Los Gatos council sets financial prudence, safety, traffic as 2-year priorities

The Los Gatos Town Council set its priorities for the next two years – including prudent financial management, safety, quality of life and traffic and transportation – at a special council meeting on Feb. 13.

The revised priorities will play a role in the town’s budget process for the upcoming fiscal year, and will allow town staff to align their work with the council’s priorities this year and next.

Revisions to the financial management portion were approved in a 3-2 vote, with councilmembers Maria Ristow and Rob Moore voting against including a “council scorecard” outlining metrics for the town’s progress on these issues, arguing that it would be an unnecessary additional burden for town staff.

“Given the fact that our staff continues with a small number of people and with vacancies to do the work of the town every single year with a status quo budget and with more and more unfunded mandates coming in, I don’t think as a council member it’s my job to tell the staff how to do their job,” Ristow said.

Ristow and Moore also voted against revising the “quality of life” priority to add policies that “support a land use mix and density that reflect the values of the community,” according to Mayor Mary Badame.

The council unanimously voted to accelerate and advance the work of the town’s wildfire safety group, and to prioritize updates to the ordinance passed in response to the California HOME Act, which makes it possible for homeowners to split their home’s lot and build up to four homes on a single-family parcel. The council will likely vote in the coming months on a revised version of the ordinance to clarify the town’s rules on the legislation and make it easier for homeowners to make changes to their homes, including adding porches. The town’s peddler and solicitor ordinance will also be updated to better align with state law.

The next town council meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20. Members of the public can attend the meeting in person at the Los Gatos town council chambers or virtually via the town’s Youtube channel at http://www.losgatosca.gov/TownYouTube.