support from the neighborhood. The developer claims support from the neighborhood, but can’t get the supporters to show up or write. What’s with that? From those of us not living in that hood, you won’t find support either. We have to traverse the traffic and wait at the lights. The staff, the architect and the citizens are rejecting this project as unfeasible.
I am happy that the Commission unanimously rejected this proposal to a tone deaf developer. Now, we all have to take this fight to the final deciding body, the Town Council. Your letters will be forwarded to the Council, but don’t let down the pressure. Attend the Council meeting and again, express your dissatisfaction with not only this development, but the deteriorating condition of our streets; the lack of bike-ability and safe walking paths for not only kids, but also for adults (like myself).
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