Agenda — Monte Sereno City Council, August 19, 2025

AGENDA
City of Monte Sereno
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
City Council
7:00 PM
Monte Sereno City Council Chambers - 18041 Saratoga -
Los Gatos Road, Monte Sereno, Ca 95030

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documents in the agenda packet can be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability.

Page

CALL TO ORDER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL

ORDERS OF THE DAY
The Mayor, or a majority of the Council by vote, may change the order of business, except for public hearings on the agenda for a set time.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRESENTATIONS

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Persons wishing to address the Council on any matter of City business not listed on the agenda may do so at this time. Each speaker will normally be allotted three minutes, subject to the Mayor or a majority of the Council’s ability to limit the amount of time allocated to speakers based on the number of speakers and the need for expedient administration of City business in light of the number and length of items on the agenda.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Copies of communications have been provided to Council for review prior to this meeting. Council Members desiring to read or discuss any written communication may do so at this time. No action may be taken except to place a particular item on a future agenda for Council consideration.

CONSENT CALENDAR
It is recommended that all items listed below be acted on simultaneously unless separate discussion and/or action is required by a Councilmember. One public comment period will be provided, although speakers speaking on more than one item may be allocated additional time by the Mayor or a majority of the Council.

1. Approve the Minutes of the August 5, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting
Staff recommends approval of the Minutes of the August 5, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting.

Staff Report -SR-22-148 - Pdf
6 - 12

2. Approve Warrant List Dated August 12, 2025 in the Amount $53,320.53 Staff recommends the City Council approve the Warrant List.

Staff Report - SR-25-164 - Pdf
13 - 15

3. Consider Adoption of Resolution 25-3936.1 to Increase the Number of Youth Commissioners for the 2025-2026 School Year from Seven to Nine
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution 25-3936.1 16 - 19

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which increases the number of Youth Commission members from seven to nine for the 2025-2026 School Year.

Staff Report - SR-25-155 - Pdf

PUBLIC HEARINGS

4. Application 2025-3042 for a Tentative Parcel Map to subdivide one lot into two lots at 15541 Palos Verdes Drive. (CEQA: Exempt, Guidelines sections 15315)
The Site and Architectural Commission recommend the City Council approve the Tentative Parcel Map in that the proposed subdivision is consistent with the City’s General Plan goals, policies, and land use designation of single-family residential 2 Dwelling Units/Acre; complies with the development standards of the R-1-20 zoning district; and meets applicable requirements of the City’s subdivision regulations.

Staff Report - SR-25-160 - Pdf
20 - 42

5. Application 2025-3034 for a Site Development Permit for a single-story addition of approximately 829 square feet and a second-story addition of approximately 1,289 square feet and a Variance application for reduced side yard setback of 22 feet where 25 feet is required at 17951 Saratoga Los Gatos Road. (CEQA: Exempt, Guidelines sections 15302, 15303) The Site and Architectural Commission recommends that the City Council approve the Site Development Permit with the condition that the second story addition comply with the setback requirements and deny the Variance for a reduced second story setback.

Staff Report - SR-25-161 - Pdf
43 - 65

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

6. Consider Three (3) Applications and Appoint Three (3) Additional Members to the 2025-2026 Monte Sereno Youth Commission
Staff recommends that the City Council consider three (3) applications and appoint three (3) additional members for the 2025-2026 Monte Sereno Youth Commission.

Staff Report - SR-25-156 - Pdf
66 - 74

NEW BUSINESS

7. Selection of Vice Mayor to Fill the Recently Vacated Position Staff recommends the City Council select a Vice Mayor to fill the recently vacated position.

Staff Report - SR-25-157 - Pdf
75 - 88

8. Filling the Vacant Council Seat
Staff recommends the City Council direct staff on how to proceed regarding filling the recently vacated City Council seat. 89 - 95

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Staff Report - SR-25-158 - Pdf

9. Consider Establishment of and Appointment to the Monte Sereno City Council Potential Police Service Parcel Tax Ad Hoc Committee Staff recommends the City Council consider creation of a Potential Police Service Parcel Tax Ad Hoc Committee and the appointment of two Councilmembers.

Staff Report - SR-25-162 - Pdf
96 - 99

10. Update on the City Council Adopted Goal to Improve Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness and Provide any Direction to Staff
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the status update on the City Council adopted goal to Improve Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness and provide any direction to staff.

Staff Report - SR-25-159 - Pdf
100 - 124

11. Consider and Accept the City Manager's Quarterly Report Covering April 1, 2025 through June 30, 2025
Staff recommends that the City Council consider and accept the City Manager's report
Staff Report - SR-25-163 - Pdf
125 - 127

COMMITTEE/COMMISSION REPORTS
This time is set aside to allow Councilmembers serving on Council committees or appointed by the City to serve on the boards, commissions or committees of other agencies to present a verbal report on the activities of the respective boards, commissions or committees on which they serve. No discussion or action may be taken other than to place the matter on a future agenda.

Pending Reassignment
Cities Association – Board of Directors
Cities Association – Legislative Action Committee
Cities Association - Cities Selection Committee
Allan
Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority
Association of Bay Area Governments
League of California Cities Peninsula Division
Mekechuk
Valley Transportation Authority Policy Advisory Committee West Valley Stormwater Authority
West Valley Solid Waste Management Authority Board
Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority
Santa Clara County Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission Shannon

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Santa Clara Valley Water Commission
West Valley Sanitation District Board
Craig
Monte Sereno Youth Commission
Santa Clara County Library JPA
West Valley Mayors & Managers
Mayors of Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County Mayors Group

COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS
This time is set aside to allow Councilmembers to make brief announcements or reports on the Councilmember’s own activities. No discussion or action may be taken other than to place the matter on a future agenda.

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
This time is set aside to allow Councilmembers to make a specific request for an item to be placed on a future agenda. No discussion or other action may be taken.

12. Council Tentative Council Meeting Calendar 2025 128 - 137

RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION

13. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL- EXISTING LITIGATION
Government Code Section 54956.9
Case Name: Calhoun v. City of Monte Sereno et al.- Santa Clara County Superior Court
Case No.: 23CV424337
Staff Present: City Attorney, City Manager

RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION

CLOSED SESSION REPORT

ADJOURN
* All items on the agenda are subject to action/or change by the City Council In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk (408) 354-7635. If requested of the City Clerk, agendas and documents in the agenda packet can be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability.

Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. [28CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title II]

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: CONSENT CALENDAR
Staff Contact: Gloisy Gonzalez-Langarica, City Clerk
Department: City Clerk
Title: Approve the Minutes of the August 5, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting Recommendation(s):

Staff recommends approval of the Minutes of the August 5, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting.

Fiscal Impact:

There are no unbudgeted fiscal impacts with this agenda item.

Public Noticing:

The City Council’s agenda was posted at City Hall and the agenda and this report appear on the City’s website.

Attachments:
08-05-25 Regular Meeting Minutes Draft

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MONTE SERENO CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING
7:00 p.m.

August 05, 2025

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
At approximately 7:01 p.m., Mayor Craig called the meeting to order.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Council lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

ROLL CALL
Present – Chambers: Councilmember Allan, Councilmember Shannon, Councilmember Mekechuk and Mayor Craig
Present – Remote: None

Absent: None
Staff: City Clerk Gonzalez-Langarica, City Manager Perkins and City Attorney Powell
Staff – Remote: None

ORDERS OF THE DAY
Mayor requested to move Item #7 under Unfinished Business as the first Item and Item # 4 under Consent Calendar to the end of the meeting.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Allan to accept changes in the orders of the day. Seconded by Councilmember Mekechuk.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Craig shared that due to health reasons, Vice Mayor Ellahie resigned from the Council.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

7. Consider Three (3) Applications and Appoint One (1) Additional Member to the 2025-2026 Monte Sereno Youth Commission
Mayor Craig requested this item be continued at the next Council meeting.

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MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Mekechuk to have this item continued to the next City Council meeting. Seconded by Councilmember Allan.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

NEW BUSINESS

1. Consider and Accept the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Financial Audit Report City Manager Perkins provided a staff report.

David Alvey, CP Audit Partner with Maze and Associates, was available to assist with questions from Council.

Discussion ensued.

Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Comment. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Comment.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Mekechuk to Accept the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Financial Audit Report. Seconded by Councilmember Shannon.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None.

CONSENT CALENDAR (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)

2. Approve the Minutes of the June 17, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting, the Minutes of June 24, 2025 Joint Special Meeting of the City Council and Site & Architectural Commission, and the Minutes of June 27, 2025 and July 24, 2025 Special and Regular City Council Meeting

3. Approve Warrant List Dated July 30, 2025 in the Amount $468,115.00

4. Consider Approval of Updated Job Descriptions

5. Adoption of Ordinance NS-246, and Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Monte Sereno Amending the Municipal Code Section 12.03.020.A and 12.03.020 to Decrease the Number of Youth Commissioners and Amend the Appointment Process
Mayor Craig opened the Consent Calendar for Public Comment. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Wolsheimer closed Public Comment.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Mekechuk to approve Items #2 and 5 on the Consent Calendar. Seconded by Councilmember Allan.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)
MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Shannon to approve Item #3 on the Consent Calendar. Seconded by Councilmember Allan.

VOTE: Motion passed. (3-0-1 Abstain: Mekechuk)

PUBLIC HEARING

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6. Consider Objections to the 2025 Weed Abatement Program Assessment Report and Adopt a Resolution Confirming the Report and Authorizing Collection of the Assessment Charges City Clerk Gonzalez-Langarica provided a staff report.

Weed Abatement Inspector with County of Santa Clara Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency, Madeline Wien, made herself available to assist with answering questions.

Discussion ensued.

Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Hearing. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Hearing.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Mekechuk to adopt a resolution confirming the report and authorizing collection of the assessment charges. Seconded by Councilmember Shannon.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

NEW BUSINESS

8. Discuss and Consider Nominees for Monte Sereno Citizen of the Year Nominees and Make an Appointment
City Clerk Gonzalez-Langarica provided a staff report.

Discussion ensued.

Nominee:
• Resident Guardino
Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Comment.

Public Comment
• Resident Sinclair
• Former Mayor Perry
• Resident Martin
• Resident Mrs. Guardino
With no one else wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Comment.

Council proceeded to rank each nominee.

Carl Guardino was ranked number one.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Mekechuk to appoint Carl Guardino for Monte Sereno Citizen of the Year. Seconded by Councilmember Allan.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

9. Appointment to Fill One Vacancy on the Monte Sereno Site and Architectural Commission for an Unexpired Term Ending December 31, 2026.

City Clerk Gonzalez-Langarica provided a staff report.

Discussion ensued.

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Applicant Robert Lapcevic spoke.

Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Comment. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Comment.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Allan to appoint Robert Lapcevic to the Site and Architectural Commission to fill one vacancy for an unexpired term ending December 31, 2026. Seconded by Councilmember Mekechuk.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

10. Designation of Voting Delegates and Alternates for the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo, October 8 -10, 2025, Long Beach Convention Center Mayor Craig provided some background information on the League of California Cities Annual Conference.

Discussion ensued.

Councilmember Mekechuk volunteered to be the voting delegate and Mayor Craig volunteered to be the alternate.

Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Comment. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Comment.

MOTION: Motion by Mayor Craig to appoint Councilmember Mekechuk as the voting delegate and Mayor Craig as the voting alternate to attend the League of California Cities 2025 Annual Conference. Seconded by Councilmember Allan.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

11. Consider the Opportunity for up to two Monte Sereno Residents to Participate in the 2025-2026 Leadership Los Gatos Program
City Manager Perkins provided a staff report.

Discussion ensued.

Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Comment.

Public Comment
• Resident Matin
With no one else wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Comment.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Mekechuk to obtain two seats at the 2025- 2026 Leadership Los Gatos Program and pay the amount of $3,200 for Monte Sereno residents to participate. Seconded by Councilmember Allan.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

12. Consider and Approve City Council Committee/Commission Reassignments for Calendar Year 2025
City Manager Perkins provided a staff report.

Discussion ensued.

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Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Comment. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Comment.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Mekechuk to reassign the Committee/Commission assignments which were previously assigned to former Council Member Wolsheimer to Councilmember Allan. Seconded by Councilmember Shannon.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

13. Discuss Potential Police Service Parcel Tax Ballot Measure City Manager Perkins provided a staff report.

Discussion ensued.

Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Comment. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Comment.

Council directed staff to return at a future meeting with alternatives on this item.

4. Consider Approval of Updated Job Descriptions
City Manager Perkins provided a staff report.

Discussion ensued.

Mayor Craig opened the item for Public Comment. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Craig closed Public Comment.

MOTION: Motion by Councilmember Mekechuk to approve the updated job description for the City Engineer, and table the rest of the job descriptions for October 7, 2025. Seconded by Councilmember Allan.

VOTE: Motion passed. (4-0-0)

COMMITTEE/COMMISSION REPORTS
Councilmember Mekechuk reported participating with a PG&E representative on a ride-along. This representative will be reaching out to the rest of the Councilmembers, as well. Councilmember Mekechuk expressed the importance of having a good relationship with PG&E. Councilmember Mekechuk shared he has a meeting next week with Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority.

Councilmember Mekechuk inquired with Mayor Craig about his availability to attend the Valley Transportation Authority Policy Advisory Committee on his behalf. Councilmember Mekechuk had City Clerk Gonzalez-Langarica shared a short video that was created by the West Valley Stormwater Authority to help raise awareness.

Councilmember Allan stated nothing to report.

Councilmember Shannon reported attending a meeting with the West Valley Sanitation District Board. Councilmember Shannon shared that the search to replace the District Manager, who retired, has begun. In the meantime, Kent Edler has been appointed as the Interim District Manager.

The meeting scheduled for Santa Clara Valley Water Commission was cancelled.

Mayor Craig reported that the CEO of Valley Transportation Authority attended the West Valley Mayors & Managers meeting. Mayor Craig also shared he attended a launch introduction at West

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Valley Community Services for a new truck that was funded by Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga.

COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS
Councilmember Shannon shared that Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga is doing a series of community hikes called "Backpack with MAK” in different parks throughout Santa Clara County and she has attended two already. She encouraged the Council to attend one of the hikes.

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Perkins shared that starting next week, there will be a change to the office hours. The office hours will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday by appointment. City Manager Perkins also shared that 16 of the 19 flock cameras have been installed throughout the City. The remaining 3 left to install are along Highway 9.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

14. A copy of the Tentative 2025 Council Meeting Calendar was included on the agenda.

Councilmember Mekechuk would like to have a report on an Ad Hoc set up for the parcel tax.

Mayor Craig would like to see ways to help residents that want to do-it-yourself projects.

ADJOURN
Mayor Craig adjourned the meeting in honor of Former Vice Mayor Ellahie and Former Councilmember Baxter at approximately 9:31 p.m.

Burton Craig, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________________
Gloisy Gonzalez-Langarica, City Clerk

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: CONSENT CALENDAR
Staff Contact: Diana Perkins, City Manager
Department: City Manager
Title: Approve Warrant List Dated August 12, 2025 in the Amount $53,320.53 Recommendation(s):

Staff recommends the City Council approve the Warrant List.

California Environmental Quality Act:

The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(4) in that it is a fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment.

Public Noticing:

The City of Monte Sereno's Council meeting agenda was posted on the bulletin board outside of Monte Sereno's City Hall and the agenda with this staff report can be accessed on the City of Monte Sereno's website located at www.montesereno.org.

Attachments:

Warrant List 8-12-2025

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Check # Payable to: Description Amount
21490 Alana Consulting, LLC
Building Department Consultant Service for
6/30/2025 - 7/27/2025 (Invoice 2510) $ 12,535.00
21491 Void Void
21492 CIVICPLUS
Municipal Code Update and Publication Services
for 10/01/2025 - 9/30/26 (Invoice 345215) $ 2,476.58
21493 COMCAST
City Hall Internet Services for 8/10/2025 -
9/09/2025 (Account 8155100100105794) $ 211.67
21494
Corodata Records
Management, Inc.

