Land For 22 Homes on LG Blvd Rezoned

By a 3-2 vote, a split Los Gatos Town Council voted to rezone the former Honda dealership site on Los Gatos Boulevard to demolish the existing buildings in anticipation of 22 single-family residences.

Mayor Joe Pirzynski, Vice-Mayor Steve Rice and Councilmember Diane McNutt voted in favor of rezoning while Councilmembers Barbara Spector and Steve Leonardis voted against.

San Jose-based builder Robson Homes is proposing to build 22 detached single-unit homes on the 1.9-acre lot at 16213 Los Gatos Blvd. while promising to build a below-market priced home on the lot as well as off site, but nearby.

The Honda dealership relocated in 2009 and continued to run its car maintenance and service station on the site until fall 2010. The lot has been vacant since.

Mark Robson of Robson Homes came to the Council meeting Monday night with a well-prepared presentation of what the lot, bounded by Los Gatos Boulevard, Mitchell and George streets and Roberts Avenue, will look like.

Robson plans to use 18 different architectural designs for the project while preserving the tall oak trees on the lot and building a low stone fence that will run along Los Gatos Boulevard.

He also plans to build accessible sidewalks around the perimeter of the developments with two large bulb-outs to help with traffic calming.

“One very important component of this development is how it complies with town policy,” said Robson. “It complies with the town’s general plan, housing element and boulevard plan. The dealership, the way it is now, is blight ... "

The big divide on the Council was whether to keep the lot designated for future retail or rezone it for residential while missing out on future tax dollars.

School and traffic impacts were some of the concerns expressed by members of the public as they came up to the podium to voice their concerns.

“I am 110 percent comfortable with residential,” said McNutt. “The dealership is gone and it’s not coming back, that’s the reality. It’s a whacky business. There are plenty of other retail and commercial opportunities in this town.”

The Council also unanimously voted to approve the master plan for a multi-use sports field that will be located at 930 University Ave. The plan includes a 180-by-300-foot soccer stadium and will be named the Creekside Sports Park.

The plan was approved under the condition that town planning staff will draft up better proposals for sidewalk accessibility and a bridge alignment that would connect the sports field to the Los Gatos Creek Trail on the backside of the homes on Las Miradas Drive.

The Los Gatos Planning Commission unanimously approved the master plan during an Aug. 25 meeting.

According to plans, the park will have 41 parking spaces along with a snack bar and restrooms.

Officials with the town's Parks and Public Works Department have had several community meetings, working with local agencies like the Santa Clara Valley Water District and getting the development approved by the Los Gatos Parks Commission.

According to town staff, a groundbreaking ceremony will now take place on Oct. 18 to commemorate the start of the project while the council is expected to finalize all matters related to building by Jan. 17, 2012.

The council will then select a contractor and negotiate with the builder by March 2012. The complex is anticipated to be open by fall of 2012.