The Los Gatos Planning Commission voted last week to forward plans to the town council to consider on Jan. 20, but with a recommendation that the council send the application back to the commission for more work. This would be achieved by extending Sobrato's vesting period—the time in which Sobrato must have begun major construction work in order to keep town permits of the project valid.

"If the council could give you some relief, then we could all sit down and breathe and get through this thing and make it work," said commission Chairman Paul Dubois.

Originally, Sobrato had proposed building 288,000 square feet of office space and 135 apartment units on Winchester Boulevard near Highway 85—a request the town approved in 2002. This year, Sobrato asked to modify those plans to include 120,000 square feet of office space and 290 apartment units.

"We have put our best foot forward," Sobrato's Senior Vice President John Shenk said about efforts to revise the plans. "I really think it is a vast improvement when looked at through the eyes of the town's general plan." The general plan is the town's guiding document on which criteria for new development projects are based.

The previous two hearings at planning commission meetings were continued, as commissioners gave specific directions on how to revise the plans, such as eliminating third floors on buildings, increasing the amount of open space and providing more affordable housing. The plans submitted last week did not reflect enough of the revisions as asked for, commissioners said. Commissioner Lee Quintana characterized the latest design as a "train wreck."

In all the meetings, members of the soccer community asked the town to require Sobrato to donate two acres for a soccer field. Two days before the planning commission meeting last week, commissioners and town council members received a petition signed by 200 families who again pushed for a soccer field.

"When you buy land in Los Gatos, you also buy into the community," said Monte Sereno resident Michele Jehenson. "[Sobrato] needs a community benefit, we have a community need."

When it came time to vote, Commissioner Phil Micciche moved to recommend to the town council that it approve the new plans, which he said is "significantly better" than the original design. However, he also asked that the new plans be approved with conditions to increase the number of affordable housing units and that Sobrato use its influence to help bring a field to town that all sports teams can use.

That motion died, however, for lack of a second vote. Commissioner Michael Burke then moved to recommend that the council not approve the project. Rather, he asked the council to extend Sobrato's vesting period and return the application to the commission.

Sobrato needs to provide more green space and modify its architecture, Burke said. "We need something that's less imposing if it's the largest project in Los Gatos," he said.

The commission voted 4-1 on Burke's motion, with commissioners Jeanne Drexel and Morris Trevithick absent. Additional comments from commissioners were for Sobrato to include a small retail space on its property and redefine its community benefits.

"I'm not trying to punish the developer. I'm trying to make this a better project for everybody," Burke said.