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

"After a brief discussion on Feb. 11, the Saratoga Planning Commission will hold another hearing to establish objective design standards in the Village. 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."

"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. 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."

After a brief Feb. 11 discussion, the Saratoga Planning Commission scheduled another hearing for Feb. 25 to establish objective design standards for the Village. Recent edits address acoustic design to limit noise pollution, prohibit ground-level residential use except at the Saratoga‑Los Gatos Road and Saratoga Avenue intersection, and require buildings to follow curated construction palettes. Chair Anjali Kausar recused herself due to proximity, so Vice Chair Ping Li led the meeting. A resident requested no modern designs and a 35‑foot height limit. Murals were confirmed permissible by Lisa Wise Consulting. If approved, standards will proceed to a city council public hearing on March 18. A lecture at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Feb. 20 titled "Rebuilding Hope After the Genocide: The Case for Dar al-Kalima University in Palestine" will feature Rev. Mitri Raheb, founder of Dar al-Kalima University, which is presented as the first arts, culture and design university in the Palestinian territories.

Read at www.mercurynews.com