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Published on 01/13/1997 All articles from this issue

3-story condo plan starts over

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

The three-story condo advocates are marshaling their forces against the two-story condo folks for tomorrow night when the Los Altos Planning Commissioners revisit a controversial housing project.

"Both sides are building up," said Chet Frankenfield, chairman of the planning commission.

Los Altos Hills developer J. David Knudson wants to build a three-story, 24-unit condominium complex on the northeast corner of Foothill Expressway and El Monte Avenue.

The plans went through the city process last spring and in August the planning commission recommended the project be scaled back to a two-story 16-unit design. But the city council overrode the planning commission recommendations and voted Oct. 8 to approve the plan.

Council members said they wanted the two below-market-rate units for the city's affordable housing, and they liked the idea of housing in Los Altos costing $350,000 to $400,000.

Then neighboring property owner Tom Harrington reported to the city he had not been told of the project. Through some glitch in the list used to notify area property owners, he never received notification.

At its Nov. 26 meeting, council members voted to return the proposal to the planning commission to start the process all over again. That begins tomorrow night.

"I hope it's not an exercise in futility," Frankenfield said, "and that at a minimum we can get some design changes.

Frankenfield considers this building "precedent setting" since it would be the first three-story building in Los Altos outside the downtown area.

In an effort to be a good neighbor to the city and the schools, Knudson said he will spend $250,000 to build the Los Altos School District a new classroom, "on the site of their choice."

Tomorrow night's meeting will be at 7:30 in the Los Altos City Council Chambers, 1 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. The public is invited.