PREPARED BY: Erin M. Walters
Senior Planner
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Community Development Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 08/18/2026
ITEM NO: 1
ADDENDUM B
DATE: August 17, 2026
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Chris Constantin, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Consider a Request for Approval to Construct a Multi-Family Residential Development (138 units), a Condominium Vesting Tentative Map, Remove Large Protected Trees, and Site Improvements Requiring a Grading Permit Under Senate Bill 330 (SB330) on Vacant Properties Zoned R-1:8:HEOZ and R:1-8. Located at 14789 Oka Road. APN’s 424-08-074 and -035. Architecture and Site Application S-24-052, Subdivision Application M-24-017, and Mitigated Negative Declaration Application ND-26-001. An Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration Have Been Prepared. Property Owner:
Edward Morimoto, Yuki Farms, LLC. Applicant: Erik Hayden, Urban Catalyst.
Project Planner: Erin Walters.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Town Council consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation and adopt a Resolution to approve a request to construct a multi-family residential development (138 units), a Condominium Vesting Tentative Map, remove large protected trees, and site improvements requiring a Grading Permit under Senate Bill 330 (SB330) on vacant properties zoned R-1:8:HEOZ and R:1-8 located at 14789 Oka Road.
REMARKS:
Public comments received between 3:01 p.m., Friday, August 14, 2026, and 3:00 p.m., Monday, August 17, 2026, are included as Attachment 9.
PAGE 2 OF 2
SUBJECT: 14789 Oka Road/S-24-052, M-24-017 and ND-26-001 DATE: August 17, 2026
ATTACHMENTS:
Previously Received with the August 18, 2026, Staff Report:
1. Draft Resolution making the required findings and approving the applications subject to the Conditions of Approval (included as Exhibit A)
2. May 27, 2026, Planning Commission Staff Report, with Exhibits 1 through 20
3. May 26, 2026, Planning Commission Addendum, with Exhibit 21
4. May 27, 2026, Planning Commission Desk Item, with Exhibit 22
5. May 27, 2026, Planning Commission Verbatim Minutes
6. Applicant’s Letter regarding the Inapplicability of ODS Section B.4.5
7. Public Comments Received Between 11:01 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Previously Received with the August 14, 2026, Addendum Report:
8. Public comments received by 3:00 p.m., Friday, August 14, 2026 Received with this Addendum B Report:
9. Public comments received by 3:00 p.m., Monday, August 17, 2026 From: Jenny Huang <j
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2026 1:30 PM
To: Erin Walters <[email protected]>
Cc: Charlie Huang
Subject: Aug 18 Town Council Response: 14789 Oka Road
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
Hi Erin,
My extended family and I are long-term residents of the Oka neighborhood. I am writing to voice opposition to the planned development on the orchard alongside Oka Road. Adding more housing, particularly high-density housing, without proper consideration of current traffic and emergency routes shows a disregard for public safety. There is only one entry and exit point to the neighborhood via Oka Road. Increasing the population of residents in this area will make an already horrendous problem worse.
In addition, I can't tell you how many times I've seen cars run or nearly run the red light on Lark Ave and Oka Road. This is a serious safety hazard, especially for the children who ride their bikes to school. Traffic routinely backs up during the 5pm rush hour. Adding more people and cars will worsen the situation.
I would like the town to offer an alternative to this planned development, and communicate a revised emergency evacuation plan to address our concerns.
Thanks,
Jenny, on behalf of the Huang family
ATTACHMENT 9
From: Richard Capatosto >
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2026 9:14 AM
To: Erin Walters <[email protected]>
Subject: 14789 Oka Road Development - Comments for LG Town Council [EXTERNAL SENDER]
Hi Erin,
Long time no see (since Leadership Los Gatos). Hope you're doing well! Just wanted to add some comments for the special meeting of the Town Council tomorrow night re: the Oka Road project:
Dear Mayor and Members of the Town Council,
I am writing regarding the proposed 138-unit development at 14789 Oka Road. I understand the applicant has invoked SB 330 and the Builder's Remedy, and I recognize this limits the Council's discretion to deny the project on density or General Plan-consistency grounds.
