Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Town of Los Altos Hills
City Council Special Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, 2780 Kekaa Dr., Lahaina, HI 96761 8216 E. Orange Blossom Ln., Scottsdale, AZ 85250
Present: Mayor Kavita Tankha, Vice Mayor Rajiv Bhateja, Council Member Stanley Mok.
Council Member Linda Swan, and Council Member George Tyson
Absent: None
Staff: City Manager Peter Pirnejad, City Attorney Steve Mattas, City Clerk Arika Birdsong-Miller, Deputy City Manager Cody Einfalt
1. CALL TO ORDER (5:00 P.M.)
Mayor Tankha called the meeting to order at 5:00 P.M.
2. ROLL CALL
Mayor Kavita Tankha, Vice Mayor Rajiv Bhateja, Council Member Stanley Mok. Council Member Linda Swan, and Council Member George Tyson were present.
Council Member Tyson participated remotely from Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, 2780 Kekaa Dr., Lahaina, HI 96761.
Council Member Swan participated remotely from 8216 E. Orange Blossom Ln., Scottsdale, AZ 85250.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT (Public Comment is Limited to Items which are the Subject of the Special Meeting)
1. Michael Grady, a Los Altos Hills resident, spoke about a public records request he submitted six weeks ago. While he received some documents related to the request, he noted that he had not received any email communications between the City Manager and the owners of the Twin Oaks property. Mr. Grady stated that he was shocked the City Manager would subject the Town to attorney fees in a potential lawsuit over a public records request.
He also mentioned that his petition to amend the Housing Element had garnered 584 signatures. Criticizing Mr. Pirnejad’s handling of the Housing Element issue, he stated that it would allow for the development of hundreds of units along Arastradero. He suggested that Mr. Pirnejad be removed from the Housing Element process and proposed appointing a special committee of planning commissioners and residents to work on an amendment.
2. Allan Epstein, a Los Altos Hills resident, noted he had been led to believe that one of the items on today’s agenda was to discuss a Twin Oaks matter. He stated that the Town had assured residents that no more than 92 units would be built in the Twin Oaks area. He subsequently learned that provisions under the Housing Element could allow for the development of 200–800 new units in that area. Mr. Epstein said that level of development Approved January 29, 2025
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would impose a hardship on immediate neighbors and the rest of the residents of the Town.
He explained that while he had heard Mr. Pirnejad had been negotiating with the developer to limit the number of units to 92, he pointed out that a similar arrangement in Los Gatos resulted in the developer opting to build hundreds of units instead. He urged the Council to take direct actions to amend the Housing Element or ensure that no more than 92 units are built on the Twin Oaks site.
3. John O’Connell, a Los Altos Hills resident, commented that he felt the agenda language should be clearer. He shared that he spoke with Mr. Pirnejad after the last Council meeting about negotiating an agreement with the developers of Twin Oaks to limit the number of units to 92. He felt there was no legal agreement that could reduce the entitlement under California law, except for placing deed restrictions on a property. Mr. O’Connell cited a case in Los Gatos where a developer used legal entitlement language to propose building 20–30 dwelling units per acre despite a prior agreement with the city. He stated that he had shared this language multiple times with both Mr. Pirnejad and Mr. Mattas. Mr. O’Connell expressed no confidence in the guidance he had received and emphasized that the only viable option for the Council was to amend the Housing Element and remove the specification of dwelling units per acre.
4. Eric Bredo, a longtime Los Altos Hills resident, expressed concerns about the Housing Element implementation and felt that amending it, following the example of the City of Carmel, was a reasonable proposal. He voiced frustration over the lack of feedback on this option and the absence of dialogue between the Council and the community. He speculated that the lack of communication stemmed from legal concerns and requested clarity about the law involved. Mr. Bredo emphasized that a large-scale development would be disastrous and urged the Council to engage in meaningful discussions with residents.
5. Nicolas French, a Los Altos Hills resident, acknowledged that no one was happy with the Housing Element but understood that it was necessary to address. He emphasized that amendments to contracts, like the Housing Element, were commonplace. Mr. French expressed confusion over the pushback against amending the Housing Element and urged the Council to consider input from professionals and committee experts. He encouraged the Council to explore all possibilities and act in the best interest of the residents, specifically opposing the development of over 300 units.
6. Lanvi Evans, a Los Altos Hills resident, shared similar sentiments to those expressed earlier and encouraged the Council to consider amendments to the Housing Element. She pointed out that the placement of the Housing Element banner was on the way out of Town rather than on the way in and recommended increasing signage around Town. She added that many residents felt misinformed or insufficiently informed about the issue.
