1. Planning Approval—Retail enterprises are allowed as a matter of legal right under existing zoning at that location, which is not in the central business district (i.e., downtown) nor a residentially zoned property. There are no existing requirements in the town code for a conditional-use permit or any other discretionary approval for this retailer at that location. Consequently, there is no existing authority by which town staff, the Planning Commission and/or the Town Council could deny the operation of this retailer at this location. Future retailers could possibly face additional restrictions or processing requirements if the Town Council so amends the town code, but those changes could not be applied retroactively to this existing establishment.
2. Business License—The commercial enterprise has applied and paid for, and received, the required business license for both 2012 and 2013. This is not a discretionary act and any business in Los Gatos is required to obtain a business license. The Finance Department, which administers the business license program, could not legally deny providing a business license to this establishment.
3. Police Approval—The Police Department has received all required federal permit applications and notices required for the sale of firearms at this location. The Police Department has been and will be in regular contact with the business to ensure compliance with all federal and other firearm requirements and restrictions, including severe restrictions on the sale of certain types of firearms and the sale of any firearms to felons, juveniles and certain others, as well as required background checks and safe operations.
For further information, please contact the Chief of Police at (408) 354-6840 or Police@LosGatosCA.gov.
Greg Larson, town manager
I think you can answer this quickly Mr. Larson without much research. Thanks again for participating in this public venue. Getting involved should be one of your primary goals.
Our bureaucracy allowed this to happen. It is our staff that runs this town, not you , me or our elected officials. If you want a better explanation, contact our town manager: manager@losgatosca.gov . Hopefully he is reading this. Ask him how he allowed his staff to grant permission to allow retail in a commercial zoned district. If the rules were followed this would have required a public hearing at the planning commission level with public notice given so that we all could have given testimony. I congratulated him for participating in this public forum but I really doubt he has the cajones to reply to our concerns more than he has. So don't wait for an answer on this forum, email your questions now.
Rational, factual explanations would be best.
And yet ANOTHER misleading title. Sheila, Templar Sports, is opening a "Sporting Goods Store"! Firearms will be only one line of products they will be offering. To state "New Gun Store" is to make it sound like that is all they will retail. PLEASE stop your attempt to hype the firearm sales and focus on ALL of the facts. "Sporting Goods" does NOT equate to JUST firearms.
Our town staff has a propensity to not follow the rules as they are biased and subject to cronyism and self serving decisions. I merely want to point out that they are being observed . This gun/s.goods operator has every right to apply to open business where ever he wants, but if it does not meet town code then open hearings are required and should not be waived by staff. I wish them well in their venture, but rules are made to be followed, and the integrity of zoning districts should not be changed without approval of the planning commission and council.
You are correct in that I am trying to figure, in my head, what peoples fears are. My Significant Smother is one of the worlds most irrational woemen on the planet, when it comes to firearms* and when I read her sinti's post, the only thing she said was "How?". So, even irrational people question unsubstantiated fears. *Her fear/s come from an incident where her father, due to his own carelessness, blew off most of one of his biceps. I live with her fear/s and, mostly, keep my firearms out of sight. However, a gun in the safe doesn't do you any good when someone kicks in, or walks in, your front door, with bad intentions.
For those who are not familiear with firearms and only have liberal scare propoganda to base their feelings on, I offer to anyone over 21 to take them to a range and both demonstrate and have them practice fire arms safety. All they need to do is pay for the entrance fee to the range and the ammunition. I will furnish the guns.
you will see the area designated in purple. It is confusing as there is a adjoining parallel strip in pink of C1 zoning. I had to do a double look myself. The local gossip is that a town employee is a partner in the business. Perhaps that's why the permit was issued without following the rules. Thanks for looking it up though and I doubt the town manager will even go that far.
Or you, it appears. If you take the time to read the Ord, NO CUP required. If the state has CUP requirements you should take that up with the state, and not dis the town leadership without even reading the ord for yourself. Those who feed on rumors are small, suspicious souls. CHARLES R. SWINDOL
Consequently, I request the City Council, to give it equal regard and take all steps required to bring this within votable preview. Not leave it saying, it is out of their hands.
Consequently, I request the City Council, to give it equal regard and take all steps required to bring this within votable preview. Not leave it saying, it is out of their hands.
"There are no existing requirements in the town code for a conditional-use permit or any other discretionary approval for this retailer at that location.” Firstly, this raises the question was a loophole created by using some creative zoning manipulations. Secondly, this indicates that a loophole was very calculatedly exploited, in 5 ways: 1) Requesting/ selecting a location 2) In which town staff, the Planning Commission and/or the Town Council had no existing authority to deny the operation of this retailer. 3) It did not require adequate public notice and approval procedures 4) Cannot be granted restrictive or conditional license 5) Lastly cannot be touched retroactively though otherwise brown act provides provision for it.