March 10 Re:
3.15 Parking Authority
Dear Council Members
Why do we need a C.U.P. for entry into Los Gatos by chain store’s? Originally a CUP was to protect our small town ambiance, mom and pop retailers and minimize demand for parking and last but not least ease circulation.
This all went out the door in 1989 when staff in their misguided attempt to keep the town vibrant, pushed for more restaurants and chain stores. Later came Old Town and from that point on there wasn’t a chain store that the town didn’t love. (except American Apparel). It took a CUP to stop them and we got Apple instead. Something worked and we shouldn’t loose the ability to deny a chain store.
Small mom and pops, (with the exception of women’s clothing) have all but stopped entering our market place due to rents, some of the highest in Santa Clara Valley. Eliminating the need for a CUP does not stop chain store applications. Today, what stops chain store applications is our lack of parking and a change in the way of merchandising in America. The internet is one way but chain stores have reversed course and want larger spaces in small downtowns. Los Gatos has few spaces over 4K sq feet. What does this mean? I would venture to say that we might be seeing the end of stable chain stores in Los Gatos. To top it off the handwriting is on the wall with the GAP line up of brand names (3 in Los Gatos). Their financials have not looked well for a long time. Also restoration Hardware needs more space but just turned down space next door etc. Yet little stays vacant for long? A conundrum to say the least. And if they do it is because the landowner is waiting for a CUP tenant, as small retail shops do not pay high rents and changeover is frequent. The myth of Los Gatos is still alive.
We have turned the CBD into an entertainment district with more restaurant CUPs per block than Fishermen’s Wharf. Now we need to protect what we have always fought to avoid: chain stores and restaurant’s as they will soon be financially and most important, our primary tenants.
Until we get adequate parking we should table dumping CUPs in our central business district and continue vetting chain stores. The process works.
Get ready for the nightmare if we eliminate the only way we have of protecting what is left.
Respectfully,
Larry Justo Arzie
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