Developers get approval for two of three houses
By Nathan R. Huff
Francis Oaks Way developers received planning commission approval on Nov. 16, for two of the three new homes on the hillside street, much to the neighbors' chagrin. However, commissioners denied a third home, saying it would impact the ridgeline.
The applications--a demolition and three houses in the 4,000-5,000-square-foot range--had been continued several times by the commission. After calling for a reduction in sizes in May, the commission went in a whole new direction in June, ordering a cumulative impact study for the proposals.
Faced with a looming Permit Streamlining Act deadline imposed by the state, the commission chose to unanimously approve the homes at 15451 and 15471 Francis Oaks Way. The homes had all been reduced substantially from the original 6,000-square-foot plans, and the cumulative environmental-impact study had recommended a mitigated negative declaration for all three projects.
But commissioners voted 5-0 to deny 15491 Francis Oaks Way, saying the home protruded above the ridgeline, which is a violation of the town's hillside specific plan.
"From the beginning we have talked about this home being on the ridgeline, being visible, [and] about the viewshed, and we have asked that this be addressed satisfactorily," Commissioner Suzanne Müller said. "I think it is obvious from the comments tonight that it hasn't been."
T.H.I.S. developer Tony Jeans said the home had been lowered considerably to minimize ridgeline impact. "To make a house have a maximum peak height of 21 feet is very tough," Jeans said. "We've done that."
Jeans, attorneys for the developer and a slew of neighbors also spent considerable time at the Nov. 16 meeting, arguing over the definition of a ridgeline. Developers argued that there were many steps along a hillside, and not all of them could be considered ridgelines. Neighbors countered with the more stringent "water running in two directions" definition, meaning rainwater falling on the "ridge" would flow down both sides.
Neighbors also questioned the developer's mitigation strategy for blocking any potential view of the h ome from the valley floor. "Planting trees to block the view of a house on a ridgeline is not the intent of what's written in the General Plan," Francis Oaks Way resident Diane McLaughlin said.
Francis Oaks Way residents have fought the applications on numerous grounds since they first came to the planning commission in May. Issues of traffic on the narrow street, drainage, viewsheds and tree removal have all been concerns.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
