Politics & Government

Planners Hold Off on Ambitious Project Near Winchester Boulevard and Albright Way

Developer was hoping town officials would rezone land to allow for up to 550,000 square feet of office space, 516 multi-family units and up to 600 senior units.

The held off Wednesday evening on rezoning land that would have paved the way for up to 550,000 square feet of office space, 516 multi-family units and up to 600 senior units on a 21.6-acre site at the intersection of Albright Way and Winchester Boulevard.

After more than 10 speakers expressed concern about the ambivalence of the project, the lack of notification to neighborhoods located farther away than the 300-feet radius requirement, and the lack of understanding about the potential impact to the town, planners decided they needed more time to digest the proposal.

Project applicant John R. Shenk, speaking on behalf of property owner Mike White, Huetigg & Schromm Inc., explained that the development would be located in the northern part of Los Gatos, east of Winchester Boulevard and south of Highway 85. The land currently has 10 parcels in the Los Gatos Business Park or 250,000 square feet of office and research and development uses. 

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The 10 parcels include eight one-story and two two-story research and development buildings and office buildings. The buildings were constructed in the mid 1970s. The buildings would be razed to make way for the ambitious proposal.

Bob Shepherd, senior vice president of Colliers International, said he had leased and sold more than 250,000 square feet of office and research and development space in Los Gatos and that the project was needed by the town, because the existing buildings on the property are tired and dated. "I can tell you from a leasing perspective, they are not desirable," he said.

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The name of the town's biggest sales tax contributor——came up many times during the meeting. Several letters in support of the rezoning of Albright Way and Winchester Boulevard were submitted to planners, but there were also missives against the rezoning. 

Those favoring the rezoning included Netflix.

A letter written by Amy Dee, director of procurement and corporate facilities for Netflix, said the company has now grown to become the world's leading Internet subscription service for movies and TV shows in North America. 

Dee said the current headquarter campus at 100 Winchester Circle can no longer accommodate his employees. "We'd like to stay in Los Gatos but are concerned about the ultimate availability of space to the south and north," she wrote.

Shepherd noted that the land is exactly what Netflix needs to expand its operations.

As presented Wednesday evening, the project would have buildings up to four or five stories with a maximum height of 85 feet. Town code currently allows heights of 35 feet for buildings.

The project has been exempt from the story pole policy, because erecting them to 85 feet would be infeasible and potentially unsafe to replicate with temporary structures, according to a staff report. 

The property is located next to the , the Charter Oaks neighborhood, the headquarters, the Vasona Light Rail line and the .

In the end, planners said they needed more time to study the project and for residents in town to understand its implications. 

Residents like Sarah Chaffin and Richard Erbst complained that they had been caught off guard by the proposal.

"I'm against changing zoning that gives a developer carte blanche over 20 years for uses that are vague and are not compatible with the town's character," said Mitzi Anderson. "There should be a format for town residents to comment on a project that could add 2,000-plus residents and have buildings twice the height of the current buildings in town."

According to a staff report, the regional housing needs allocation for Los Gatos is 562 total housing units from Jan. 1, 2007, to June 30, 2014. Between Jan. 1, 2007, and June 30, 2009, the town has approved or built 41 units, leaving a remaining unmet 521 units. 

Other concerns expressed by residents were impacts to traffic, schools and the environment.

"This is a big project, but the community doesn't know anything about it," said commissioner Thomas O'Donnell. "This was like the sun coming up unexpectedly ... This is a very significant project."

Similarly, commissioners Marico Sayoc, Marcia Jensen, Charles Erekson, Joanne Talesfore and Jane Ogle said they needed more time to evaluate the proposal.

"This is a very complex project ... This has put me out of my comfort zone," said commissioner Erekson in asking for more time.

Commissioner Jensen asked the developer for more specific information as to what he would build on the land and for answers about the building height, improvements he would make to the Los Gatos Creek Trail, and access to a developer agreement, a document many commissioners said they hadn't seen or weren't sure it existed.

When Shenk could not promise commissioners he could come back with detailed information about what would be included in the project, Jensen suggested the issue be sent to the Town Council with a "no" recommendation.

However, commissioner O'Donnell made a motion to hold off on the matter for a date uncertain to give the developer more time to answer their questions and for the community to learn more about the proposal. His motion was seconded by Erekson. The item was continued by a 5-1 vote, with Jensen voting against it, because she said holding off would not be productive. Commissioner John Bourgeois recused himself due to a conflict of interest.


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