Secure Off-Site Records Storage for 7/1/2025 -
7/31/2025 (Invoice RS37293888) $ 64.40
21495
County of Santa Clara -
Technology Serv
Annual GIS Mapping Services for 7/1/2025 -
6/30/2026 (Invoice 1800094735) $ 1,000.00
21496 David B Hart Arbitrator Services $ 1,800.00
21497 Dicar Networks, Inc.

IT Consulting Services and Software for 8/1/2025 -
8/31/2025 (Invoice 145528) $ 4,301.00
21498 Donald C. Wimberly
Engineering Plan Review Services for 7/28/2025 -
8/03/2025 $ 2,000.00
21499 Void Void $ -
21500 Frontier Communications
City Hall Telephone Service for 7/28/2025 -
8/27/2025 (Account 2091505812121074-5) $ 118.79
21501 Heidi's Commercial Cleaning
City Hall Cleaning Services for 7/1/2025 -
7/31/2025 (Invoice 896) $ 750.00
21502 Hillview Design Print Media City Business Cards (Invoices 91388 and 91465) $ 531.42 21503 Logan & Powell, LLP
City Attorney Services for 7/1/2025 - 7/31/2025
(Invoices 7131, 7130, 7129, and 7128) $ 13,926.60
21504 Porter Capital Corp
Accounting Consultant for 7/28/2025 - 8/3/2025
(Invoice 9182) $ 3,500.00
21505 San Jose Water
City Hall Water Bill for 6/2/2025 - 7/29/2025
(Accounts 7537400000-01 and 99637200000-9) $ 856.84
21506 State Compensation Ins Fund
Workers Compensation Insurance for 8/1/2025 -
9/1/2025 (Invoice 1003047801) $ 1,197.75
21507
Foster Brothers Security
System Inc Re-key the Locks at City Hall (Invoice 9578) $ 516.48

CITY OF MONTE SERENO

CHECK REGISTERS
CHECK DATE: AUGUST 12, 2025

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21508 Maze & Associates
Financial Audit Services for FY 23/24 Audit
(Invoice 54270) $ 3,010.00
21509 Mr. Taco Express
Food Service and Rental of Tables and Chairs for
City Picnic $ 4,524.00
Total $ 53,320.53

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: CONSENT CALENDAR
Staff Contact: Gloisy Gonzalez-Langarica, City Clerk
Department: City Clerk
Title: Consider Adoption of Resolution 25-3936.1 to Increase the Number of Youth Commissioners for the 2025-2026 School Year from Seven to Nine Recommendation(s):

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution 25-3936.1 which increases the number of Youth Commission members from seven to nine for the 2025-2026 School Year.

Background Information:

At the June 17, 2025 City Council meeting, the Council introduced an ordinance to amend the Municipal Code to reduce the number of Youth Commissioners. The ordinance was passed at the August 5, 2025 City Council meeting. The ordinance has reduced the number of Commissioners from 15 to a minimum of five. The ordinance also allows the City Council to increase the number of Commissioners each year by resolution. On June 17, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 25-3936 which increased the number of commissioners to seven for the 2025-2026 School Year. On June 17, 2025, the City Council appointed six members to the Youth Commission.

Since the appointment of the first six Commissioners at the June 17, 2025, City Council meeting, Council has requested the number of Youth Commissioners be increased to nine for the 2025-2026 School Year.

Resolution No. 25-3936.1 would set the number of Youth Commissioners from seven to nine for the 2025-2026 School Year.

California Environmental Quality Act:

Fiscal Impact:

No immediate fiscal impact is anticipated.

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Public Noticing:

Attachments:

Reso No 25-3936.1 Establishing the Number of Youth Commission Members for School Year 2025-2026

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RESOLUTION NO. 25-3936.1

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MONTE SERENO

ESTABLISHING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS
FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2025-2026
WHEREAS, in 2005, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 146 establishing the Monte Sereno Youth Commission; and
WHEREAS, the number of members of the Youth Commission has varied over time, but most recently the Youth Commission was established with fifteen (15) members; and
WHEREAS, with fifteen (15) members, eight (8) members are required to attend in order to establish a quorum and hold a meeting; and
WHEREAS, due to lack of attendance, the Youth Commission has been unable to make a quorum at five (5) out of its ten (10) meetings; and WHEREAS, to rectify this problem, the City Council approved Ordinance No. NS246 setting the minimum number of members on the Youth Commission at five (5) but requiring the City Council to annually set the membership by resolution; and WHEREAS, on June 20, 2025, the City Council set the Youth Commission membership for School Year 2025-2026 at seven (7) members; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to add two (2) additional members to the Youth Commission for School Year 2025-2026, for a total membership of nine (9) members.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Monte Sereno that the membership of the Youth Commission shall be set at nine (9) members for School Year 2025-26.

The above and foregoing resolution was duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of the City of Monte Sereno at a special meeting held on the 19th day of August, 2025, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

Approved:

Burton Craig, Mayor

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Attest:

Gloisy Gonzales-Langarica, City
Clerk

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: PUBLIC HEARINGS
Staff Contact: Diana Perkins, City Manager
Department: City Manager
Title: Application 2025-3042 for a Tentative Parcel Map to subdivide one lot into two lots at 15541 Palos Verdes Drive. (CEQA: Exempt, Guidelines sections 15315)
Recommendation(s):

The Site and Architectural Commission recommend the City Council approve the Tentative Parcel Map in that the proposed subdivision is consistent with the City’s General Plan goals, policies, and land use designation of single-family residential 2 Dwelling Units/Acre; complies with the development standards of the R-1-20 zoning district; and meets applicable requirements of the City’s subdivision regulations.

Background Information:

This Tentative Parcel Map application is to subdivide one existing lot into two lots. The existing lot is 42,906 square feet (0.985 acres) in area. The proposed subdivision does not propose any trees for removal with this application, trees shown for removal on the proposed plans are for reference only. Any trees proposed for removal will be considered with a future Site Development Permit application, which would be needed to construct a new house.

The proposed plans include preliminary plans for potential tree removals, grading, and designs for new houses. This information is shown for reference only and approval of these items is not included in the review of this application. A Site Development Permit would be required for any proposed future new houses and those items would be reviewed as part of that future permit application.

Analysis:

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The project site is 0.985-acre lot located mid-block along Palos Verdes Drive. The project site is comprised of one parcel and is occupied by one single-family residence and a secondary dwelling unit. The project site is surrounded by single-family residential use on all sides. The subject parcel is rectangular in shape with approximately 219 linear feet along Palos Verdes Drive and the parcel depth varies from 197 feet and 207 feet in depth due to the curvature of the roadway. The proposed subdivision has been designed to conform with the City’s General Plan land use designation and the City’s subdivision and zoning regulations.

General Plan Conformance
The City of Monte Sereno’s General Plan land use element contains goals and policies including a land use map designating specific residential densities citywide. The subject site is designated as single-family residential at a density of 2 dwelling units per acre (DU/acre). The subject site at 0.985 could potentially support up to two dwelling units. In addition to the land use designation, the General Plan contains goals and policies related to land use and the development of new residential uses. Below are those goals and policies relevant to the subject project and how the project supports those goals and is consistent with the policies.

Goal Policy Project Consistency
Goal LU-1
Ensure that development
enhances the residential
character of the community
LU-1.1
Protect Monte Sereno
neighborhoods from the
intrusion of incompatible land
uses and disruptive traffic to
the extent reasonably
possible.

The proposed project is
located along Palos Verdes
Drive offering direct access
to the new lots compatible
with the surrounding singlefamily neighborhood.

LU-1.2
Require new development to
complement and enhance
existing neighborhood
character
The proposed 2-lot
subdivision would result in
lots of 22,211 square feet
and 22,212 square feet in
area, which are compatible
with the surrounding
neighborhood and the R-1-20
zoning district (21,780
square feet minimum). The
proposed subdivision is also
consistent with lotting pattern
along said corridor.

LU-1.3
Continue to review new
development proposals to
ensure that they do not
overwhelm their sites or their
neighborhood.

The proposed 2-lot
subdivision provides for lots
which would be 22,211
square feet and 22,212
square feet and provides the
required lot frontage and
access drive width. This
proposal is not imposing on
any adjacent neighborhood

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Goal Policy Project Consistency
with its access off the public
street and is not creating
more lots that can
reasonably be
accommodated.

LU-2.2
Encourage residential uses
to merge naturally with
surrounding land uses
through the gradual change
of densities and the
preservation of the natural
topography.

The proposed subdivision
would result in a density
consistent with the
surrounding land uses and
zoning district.

Goal LU-3
Coordinate growth and
development with other
agencies.

LU-3.1
Continue to take an active
role in coordinating land use
decisions with federal, state,
and regional agencies, Santa
Clara County, special
districts, and surrounding
cities. Coordination shall
address issues including but
not limited to flood control, air
quality and climate
protection, transportation,
water supply, sewage
treatment, solid waste
disposal and recycling,
hazardous waste
management and natural
resource protection.

The proposed project was
referred out to local
agencies, adjacent cities,
school districts, and utility
providers. No comments
were received from these
other agencies.

Goal OSC-2
Provide adequate parks and
recreational facilities for
Monte Sereno residents.

OSC-2.1
Work with other jurisdictions
to provide parkland and
recreational facilities for
Monte Sereno residents.

Monte Sereno is served by
the Los Gatos Saratoga
Community Education and
Recreation program. Future
residents of the project will
have access to these
services. The minor increase
in population from one
additional dwelling will not
overburden available park
and recreational facilities.

Subdivision Regulations

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The City’s subdivision regulations, Title 13 of the City’s Municipal Code, contain standards related to the design of a subdivision, access, and the individual lots. Below is a detailed analysis of the relevant regulations and how the proposed subdivision conforms to them.

Lot Size
Section 13.02.280 of the Monte Sereno Municipal Code states that the lot area for all subdivisions shall comply with the zoning district requirements. The subject property is located in the R-1-20 zoning district which requires a minimum area of 21,780 square feet. Both proposed lots exceed this minimum requirement. Following is a summary of the proposed lot areas:

Lot Minimum Required
Lot Area (sq. ft.)
Proposed Lot Area
(sq. ft.)
Square Footage in
Excess of the
Minimum Required
(sq. ft.)
1 21,780 22,211 431
2 21,780 22,212 432
Lot Frontage
Per Section 13.02.290 – Frontages, each lot shall meet the minimum frontage required per the zoning regulations, and each lot shall have a frontage on a street or means of access, approved by the City Council acting on the recommendations of the City Engineer. The minimum lot frontage required for the R-1-20 zoning district is 100 feet. The proposed subdivision includes a frontage of 109 feet for each lot along Palos Verdes Drive Grading and Drainage
Section 13.02.410 - Overall and lot grading plans, a grading plan is required to show how the overall grading and individual lots will affect the adjacent properties. The preliminary grading plan includes conceptual grading which shows that much of the grading quantities are associated with leveling the areas of the future houses and sloping the site to maintain stormwater on-site. Final grading for the houses will be reviewed at the Site Development Permit stage. Proposed grading and earthwork do not exceed quantities typical for development of similar projects.

Conclusion
In reviewing the proposed subdivision, Staff analyzed the proposal and how it conforms with the City’s General Plan goals and policies as well as land use designation. Additionally, Staff analyzed the proposed subdivision against the applicable subdivision regulations. In the review of the City’s General Plan, the proposed subdivision is consistent with the land use designation of single-family residential at a density of 2 DU/acre. The proposed density of two units falls within the allowed density based on the net lot area of 0.985 acres which would support two dwelling units. The proposed subdivision also supports many of the land use goals and policies in the General Plan as detailed earlier in this report. The proposed subdivision design meets or exceeds the required minimum lot size of 21,780 square feet

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required by the R-1-20 zoning district, and the individual lots meet the required design standards allowing for a sufficient area for house placement.

In consideration of its approval or conditional approval of a tentative map, the City Council must find that the proposed subdivision design is consistent with the requirements of the zoning district applicable to the site. In this case, the proposed subdivision is consistent with the zoning regulations for lots in the R-1-20 zoning district.

The proposed subdivision is consistent with the vision and direction of the City’s General Plan with new development and meets or exceeds the relevant subdivision and zoning regulations for lots in the R-1-20 zoning district. Therefore, the Site and Architectural Commission recommends the City Council adopt these findings and approve the proposed tentative parcel map as designed.

California Environmental Quality Act:

This project is categorically exempt from CEQA per CEQA Guidelines section 15315 – Minor Land Divisions, which includes subdivisions of four or fewer lots.

None of the exceptions to the use of a categorical exemption, as identified in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2, applies to this project:
 The project is not located in a sensitive environment such that the project may impact an officially mapped and designated environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern;
 The cumulative effect of successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time, is not likely to be significant, in light of the permitted zoning;  The project does not have a significant environmental impact due to unusual circumstances, in that the project is not unusual in light of the scope of similar permitted projects within the zoning district;
 The project will not damage scenic resources (i.e. trees, historic buildings, or rock outcroppings) within an officially designated state scenic highway;  The project is not located on a listed hazardous waste site; or  The project will not cause substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.

Public Noticing:

A public notice was mailed on July 25, 2025 to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the subject property. A hearing notice was posted at three locations within the City and on the subject property on July 25,, 2025. An agenda for this meeting was posted on the City’s webpage on August 14, 2025.

Attachments:

1. Proposed Subdivision Plans

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2. Draft Resolution - 2025-3042

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DATE:

SCALE:

DRAWN BY:

PALOS VERDES VILLAS
15541 PALOS VERDES DR

MONTE SERENO, CA
DATE REVISION NO. PROJECT: DIRECTED BY:

SHEET TITLE:
8-12-2025

AS NOTED
MG
EH

GPM ENGINEERS
3340 WALNUT AVE., SUITE 292
FREMONT, CA 94536
TEL. (650) 331-7264 FAX (650) 472.9004
[email protected]

CIVIL STRUCTURAL PLANING DEVELOPMENT
2 15541 PALOS VERDES DR MONTE SERENO, CA
C1

COVER SHEET
OF 6

SITE PLAN

VICINITY MAP

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DATE:

SCALE:

DRAWN BY:

PALOS VERDES VILLAS
15541 PALOS VERDES DR

MONTE SERENO, CA
DATE REVISION NO. PROJECT: DIRECTED BY: SHEET TITLE:
8-12-2025

AS NOTED
MG
EH

GPM ENGINEERS
3340 WALNUT AVE., SUITE 292
FREMONT, CA 94536
TEL. (650) 331-7264 FAX (650) 472.9004
[email protected]

CIVIL STRUCTURAL PLANING DEVELOPMENT
2 C2OF 5

EXISTING CONDITIONS AND

DEMOLITION PLAN

Page 27 of 137 ends

DATE:

SCALE:

DRAWN BY:

PALOS VERDES VILLAS
15541 PALOS VERDES DR

MONTE SERENO, CA
DATE REVISION NO. PROJECT: DIRECTED BY: SHEET TITLE:
8-12-2025

AS NOTED
MG
EH

GPM ENGINEERS
3340 WALNUT AVE., SUITE 292
FREMONT, CA 94536
TEL. (650) 331-7264 FAX (650) 472.9004
[email protected]
CIVIL STRUCTURAL PLANING DEVELOPMENT 2
LOTTING PLAN C3OF 5

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C4
DATE:

SCALE:

DRAWN BY:

PALOS VERDES VILLAS
15541 PALOS VERDES DR

MONTE SERENO, CA
DATE REVISION NO. PROJECT: DIRECTED BY: SHEET TITLE:
8-12-2025

AS NOTED
MG
EH

GPM ENGINEERS
3340 WALNUT AVE., SUITE 292
FREMONT, CA 94536
TEL. (650) 331-7264 FAX (650) 472.9004
[email protected]

CIVIL STRUCTURAL PLANING DEVELOPMENT
2 OF 5 FILL: CUT: EXPORT: IMPORT: 260 CY 30 CY 290 CY 0 CY SITE EARTH WORK QUANTITIES MAX CUT DEPTH: MAX FILL DEPTH: 5 FT 1 FT

PRELIMINARY GRADING,

DRAINAGE, AND UTILITY AREA DRAIN
1BUBBLER
2

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DATE:

SCALE:

DRAWN BY:

PALOS VERDES VILLAS
15541 PALOS VERDES DR

MONTE SERENO, CA
DATE REVISION NO. PROJECT: DIRECTED BY:

SHEET TITLE:
8-12-2025

AS NOTED
MG
EH

GPM ENGINEERS
3340 WALNUT AVE., SUITE 292
FREMONT, CA 94536
TEL. (650) 331-7264 FAX (650) 472.9004
[email protected]

CIVIL STRUCTURAL PLANING DEVELOPMENT
2 SLOPE

CALCULATIONS AND

CLASSIFICATION MAP
0 10 20 40 80

AVERAGE SLOPE CALCULATIONS

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SUBDIVISION

MONTE SERENO, CA

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SUBDIVISION
MONTE SERENO, CA 15'-2" 15'-3" 68'-2" 30'-2" 30'-11" 68'-5" 29'-11" 15'-4" 15'-5" GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION BUILDING SITE COVERAGE EACH LOT NEW Building(s): 4,083.0 sq. ft. ADU: 994.0 sq. ft. Porch(s): 0.0 sq. ft. Garage: 878.0 sq. ft. Patio(s): 425.0 sq. ft. Driveway(s): 1,752.0 sq. ft. Walkway(s): 826.0 sq. ft. Pool/Spa/SHED: 0.0 sq. ft. Total: 8,958.0 sq. ft. BUILDING FLOOR AREA Basement: 0 sq. ft. First Floor proposed: 4,083.00 sq.ft. Garage: 878.00 sq.ft. Proposed total: 4,961.00 sq. ft. Adu: 994.00 sq. ft.