7. Duffy Price, a Los Altos Hills resident speaking on behalf of Hills 2000 and Friends of the Hills, explained that the goals of these organizations were to preserve, protect, and enhance the Town of Los Altos Hills. She urged the City Manager and City Attorney to pursue amendments to the Housing Element and expressed her desire to limit the development of the Twin Oaks property to 92 units.
Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 Tuesday, January 7, 2025
8. Namrata, a Los Altos Hills resident attending via Zoom, agreed with earlier comments and asked how the Town could ensure that the Twin Oaks development is restricted to 92 units.
She supported amending the Housing Element and suggested forming a committee of residents to provide input. Namrata also recommended initiating discussions with the City of Palo Alto regarding the impact of neighboring development.
9. Hari Sankar, a Los Altos Hills resident, stated that he had spoken and written to both the Planning Commission and City Council multiple times over the past 18 months, asking for amendments to the Housing Element. He expressed frustration over the lack of action and cited the City of Carmel’s example of amending its Housing Element after receiving negative feedback from residents. Mr. Sankar felt that Los Altos Hills residents had been given excuses and scare tactics rather than solutions. He described the current Housing Element as broken and demanded changes.
10. Nina Anand, a Los Altos Hills resident, urged the Council to immediately amend the Housing Element. She recalled being assured by then-Mayor Swan and the Council that the Twin Oaks property would only develop a maximum of 92 units. Ms. Anand criticized the possibility of adding 500–800 units and accused the Council of a lack of transparency on the issue. She reminded the Council of their responsibility to represent the interests of Los Altos Hills residents.
11. Birgitta Indaco, a Los Altos Hills resident and Planning Commissioner, concurred with other speakers and encouraged the Council to authorize the Planning Commission to investigate and formulate an amendment to the Twin Oaks property within the Housing Element. She emphasized that pursuing an amendment would not jeopardize the existing Housing Element and expressed skepticism about the guarantees of developer agreements.
12. Buvana Dayandan, a Los Altos Hills resident, voiced support for earlier comments and urged the Council to amend the Housing Element. She referenced the Twin Oaks development project and emphasized the need for immediate action to address residents’ concerns.
13. Ian Earnest, a Los Altos Hills resident, expressed frustration that his neighborhood was bearing the burden of supporting development under the Housing Element. He stated his desire to limit the development of the Twin Oaks property to 92 units and urged the Council to act in the interest of representative governance.
14. Erin Vitas, a Los Altos Hills resident, described the unanimous concerns expressed by residents as indicative of a significant issue. She warned of potential evacuation challenges during emergencies, citing a friend’s experience in Palisades during a fire. Ms. Vitas urged the Council to prioritize residents’ safety, consider an amendment to the Housing Element, and explore environmentally innovative solutions for affordable housing.
15. Alisa Bredo, a Los Altos Hills resident and Planning Commissioner, expressed support for the Council, Commission, and staff to review and amend the current Housing Element. She stated that planning development in one area to meet RHNA numbers was not the intention and aligned herself with earlier comments from residents.
16. TT Ramgopal, a Los Altos Hills resident, raised concerns about the fire hazards posed by the density of development being considered. He advocated for limiting the Twin Oaks development to 92 units and asked how residents could assist in achieving that goal.
17. Carol Gottlieb, a Los Altos Hills resident, encouraged the Council to amend the Housing Element. She noted that many residents did not fully understand the implications of the Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 Tuesday, January 7, 2025
current plan. She also urged the Council to continue implementing other Housing Element items alongside exploring solutions for amendments.
18. Sandra, a Los Altos Hills resident, explained that she did not initially oppose the Housing Element proposal to the state but felt let down by the Town’s lack of transparency and trustbuilding. She criticized the concentration of new housing in one area and called for equitable distribution across Town. Sandra noted residents’ protests and litigation threats as evidence of the Council’s failure to engage with the community effectively.
4. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING:
A. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation
(Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1))
Sea Landing Limited Partnership v. Town of Los Altos Hills, Case No. 22CV400255 B. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation
(Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1))
Linebarger v. Town of Los Altos Hills, Case No. 2015-1-CV-282970 C. Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2)
Significant Exposure to Litigation – two cases
5. ADJOURN CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Tankha adjourned to Regular Meeting to Closed Session at 5:46 pm.
6. REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
There was no reportable action from the Closed Session.
7. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Arika Birdsong-Miller