My comments are therefore directed at issues the Town retains clear legal authority to address: the adequacy of the environmental review, and objective health-and-safety and engineering standards governing emergency access and traffic safety.
1. The Mitigated Negative Declaration does not meet the CEQA threshold for this project.
Under CEQA, a Mitigated Negative Declaration is only appropriate where there is no "fair argument," based on substantial evidence, that the project may have a significant, unmitigated effect on the environment (Pub. Resources Code § 21080(c)(1); CEQA Guidelines §§ 15064(f), 15065). Given the project's location — adjacent to SR-17, near the Los Gatos Creek riparian corridor, and within or near a Wildland-Urban Interface area identified in the Town's own 2020 Ad Hoc Wildfire Committee Report — I believe there is substantial evidence supporting a fair argument that the project may have significant, unstudied effects on:
• Emergency evacuation capacity and response times in a fire or other emergency; • Traffic safety and level of service at the Oka Road site driveways, particularly given proximity to the SR-17/SR-85 interchange; and
• Pedestrian and bicyclist safety along the Oka Road frontage.
I respectfully request that the Town require a focused or full Environmental Impact Report addressing these specific topics, or at minimum require supplemental technical studies (see below) be completed and released for public review before the Council acts on the Vesting Tentative Map.
2. The project's emergency access and evacuation adequacy has not been demonstrated.
The Town's own 2020 Ad Hoc Wildfire Committee Report specifically flags that roads which are too narrow, or which lack sufficient width, grade, or turning radius, cannot safely accommodate simultaneous two-way traffic of emergency responders entering and residents evacuating during a wildfire or other emergency. The project as described relies on two driveways off Oka Road as primary site access for 138 units. I have not seen a project-specific analysis demonstrating that this access configuration satisfies:
• California Fire Code (as adopted by Santa Clara County Fire District) requirements for fire apparatus access and secondary/emergency access to developments of this density;
• Government Code § 65302(g)(4), which requires that a jurisdiction's Safety Element — and by extension, discretionary approvals in fire-risk-adjacent areas — address evacuation routes, their capacity, and bottlenecks; and • Basic "two ways out" principles now standard in California fire-hazard-adjacent subdivision review.
I request that, as a condition of approval, the Town require Santa Clara County Fire District to certify in writing that the site's ingress/egress and internal circulation meet current fire apparatus access and evacuation standards for a development of this unit count and density, and that this certification — along with any supporting technical analysis — be made part of the public record before final approval.
3. Traffic and circulation impacts on Oka Road have not been adequately studied for safety, not just capacity.
Oka Road serves a Jewish Community Center, is near a freeway interchange, and per the project description will include new sidewalks, a planting strip, on-street parking, and a bicycle lane along the frontage. Adding two new driveways serving 138 units to this roadway raises safety questions that a standard vehicle-delay/level-of-service analysis does not capture:
• Sight-distance and conflict points between exiting vehicles and children or other cyclists using the new bike lane;
• Adequacy of any proposed turn lanes, signage, or traffic calming at the site driveways given approach speeds on Oka Road; and
• Cumulative effect of construction-period and post-occupancy trip generation on an already interchange-adjacent corridor.
I request that the Council condition approval on a project-specific Traffic Safety and Circulation Study — not merely a trip-generation/VMT memo — that specifically evaluates sightlines and conflict points at each driveway, warrants for turn lanes or signalization, and pedestrian/bicycle crossing safety, with mitigation (e.g., raised crosswalks, protected bike lane striping, driveway sight-triangle easements, or a reduction in the number of driveway curb cuts) incorporated as binding conditions of approval rather than aspirational design guidance.