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A3.1 15' 5' 45'-7"

SUBDIVISION

MONTE SERENO, CA

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A3.2 2' 2' 2'

SUBDIVISION

MONTE SERENO, CA

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A4.1 19' 15' 15' 19' 15' 15' 15' 15' 19' 14' 14' 2' 16' 12' 17'

SUBDIVISION

MONTE SERENO, CA

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A4.2 19'-11" 21' 21' 21'-8" 21'-8" 18'-8" 21'-1" 21'-1" 21'-8" 18'-8" 11' 19'-11" 21' 6" 21'-8" 19'-8" 16'-5" 21' 11'

SUBDIVISION

MONTE SERENO, CA

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1 RESOLUTION NO. 25-###

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MONTE SERENO APPROVING THE TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP (2025-3042) FOR THE 2-LOT SUBDIVISION LOCATED AT 15541 PALOS VERDES DRIVE
WHEREAS, Shiri Farmand (“Applicant”) has an application with the City of Monte Sereno (“City”) for a tentative parcel map supporting a two-lot residential development project, on a 0.985-acre site located at 15541 Palos Verdes Drive and bounded by singlefamily residential uses to the north, west, east, and south; and WHEREAS, the project site is comprised of one existing parcel, Assessor’s Parcel Number 410-02-012 (“Subject Property”); and
WHEREAS, the proposed tentative map for subdivision and development of the Subject Property consists of two single-family residential lots; and WHEREAS, the Subject Property is designated on the City’s General Plan Land Use Map as Single-Family Residential at a density of two dwelling units per acre; and WHEREAS, the Subject Property is zoned R-1-20 single-family residential; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was held by the Site and Architectural Commission on August 6, 2025 to take evidence on the Application and at the hearing evidence was given both orally and in writing and the Commission voted to recommend the City Council approve the Tentative Parcel Map with a 3-0-1 vote; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was set and held on August 19, 2025 by the City Council to take evidence on the Application and at that hearing evidence was given both orally and in writing; and
WHEREAS, this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15315, as the project is for the creation of four or fewer lots in a residential zone, and further determines that none of the exceptions in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 applies.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of Monte Sereno, as follows:

SECTION 1: The City Council of Monte Sereno hereby specifically makes the following findings as required by the Subdivision Map Act, based on review of the environmental documents, staff reports, and testimony of the Applicant, public, and staff:

1. The map is consistent with General Plan, in that it is consistent with Land Use designation of Single-Family Residential, two dwelling units per acre (du/ac), and will result in lot sizes in excess of 21,780 square feet, which is compatible with the surrounding residential neighborhood, and is consistent with Land Use Goal

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2 2 in that the design of the subdivision supports the natural terrain of the subject site;

2. The City Council further determines that none of the criteria requiring denial under Government Code section 66474 are present, specifically determining:
a. That the proposed map is consistent with applicable general and specific plans as specified in Section 65451.
b. That the design or improvement of the proposed subdivision is consistent with applicable general and specific plans.
c. That the site is physically suitable for the type of development proposed, in that it will result in lots for single family residential dwellings. d. That the site is physically suitable for the proposed density of development, in that it will result in a development at a density within the allowable range of two units on the 0.985 acres.
e. That the design of the subdivision and the proposed improvements are not likely to cause substantial environmental damage or substantially and avoidably injure fish or wildlife or their habitat, as mitigation measures imposed as part of the conditions of approval will result in less than significant impacts on the environment.
f. That the design of the subdivision and proposed improvements is not likely to cause serious public health problems.
g. That the design of the subdivision and proposed improvements will not conflict with easements, acquired by the public at large, for access through or use of, property within the proposed subdivision.

3. Additionally, the City Council determines that the criteria for approval of this map under Government Code section 66474.02 are present, specifically determining that:
a. That the proposed map is consistent with regulations adopted by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Sections 4290 and 4291 of the Public Resources Code and any new construction will be required to conform with Fire Code and Building Code requirements. b. That structural fire protection and suppression services will be available through the Santa Clara County Fire Department, a California fire protection district.

SECTION 2: the City Council of Monte Sereno hereby approves the Project’s Tentative Parcel Map, subject to the conditions attached hereto as Exhibit A.

SECTION 3: The City Council determines this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15315, as the project is for the creation of four or fewer lots in a residential zone, and further determines that none of the exceptions in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 applies.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of Monte Sereno on August 19,

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3 2025 by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSTAIN:

ABSENT:

By:_____________________________
Burton Craig, Mayor
Attest: ___________________________
Gloisy Gonzalez-Langarica, City Clerk

Page 39 of 137 ends

4 EXHIBIT A

CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
15541 Palos Verdes Drive – 2025-3042

1. Unless otherwise stated, all necessary easements shall be dedicated, and all improvements shall be designed and installed, at no cost to the City of Monte Sereno.

2. All existing public utilities shall be protected in place and if necessary relocated as approved by the City Engineer. No permanent structure shall be permitted within any City easements.

3. A Registered Civil Engineer shall prepare all Civil Engineering improvement plans.

4. Prior to the recordation of the Final Parcel Map, all documents that need to be recorded with the final map shall be approved by the City Engineer and any unpaid invoices or other outstanding charges accrued to the City for the processing of the subdivision application shall be paid.

5. The developer shall obtain all necessary design approvals, obtain any required encroachment permits necessary to construct the same, and bond for all necessary public improvements along Palos Verdes Drive, including but not limited to the following:
a. Install and/or repair, as necessary, new curb, gutter, and accessibility ramps along entire project frontage on Palos Verdes Drive. b. Any new landscaping along the project frontage.

6. Prior to issuance of the first permit to develop the property (i.e. grading, building), developer shall execute a subdivision improvement agreement in a form acceptable to the City and post bonds with the City that shall secure the construction of the public and private improvements required by these Conditions. Insurance in a policy form and amount acceptable to the City shall be provided in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

7. WATER QUALITY - Prior to issuance of any grading or building permits, a detailed drainage plan shall be approved by the City Engineer. Plans shall:
a. Comply with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements, Santa Clara Valley Water District requirements, and the City of Monte Sereno Municipal Code regarding stormwater pollution prevention. Specifically, the project must include source control, site design and treatment measures to achieve compliance with the NPDES Permit. Measures may include, but are not limited to,

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5 minimization of impervious surface area, vegetated swales, infiltration areas, and treatment devises.
b. Include erosion control measures to prevent soil, dirt, debris and contaminated materials from entering the storm drain system, in accordance with the regulations outlined in the ABAG Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook.

8. WATER QUALITY-Prior to any grading activity:
a. The applicant's designer or engineer shall submit the required certification indicating that sizing, selection, and design of treatment BMPs for the project site has been completed to meet the requirements of the City of Monte Sereno's NPDES permit.

9. WATER - Water service shall be provided from San Jose Water Company (SJWC) and the applicant or successor shall be responsible for all related SJWC fees and compliance with any SJWC requirements.

10. UTILITIES - All service to the development shall be an "underground service" designed and installed in accordance with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Frontier (phone) Company and local cable company regulations. Transformers and switch gear cabinets shall be placed underground unless otherwise approved by the City Planner and the City Engineer. Underground utility plans must be submitted for City approval prior to installation.

11. UTILITIES - All proposed surface-mounted hardware (fire hydrants, electroliers, etc.) along the street frontages shall be located within the proposed Public Utility Easement in accordance with the requirements of the City Engineer or, where applicable, the Fire Chief.

12. UTILITIES - All utilities shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of the City of Monte Sereno and applicable public agency standards.

13. All private and public improvements, including the complete installation of all improvements relative to streets, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, water system, underground utilities, etc., shall be completed and attested to by the City Engineer before issuance of certificate of occupancy for any dwelling unit. Where facilities of other agencies are involved, such installation shall be verified as having been completed and accepted by those agencies.

14. Prior to or concurrent with final map recordation, all maintenance agreements involving private infrastructure and improvements shall be reviewed and approved by the City Planner, City Engineer, and City Attorney. The agreement(s) shall describe how the private driveway, stormwater detention and drainage improvements, sewer improvements, and other utilities shall be

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6 maintained by the homeowners. Such maintenance agreements shall be recorded as permanent obligations of the owners, and shall not allow amendment or termination without the City's approval. The agreements shall include provisions so that structures are not constructed in conflict with the stormwater detention and drainage improvements required under the tentative map and shall include a right of enforcement for the City with respect to any nuisance conditions arising out of violations related to the same.

15. Drainage and stormwater detention locations shall be confirmed and verified to be adequate by the City Engineer for adequate flood control prior to final map approval.

16. DEFENSE OF LEGAL CHALLENGES. If there is any third party administrative, legal or equitable action challenging the project approvals, including without limitation claims under CEQA, the Applicant shall defend, hold harmless, and indemnify the City against any such claims, including all liability, fees and costs arising out of the defense such as costs of city’s own selected counsel. If such an action is filed, the Applicant and City shall then enter into an agreement regarding selection of counsel and other provisions related to the defense. For this purpose, “City” includes the City and its elected and appointed officials, agents, officers and employees.

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: PUBLIC HEARINGS
Staff Contact: Diana Perkins, City Manager
Department: City Manager
Title: Application 2025-3034 for a Site Development Permit for a single-story addition of approximately 829 square feet and a second-story addition of approximately 1,289 square feet and a Variance application for reduced side yard setback of 22 feet where 25 feet is required at 17951 Saratoga Los Gatos Road. (CEQA: Exempt, Guidelines sections 15302, 15303) Recommendation(s):

The Site and Architectural Commission recommends that the City Council approve the Site Development Permit with the condition that the second story addition comply with the setback requirements and deny the Variance for a reduced second story setback.

Background Information:

Site and Architectural Commission Review
The Site and Architectural Commission reviewed this application at their August 6, 2025, meeting. No written or oral comments were received prior to or at this meeting. The Commission voted to recommend that the City Council approve the Site Development Permit with the conditions of approval in the draft Resolution and to deny the Variance application with a 3-0-1 vote with Commissioner Srivastava absent. The Commissioners were not able to make the required Findings for the Variance and, although the requested Variance would have minimal impact on neighboring properties, were concerned about setting a precedent for allowing future Variance applications.

Analysis:

Site Development Permit
The subject lot is rectangular in shape and located along the north side of Saratoga Los Gatos Road between Rose Avenue and Montgomery Street. The project proposes demolishing the back portion of the house, which is one-story in height, and re-constructing this area with an addition of 829 square feet to the first story and construct a new 1,289 square foot second story.

The proposed exterior materials for the addition will match those of the existing house including horizontal siding and a dark grey composition roof.

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No trees are proposed for removal with this application. No new landscaping is proposed. The Landscape plan provided in the plan set is for reference of previously approved landscape.

The Monte Sereno Municipal Code section 10.08.040(B) requires a Site Development Permit for any addition that adds 500 square feet or more to an existing building or structures in the R1-8 zoning district. Staff recommends the Site Development Permit be approved based on the following findings and with the condition that the proposed addition comply with the required setbacks:

A. The proposed improvements retain the existing character of the house and matches the scale and setback pattern of the neighborhood.

B. The proposed addition is in character with the existing neighborhood which includes a mix of architectural styles and one- and two-story houses and is at a scale that does not dominate the streetscape thus minimizing any visual impact on the neighborhood.

C. The proposed improvements are consistent with the City’s Design Guidelines in that the design of the proposed addition maintains the character and scale of the existing house thus minimizing impacts to the neighborhood and adjacent properties.

D. The proposed addition does not alter the grading of this lot.

Existing Legal Non-Conforming Second Story
The existing carport and garage at the first floor and the second floor living space above the garage are located within the required side yard setback on the west side of the property. The existing setback in this location is 3’-5” for both the first floor and second floor where 13’-6” is required for the first floor and 25’ is required for the second floor. The entire area of the existing second story above the garage is located within the required side yard setback.

According to records from the Santa Clara County Assessor’s Office, the house was constructed in 1938, before the city was incorporated in 1957. The house was constructed when the property was part of Santa Clara County and presumably met the requirements for the County zoning regulations at that time. When the City of Monte Sereno was incorporated in 1957, the City Council adopted zoning regulations for the City, which resulted in this property not complying with the newly established zoning regulations. The west side setbacks are considered legal non-conforming as they were legally constructed, but do not comply with the current zoning standards.

Variance
This application is requesting a Variance to allow the new second story to be constructed with a side setback of 22 feet where 25 feet is required. The Variance is being requested in order for the existing second story portion of the house to be connected and accessed from the proposed new second story. As the entire area of the existing second story is located within

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the required setback back, if the proposed second story were to comply with the required 25 foot side yard setback, there would be approximately 2’-3” between the existing and proposed second story areas and they would not connect to each other.

The proposed second story floor area that would be subject to Variance application is shown on proposed plans (Attachment 1) on plan sheet A0.1 in Proposed Site Plan. The area is identified as the ‘22SF on 2nd Floor That Infringes into the Side Setback.’ A Variance is intended to address practical difficulties of the lot characteristics which result in unnecessary hardships, or result in inconsistencies with the general purposes of the zoning district, which may occur through the strict application of standard zoning requirements due to a unique circumstance of the lot.

In order to grant a Variance, the Monte Sereno Municipal Code section 10.10.020 and the California Government Code section 65906 require specific findings to be made. Staff is not able to make the required findings for the Variance and recommends denial of the Variance.

Following are the required findings with the staff comments in italics:
a. Variances from the terms of the zoning ordinances shall be granted only when, because of special circumstances applicable to the property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of the zoning ordinance deprives such property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity and under identical zoning classification.

Special circumstances are not applicable to this property as it is a rectangular-shaped lot which is typical of single-family lots in the vicinity. The lot width is 75 feet, which is within the range of other lots in the same block which have lot widths of 45 feet to 136 feet. The lot measures 374 feet in depth, which is a deep lot, but is similar to several other lots in this block of Saratoga Los Gatos Road. And, the lot area is approximately 27,966 square feet, which is a large lot for the R-1-8 zoning district; but, is similar in area to other lots in the vicinity, which range from 6,000 square feet to 28,000 square feet.

Although the existing house has a legal non-conforming condition where the existing second story is located entirely within the second story setback, the special circumstances that warrant a Variance are based on the property characteristics and not the structures.
b. Any variance granted shall be subject to such conditions as will assure that the adjustment thereby authorized shall not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and zone in which such property is situated.

The granting of this variance would result in a special privilege for the property not enjoyed by other properties as it would enable this property to have a reduced second

Page 45 of 137 ends

story setback, which is not approved for other lots in the vicinity which have a similar lot configurations and topography.
c. A variance shall not be granted for a parcel of property which authorizes a use or activity which is not otherwise expressly authorized by the zone regulation governing the parcel of property. The provisions of this section shall not apply to conditional use permits.

