There are at least six (6) property owners on Phase II of the North 40. The Yuki family continues to own most of the land (15.65 acres) and has granted Grosvenor Americas an option to purchase the property for development. The other property owners are located mostly along Burton Road on the northernmost portion of the area.
Historically, land use programming for the Northern District (Phase II) of the North 40 Specific Plan called for predominantly commercial uses. However, after nearly two years of deliberation, the Specific Plan was amended on September 4, 2018 to allow an applicant the ability to propose an alternative development program. This amendment, which was informed by over a decade’s worth of conversations in Town, provides the Town flexibility to study different development programs besides the one outlined in the Specific Plan. Furthermore, the Town chose to include the remaining portion of the North 40 (Phase II) in the Town’s Housing Element, which was designed to satisfy the State’s Housing Element Law requirements for the period of 2023-2031. In total, 568 homes are now included in the Housing Element on Phase II, of which 464 homes are on property controlled by Grosvenor. The 450 homes proposed in our application are in substantial conformance with the Housing Element. Phase II was included in the Housing Element Overlay Zone re-zoning in December 2023. These actions all confirm the change in vision for Phase II.
Yes. Pursuant to SB 330, our Preliminary Application was deemed submitted by the Town of Los Gatos on April 17, 2023. Our full application was submitted to the Town on September 22, 2023 and is currently under review by Town Staff. The Architecture and Site Plan application number is S-23-031 and the Subdivision application is M-23-005 and the application can be found here: https://www.losgatosca.gov/2378/L
No, the Specific Plan does not need to be amended. Because the Project includes 20 percent of its homes at affordable levels for lower income households, and the Property is designated for lower income housing development in the Housing Element, inconsistent General Plan land use designations and zoning ordinance provisions (including Specific Plan provisions) are not applicable to the Project under Government Code section 65589.5(d)(5)(A) and therefore do not need to be amended.
The Town’s requirement for a project in size similar to Phase I is to provide a minimum number of Below-Market-Price (BMP) units equal to twenty percent (20%) of the market rate units. Fifty percent (50%) of the BMP units in a project should be priced to be affordable to Moderate Income Households; and fifty percent (50%) should be priced to be affordable to Low Income Households.
The total number of approved housing units on Phase I is 320. Of this, 237 housing units are considered to be the baseline market rate units of which the 20% affordable requirement should be calculated. This results in a requirement for 47.4 affordable units. Phase I provides 50 affordable units within the Eden housing program located at Market Hall—over the 20% requirement. The remaining 83 units (320 – 237 = 83) are units that were granted through the State Density Bonus program. The Density Bonus was achieved because over 5% of the residential units on Phase I were reserved for those at the Very Low Income threshold. In fact, over the past decade and likely longer, the North 40 is the only source of building permits for affordable housing at the Very Low Income threshold, which is for residents who earn between 30 and 50% of area median income.
Phase I of the North 40 spent ten times the Environmental Impact Report (EIR)-required offsite traffic mitigations to reduce Los Gatos/Lark Avenue traffic delay. The estimated cost for EIR-required improvements needed to mitigate traffic caused by the entire North 40 buildout was $950K. The additional improvements that were required by the Town in approving Phase I was $10.25M.
24 projects were approved by the Town of Los Gatos other than the North 40 between 2012 and 2016. Those projects are estimated to cause 13% more congestion, though no traffic upgrades were required. The EIR for the North 40 estimated that the entire project will add to congestion by only 2%. With the traffic upgrades required of the North 40, delays will be reduced by 26%.
Los Gatos Blvd
Lark Ave
Multi-Use Paths
SummerHill Homes is responsible for the current construction that is underway. The timing and hours of operation for their work is regulated by the Town of Los Gatos and they must also coordinate with work by PG&E which is not related to the North 40.
When the Town adopted its Housing Element and associated zoning standards in the Housing Element Overlay Zone (“HEOZ”), it relied on the certified 2040 General Plan EIR. This EIR analyzed the impacts of development throughout the Town pursuant to the Housing Element, including impacts associated with the development of the Project. Because the Project is consistent with the Housing Element, the Town has already studied all of the Project’s environmental impacts necessary to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). Moreover, the Town has designated development within the HEOZ as a “use by right,” which means consistent projects are not subject to discretionary review and are not subject to CEQA. However, to provide the Town and the public with additional information about the Project’s environmental effects, the Project will provide a checklist that compares the Project’s effects to the certified EIR. The checklist will demonstrate that development of the Project would not result in any new more severe environmental effects than the Town has already analyzed in the 2040 General Plan EIR and document the Project’s eligibility for the Community Plan Exemption (Pub. Res. Code § 21083.3; CEQA Guidelines § 15183.) from CEQA. Key impacts such as traffic, air quality, and noise will be studied.
Multi-family residential – average 1.5 spaces per unit
Townhomes – self-parked at 1 or 2 spaces per unit
Hotel – 1 space per room
Office – 3 spaces per 1000 sq. ft.
Retail/community – 3 spaces per 1000 sq. ft.
Note: These ratios are subject to change as we proceed with refining the concept and working with the Town and community.
Phase II is currently in the Campbell High School and Cambrian School District.
The Environmental Impact Report for the North 40 Specific Plan provides the following and further explanation of growth projections on page 3-173:
The Los Gatos Union School District’s master plan includes two future growth scenarios that include development of the Plan Area. One scenario predicts half density residential development at build-out and one predicts maximum residential development at build-out. The growth scenarios include the already approved residential projects and residential development at the Oka Road property and within the Plan Area. Projections for additional students from these projects range from about 100 to 200, with a total school district enrollment of up to 3,830 students by 2022. Combined development at Oka Road and the Plan Area would increase Louise Van Meter School enrollment by 25 to 50 students, and would increase Fisher Middle School enrollment by 40 to90 students by 2022 (Los Gatos Union School District 2012, pages 25 to 30).
Don Capobres, a Principal at Harmonie Park Development, was previously employed by Grosvenor Americas and managed the company’s involvement in the North 40 and relationship with the Yuki family since 2008. In 2016, Don founded Harmonie Park and entered into an agreement with Grosvenor to continue as a lead consultant on the project. The firm represented Grosvenor’s interest in Phase I of the North 40 until it was sold to SummerHill Homes in 2018. During that transition, Harmonie Park also became the developer for the retail portion of Phase I, which is now called The Junction. Harmonie Park continues to manage Grosvenor’s involvement Phase II of the North 40.
No. The Principals of Harmonie Park Development, Wendi Baker and Don Capobres, have been involved in the North 40 since 2008. They are pleased to implement the vision for the retail portion of The Junction as they and the Los Gatos community have always envisioned it.
The cornerstone of The Junction is still Market Hall, which is envisioned to be anchored by a specialty market.
To enhance the vision, Harmonie Park is moved the Gianandrea House (https://harmoniepark.com/projects/gianandrea-house-at-the-junction/) from Phase II of the North 40 to The Junction, to be an anchor to the district and to embrace and enhance the Town’s agrarian roots.