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Residents praise Swenson’s revised New Town plan, urge protections for existing retailers
Summary
Public commenters praised the Swenson 'New Town' residential redesign as more compatible with Los Gatos, while neighbors asked the council to ensure fair transition and relocation for existing small retailers and sought updates on related SB330 court cases.
Multiple public commenters addressed the council about a revised New Town development application from the Swenson team on Nov. 18, praising design changes that replace earlier higher‑density proposals with three‑story townhomes and urging careful transition planning for existing retail tenants.
Rich Stevens, a lifelong resident, thanked the town and the Swenson team for revising the project into three‑ and four‑bedroom, three‑story townhomes and said the design better fits the community. “I encourage the town to move forward with it as efficiently as possible,” he said, praising the developer’s responsiveness to resident input.
Karen Yamamoto said neighbors appreciated that the revisions spared significant trees but expressed concern about how quickly the application could move forward before small businesses on the site—restaurants, a nail salon and other long‑standing retailers—could find new locations. Yamamoto asked the council to consider measures to support displaced small businesses during any transition.
Commenters also asked for an update on two SB330‑related court matters (Ace Hardware and The Lexi); the town attorney said a hearing on a related case occurred Oct. 15 and the town expects a decision in roughly two weeks.
Separately, the town manager reported that a demolition permit has been issued for a local lodge on the site of forthcoming development activity, and that Main Street bridge work by the contractor CALR is expected to leave most bridge‑adjacent parking available by Thanksgiving weekend, with some temporary impacts while permanent fencing and finishing work are completed.
No formal land‑use actions were taken at the Nov. 18 council meeting; public comments emphasized design improvements and asked the town to plan for fair relocation or transition assistance for affected retailers.