The variance does not affect the existing use of the property as a single-family house within a single-family zoning district.

California Environmental Quality Act:

This project is categorically exempt from CEQA per CEQA Guidelines section 15302 – Replacement or Reconstruction (Class 2) and section 15303 – New Construction (Class 3).

Public Noticing:

A public notice was mailed on July 25, 2025 to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the subject property. A hearing notice was posted at three locations within the City and on the subject property on July 25, 2025. An agenda for this meeting was posted on the City’s webpage on August 14, 2025.

Attachments:

1. Proposed Plans

2. Applicant's Variance Request Letter

3. Draft Resolution - 2025-3034

Page 46 of 137 ends

APN: 410-17-018
Type of Construction: V-B(non-sprinklered) Number of Stories: 2 Story Occupancy Type: R3/U
Slope Density Calculation:
43,560/ 5.45-(.089X10.5) = 9,647
Allowable Max. Square Footage of Main Dwelling:
3,000 sf + (27,966 sf- 9,647 sf)* .15 = 5,748 sf
Allowable Structural Coverage:
.4 - (7*.02) = 26%
Allowable Impervious Coverage:
.6-(7*.04) = 32% Front Setback: 1st Floor: 32'-6"
2nd Floor: 45' Side Setback: 1st Floor: 13'-6"2nd Floor: 25' Rear Setback: 1st Floor: 37'-6"2nd Floor: 45' 17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road 17965 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road 17941 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road Scope of Work
The scope of work includes removing the walls and roof
(Foundation and floor to remain) and rebuilding a 2 story addition. Additionally, the existing non-conforming stairs to the existing 2nd floor will be removed and rebuilt utilizingsquare footage from the existing garage. These new stairs will serve the new 2nd floor as well. The existing garage and the 2nd floor above are currently in both the 1st or and 2nd story setbacks. In order to connect the new 2nd floor to the existing 2nd floor and stairs we are asking for a setback variance. Our new 2nd floor will need to infringe on the 2nd story setback by 2'-3" for a length of 9'-8".

Project Data
Vicinity Map
Variance and Site Development Set
2 Story Addition and Remodel
The Kanadam / Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd
Monte Sereno, California 95030 Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025
Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A0.0 Cover Sheet/Site Plan Cover Sheet and Project Data Existing and Proposed Site Plans Existing / Demo Plan First Floor Plan Second Floor Deck & Roof Plan Roof Plan Elevations Elevations Sections Survey Sheet Index Ao.o A0.1 A1.0 A2.0 A2.1 A2.2 A4.0 A4.1 A5.0 Street Scape Scale: 1/16"=1' 1

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X (N 34°57'00" E 253.81') (S 52°35'00" E 2.57') (N 34°57'00" E 121.75') (S 55°10'00" E 72.43') (S 34°57'00" W 378.94')
(N 52°30'00" W 75.00')
X X X X X (E) 1-CAR GARAGE W/2ND FLR. (E) CARRIAGE HOUSE 450 SF (E) COVERED PORCH (84 SF) (E) PLANTER (E) DRIVEWAY PERVIOUS PAVERS (E) LANDSCAPE (E) LAWN (E) PATIO (E) PATIO (E) LANDSCAPE (E) DRIVEWAY 3'-5"
SARATOGA - LOS GATOS ROAD (60' WIDE) (E) PLANTS (E) PLANTS 0 1' 2' 3' 4' 5' 10' 20' (E) COVERED CARPORT (N) 2 STORY ADDITION 22 SF AREA ON 2ND FLOOR THAT INFRINGES INTO THE SIDE SETBACK 13'-6" (ONE-STORY SIDE SETBACK) 25' (TWO-STORY SIDE SETBACK) 20'-6"
25'-2
14 " 13'-6" (ONE-STORY SIDE SETBACK) 13'-6" (ONE-STORY SIDE SETBACK) 32'-6"(ONE-STORY FRONT SETBACK)
45' (TWO-STORY
FRONT SETBACK) 104'-3"
23'-2"
25'-3"
0 1'2'3'4'5' 10' 20' 40' (E) shed 103 sf (E) PLAYHOUSE 85 sf (E) BRICK PATIO, IMPERVIOUS (E) STEPS, IMPERVIOUS (E) STONE PATIO, PERVIOUS, TYP. (E) GRAVEL PATHWAYS, PERVIOUS (E) ASPHALT, IMPERVIOUS (E) CONCRETE, IMPERVIOUS 37'(ONE-STORY REAR SETBACK)
45' (TWO-STORY
REAR SETBACK) (E) WALKWAY, IMPERVIOUS (n) downspout FLOW (E) PLANTS FLOW (E) PLANTS FLOW FLOW (n) downspout (n) downspout (n) downspout (N) 1 STORY ADDITION (E) ONE-STORY PORTION OF HOME TO REMAIN BUILDING LEGEND 2'-8
14 " 6'-3
12" (E) HOUSE NO WORK (N) 2 STORY ADDITION (E) COLLECTION OF MATURE TREES (40'-80')TO PROTECT PRIVACY BETWEEN LOTS 14" OAK 20" OAK 12" TREE (E) COLLECTION OF MATURE TREES (20'-30' TALL) ON NEIGHBORS LOT WILL PROTECT PRIVACY BETWEEN LOTS ONE STORY ADDITION ONE STORY ADDITION (E) TWO-STORY PORTION OF HOME TO REMAIN 0'-10
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REAR SETBACK) (E) WALKWAY, IMPERVIOUS (E) PLANTS (E) PLANTS (E) ONE-STORY PORTION OF HOME TO REMAIN BUILDING LEGEND 2'-8
14 " 6'-3
12" (E) PORTION OF THE HOUSE TO BE DEMOLISHED (E) HOUSE NO WORK (E) ONE-STORY PORTION HOME TO BE DEMOLISHED 14" OAK 20" OAK 12" TREE (E) TWO-STORY PORTION OF HOME TO REMAIN 0'-10
3 4
" Proposed Site Plan
2 Scale: 1"=20' Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025 Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A0.1 Existing & Proposed Site Plans N Slope Calculations 1. Minimal lot grading will be required. New addition will be replacing an already imperfious patio. 2. Call before you dig! contact underground service alert (usa) at 1-800-227-2600 at least 2 working days before excavating. 3. Finished ground surfaces shall be graded to drain the finished site property. Finished ground slope within five feet of the building or structure shall slope away at 5%. All exterior hard surfaces (including terraces) shall be installed with a sl0pe away from the building for 3' at 2% slope. Drainage swales shall have a minimum slope of 1.5%. maximum allowable graded slope is 3 horizontal to 1 vertical (33%). 4. Lot grading shall conform at the property lines and shall not slope toward property lines in a manner which would cause storm water to flow onto neighboring property. Historic drainage patterns shall not be altered in a manner to cause drainage problems to neighboring property. 5. Where storm water is conveyed to a public drainage system, collection point, gutter or similar disposal method, water shall be filtered by use of a barrier system, wattle or other method approved by the enforcing agency. 6. Provide expansion and control joints in all exterior concrete slabs. Spacing of joints shall be per industry standards. 7. Provide 1/4" per foot min. slope away from buildings at all new paved patios, walkways, driveways and porches. 8. All stockpiled materials which won't be used during that day's construction, must be covered with a waterproof covering. General Site Notes: Existing/ Demo Site Plan Scale: 1"=20' 1 N

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BEDROOM 1 GARAGE LIVING ROOM ENTRYCARPORT

MODELNUMBER COVERED PORCH KITCHEN TALL CABS
DISPLAY DISPLAY D.W. island 4'x9' stove BATH 1 STUDY BEDROOM MASTER BEDROOM -6
-4
-3
-5 DEMOLISH (E) ROOF AND WALLS, FOUNDATION AND FLOOR FRAMING TO REMAIN (e) 6 40 0 (e) 6 40 0 (e) 2 2 above 0 9 (e) 3 5
0 0
(e) 3 5
0 0
(e) 5 3
6 0
(e) 2 2 above
0 9 (e) 3 70 0 (e) 5 44 3
(e) 5 6 dr w/ side lites 0 8 (e) 13 50 0 (e) 8 46 3 (e) 5 46 3 (e) 3 46 0 (e) 3 46 0 (e) 5 4 (e) 2 4 6 3 0 3 (e) 1 20 6
(e) 12 70 0 (e) 3 53 0 (e) 5 46 3
0 1' 2' 3' 4' 5' 10' 20' 26'-10"
1'-9" 8'-6"
26'-0" 8'-6"
1'-9" 18'-4" 23'-5" 17'-7"
8'-6
14 "
30'-6
14 " 10'-6"
8'-0" 17'-8" 22'-0"
19'-6"
19'-6" DEMOLISHED TO FLOOR ASSEMBLY EXISTING TO REMAIN Window/Door Key 6 7 (t) Width inches Width feet Height inches Height feet Indicates tempered glass 0 0 Indicates Existing Construction to Remain Indicates Construction to be Demolished EXISTING TO REMAIN DEMOLISHED TO FLOOR ASSEMBLY DEMOLISHED TO FLOOR ASSEMBLY EXISTING TO REMAIN Total length of existing walls: 270 ft Length of walls being demolished: 100 ft <50% of total Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025 Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A1.0 Existing / Demo Plans and Elevations Demolition Plan Legend:
2 1/4" = 1'-0" Existing / Demolition 1st Floor Plan
N
4 1/8" = 1'-0" Existing Side Elevation (Northeast)6 1/8" = 1'-0" Existing Side Elevation (Southeast)5 1/8" = 1'-0" Existing Rear Elevation (Southwest) 1/8" = 1'-0"3 Existing Front Elevation (Northwest) Wall Demolition Calculations

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DECK 4:12 4:12 4:12 4:12 7:12 7:12 4:124:12 4:12 4:12 ROOF TO BE DEMOLISHED Window/Door Key 6 7 (t) Width inches Width feet Height inches Height feet Indicates tempered glass 0 0 Indicates Existing Construction to Remain Indicates Construction to be Demolished FAMILY ROOM DECK BATH (e) 5 20 10 (e) 5 20 10 (e) 5 2
0 10 (e) 5 2
0 10 (e) 4 6 french drs 0 8
(e) 2 2
0 10 (e)5 2
3 10 -4 Total Existing Roof Area: 3,155 sf Roof to be demolished: 1,115 sf <50% of total area Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025 Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

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Window/Door Key 6 7 (t) Width inches Width feet Height inches Height feet Indicates tempered glass 0 0 Indicates Existing Construction to Remain Indicates New Construction BEDROOM 1 GARAGE LIVING ROOM ENTRYCARPORT A4.0 2 A4.1 2
1 1 A5.0 A5.0 A5.0
2 A5.0
2 A4.0
1 ELECTRIC METER

MODELNUMBER COVERED PORCH KITCHEN TALL CABS
DISPLAY DISPLAY D.W. island 4'x9' stove FAMILY ROOM 12'-5" 12'-10" 12'-5" BEDROOM 2 BEDROOM 3 BATH 1 BATH 2 BATH 3 42" x 72" shower queen (n) 3 60 8
queen
queen
W/D
11'-7
12" UP LAUNDRY STO. (n) 2 66 8
21'-4
12" STEP UP
(n) 3 6
0 8 WIC 42" x 72" shower (n) 2 68 8 42" x 60" shower built in cabinetry - re-use primary cabinets 3'-9"
(n) 3 6
0 8 (n) 3 60 8
(n) 3 6
0 8 8'-9"
8'-1
12" 18'-7" (n) 3 60 8 (n) 3 6 hvac 0 8
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0 8 OFFICE (n) 8 6 A4.1
1 2 2 A4.1 A4.1 6 0 56'-3" (n) 2 46 0 (n) 2 46 0 (n) 8 66 0 (n) 8 66 0 (n) 8 66 0 (n) 8 66 0 (n) 6 6
0 0
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(e) 5 6 dr w/ side lites 0 8 (e) 13 50 0
(n) 9 7
0 0 (e) 3 53 0 (e) 5 46 3
(n) 6 6
0 0
0 1' 2' 3' 4' 5' 10' 20'
31'-6
12" Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025
Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A2.0 Proposed First Floor Plan Floor Plan Legend: Proposed First Floor Plan 1 N 1/4" = 1'-0"

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24'-8" PRIMARY BEDROOM WIC
42" x 72"
shower (n) 2 68 8
(n) 3 6
0 8 PRIMARY BATH c.king
linen (n) 2 68 8
bench 16'-7" FAMILY ROOM DECK DN BATH
13'-4" 42" x 60" shower 12'-0" 42" x 60" shower (n) 2 66 8 queen
(n) 2 6
8 8 (n) 2 66 8
queen WIC WIC 12'-0" BEDROOM #4 BEDROOM #5 built-in linen 4:12 PITCH VIF 4:12 PITCH VIF 4:12 PITCH VIF 4:12 PITCH VIF 4:12 PITCH VIF (e) 5 20 10 (e) 5 20 10 (e) 5 2
0 10 (e) 5 2
0 10 (e) 4 6 french drs 0 8 (n) 8 46 0 (n) 2 36 0 (n) 8 46 0 (n) 4 40 0 (n) 2 36 0 (n) 2 36 0 (n) 2 36 0 (n) 8 36 0 (n) 8 4
6 0
(n) 5 4
0 0 vaulted ceiling vaulted ceiling vaulted ceiling flat flat flat vaulted vaulted ceiling (e) 2 2
0 10 (e)5 2
3 10 ridge ridge ridge flat flat 7'-0" 0 1' 2' 3' 4' 5' 10' 20' A5.02 A5.02 1 1 A5.0 A5.0 -4 25' 2ND STORY SETBACK LINE AREA IN SETBACK FOR VARIANCE REQUEST A4.0 2 A4.1 2 A4.0 1 45'-4" Window/Door Key 6 7 (t) Width inches Width feet Height inches Height feet Indicates tempered glass 0 0 Indicates Existing Construction to Remain Indicates New Construction Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025 Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A2.1 Proposed 2nd Floor Plan Proposed 2nd Floor Plan 1/4" = 1'-0" 1 Floor Plan Legend: N

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DECK 4:12 4:12 4:12 4:12 4:12 4:12 4:12 7:12 7:12 4:12 4:124:12 4:12 4:12 4:12 4:12 2:12 cricket overframing NEW 2ND STORY ROOF NEW 1ST STORY ROOF 0 1' 2' 3' 4' 5' 10' 20' ROOF TO BE DEMOLISHED Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025 Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A2.2 Proposed Roof Plan Proposed Roof Plan 1/4" = 1'-0" 1 N

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26'-4
3 4
" (N) FACIA BD TO MATCH (E), WHITE TRIM (N) 2 STORY ADDITION (E) NON-CONFORMING PORTION OF HOME 2'-3 12" PROPOSED CONNECTION BETWEEN (E) AND (N) FOR VARIANCE (N) WINDOWS TO MATCH EXISTING WINDOWS (N) SMALLER GARAGE DOOR 0'-0" (440.90') LIVING / KITCHEN 7'-7"(448.48') KITCHEN PLATE -1'-9"(439.12') GRADE 19'-4-1/4" (460.27') (N) 2ND FLOOR 11'-2" (452.08') (E) GARAGE T.O.P. 12'-6" (453.42) (E) 2ND FLOOR 19'-6"(460.42') (E) 2ND FLOOR PLATE -0'-5" (440.50') GARAGE SLAB PROPERTY LINE (N) HORIZONTAL HARDI-PLANK SIDING (ARCTIC WHITE) TO MATCH (E) SIDING (N) VINYL CLAD WINDOWS WITH WOOD TRIM TO MATCH (E) WINDOWS (N) HORIZONTAL HARDI-PLANK SIDING (ARCTIC WHITE) TO MATCH (E) SIDING 0'-0" (440.90') LIVING / KITCHEN 9'-0" (449.48') LIVING RM PLATE 7'-7"(448.48') KITCHEN PLATE -1'-9"(439.12') GRADE NEW COMPOSITE ROOF TO MATCH (E), DARK GRAY NEW GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS TO MATCH (E) (N) 2 STORY ADDITION 10'-2-1/4" (451.10') (N) 1ST FLR PLATE 11'-3" (452.17') (N) 2ND FLOOR 7" (441.5') (E) FLR 19'-4-1/4" (460.27') (N) 2ND FLOOR Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025 Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A4.0 Elevations Front Elevation (Northwest) 1/4" = 1'-0" 1 2 1/4" = 1'-0"

