Los Gatos sorely needs more soccer fields for age group teams, no question about it. In fact, the town would be well served by the construction of a multi-field soccer complex for youth teams.

But to try to pressure the Sobrato Development Company to solve that problem by adding soccer fields to its Winchester Boulevard project is not the solution.

Sobrato has a plan in place for office space and housing—including affordable housing—on Winchester, a plan approved by the town. But the development company approached the planning commission with an amended plan that would cut the office space from 288,000-square feet to 120,000-square feet and increase the number of housing units from 135 apartments to 295—including a jump of 34 to 49 in affordable housing units.

The new plan seems to better serve the town's goals for the project by lowering the density and thereby lowering the traffic counts, while also increasing housing numbers. It seems like a win-win for the town and for Sobrato.

But the soccer community chose to take the opportunity of the public hearing to voice concerns for a lack of field space, and went so far as to request that Sobrato include soccer fields as part of its amended project.

That's not going to happen. Sobrato already has a plan approved—a plan not quite as acceptable for the town as the amended version—and the development company has indicated that it will go through with that plan should the new proposal be rejected.

The town needs to accept Sobrato's amended plan and disregard the soccer community's request for a piece of the site.

The town, however, should not ignore the pleas of the soccer parents, players and coaches. There is without question a need for additional field space in Los Gatos and Monte Sereno, and town officials should be sensitive that need.

Now is a perfect time for the community to begin a project that would lead to the construction of a soccer complex for youth. Civic leaders should work together with the soccer folks to get that ball rolling. The municipalities should not, however, build such a complex with public dollars. Resources should be solicited from private sources in the quest to build such a facility. John Shenk, senior vice president for Sobrato, has already indicated his company's interest in supporting such a plan.

This community has shown over and over its ability to raise funds for worthwhile projects. And what's more worthwhile than providing a safe and secure environment for our children?

The Sobrato development is going to be a great addition to Los Gatos, and so would a soccer complex for age group teams. It's just that, right now, one has nothing to do with the other.