Special to the Town Crier
The Los Altos Hills Town Council appointed Carl Cottrell to the town's planning commission Feb. 18. Cottrell, a retired Hewlett-Packard Company manager, was selected on the first ballot on a 3-2 vote.
Cottrell replaces Richard Aurelio, who resigned from the commission due to the demands of his business.
Cottrell spent 39 years with Hewlett-Packard, working in marketing, sales and operations management in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Since his retirement, he has provided management consultation for nonprofit organizations as a volunteer member of the Center for Excellence for Nonprofits.
While with Hewlett-Packard, Cottrell had overall responsibility for planning and outfitting new and remodeled buildings. He served as his own general contractor in building his home and again in remodeling it five years ago.
Applicants for the position included architect Fred Fallah and Sandra Humphries, a member of the town's Environmental Design Committee.
The council began review last Thursday of a proposal to fast track the design review process. Under the fast-tract proposal new residences and major remodels that met the following criteria could receive staff approval and be placed on the council consent calendar for permit approval, bypassing the planning commission:
do not require variances or conditional development permits;
conform with codes and policies, as determined by staff;
have no substantiated neighborhood opposition; and
applicant has accepted all conditions of approval in writing.
Neighbors within 500 feet of the project would have opportunity to comment both to the staff and before the council. Story poles would be in place before notice was mailed to neighbors. Members of the Environmental Design and Pathways committees would attend the staff hearing on the project.
A council subcommittee comprised of Mayor Bob Johnson and Councilwoman Toni Casey, working with the city manager and planning director, developed the fast track proposal. Johnson told the council the subcommittee's objective "was to find common ground acceptable to both sides of the issue." He emphasized the need for compromise in developing a workable plan review process.
The subcommittee explored developing a council resolution addressing the scope of planning commission review. It also considered code modifications to require findings for reductions in building height, maximum development and maximum floor areas.
The subcommittee will refine the proposal based on council members' feedback, and bring it back to the council in March.