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10'-2-1/4" (451.10') (N) 1ST FLR PLATE 11'-3" (452.17') (N) 2ND FLOOR 7" (441.5') (E) FLR 19'-4-1/4" (460.27') (N) 2ND FLOOR 11'-2" (452.08') (E) GARAGE T.O.P. 12'-6" (453.42) (E) 2ND FLOOR 19'-6"(460.42') (E) 2ND FLOOR PLATE -0'-5" (440.50') GARAGE SLAB 10'-2-1/4" (451.10') (N) 1ST FLR PLATE 11'-3" (452.17') (N) 2ND FLOOR 7" (441.5') (E) FLR 19'-4-1/4" (460.27') (N) 2ND FLOOR Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025 Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A4.1 Elevations Rear Elevation (Southeast) 1/4" = 1'-0" 1 2 1/4" = 1'-0"

Page 55 of 137 ends

10'-2-1/4" (451.10') (N) 1ST FLR PLATE 11'-3" (452.17') (N) 2ND FLOOR (E) BATH (N) LAUNDRY (N) STAIRWELL 11'-2" (452.08') (E) GARAGE T.O.P. 12'-6" (453.42) (E) 2ND FLOOR 19'-6"(460.42') (E) 2ND FLOOR PLATE 0'-0" (440.90') (E) LIVING ROOM 1ST FLR -0'-5" (440.50') GARAGE SLAB 7" (441.5') (N) LAUNDRY FLR 9'-712" (N) LAUNDRY
25'-612" (N) BEDROOM #4 (N) HALL (E) BONUS ROOM (N) BEDROOM #2 (N) HALL (E) GARAGE 25'-0" SETBACK AREA 19'-11" EXISTING NON-CONFORMING GARAGE 2'-314" VARIANCE REQUEST AREA NEEDED TO CONNECT NEW 2ND FLOOR WITH EXISTING 2ND FLOOR, PROPERTY LINE 10'-2-1/4" (451.10') (N) 1ST FLR PLATE 11'-3" (452.17') (N) 2ND FLOOR 7" (441.5') (E) FLR 19'-4-1/4" (460.27') (N) 2ND FLOOR 8'-114" 11'-2" (452.08') (E) GARAGE T.O.P. 12'-6" (453.42) (E) 2ND FLOOR 19'-6"(460.42') (E) 2ND FLOOR PLATE -0'-5" (440.50') GARAGE SLAB REMOVE WALL Submittal: SCALE: See Drawings DATE: July 3, 2025 Variance Set for Addition and Remodel:

The Kanadam/ Manjunath Family
17951 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd., Monte Sereno, Ca
MacDonough Architecture
(408) 455-5103
[email protected] A5.0 Sections Schematic Section Through New Stairs 1/4" = 1'-0" 1 2 1/4" = 1'-0"

Page 56 of 137 ends

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MacDonough Architecture
Marcie MacDonough
California Architect C33477
160 S. Oak Street
100PMB 192
Sisters, OR 97759
(408) 455-5103
[email protected]
July 3, 2025
Project Address: 17951 Saratoga – Los Gatos Road
Project Name: Kanadam / Manjunath Addition
Variance Request – Addressing City Council Action Guidelines Dear City Council Members,
My clients and I are requesting a setback variance for our project at the above address. The existing home currently has a 2nd floor that is wholly inside the 25’ 2nd story setback. My clients would like to build a 2nd story addition at the rear of the home. The addition would follow the setback guidelines and be built beyond the 25’ setback. Our challenge is to connect the new to the old. There is a gap of about 2’-3” between the edge of the existing 2nd floor and the new addition. The only way to span this gap would be to create a hallway between the two spaces. There is no way around this hallway needing to infringe into the 25’ setback to connect to the existing 2nd floor.

Even though our project does not strictly adhere to the variance action requirements we feel that the location of the existing home inside the setback results in a situation that would prevent the homeowner from ever combining any 2nd floor addition with the existing 2nd floor. Without the requested variance the only way to build a 2nd floor would be to add a second set of stairs. This is untenable and poor architectural design. The flow of the house would be disjointed and would forever feel like a poorly thought through addition. The existing upstairs deck and bonus room would be cut off from the rest of the 2nd floor. Our request results in a mere 2’-3” deep infringement for less than 10’ to create this hallway connector between the new and the old. Additionally, this small area is completely hidden from the side property line by the existing structure. The neighbor to the Northwest would be unaffected and most likely be unaware by this small exception. Our request is small, unobtrusive and quite necessary to build a 2nd story addition. We feel are request is such that no special privileges have been granted.

We kindly request your consideration for our variance request.

Sincerely,
Marcie MacDonough, Architect

Page 58 of 137 ends

RESOLUTION NO. 25-###

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MONTE SERENO APPROVING THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT OF APPLICATION 2025-3034 TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN APPROXIMATELY 829 SQUARE FOOT ONE-STORY ADDITION AND AN APPROXIMATELY 1,289 SQUARE FOOT

SECOND STORY ADDITION AND DENIAL OF A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A REDUCED SECOND-STORY SIDE SETBACK OF 22 FEET WHERE 25 FEET IS REQUIRED FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 17951 SARATOGA LOS GATOS ROAD
WHEREAS, Raghuram Kanadam (“Applicant”) applied for a Site Development Permit for the construction of an approximately 829 square foot one-story addition and an approximately 1,289 square foot second story addition and a Variance to allow a second-story side setback of 22 feet where 25 feet is required for property located at 17951 Saratoga Los Gatos Road.

WHEREAS, a public hearing was held by the Site and Architectural Commission on August 6, 2025 to take evidence on the Application and at the hearing evidence was given both orally and in writing; and
WHEREAS, the Site and Architectural Commission recommended that the City Council approve the Site Development Permit with the condition that the second story addition comply with the setback requirements and deny the Variance for a reduced second story setback; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing was set and held on August 19, 2025 by the City Council to take evidence on the Application and at that hearing evidence was given both orally and in writing; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered all the evidence presented regarding the Application.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Monte Sereno as follows:

Section 1. The City Council hereby finds as follows with respect to the Site Development Permit
A. The Monte Sereno Municipal Code (“Code”) requires the following:

1. Pursuant to Code section 10.08.040(B) requires a Site Development Permit for any addition that adds 500 square feet or more to an existing building or structures in the R-1-8 zoning district

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2. In accordance with Code section 10.08.050(B), no Site Development Permit may be issued unless certain specific findings can be made.

3. The City Council hereby makes the following findings:
a. The proposed improvements retain the existing character of the house and matches the scale and setback pattern of the
neighborhood.
b. The proposed addition is in character with the existing neighborhood which includes a mix of architectural styles and oneand two-story houses and is at a scale that does not dominate the streetscape thus minimizing any visual impact on the
neighborhood.
c. The proposed improvements are consistent with the City’s Design Guidelines in that the design of the proposed addition maintains the character and scale of the existing house thus minimizing impacts to the neighborhood and adjacent properties.
d. The proposed addition does not alter the grading of this lot.

Section 2. In accordance with Government Code section 65906, the City Council hereby finds as follows with respect to the request for a front yard setback variance:

A. Variances from the terms of the zoning ordinances shall be granted only when, because of special circumstances applicable to the property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of the zoning ordinance deprives such property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity and under identical zoning classification.

Special circumstances are not applicable to this property as it is a rectangular-shaped lot which is typical of single-family lots in the vicinity.

The lot width is 75 feet, which is within the range of other lots in the same block which have lot widths of 45 feet to 136 feet. The lot measures 374 feet in depth, which is a deep lot, but is similar to several other lots in this block of Saratoga Los Gatos Road. And, the lot area is approximately 27,966 square feet, which is a large lot for the R-1-8 zoning district; but, is similar in area to other lots in the vicinity, which range from 6,000 square feet to 28,000 square feet.

Although the existing house has a legal non-conforming condition where the existing second story is located entirely within the second story

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setback, the special circumstances that warrant a Variance are based on the property and not the structures.

B. Any variance granted shall be subject to such conditions as will assure that the adjustment thereby authorized shall not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and zone in which such property is situated.

The granting of this variance would result in a special privilege for the property not enjoyed by other properties as it would enable this property to have a reduced second story setback, which is not approved for other lots in the vicinity which have a similar lot configurations and topography.

C. A variance shall not be granted for a parcel of property which authorizes a use or activity which is not otherwise expressly authorized by the zone regulation governing the parcel of property. The provisions of this section shall not apply to conditional use permits.

The variance does not affect the existing use of the property as a singlefamily house within a single-family zoning district.

Section 3. Based upon the findings set out above, the City Council hereby determines, concludes and orders that the Site Development Permit is approved subject to the conditions of approval set forth in Exhibit A and the Variance application is denied. The Site Development Permit is approved with the modification that all new floor area comply with the required setbacks.

Section 4. The City Clerk is hereby directed to give notice of this decision to the Applicant by serving Applicant by first class mail, postage prepaid, with a copy of this resolution.

REGULARLY APPROVED this 19th day of August, 2025 by the following roll call vote:

Ayes:

Noes:

Abstain:

Absent:
______________________________
BY: Burton Craig, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________

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Gloisy Gonzalez-Langarica, City Clerk

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Resolution 25-###
Exhibit A

CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
17951 Saratoga Los Gatos Road – 2025-3034

1. Acceptance of Permit. Should the applicant fail to file a timely and valid appeal of this Permit within the applicable appeal period, such inaction by the permittee shall be deemed to constitute all the following on behalf of the permittee:
a. Acceptance of the Permit by the permittee; and
b. Agreement by the permittee to be bound by, to comply with, and to do all things required of or by the permittee pursuant to all of the terms, provisions, and conditions of this permit or other approval and the provisions of Title 9 applicable to such Permit.

2. Permit Expiration. This Permit shall automatically expire two years from and after the date of issuance hereof by the Commission, if within such time period, a Building Permit has not been obtained, pursuant to and in accordance with the provision of this Permit. The date of issuance is the date this Permit is approved by the Site & Architectural Commission. However, the City Planner may approve a Permit Adjustment to extend the validity of this Permit up to one year. The Permit Adjustment must be approved prior to the expiration of this Permit.

3. Defense of Legal Challenges. If there is any third party administrative, legal, or equitable action challenging the project approvals, including without limitation claims under CEQA, the Permittee shall defend, hold harmless, and indemnify the City against any such claims, including all liability, fees and costs arising out of the defense such as costs of City's own counsel. If such an action is filed, the Permittee and City shall then enter into an agreement regarding selection of counsel and other provisions related to the defense. For this purpose, "City" includes the City and its elected and appointed officials, agents, officers and employees.

4. Building Permit/Certificate of Occupancy. Procurement of a Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy from the Building Official for the structures described or contemplated under this permit shall be deemed acceptance of all conditions specified in this permit and the permittee's agreement to fully comply with all of said conditions.

5. Compliance with Local and State Laws. The subject site/use shall be conducted in full compliance with all local and state laws. No part of this approval shall be construed to permit a violation of any part of the Monte Sereno Municipal Code. The permit shall be subject to revocation if the subject site/use is conducted in such a manner as to cause a nuisance.

6. Conformance with Plans. The development of the site shall substantially conform to the approved plans titled, Variance and Site Development Set, dated July 3, 2025, on file with the Planning Department, except that the project shall be modified to ensure the proposed second story conforms with the required setbacks.

7. Building Clearance for Issuing Permits. Prior to the issuance of a Building

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Permit, the following requirements must be met to the satisfaction of the Building Official:
a. Construction Plans. This permit file number, 2025-3034 shall be printed on all construction plans submitted to the Building Official. b. Construction Plan Conformance. A project construction plan conformance review by the Planning Department is required. Planning Department review for project conformance will begin with the initial plan check submittal to the Building Official. Prior to any building permit issuance, building permit plans shall conform to the approved Planning development permits and applicable conditions.

8. Hours of Construction. Outside construction shall be limited to the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday.

No outdoor construction work is allowed on Sunday or Holidays, as observed by the City, unless specifically permitted in response to an emergency.

9. Building Materials. All building materials are to be those specified on the approved Plans.

10. Street Addressing. Street addressing shall be placed as is typical in the neighborhood and in compliance with minimum requirements of the Santa Clara County Fire Department.

11. Revocation for Failure to Comply with Permit. In any case where the conditions and limitations to the site development permit have been violated as imposed by the Commission and/or the City Council, per Section 10.08.070 of the Monte Sereno Municipal Code, the City shall give notice to the permittee that the site development permit may be revoked, and shall revoke said site development permit if the stated requirements are not met within sixty (60) days of the date of the notice.

12. Encroachment Permit. Before the issuance of a building permit, the permittee shall apply for an encroachment permit to allow for the construction within the public right-of-way or public easement, including curb, gutter, and street improvements as required by the City Engineer. Encroachment permits for the Daves Avenue frontage shall be submitted to and issued by Santa Clara County. Encroachment permits for the Constitution Avenue frontage shall be submitted to and issued by the City of Monte Sereno.

13. Stormwater Design. The California Regional Water Quality Control Board requires all projects, or a combination of related projects, that create and/or replace 2,500 square feet or more of impervious surface to comply with Provision C.3.i of the Municipal Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit. As required by the Chief Building Official, the permittee shall verify the total area of impervious surface to be created and/or replaced within the scope of this project, or this project combined with other related projects and/or permits, and incorporate the site design measure(s) required under Provision C.3.i into the plans submitted for a building permit.

14. Geotechnical Report and Review. At the option of the Building Official, the permittee may be required to submit a report prepared by a geotechnical engineer of the permittee’s choice that fully assesses the existing site conditions, and addresses all issues regarding excavation and grading, foundations and their construction, drainage, retaining wall systems, periodic on-site observations, and

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other related items involving the Project.
a. Peer Review. The City, at the permittee’s sole expense, may retain an independent geotechnical consultant to perform a peer-review of the permittee’s geotechnical report and advise the City in connection with the permittee’s proposals. The City Engineer shall select this independent geotechnical consultant, whose services shall be provided for the sole benefit of the City and whose reports and recommendations can be relied upon only by the City. The independent geotechnical consultant shall also review the building plans during the permit approval process, and may provide periodic on-site observations during excavation and construction of the foundations as deemed necessary by the City Engineer. The permittee shall provide payment for this at the time of the Building Permit submittal.

15. Construction Management Plan. The permittee shall develop a comprehensive Construction Management Plan. The Construction Management Plan shall address noise, vibrations, traffic control, parking, debris removal, dust control, sanitary facilities, site safety security, emergency egress, and other potential construction impacts, as well as other details involving the means and methods of completing the Project, including the construction route. The Building Official has the authority to require modifications and amendments to the Construction Management Plan as deemed necessary throughout the course of the Project and until the Final Inspection.
a. Construction Site Control of Stormwater. The California Regional Water Quality Control Board requires all projects that disturb the site to comply with Provision C.6 of the San Francisco Bay Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit in order to prevent construction site discharges of pollutants and other regulated materials during construction. As required by the Chief Building Official and prior to the issuance of a building permit, the permittee shall develop and submit a construction stormwater management plan as part of the Construction Management Plan to achieve timely and effective compliance with Provision C.6.

Permit Provision C.6.c.ii provides sources for site specific, and seasonally- and phase-appropriate, effective Best Management Practices (BMPs) that may be incorporated into the stormwater management plan.

16. California’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance: Prior to issuance of a Building Permit, permittee shall comply with the requirements of California’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, by submitting the required information to the Building Official.

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Staff Contact: Gloisy Gonzalez-Langarica, City Clerk
Department: City Clerk
Title: Consider Three (3) Applications and Appoint Three (3) Additional Members to the 2025-2026 Monte Sereno Youth Commission
Recommendation(s):

Staff recommends that the City Council consider three (3) applications and appoint three (3) additional members for the 2025-2026 Monte Sereno Youth Commission.

