Members of the commission voted to reject the application after a consensus on the application could not be reached.

At issue is the vision of the North Forty, a 40-acre parcel of land bounded by Los Gatos Boulevard, Lark Avenue, Highway 17 and Highway 85. Although the town council has not adopted a specific plan for this area, the town has draft measures to guide development in the North Forty.

Specifically, the plan calls for a commercial mixed development, including retail and office space. The draft guideline also reserves the front of buildings on Los Gatos Boulevard specifically for retail, entertainment and dining facilities. Office space on Los Gatos Boulevard should be located to the rear or interior of the site.

The proposed medical office would be located on Los Gatos Boulevard. Individual practitioners, such as pain-management specialists as well as plastic surgeons, would use the space.

The applicants, however, asked the planning commission to approve the development without any retail component, based on the services the facility would offer.

"We would urge you that the community benefit in the project is superior to any retail," said Jon Lien, the project's architect.

Many doctors also spoke of being able to live and work in Los Gatos, something they felt would not happen without approval of the development.

"This particular site is very important to us because we have outgrown any medical space here," said Peter Abaci, a pain-management specialist. Abaci said that his practice has grown significantly during the last few years and needed to move to a more appropriate space.

As an additional community benefit, the developers offered to start a foundation for a soccer field in town. The group would also contribute $20,000 toward the purchase of a field and hold a fundraiser in the spring to raise additional funds for future maintenance costs.

Planning commissioners believed that they did not have a clear direction from the town council to make a decision on the matter.

"We need to have a specific plan in the North Forty. If we are going to have retail, then let's build retail, not offices," said Planning Commission Chairman Paul Dubois.

The next planning commission meeting will take place Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in council chambers, 110 E. Main St.