4. Requested conditions of approval.
Regardless of the Council's ultimate decision on the entitlements, I ask that the following be made binding, objective conditions of approval, consistent with the Town's authority to impose health-and-safety-based conditions even on a Builder's Remedy project:
1. Written certification from Santa Clara County Fire District that ingress/egress and internal circulation meet current fire and life-safety access standards for the proposed density;
2. A supplemental traffic safety study addressing sightlines, conflict points, and bicycle/pedestrian safety at both driveways, completed and released for public review before final Council action;
3. Physical traffic-calming and protected bicycle infrastructure along the Oka Road frontage, engineered to current Caltrans/NACTO safety guidance rather than minimum code; and
4. A publicly available evacuation and emergency-access plan for the completed development, coordinated with County Fire and the Town's Office of Emergency Management.
Thank you for considering these comments. I support the Town ensuring that any development of this scale on Oka Road — however it is entitled — meets rigorous, objective safety standards for the people who will live there and the neighbors who will share the road with them.
Respectfully,
Richard Capatosto
, Los Gatos 95032
-----Original Message-----
From: Gus Who
Sent: Saturday, August 15, 2026 10:41 PM
To: Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: 8/18/26 @ 5pm - Public Comment
[EXTERNAL SENDER]
To whom it may concern,
I object to this kind of sneaky “Special Town Hall Meeting” as this is exactly how the North 40 Phase 2 past by the public eye. … 593 pages to look over on this time frame? The town did not notify the residence to such meetings, as emails shown in, and on the record were reported …( after the fact to the Town Attorney… that residence next door to the project asked to be notified!
…also “Last minute submissions”??)
Note- Last Town hall meeting, Aug. 4, 2026 James W. (@18:02 on video recording) a manager of a gift shop pointed out a major problem to the TRAFFIC PROBLEM that gridlock “residents in Los Gatos for 45 minutes just to move a quarter of a mile” … calling out the mayor, vice mayor, and council member who vote for these very shady and possibly corrupt deals.. as the more conservative question by council member Mary Badame, concerned about required, turns radius in the street that she noticed, and the attorney for the project, stated to “ a jeep turn” and people with knowledge had questioned this statement.
So PLEASE FOR THE SAKE OF THE TOWN PEOPLE.
1st “Prove that “Theory of Relativity” to a radius of a jeep in North 40… If it does not pass, immediately close off North 40 phase 2, like this Town did with the SOCCER FIELD recently leaving 3,500 kids without a place to play soccer!
If it passes this Theory, than the owner/ developer and Attorney clear the quarter billion of dollars that the town puts a bunch of mentally challenged children in 5 story apartment building less than 500 feet from a major offramp into Los Gatos from 17 and called this a win for Los Gatos?
The kicker, that this meeting starts at 5, and must be done around 6:15 .. just shows EVERYONE, how corrupt this process has become. (? 1 minute verbal time possible) I Like to know how the people that brave the traffic at 5 pm and show up and not be able to speak… are going to say?
Respectfully Submitted,
Albert Einstein
All Rights Reserved
©️®️
From: BONNIE VIEW PARK
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2026 12:42 PM
To: Erin Walters <[email protected]>; Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Comments for teh 8/18 meeting for 14789 Oka Road [EXTERNAL SENDER]
Hi Erin and town Clerk,
I hope this is not to late to be added to tomorrow's meeting regarding the 14789 Oka development. I have been ill for 2 weeks and am not well enough to attend. I dragged myself to the office today with the hopes this could be added. I know its a little late.
Thank you for your consideration.
Dear Members of the Town Council and Planning Commission, I am writing regarding the proposed development at 14789 Oka Road, which is immediately adjacent to our mobile home community on Oka Road.
Unfortunately, I am unable to attend this evening's hearing due to illness. Because the original hearing was postponed, I wanted to submit this letter so that several commitments made by the developer, Eric Hayden, during our discussions regarding the project are included in the public record.
As the owner and operator of the neighboring mobile home community, I met with Mr.
Hayden to discuss concerns regarding the project's potential impact on our residents. In addition, Mr. Hayden met with one of our residents, Lana Gerasimova, to discuss specific safety concerns related to the proposed site entrance. During these discussions, several modifications to the project were presented in response to concerns raised by our community, including the following:
• Tree replacement and infrastructure protection: The developer indicated that the redwood trees originally proposed approximately three feet from our shared property line would be replaced with Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry' trees, a less intrusive species more appropriate for the location. He also stated that an underground root barrier would be installed along the shared property line to help protect the newer sewer and water infrastructure serving our community from future root intrusion and damage.
• Perimeter wall: The developer represented that a substantial concrete wall would be constructed along the common property line to help reduce noise and light impacts on the residents of our mobile home community.
• Improved site entrance: After discussing concerns about the original entrance configuration with our resident, Lana Gerasimova, the developer reviewed a revised entrance design she prepared to address the potential for vehicles to inadvertently travel toward an existing home located adjacent to the entrance, including a child's bedroom. We understand that he agreed to incorporate this revised design, which improves both traffic safety and the overall appearance of the entrance.
My purpose in submitting this letter is not to express support for or opposition to the proposed development. I recognize that the Town must evaluate the project under the legal framework applicable to Builders Remedy developments. Rather, my intent is to ensure that the commitments discussed by the developer with respect to protecting our community are included in the public record.
These proposed modifications are important to the residents who live immediately adjacent to the development, as they address concerns involving infrastructure protection, traffic safety, and quality of life. It is my understanding that these measures would be incorporated into the project if it is approved.
Accordingly, I respectfully request that, should the project receive approval, these measures be incorporated into the final project plans and implemented as represented.
Doing so will provide accountability and help ensure that the commitments made during discussions with our community are ultimately carried through.
If the project is approved, I look forward to continuing to work cooperatively with Mr.
Hayden throughout the development process. My hope is that we can maintain open communication as the agreed-upon project modifications are implemented and work together to minimize construction impacts on our neighboring residents. I believe that ongoing collaboration will help make the construction process as smooth as possible for both the new development and our existing community.
Thank you for your time and consideration of these comments.
Respectfully,
Rachel Hinojosa
Owner/Operator
Bonnie View Mobile Home Park
Rachel Hinojosa
Operations Manager
Bonnie View Park
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95032 408.357.7429 • 408.358.7311 fax•
www.jvalley.org
Officers
Chair
Ruth Fletcher
Treasurer
Peter Noymer
Legal at Large, Secretary
Virginia Hess
Vice Chair, Leadership Development
Peter Hoffman
Vice Chair, Community Building
Michal Shoham
Vice Chair, Governance
Arnnon Geshuri
Vice Chair, at Large
Hayley Charnaw
Chief Executive Officer
Daniel Klein
Directors
Rabbi Josh Berkenwald
Robert Chortek
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Marc Wiesner
Harnessing the power of community to improve lives, build bridges of understanding, and strengthen the Jewish people here, in Israel, and around the world.
August 17, 2026
Mayor and Members of the Town Council
Town of Los Gatos
110 E. Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
RE: 14789 Oka Road Development
Dear Mayor and Members of the Town Council:
On behalf of Jewish Silicon Valley (JSV) we are writing regarding the proposed residential development at 14789 Oka Road immediately adjacent to our campus.
Jewish Silicon Valley at the Levy Family Campus (LFC) is home to the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center (APJCC) and Yavneh, a K-8 Jewish Day School. Our campus serves tens of thousands of children, families, older adults, students, staff and community members each year.
Considering the scale and proximity of the proposed construction, our focus is ensuring appropriate protections for the safety, security, access and ongoing operation of JSV-both during construction and once the development is occupied.
We recognize many broader issues regarding the project are before the Council. JSV’s comments are focused specifically on the project’s direct impact on our campus and the protections necessary to allow us to continue serving our community safely and effectively.
We appreciate the applicant’s willingness to meet with us and discuss our concerns. While those conversations have been constructive, we do not yet have written commitments regarding several matters important to our operations. We therefore respectfully ask the Town to address the following through the Conditions of Approval, Construction Management Plan or other appropriate and enforceable mechanisms.
1. CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION, PROTECTION OF SCHOOLS:
We request a designated construction liaison, a clear construction schedule, and reasonable advance notice of major or disruptive activity, including work affecting utilities, roads, access, major deliveries or campus operations.
Construction planning should recognize periods of intensive campus use, including preschool, school, summer camp and major community events and include appropriate measures to mitigate dust, debris, noise and vibration, particularly around children’s and outdoor programming.
The Conditions of Approval should also require appropriate physical separation between construction activities and areas used by children, including secure fencing and access controls, and prohibit unauthorized construction personnel from entering JSV property.
2. TRAFFIC, ACCESS AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS:
Safe and reliable access to the campus must be maintained throughout construction, including normal ingress and egress, camps, school and preschool drop-off and pick-up and emergency vehicle access.
Construction vehicles, deliveries, staging and haul routes should be managed to minimize interference with campus operations and traffic on Oka Road. We also ask the Town to evaluate the project’s long-term impact on access and circulation immediately surrounding our campus, including signal timing.
3. PARKING AND PROTECTION OF JSV PROPERTY:
JSV’s parking lots are private property and essential to our operations. Construction workers, contractors and subcontractors shall not use JSV property for parking, staging, loading, vehicle turnaround or construction access. The project’s construction and parking plans should fully accommodate these needs on the project site or elsewhere without shifting the burden-or associated enforcement security costs to JSV.
Following occupancy, project residences and their guests should not use JSV’s private parking facilities and JSV parking should not be identified or represented as available for the development.
4. SECURITY, PRIVACY AND THE SHARED PERIMETER:
Security must be considered in both construction planning and the project’s permanent design. Given that the project is immediately adjacent to our campus, we request coordination with JSV regarding the shared perimeter and any additional security measures reasonably necessary as a result of the development.
These measures may include enhanced fencing, controlled-access vehicle and pedestrian gates, landscaping and screening and other security access control measures. Particular consideration should be given to privacy and sightlines from the new development into the school, playground and other campus areas used by children and for outdoor programming.
We ask that the applicant, JSV, Town Staff and appropriate public safety personnel identify necessary security improvements, mitigation measures and responsibility for implementation before construction begins.
Because some security considerations are sensitive, detailed discussions should occur directly among Town personnel, the applicant, public safety officials and JSV rather than through the public hearing process.
5. INFRASTRCUTURE AND PROTECTION OF ADJACENT PROPERTY:
Appropriate measures should address drainage, runoff, utility impacts and constructionrelated damage to streets, sidewalks, landscaping or JSV property. Existing conditions along the shared boundary should be documented before major construction begins to clearly identify responsibility for any construction related damage.
6. FORMAL AND ENFORCEABLE COORDINATION:
Most importantly, we ask that these protections not depend solely on informal understanding between neighbors.
Where legally appropriate, we respectfully request that the Town incorporate these matters in the the project’s Conditions of Approval Construction Management Plan or other enforceable project requirements.
We also request a formal pre-construction meeting between Town Staff, the applicant, its general contractor and JSV to confirm these protections, establish communication protocols, identify appropriate security and property mitigation measures and address outstanding issues before significant constructions begins.
We recognize that construction of this scale will inevitably create some disruption. Our request is reasonable planning, communication and enforceable protections that allow Jewish Silicon Valley, the APJCC, and Yavneh Day School to continue operating safely and effectively throughout construction while establishing the foundation for a successful longterm relationship with our new neighbors.
We respectfully ask the Town Council to ensure that these protections are incorporated, where appropriate in the project’s approval and that a formal coordination process with JSV is established before construction begins.
Thank you for your consideration and for your service to the Los Gatos Community.
Ruth Fletcher
Board Chair
Jewish Silicon Valley
Daniel Klein,
Chief Executive Officer
Jewish Silicon Baley
Diana Schnabel-Arevalo
Chief Operating Officer
Jewish Silicon Valley