Background Information:

The Youth Commission ordinance calls for appointments to the Youth Commission annually.

The City Council voted to reduce the size of the Commission from fifteen (15) to seven (7) and appointed six (6) at the meeting on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.

At the August 5, 2025 City Council meeting, Council requested staff to return with a resolution to change the number of Youth Commission from seven to nine for the 2025-2026 school year.

The City received Three (3) additional applications for the remaining seats, from the following Monte Sereno youth:
 Aradhita Singh
 Daniel Matin
 Stella Zeidler
The appointed applicant will be required to fill out and sign the Monte Sereno Youth Volunteer Waiver and Release of Liability form.

Fiscal Impact:

There are no unbudgeted fiscal impacts with this agenda item.

Public Noticing:

The City Council's agenda was posted at City Hall and the agenda and this report appear on the City's website.

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Attachments:

Monte Sereno Youth Volunteer Waiver and Release of Liability Form Application - Aradhita Singh - Youth Commission
Application - Daniel Matin - Youth Commission
Application - Stella Zeidler - Youth Commission

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OAK #4827-3493-4715 v1

CITY OF MONTE SERENO YOUTH VOLUNTEER

WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY FORM
In consideration of being allowed to participate in a City of Monte Sereno commission or volunteer program, I acknowledge and agree that:

1. My child (or I) is volunteering my services for the City of Monte Sereno on a voluntary basis without anticipation of payment of any kind.

2. I acknowledge that the City of Monte Sereno may extend its workman's compensation coverage to authorized volunteers and I agree to accept that coverage.

3. My child (or I) will perform tasks that are within his/her (or my) physical capability to the best of his/her (or my) ability, and my child (or I) will not undertake tasks that are beyond his/her (or my) ability. I certify to the best of my knowledge, that my child's (or my) current physical condition is satisfactory for participation in this activity, and that he/she (or I) am free of any health problem that would affect his/her (or my) ability to participate.

4. I agree to inform my child (or I agree) not to use any equipment or tools with which my child (or I) am unfamiliar or do not know how to operate safely.

5. I agree to inform my child (or I agree) to perform only those tasks assigned, observe all safety rules, and use care in the performance of assignments.

6. I agree that my child (or I) may be photographed, videotaped or recorded and that said photographs, videos or recordings may be used for promotional materials by the City. I understand that my child (or I) will not receive compensation for the use of these and that my child (or I) will not be given notice of when these materials are used.

7. I acknowledge that the City will defend and indemnify my child (or myself) in any claim or action arising from my child's (or my) acts that are within the scope of my child's (or my) duties as a volunteer, but only to the extent that such indemnification or defense is expressly required by law. I further acknowledge that the City is not required to indemnify my child (or me) against a claim for punitive damages except as authorized by the City Council pursuant to Government Code Section 825 (b). I agree, however, to defend and indemnify the City in any claim or action arising from my child's (or my) acts that are outside the scope of my child's (or my) volunteer duties.

8. In the event that my child (or I) use a personal vehicle in order to participate in any City-related commission or volunteer activity, I agree to maintain my own automobile liability insurance for bodily injury and property damage, which shall be the primary insurance coverage, and that any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the City shall be considered excess of such insurance and shall not contribute with it. I hereby also grant a waiver of any right of subrogation which any such insurer may acquire against the City by virtue of the payment of any loss.

9. I acknowledge that loss or damage to my child's (or my) personal property used while providing volunteer services may not be reimbursable under City regulations.

10. I hereby authorize and give my consent for medical care to be given in an emergency situation to the below named child (or to me) while volunteering.

11. THIS AGREEMENT IS BINDING ON MY HEIRS, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, NEXT OF KIN, SPOUSE AND ASSIGNS.

Volunteer's Name (print) ___________________________________________ Date of birth ____/____/____
Address __________________________________________________________ City ___________________________ Zip _______-_____ Phone # ( )_______________ Emergency Phone #'s ( )______________________/ ( )______________________ Volunteer's Signature (if participant is 18 years or older) ________________________ Date Signed ____/____/____
Parent/Legal Guardian signature required if volunteer is 17 years of age or younger.

This is to certify that as a parent/legal guardian of this volunteer, I do consent to his/her waiver and release as set forth above. My child has my permission to volunteer. I realize that participation in this program is voluntary.

Parent/Guardian Name (print) _______________________________ Relationship______________________ Parent/Guardian Signature __________________________________________ Date Signed ____/____/____

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City of Monte Sereno
Commission Application
Date Received: June 13, 2025
Applying for: Youth Commission
Name: Aradhita Singh
Length of Residency: 8 years
Previously Held Elected or
Appointed Governmental
Positions:

Please include organization name, position/office held, and dates.

Civic or Charitable Organizations
You Have Belonged To:

Please include organization name, position/office held, and dates.

Education: Please include school name, degree obtained, and dates.

Why do you want to be on the
selected Commission?:

I would like to be on this commission because I would love to know how decisions are made in our city and be able to offer input that benefits the community, especially my peers.

Tell us about your skills,
experience, or interests that
relate to the Commission that
you feel would assist us in
considering your application:

I worked as an intern for the Los Gatan, which is where I gained some knowledge on how local government works and I found it quite interesting. I am my school's Model UN club's director general, meaning I have public speaking skills as well as a knack for problem solving and negotiating. In addition, I have always been great at talking to people, which I believe is an important skill in government.

Please list your current
commitments:

Currently, I am in India until July 15th. However, as soon as I get back, the only commitments I will have are school until around 4:00 starting mid-August, guitar lessons once a week for half an hour, golf after school (I'll have to see the timings of this since I am not sure), and I also dedicate around an hour or two to Model UN every week.

What strengths do you possess
that you believe will make you a
successful commissioner?:

I am good at talking to people and learning from them, giving me the ability to get raw perspectives from residents and offer input that accurately represents the community's concerns. Also, I am good at finding solutions that work for everyone, this skill of negotiating makes it easier for me to help more people. To go with that, I am great at researching, allowing me to look at every aspect of a problem or situation to better understand it. I've always been a natural leader, which also makes me dependable.

What do you see as the
important issues in Monte
Sereno?:

A very important issue I see in Monte Sereno is the problem of wires and vegetation often falling and being taken out during storm season, causing distress and inconveniences for residents. Another big issue is the limited public transportation, which makes it harder for elderly, who may not be able to drive anymore, to get around— as well as younger people, who have not obtained their license yet.

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What strengths do you possess
that you believe will make you a
successful commissioner?:

What, if any, career interests do
you have currently?:

Currently, I have an interest in journalism and political science (relating more to international affairs, such as working for the UN). I would ideally love to anchor on a network or be a diplomat.

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City of Monte Sereno
Commission Application
Date Received: July 21, 2025
Applying for: Youth Commission
Name: Daniel Matin
Length of Residency: 4.5 years
Previously Held Elected or
Appointed Governmental
Positions:

N/A
Civic or Charitable Organizations
You Have Belonged To:

N/A
Education: 8th grade 2025-2026. Harker middle school
Why do you want to be on the
selected Commission?:

I’m applying to the Monte Sereno Youth Council because I want to be more involved in my community and learn how local government works. I enjoy working with others, sharing ideas, and finding ways to help people. I think this is a great opportunity to develop leadership skills, give back to the community, and have a voice in things that affect young people in our area.

Tell us about your skills,
experience, or interests that
relate to the Commission that
you feel would assist us in
considering your application:

I enjoy working on group projects and coming up with creative ideas, especially when it helps others. At school, I’ve participated in student activities where I helped plan events and worked with classmates to solve problems. I’m a good listener, I take responsibility seriously, and I’m always open to learning new things. I’m also interested in how decisions are made in a city and how young people can be part of that process. I think these qualities would help me contribute to the Youth Commission in a positive way.

Please list your current
commitments:

School, LG soccer league
What strengths do you possess
that you believe will make you a
successful commissioner?:

One of my strengths is that I’m responsible and follow through on what I commit to. I also listen carefully to others and try to understand different opinions before making decisions. I work well in groups and try to include everyone’s ideas. I think these qualities will help me be a good team member and contribute to the Youth Commission in a meaningful way.

What do you see as the
important issues in Monte
Sereno?:

One important issue I see in Monte Sereno is making sure young people feel connected to the community. Since it’s a smaller and quieter city, there aren’t many activities or places for teens to gather, share ideas, or get involved. I think it’s important to create more opportunities for youth to participate in local events, service projects, or programs where they can make a difference and feel included.

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What strengths do you possess
that you believe will make you a
successful commissioner?:

What, if any, career interests do
you have currently?:

Lawyer

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City of Monte Sereno
Commission Application
Date Received: August 5, 2025
Applying for: Youth Commission
Name: Stella Zeidler
Length of Residency: 7 years
Previously Held Elected or
Appointed Governmental
Positions:

In 5th grade I was elected the vice president of student government.

Civic or Charitable Organizations
You Have Belonged To:

I was in Girls Scouts for 9 years, and I volunteered at Montalvo Arts Summer Camp as a camp counselor in 2025. I was also in Adventure Guides for 7 years before that.

Education: I just finished 8th grade at Fisher Middle School. I am heading into freshman year at LGHS.

Why do you want to be on the
selected Commission?:

I am applying to be on the Youth Commission because I am interested in learning about how important decisions are made locally. I think it is a good opportunity to meet new people with common interests and learn how to work together to solve issues that will affect Monte Sereno. My sister was a member of the Youth Commission as well, and it sounds like a great experience! Tell us about your skills,
experience, or interests that
relate to the Commission that
you feel would assist us in
considering your application:

I am creative and good at working with others to find ideas that reflect everyone’s contributions. I am also very talkative and I can make people feel comfortable in new environments. I volunteered as a mentor at Montalvo Arts summer camp teaching little kids. I was a Girl Scout from kindergarten to 8th grade, and we volunteered at wildlife centers and retirement homes. After that my troop led the little Scouts at a camp in activities like games and dissecting owl pellets.

Please list your current
commitments:

I started a business on Etsy where I sell phone charms (CraftsByStellaZ) .

I will be trying out for my school’s flag football team.

What strengths do you possess
that you believe will make you a
successful commissioner?:

I am good at researching information to solve problems, and I am friendly with everyone.

What do you see as the
important issues in Monte
Sereno?:

Two important issues I see are homelessness and wildfires. When I have walked downtown with my friends, I have had encounters with homeless people where they cough and yell at me. I have also been approached by a homeless man who yelled at me and waved a huge stick around in my face. These experiences make me feel unsafe. To fix this issue we could approach the idea of homeless shelters in areas with less population of young families. The wildfires are an important

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issue as well because not only do they affect us by the need to evacuate, but they also affect the wildlife and their homes. There was a fire coming near my house around Montalvo and just as a precaution we evacuated. We had a plan, and it made the evacuation process easier. I would imagine it would make other families feel better if they had plans just in case of an emergency as well. At city events like the picnic we could educate people on wildfire preparedness such as knowing what to bring, where to go, and who to contact in an emergency.

What strengths do you possess
that you believe will make you a
successful commissioner?:

I am good at researching information to solve problems, and I am friendly with everyone.

What, if any, career interests do
you have currently?:

I am very interested in becoming an Orthodontist.

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: NEW BUSINESS
Staff Contact: Diana Perkins, City Manager
Department: City Manager
Title: Selection of Vice Mayor to Fill the Recently Vacated Position Recommendation(s):

Staff recommends the City Council select a Vice Mayor to fill the recently vacated position.

Background Information:

On August 5, 2025, Vice Mayor Javed Ellahie officially resigned from the City Council. Mr.

Ellahie’s resignation results in the vacancy of his City Council seat for the remainder of the term, which expires December 2026 as well as a vacancy of the Vice Mayor position.

Analysis:

In accordance with the City Council’s policy on Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Public Meetings (Attachment 1), section C.1, the Vice Mayor shall be selected as follows:
 The Mayor will ask Council for nominations for Vice Mayor.  Any Council Member wishing to make a nomination may do so. A Council Member may nominate himself or herself.
 Nominations do not require a second.
 Council will vote on the nominations in reverse order that the nominations were made, with the last nomination made voted on first.
 The Vice Mayor shall be appointed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of Council Member present.
 If no Vice Mayor is chosen through the first nomination and voting process, the process shall be repeated.

California Environmental Quality Act:

This is not a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment (CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5)).

Fiscal Impact:

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No fiscal impact is anticipated with the selection of a Vice Mayor.

Public Noticing:

Attachments:

1. Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Public Meetings 2-6-2024

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REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES
FOR

THE CONDUCT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS
A. MEETINGS

1. Regular Meetings
Council of the City of Monte Sereno shall hold regular meetings in Council Chambers at 18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road in said city on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m. (Council Meeting).

2. Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called at any time by the Mayor or by two Council Members by delivering personally, or by mail or electronic mail, written notice to each Council Member, and by posting notice in accordance with State law and by providing written notice to each local newspaper of general circulation, radio station and television station which has made written request for such notice. Such notice must be delivered and posted at least twenty-four hours before the time of such meeting as specified in the notice. The notice shall specify the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted. No other business shall be considered at such meetings. Such written notice may be dispensed with, as to any Council Member who, at or prior to the time the meeting convenes, files with the City Clerk a written waiver of notice.

3. Place
All regular and special meetings of Council shall be held in Council Chambers, except that any such meetings may be adjourned to such other location as Council may from time to time determine.

4. Meetings to be Public
All regular, adjourned, and special meetings of Council shall be open and public; provided, however, Council may hold closed session from which the public may be excluded for the consideration of those matters permitted by the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code §§ 54950 et seq) to be held in closed session. No Council Member, employee of the City of Monte Sereno (City), or any other person present during a closed session of Council shall disclose to any person the content or substance of any discussion which took place during said closed session without prior authorization by a majority vote of Council. A Council Member who is found by Council to have made disclosure in violation of the foregoing provisions shall be subject to either or both (i) a motion of censure, or (ii) removal from any one or more of the offices which he or she holds by reason of election or appointment by Council, such as Mayor, Vice Mayor, representative of Council on an outside board or commission, or membership on a Council committee.

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5. Chamber Preparation
The City Manager shall cause the Council Chamber doors to be unlocked at 6:45 p.m. for Council Meetings. In addition, the City Manager shall cause all preparations of the Council Chambers and of all available public facilities for the general comfort of the audience and efficiency of the meetings.

6. Quorum
Three members of Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Motions may be passed by a majority if only three attend, but ordinances, resolutions granting franchises and payment of money require at least three affirmative votes. Where there is no quorum, the Mayor, Vice Mayor, or any Council Member shall adjourn such meeting, or, if no Council member is present, the City Clerk shall adjourn the meeting.

7. Agenda
An agenda shall be prepared for each Council Meeting containing the specific items of business to be transacted and the order thereof. Items of business may be placed on the agenda by any Council Member, the City Manager, or the City Attorney. The City Manager may advise, but cannot override, on the placement of items for consideration.

In addition, a Council Member may request that an item be placed on a future agenda during the future agenda portion of a Council Meeting as outlined in Section 9 below. A complete copy of the agenda shall be addressed to each Council Member and delivered to each Council Member at City Hall and each department head so as to reach the recipient not later than 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding each Council Meeting. All reports, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents, or other matters to be submitted to Council at the Council Meeting shall be delivered to the City Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., on the Monday preceding the Wednesday on which the agenda is delivered to Council.

The City Clerk shall prepare the agenda of all such matters according to the order of business, numbering each item consecutively. The agenda shall be available to the public in the office of the City Clerk and posted at the prescribed places no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding each Council Meeting and in the Council Chambers during each meeting. During the day of the Council Meeting, the City Manager shall also cause to be available for public inspection in the office of the City Clerk one or more copies of all written materials concerning the agenda items, such as is also routinely made available to Council Members. The City Manager may exclude any materials that would not be a public record under applicable law, including, but not limited to, closed session materials.

8. Additions to Agenda
No matters shall be finally acted upon by Council other than those on the agenda; provided, however, items of business not appearing on the posted agenda may be considered in accordance with Government Code section 54954.2 and as it may be amended from time to time.

