Saratoga Village design standards to proceed to public hearing on Feb. 25

"Chair Anjali Kausar recused herself from the discussion because she lives close to the Village, leading Vice Chair Ping Li to take over the discussion. The most recent edits to the draft of objective standards addressed acoustic design to limit noise pollution, explicitly rejected ground-level residential use except in an area at the intersection of Saratoga-Los Gatos Road and Saratoga Avenue and stated that buildings must conform to the "design integrity" laid out in curated construction palettes."

"One resident named Marilyn spoke at the meeting and asked that no modern designs be allowed in the Village and that buildings be kept to a maximum of 35 feet. Commissioner Clinton Brownley asked if murals were allowed in the Village, and representatives from Lisa Wise Consulting, who have been working with the city for the last few years on this project and others, confirmed that they were. There will be another planning commission hearing on the matter on Feb. 25."

"A Palestinian Christian author and educator will be speaking at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Saratoga on Feb. 20. The Rev. Mitri Raheb is described as an international peace leader, and his lecture, titled "Rebuilding Hope After the Genocide: The Case for Dar al-Kalima University in Palestine," will be about "the Palestinian crisis within a broader framework of hope, coexistence and global responsibility," according to a press release. Raheb founded the university, which is advertised as the first and only arts, culture"

The Saratoga Planning Commission will hold another hearing on Feb. 25 to establish objective design standards for Saratoga Village, with a city council public hearing scheduled for March 18 if approved. Recent edits address acoustic design to limit noise pollution, explicitly reject most ground-level residential use except at the Saratoga-Los Gatos Road and Saratoga Avenue intersection, and require buildings to conform to curated construction palettes and stated "design integrity." A resident requested banning modern designs and limiting heights to 35 feet. Murals are allowed. Separately, Rev. Mitri Raheb will speak at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Feb. 20 about rebuilding hope and Dar al-Kalima University in Palestine.

Read at The Mercury News