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9. Order of Business
At the hour set by law on the day of each Council Meeting, the Council Members, City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk and such department heads as have been requested to be present, shall take their regular stations in the Council Chambers, and the business of Council shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the following order:
a. Call to Order
b. Pledge of Allegiance
c. Roll Call
d. Orders of the Day
e. Announcements (Council Member announcements or individuals invited by Council to make announcement)
f. Presentations
g. Oral Communications from the Public
h. Written Communications
i. Consent Calendar
j. Public Hearings
k. New Business
l. Unfinished Business
m. Special Set Items
n. JPA/Committee/Commission Reports
o. Council Member Comments
p. City Manager Report
q. Future Agenda Items
r. Adjournment

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The Mayor or a majority of Council may change the order of business under Orders of the Day. Council may set hearings for a specific time and, in that event, such hearings shall begin at the stated time, regardless of the order of business; otherwise, business shall be considered in the order shown above.

10.Council Member Absences
In the event a Council Member is unable to attend a Council Meeting, such Council Member shall so inform the City Manager no later than 12:00 p.m. on the Friday before the Council Meeting, unless such absence is due to an unforeseen circumstance beyond the Council Member’s control.
.

11.Remote Participation of Council Members
Council Members may participate in a regular or special meeting from a remote location if they meet the requirements of California Government Code section 54953. In the event a Council Member desires to participate in a regular or special meeting from a remote location, such Council Member shall so inform the City Clerk as soon as possible but in no event later than 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. In order to participate remotely, the Council Member shall provide the City Clerk with any information necessary to comply with the requirements of California Government Code section 54953 for remote participation in regular or special meetings.

B. ADDRESSING COUNCIL

1. Right to Address Council
Every agenda for Council Meetings shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to address Council on any item of interest to the public that is within the jurisdiction of Council. An opportunity shall be provided for public comment at any special meeting on any matter noticed to be heard at that meeting.

2. Addressing Council at Other Times
Any interested person may request permission from the Mayor to address Council relevant to the subject matter under consideration. The granting or denial of such a request may be appealed to Council by a Council Member. In the event that more than one person makes such a request on any one item of business, the Mayor may forthwith designate and declare a period of time for such addresses and set a reasonable time limitation for it.

3. Manner of Addressing Council
As directed by the Chair, (see section D.1 below), any person wishing to address Council shall submit a written request, stand and approach the podium, or raise their hand and wait to be recognized by the Chair. Once recognized, he/she shall stand at the

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podium, if able, state his/her name for the record and proceed to address Council. All remarks and questions shall be addressed to Council through the Chair and not to any member thereof or the public. No question shall be asked of a Council Member or a member of the City staff without first obtaining permission of the Chair. Any member of the public shall request the Chair’s permission to approach the dais and may only do so after being granted such permission.

4. Time Limitation
The Mayor or a majority of Council may limit the time speakers may have to make oral communications to Council. When any group of persons wishes to address Council on the same subject matter, it shall be proper for the Chair or Council to inquire whether or not the group has a spokesperson, and if so, that the spokesperson be heard, with following speakers in the group limited to facts not already presented by that spokesperson.

5. Inclusion of Public Correspondence and Presentations in Agenda Materials Any person wishing to make an audio/visual presentation on any agenda item must submit the presentation electronically, either in person or via email, to the City Clerk no later than 2:00 p.m. on the day of the regular or special meeting.

Persons wishing to submit written comments to be included in the agenda materials for a regular or special meeting provided to Council must provide the comments as follows:
• For inclusion in the regular packet: by 11:00 a.m. the Wednesday prior to the Council Meeting
• For inclusion in additional post packet correspondence addendum: by 11:00 a.m. the Monday prior to the Council Meeting
• For inclusion as a desk item: by 11:00 a.m. on the day of the Council Meeting • For a special meeting, for materials to be included in additional post packet correspondence addendum, they must be submitted by 11:00 a.m. the day before the meeting. For inclusion as a desk item, materials must be submitted no later than one hour prior to the special meeting.

This section shall not prohibit members of the public from directly presenting prepared written materials to Council during public comment. Copies of such materials shall be made available after the meeting for public inspection by the City Clerk in accordance with applicable law.

C. MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR

1. Appointment of Mayor and Vice Mayor
On non-election years, the Council shall conduct a yearly reorganization at its first regular meeting of December, unless otherwise designated by the Council. On

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election years, the reorganization of the Council shall occur at the same meeting that Council certifies the election results and the newly seated Council shall select the Mayor and Vice Mayor. At the time of the yearly reorganization of the Council, the Council shall elect one of its members to serve one year as Mayor and one of its members to serve one year as Vice Mayor. The election of Mayor and Vice Mayor shall be placed at the end of the agenda. The Mayor will ask Council for nominations for Mayor. Any Council Member wishing to make a nomination may do so. A Council Member may nominate himself or herself. Nominations do not require a second. Council will vote on the nominations in reverse order that the nominations were made, with the last nomination made voted on first. The Mayor shall be appointed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of Council Member present. If no Mayor is chosen through the first nomination and voting process, the process shall be repeated. After the Mayor is appointed, the nomination process will be repeated for the selection of a Council Member to serve as Vice Mayor.

2. Term of Office
The Mayor and Vice Mayor shall each hold office until his/her successor is elected and qualifies.

3. Qualifications
Any Council Member is eligible to serve as Mayor or Vice Mayor who has not served in that position the previous year. In casting their votes for Mayor and Vice Mayor, Council Members may consider the candidate's leadership qualities, his/her ability to conduct meetings of Council expeditiously and fairly, and his/her willingness to represent and implement positions adopted by Council when such positions are at variance with his/her personal views, as well as other factors as they deem pertinent, including seniority, rotation, or prior service as Mayor or Vice Mayor. In making the selections, Council will also consider the principle of rotation to allow each of its members an opportunity to serve as Mayor provided that the Council Member has the time to fulfill the duties of Mayor.

4. Mayor
The Mayor, or in his/her absence the Vice Mayor, shall be the presiding officer of the Council, chair all regular and special meetings and shall assume his/her place and duties as such immediately following his/her election. If the Mayor is absent or unable to act as Chair, the Vice Mayor shall serve until the Mayor returns or is able to act. During such periods, the Vice Mayor has all of the powers and duties of the Mayor. In the event the Vice Mayor is absent, the Mayor shall have the right to name any Council Member to perform the duties of the Mayor, but such substitution shall not extend beyond adjournment.

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5. Authority
As Chair, the Mayor shall preserve strict order and decorum at all regular and special meetings of Council and announce its decisions on all subjects, and decide all questions of order, subject, however, to an appeal as herein as described. The Mayor shall sign all ordinances and resolutions adopted and contracts approved by Council at Council Meetings at which he/she is in attendance. In the event of his/her absence, the Vice Mayor shall sign such documents as have been adopted during the meeting at which he/she presided.

6. Joint Powers Authority, Council Committee and Commission Assignments The City is a member of various joint powers authorities (JPAs) and often has the ability to have a Council Member on the board of such JPAs. The Mayor recommends representatives on such JPAs, various standing committees and commissionsto Council for approval. Council will vote on such appointments no later than the second Council Meeting in January each year. When making JPA, committee and commission assignments, the Mayor should consider the interest and knowledge of each Council Member in such JPAs, committees and commissions while balancing shared responsibilities and opportunities among Council Members. Upon approval of the assignments, the City Clerk shall notify the JPAs, committees and commission of such appointment by Council.

D. RULES OF PROCEDURE AND DEBATE

1. Call to Order
The Mayor, or in his/her absence, the Vice Mayor, shall take the chair at the appointed hour for the meeting, and shall call the regular or special meeting to order. In the absence of the Mayor and the Vice Mayor, and the failure of the Mayor to appoint a temporary Chair, the City Clerk shall call Council to order, whereupon a temporary Chair will be elected by the Council Members present. If the Mayor or Vice Mayor should arrive after the meeting is called to order, the temporary Chair shall serve until the disposal of the item during consideration of which the Mayor or Vice Mayor arrived. In no event shall the temporary Chair serve beyond adjournment.

2. Roll Call
Before proceeding with the business of the Council, the City Clerk shall call the roll of the Council Members, and the names of those present shall be entered in the minutes. Subsequent roll calls throughout the meeting shall be made in the same order except that the Mayor shall always be called last.

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3. Reading of Minutes
Unless the reading of the minutes of a regular or special meeting is requested by a majority of Council, such minutes may be approved without reading if the City Clerk has previously furnished each Council Member with a copy.

4. Chair May Debate and Vote
The Chair may move, second and debate as Chair, subject only to such limitations of debate as are by these rules imposed on all Council Members and shall not be deprived of any of the rights and privileges of Council Members by reason of his/her acting as Chair.

5. Getting the Floor
Every person desiring to speak shall address the Chair, and upon recognition by the Chair, shall confine him/herself to the question under debate.

6. Meeting Decorum
While Council is in session, Council Members and members of the public (whether appearing in person or virtually) must preserve order and decorum, and no person shall, by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of Council, nor disturb any Council Member while speaking, or refuse to obey the orders of Council or of the Chair, except as otherwise herein provided. Equitable access to the democratic process is essential. To ensure all members of the public feel free to participate, disruptive conduct is prohibited and may be grounds for removal from a meeting if it directly interferes with the conduct of proceedings. Disruptive conduct includes any conduct that directly interferes with the ability of the Council to deliberate and take action on agenda items, which may include addressing the Council without first being recognized, interrupting recognized public speakers, Council Member, or City staff, continuing to speak after the allotted time has expired and being requested to stop or failing to relinquish the podium when directed, and continuing to cheer, boo, jeer, clap, or repetitiously address the same subject in a manner that significantly interrupts or interferes with the Council’s ability to deliberate or act on an agenda item after being asked to stop. When necessary to enforce decorum, the Chair, subject to Council appeal, or Council itself may order a person removed from the public meeting (whether appearing in person or virtually), or the public meeting may be closed pursuant to State law. In the event members of the public participating in the regular or special meeting virtually desire to address Council, they shall raise their virtual hand and wait to be called on by the City Clerk before speaking.

7. Interruptions
A Council Member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless called to order by the Chair, unless a point of order or personal privilege is raised

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by another Council Member, or unless the speaker chooses to yield to a question by another Council Member. If a Council Member, while speaking, is called to order, he/she shall cease speaking until the question or order is determined and, if determined to be in order, he/she may proceed.

8. Points of Order
Only a Council Member may raise a point of order. Points of order shall be limited to cases where the discussion or debate on the floor does not pertain to the item of business before Council at the time or is in violation of any of the provisions of this resolution.

9. Personal Privilege
The right of a Council Member to address Council on a question of personal privilege shall be limited to cases in which his/her integrity, character or motives are questioned or where the comfort or welfare of Council, City staff and audience are concerned. A Council Member raising a point of personal privilege may interrupt another Council Member who has the floor, subject only to the power of the Chair to call him/her out of order.

10.Call for the Question
A call for the question is a motion to halt debate on a motion before Council. A Council Member calling for the question must receive a second to his/her motion. A properly moved and seconded call for the question must be voted on immediately and is not debatable. If the motion calling for the question passes, then the motion before Council on which the question was called must be voted on immediately without further debate.

11.Recognition of City Staff
Members of City staff, after recognition by the Mayor or Chair, shall hold the floor until completion of their remarks or until recognition is withdrawn by the Mayor or Chair.

12.Conflict of Interest
Any Council Member who has a direct personal financial interest in any matter coming before Council shall disclose said interest, and shall disqualify him/herself from discussing or voting on such matter. Where it is not clear whether such interest is of a disqualifying nature, the affected Council Member may request the opinion of the City Attorney. A Council Member who is disqualified by reason of a conflict of interest in any matter shall step down from the dais during the debate, may not participate or vote on the matter or attempt to influence the decisionmakers.

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13.Failure to Vote
A Council Member who fails to vote without stating his/her abstention or without being disqualified shall be deemed to have cast a "yes" vote.

14.Change of Vote
A Council Member may change his/her vote only if he/she makes a timely request during the regular or special meeting providing said change does not affect the outcome of the vote.

15.Reconsideration of Prior Action
A motion to reconsider a vote on a prior action shall be in order at the same meeting or the next following regular or special meeting. Any final action taken on a quasi judicial matter shall not be subject to a motion for reconsideration. Such motion may be made only by a Council Member who has previously voted with the majority on the matter.

Tie votes shall be lost motions and may be reconsidered.

16.Robert's Rules of Order
The Council may elect, by majority vote, to adopt Robert's Rules of Order as a guide to matters of procedure and rules of debate, provided, however, that no provision of Robert's Rules of Order shall be construed to supersede any provision herein or in any other ordinance of the City, if the two provisions are in conflict. If the Council so decides, the Mayor or Chair shall designate a specific edition of Robert's Rules of Order to be used throughout his/her term, provided, however, that said edition is economical and readily available.

17.Failure to Observe Rules of Order
Rules adopted to expedite the transaction of the business of the Council in an orderly fashion are deemed to be procedural only, and the failure to strictly observe such rules shall not affect the jurisdiction of the Council or invalidate any action taken at a meeting that is otherwise held in conformity with law.

E. MINUTES

1. Preparation of Minutes
The minutes of regular and special meetings shall be made and kept by the City Clerk, with a record of each particular type of business transacted, with proper subheads; provided that the City Clerk shall be required to make a record only of such business as was actually passed upon a vote of the Council, and shall not be required to make a verbatim transcript of the proceedings, provided further that a record shall be made of the names of persons addressing the Council, the title and the subject matter to

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which their remarks related and whether they spoke in support of or in opposition to such matter.

2. Remarks of Council Members
A Council Member may request, through the Mayor or Chair, the privilege of having an abstract of his/her statement of any subject under consideration by Council entered into the minutes. If the Council consents thereto, such statement shall be entered into the minutes.

3. Protest Against Council Action
Any Council Member shall have the right to have the reasons of his/her dissent from or his/her protest against any action of Council entered in the minutes.

4. Synopsis of Debate
The City Clerk may be directed by the Mayor or Chair, with the consent of Council, to enter in the minutes a synopsis of the discussion on any question coming before Council.

5. Delivery of Minutes
As soon as possible after each regular or special meeting, but no later than the second Council Meeting following the regular or special meeting, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the City Clerk shall cause a copy of the minutes thereof to be forwarded to Council Members, the City Manager, City Attorney, and such other city agencies or persons as may be designated and posted on the City’s website. The minutes shall be deemed to have been forwarded to the Council Members, the City Manager, City Attorney and such other city agencies or persons when they are published in the agenda of a regular or special meeting.

6. Meeting Recordings
The City Clerk shall electronically record all regular and special meetings, when possible, to assist the City Clerk in preparation of minutes, and will retain recordings in accordance with the City’s record retention schedule. Council may order full recordings or portions thereof retained for longer periods. Said recordings shall not be an official city record but shall be available to the public.

7. Public Access to Minutes and Recordings
At least one copy of the minutes of each regular and special meeting, and at least one copy of the recordings of each meeting shall be maintained by the City Clerk in such a manner as to be readily available for inspection bymembers of the public, subject

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only to whatever reasonable conditions the City Clerk may require to avoid excessive interference with city business or misuse and destruction of City property.

F. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

1. Considerations in Determining Disciplinary Action
Disciplinary action may be imposed by Council upon Council Members who have violated the Code of Ethics. Disciplinary action or sanctions are considered when a serious violation of City policy has occurred by a Council Member. In determining the type of sanction imposed, the following factors may be considered:
a. Nature of the violation
b. Prior violations by the same individual
c. Other factors which bear upon the seriousness of the violation.

2. Type of Sanctions
At the discretion of Council, sanctions may be imposed for violating the Code of Ethics or engaging in other misconduct. These actions may be applied individually or in combination. They include, but are not limited to:
a. Public Admonishment- A reproof or warning directed to a Council Member about a particular type of behavior that violates City policy. b. Revocation of Special Privileges- A revocation of a Council Member’s JPA, committee or commission assignments, including standing and ad hoc committees, regional boards and commissions, and community generated board/committee appointments. Other revocations may include temporary suspension of official travel, conference participation, and ceremonial titles.
c. Censure - A formal statement or resolution by the Council officially reprimanding a Council Member.

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: NEW BUSINESS
Staff Contact: Diana Perkins, City Manager
Department: City Manager
Title: Filling the Vacant Council Seat
Recommendation(s):

Staff recommends the City Council direct staff on how to proceed regarding filling the recently vacated City Council seat.

Background Information:

On August 5, 2025, Vice Mayor Javed Ellahie officially resigned from the City Council. Mr.

Ellahie’s resignation results in the vacancy of his City Council seat for the remainder of the term, which expires December 2026.

Analysis:

In accordance with Government Code §36512, within 60 days of the resignation, the City Council must fill the vacancy either by appointment or by calling for a special election.

Following is a summary of each option with a draft timeline.

Appointment
If the City Council determines to fill the vacancy by appointment, the appointment must be made by Friday, October 3, 2025 (60 days after the resignation). Because the vacancy occurred in the second half of Mr. Ellahie’s term, the appointee will hold office for the remainder of the term and will not be considered as a full-term of service for the appointee.

The City Council can appoint a qualified person by any process it deems appropriate including the following:
 Direct Appointment – No application or interview process. Typically, a direct appointment is used to appoint a former Councilmember or current Commissioner and when the remaining term is for a short period of time.
 Application and Interview Process – This process would include a published application form with a deadline to submit applications to the City Clerk. The Council would then hold interviews with the candidates who submit applications. The Brown Act

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requires any interviews conducted by the entire City Council to be held in an open session.

If the City Council decides to fill the vacancy through an appointment process with an application and interview, staff recommends the following timeline:

Action Date
Advertise the Vacancy and Publish
Application
Friday, August 22, 2025
Applicants Due (three weeks from the date
applications were published)
Friday, September 12, 2025
Council to Interview Candidates (special
public meeting)
September 22, 2025 or September 23, 2025
Council Vote to Make Appointment At the Special Meeting for Interviews or at a Subsequent Special Meeting no later than
Friday, October 3, 2025.

For the application and interview process, staff recommends that the City Council provide direction on the following:
 Application Requirements – The application requirements can include a set list of questions and/or a letter of interest. Attached to this staff report is a sample application that Council may want to consider or provide direction on modifications to the application.
 Interview Format – The interviews are required to be held at a public meeting. The format of the interviews (e.g., opening statement by candidates followed by City Council questions or some other format) will need to be determined. Staff recommends that the Council direct staff to work with the Mayor to determine the format of the interviews and the voting procedures.

Election
If the City Council determines to fill the vacancy by election, the special election shall be held on the next regularly established election date not less than 114 days from the call of the special election. The next regularly established election date would be in 2026 (Election Code §1000). In the event the City Council determines to fill the vacancy by election, the newly elected City Councilmember will serve for approximately one year with the term ending in December 2026.

California Environmental Quality Act:

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Fiscal Impact:

If the City Council decides to fill the position through an appointment, there will be a minor fiscal impact of approximately $500 for noticing the appointment process in the newspaper.

If the Council decides to call for a special election to fill the vacancy, the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters has estimated the cost to the City to be at least $50,000.

Alternatives:

The first decision for the Council to consider is whether the vacant seat should be filled with an appointment by Council or an election.

Appointment
 If the vacancy is to be filled with an appointment, the schedule, and application requirements, and the date and time of the interviews should be determined by the Council.
 A direct appointment can also be made without an application and interview process.

Election
If the vacancy is to be filled by election, staff will return with the required resolutions at a later date.

Public Noticing:

Attachments:

1. Draft Application for Council Vacancy - August 2025

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City of Monte Sereno
Application for Vacant City Council Seat
Term Ending December 2026
Applications Due 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 12, 2025

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Notice of Intention to Fill a Vacancy for
Member of the City Council by Appointment
Notice is hereby given that the City of Monte Sereno is accepting applications for appointment to the City Council to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Vice Mayor Ellahie, effective August 5, 2025.

The term of this Council seat is from the date of appointment to December 2026.

Candidate Qualifications
Candidates must meet all the following qualifications at the time the application is submitted:
• Be 18 years of age,
• Reside within the incorporated limits of the City of Monte Sereno, and • Be registered to vote in the City of Monte Sereno.

Applications Available
Applications are available at City Hall, 18041 Saratoga Los Gatos Road between the hours of 9:00am and 4:00pm Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and online at https://www.montesereno.org/. In addition to the application, a letter of interest (200 words maximum) shall be submitted.

Application Deadline
Completed applications along with a letter of interest (200 words maximum) must be returned to the City Clerk by 5:00pm on Friday, September 12, 2025. Applications can be submitted in person at City Hall, 18041 Saratoga Los Gatos Road between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or by email to [email protected].

Candidate Interviews
At a Special Meeting of the City Council on INSERT DATE at INSERT TIME, each qualified candidate will be asked to make a maximum five-minute presentation to the City Council. The applicant may then be asked to respond to questions the City Council may have regarding their presentation or application.

The order in which the applicants will make their presentation will be determined by a random draw. The random draw will take place at the beginning of the meeting.

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City of Monte Sereno
Application for Vacant City Council Seat
Term Ending December 2026
Applications Due 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 12, 2025

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Submit to: Office of the City Clerk, 18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road Telephone: (408) 354-7635 − Email: [email protected] Please type or print legibly
Last Name: First Name:

Address: City:

Home Phone: Zip:

Email: Phone:

Current Employer: Job Title:

Length of Residency in Monte Sereno:

Previously Held Elected or Appointed
Governmental Positions Position/Office Held Dates

Civic or Charitable Organizations
You Have Belonged To Position/Office Held Dates
Education Degree Dates
Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ___________________

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City of Monte Sereno
Application for Vacant City Council Seat
Term Ending December 2026
Applications Due 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 12, 2025

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QUESTIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL APPLICANTS

1. Why do you want to be on the City Council?

2. Tell us about your skills, experience or interests that you feel would assist us in considering your application.

3. Please list your current commitments.

4. How many weekday hours per month would you be able to commit to the City Council? Please circle one or fill in “other.”
1-3 hours
4-6 hours
7-9 hours
10+ hours
Other ____________________

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City of Monte Sereno
Application for Vacant City Council Seat
Term Ending December 2026
Applications Due 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 12, 2025

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5. Do you anticipate any conflicts of interest with any issues affecting Monte Sereno? If so, how would you handle it?

6. What do you see as important issues in Monte Sereno?

7. How do you view the role of the City Council?

8. What strengths do you possess that you believe will make you a successful Council Member?

9. How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our City?

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: NEW BUSINESS
Staff Contact: Diana Perkins, City Manager
Department: City Manager
Title: Consider Establishment of and Appointment to the Monte Sereno City Council Potential Police Service Parcel Tax Ad Hoc Committee Recommendation(s):

Staff recommends the City Council consider creation of a Potential Police Service Parcel Tax Ad Hoc Committee and the appointment of two Councilmembers.

Background Information:

The City Council of Monte Sereno utilizes ad-hoc committees as subcommittees of the City Council for special assignments and to complete work tasks on projects which are later presented to the full Council for consideration. Ad-hoc committee assignments are for no more than one-year terms and expire automatically. While ad-hoc committees are not subject to Brown Act requirements regarding agendas and open meetings, any permanent or standing committees created by the City Council are subject to such requirements, even if less than a quorum of the Council sits on such committees. Thus, ad hoc committees should be limited in scope and duration of no more than one year.

At the August 5, 2025 City Council meeting, the Council requested this item be placed on a future City Council meeting agenda for consideration. If the City Council votes to create such an Ad Hoc Committee, a draft resolution with potential scope of such Ad Hoc Committee is provided for Council’s consideration.

California Environmental Quality Act:

Fiscal Impact:

No fiscal impact is anticipated with the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee.

Public Noticing:

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Attachments:

1. Draft Resolution Potential Police Parcel Tax Ad Hoc Committee

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RESOLUTION NO. 25-###

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MONTE SERENO

ESTABLISHING THE POTENTIAL POLICE SERVICES PARCEL TAX AD HOC

COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Monte Sereno (“City Council”) may establish project specific subcommittees to address an explicit purpose or need; and

WHEREAS, project specific subcommittees are of a limited duration and should be active for no more than one year; and

WHEREAS, the City Council desires to establish a project specific ad hoc subcommittee to advise staff on a potential police services parcel tax ballot measure effective August 20, 2025 through August 19, 2026; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the Potential Police Services Parcel Tax Ad Hoc Committee is to accomplish the following:
• Review options for placing a ballot measure on a general election; • Consider the amount to potentially increase the police service tax; • Discuss outreach options to inform the residents of a potential ballot measure; and
• Work with staff and any third-party consultants to complete the tasks noted above.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that City Council hereby forms the Potential Police Services Parcel Tax Ad Hoc Committee effective August 20, 2025, until no later than August 19, 2026, to work with the City Manager to advise staff on a potential police services parcel tax ballot measure; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council Member INSERT NAME and Council Member INSERT NAME are hereby appointed to the Potential Police Services Parcel Tax Ad Hoc Committee.

REGULARLY ADOPTED AND PASSED this 19th day of August 2025, by the following roll call vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

APPROVED:

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Burton Craig, Mayor
ATTESTED:
__________________________
Gloisy Gonzalez-Langarica, City Clerk

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STAFF REPORT
Meeting: City Council - Aug 19 2025
Agenda Heading: NEW BUSINESS
Staff Contact: Diana Perkins, City Manager
Department: City Manager
Title: Update on the City Council Adopted Goal to Improve Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness and Provide any Direction to Staff
Recommendation(s):

Staff recommends that the City Council receive the status update on the City Council adopted goal to Improve Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness and provide any direction to staff.

Background Information:

The Monte Sereno City Council conducted the annual Goal Setting Session on March 18, 2025 and provided direction on the goals to be adopted for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026. The adopted goals include a program to Improve Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness including the following:

A. Establish evacuation routes, inform the community of these locations, and plan for their maintenance.

B. Increase awareness of fire danger due to poorly maintained vegetation and promote the importance of defensible space around structures.

C. Work with Saratoga, Los Gatos, and elected officials to coordinate efforts to reduce fire hazard risks on Highway 9.

D. Consider requiring any eucalyptus trees on a property to be removed when an application for a new house is received.

E. Consider expanding the exterior home hardening requirements of the California Residential Code to apply to all properties in the City and not just those within the High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Area.

F. Adopt an updated Annex to the Santa Clara Wildfire Protection Plan to plan for programs in Monte Sereno.

G. Recruit 10 additional CERT members, with a focus on residents that live near City Hall.

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H. Consider outfitting the shed at City Hall to serve as an NICP.

I. Consider establishing a commission or committee to work on wildfire prevention and preparedness issues.

Analysis:

Following is a status update for each of the items included in the City Council’s goal to Improve Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness
A. Establish evacuation routes, inform the community of these locations, and plan for their maintenance.

The Town of Los Gatos issued a Request for Proposals for a Town-Wide Evacuation Plan with Simulation-Based Modeling, which included an optional task to provide the following for Monte Sereno:
 Coordination with Monte Sereno staff and available base mapping data to inform route analysis and scenario assumptions.
 Traffic modeling consistent with the approach used for Los Gatos  Identification of evacuation constraints and recommended strategies The Town of Los Gatos is currently reviewing the proposals received and will share the information about the optional task for Monte Sereno when the review is complete.

Additionally, the Town has submitted a FEMA grant to support their portion of the project and will wait to hear from FEMA before moving forward.

B. Increase awareness of fire danger due to poorly maintained vegetation and promote the importance of defensible space around structures.

Staff has made social media posts, emails to interested parties, and placed information on the City’s web page about the importance of defensible space around structures. This included the following infortune:
 Zone 1, 2, 3 information
 Santa Clara County Fire Department’s Wildfire Preparedness Spring and Summer 2025 Workshops
 Town of Los Gatos Firewise Community Meetings
Attachment 2 includes each community email and social media post that has been provided by the City this year.

C. Work with Saratoga, Los Gatos, and elected officials to coordinate efforts to reduce fire hazard risks on Highway 9.

The City Council and community have worked extensively to raise awareness of the potential fire danger of trees, particularly in the median, along Highway 9. The City Council authorized the Mayor to send a letter to the Assemblymember Pellerin regarding this topic. And, the Santa

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Clara County Fire Department Fire Chief sent a letter expressing concerns about Highway 9 fire safety to Caltrans. These letters are included in Attachment 3.

Several Councilmembers also raised this concern to Santa Clara County Supervisor AbeKoga. She also reached out to Caltrans and the response that she received in also included in Attachment 3.

Attachment 3 includes the written correspondence on this item.

During the last week of July, a Caltrans contractor completed some tree pruning and several tree removals along Highway 9 through Monte Sereno. Caltrans staff has confirmed they will re-inspect the area and likely remove more damaged trees.

D. Consider requiring any eucalyptus trees on a property to be removed when an application for a new house is received.

The staff report and draft ordinance is scheduled to be reviewed by the Site and Architectural Commission at their October 1, 2025 meeting and the City Council at the October 21, 2025 meeting.

The staff report and draft ordinance is scheduled to be considered by the City Council at the November 4, 2025 meeting as part of the updated 2025 California Building Codes adoption.

F. Adopt an updated Annex to the Santa Clara County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) to plan for programs in Monte Sereno.

The Santa Clara County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is a strategic, countywide plan designed to reduce wildfire risk and protect life, property, and the environment within the county. It outlines mitigation and preparedness strategies, including fuel reduction, public education, and emergency response planning, to enhance community resilience to wildfires.

This item will be presented to the City Council before the end of this calendar year, after the goals for the updated Safety Element are determined in order to coordinate goals in the two documents.

G. Recruit 10 additional CERT members, with a focus on residents that live near City Hall.

This effort is on-going. The effort was previously led by a former Councilmember. Staff will continue to promote CERT through social media posts and providing information at the front counter of City Hall.

H. Consider outfitting the shed at City Hall to serve as a Neighborhood Incident Command Post (NICP).

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Staff is working to get construction estimates to construct a foundation and provide electrical power to the shed that was placed next to the garage at City Hall. Staff is also working with the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department staff to obtain an inventory of supplies needed for the NICP. Once the cost estimates are completed, it will be presented to the City Council for consideration.

I. Consider establishing a commission or committee to work on wildfire prevention and preparedness issues.

The City Council discussed this topic at the April 15, 2025 meeting and decided not to move forward with a specific advisory committee at this time as there was already a Wildfire Community Advisory Group that includes participants from Los Gatos, Saratoga, and Monte Sereno.

California Environmental Quality Act:

Fiscal Impact:

No fiscal impact will occur in reviewing the status of this City Council goal.

Public Noticing:

Attachments:

1. Council Adopted Goals for Fiscal Year 2025-2026

2. Community Emails and Social Media Posts Regarding Wildfire Safety 2025

3. Correspondence Regarding Highway 9 Safety

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Council Adopted Goals for Fiscal Year 2025-2026

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Goals
I. Provide Quality Public Service

1. Plan the Green Stormwater Infrastructure project required by State law.

2. Review and amend City of Monte Sereno Financial Policies:
a. Review and amend, if required, the City of Monte Sereno’s investment policy. b. Develop and implement timely updates to the financial transparency system for residents.

3. Implement a cloud-based, fully integrated financial reporting and human resource information system for government entities to:
a. Improve financial reporting and human resources management at the City of Monte Sereno. b. Utilize time reporting functionality for all personnel and support human resources requirements. c. Address and resolve internal control weaknesses.
d. Develop, document, and implement financial accounting policies and procedures with the new financial reporting system. e. Convert and migrate minimal, yet sufficient, data to the new financial reporting system and human resources information system.

4. Increase civic engagement and resident involvement in the community, including possible partnership with leadership Los Gatos.

5. Review and improve the City of Monte Sereno website with easier access to historical minutes and recordings.

II. Maintain Community Character

1. Update the General Plan.

2. Continue to implement programs in the adopted Housing Element.

III. Enhance Mobility for Residents

1. Improve walkability throughout the City.

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Council Adopted Goals for Fiscal Year 2025-2026

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Goals
IV. Maintain Community Safety

1. Improve wildfire prevention and preparedness: