Approved July 21, 2025
Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Town of Los Altos Hills
City Council Special Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 6:00 P.M.
Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California
Present: Mayor Kavita Tankha, Vice Mayor Rajiv Bhateja, Council Member Stanley Mok, Council Member Swan, and Council Member George Tyson
Absent: None
Staff: City Manager Peter Pirnejad, City Attorney Steve Mattas, Deputy City Manager Cody Einfalt, Community Development Director Jay Bradford, and City Clerk Arika Birdsong-Miller
CALL TO ORDER (6:00 P.M.)
Mayor Tankha called the meeting to order at 8:25 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Kavita Tankha, Vice Mayor Rajiv Bhateja, Council Member Stanley Mok, Council Member Linda Swan, and Council Member Tyson were present.
1. PUBLIC COMMENT (Public Comment is Limited to Items which are the Subject of the Special Meeting)
There were no public comments.
2. PUBLIC HEARING
A. Adopt Resolutions making findings and deny two applications to construct multi-family senior residential developments on vacant parcels at 10728 and 10758 Mora Drive, respectively (File Nos. CDPD23-0001 and 0002) pursuant to Government Code Section 65589.5(d) (Staff: J. Bradford)
Community Development Director Jay Bradford presented a detailed staff report on the proposed Builder’s Remedy projects at 10728 and 10758 Mora Drive. These applications, initially submitted in February 2023, proposed multi-family senior residential developments and have since undergone eight rounds of revisions, with the most recent plans received on May 29, 2025. The latest iterations propose 30 units at 10728 Mora Drive and 32 units at 10758 Mora Drive, including three extremely low-income units at each site. The assisted living components previously included were removed, and the Applicant is no longer pursuing State Density Bonus provisions. Each site proposes a five-story residential building over a two-level podium, resulting in building heights exceeding 80 feet, significantly taller than any existing development in Los Altos Hills.
Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Director Bradford outlined the substantial physical and regulatory challenges associated with the proposals. The subject parcels are small, steep, and located in a densely vegetated hillside area with limited access via Mora Drive—a narrow, winding road that serves as the sole access and evacuation route. The area has been identified as high risk for wildfire by both CAL FIRE and other independent analyses. In May 2025, the City Council designated the area as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone based on local conditions and fire risk modeling.
The proposed developments do not comply with the Town’s zoning standards, exceeding allowable density, floor area, height, and setback requirements. The parcels are significantly below the one-acre minimum lot size and are zoned for low-density, single-family residential use. Director Bradford noted that the proposed density—over 80 units per acre on each parcel—is entirely inconsistent with the Town’s General Plan, which limits development in this area to one unit per acre and does not identify these sites in the Town’s Housing Element site inventory.
Based on the evidence and the projects’ failure to meet the requirements of Government Code Section 65589.5(d), Director Bradford recommended that the City Council adopt findings for denial of both applications. He emphasized the Town’s openness to working with the Applicant on future proposals that are consistent with state and local law and better aligned with the community’s character and public safety priorities.
Assistant City Attorney Claire Lai provided an overview of the application processing timeline, noting the Town's consistent and timely responses under state law. The applications were determined incomplete multiple times throughout 2023 due to missing or deficient materials, and significant changes made in January and February 2025 required additional rounds of review. Despite the Applicant’s ongoing revisions, key elements of the plans remained inconsistent or unclear as of the latest submittal.
Forrest Linebarger, applicant and speaking on behalf of the proposed development, urged the City Council to approve the Builder’s Remedy projects, emphasizing that California is experiencing a historic housing crisis. He argued that many cities, including Los Altos Hills, have historically found reasons to avoid building housing, which pushes development into undeveloped areas and worsens environmental, traffic, and wildfire challenges. Citing state laws aimed at reducing local barriers to housing, Linebarger contended that Los Altos Hills is fabricating justifications to deny the projects, similar to tactics used by other anti-housing cities.
He referenced letters of support from respected housing advocacy organizations—CalHDF and YIMBY Law—who regularly litigate against cities that fail to comply with state housing mandates. Linebarger warned that denying the projects could expose the Town to lawsuits, legal penalties, and attorneys’ fees, potentially creating a financial burden for taxpayers.
Drawing a comparison to the City of Woodside, which faced national ridicule for attempting to exempt itself from housing obligations by citing mountain lion habitats, he suggested Los Altos Hills is using wildfire risk as a similarly unsubstantiated pretext for denial.
Mr. Linebarger also challenged the staff's interpretation of the projects’ density, stating that the developments comply with state density bonus law. He emphasized that the applicant has submitted detailed responses rebutting the staff report and asserted that the denial of the projects would violate state law. He argued that the projects offer critically needed housing Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 Wednesday, June 18, 2025
for seniors, a group identified in a Town-conducted survey as having the greatest housing need. That same survey found that 78% of respondents cited housing costs as a key issue, and a third pointed to insufficient housing supply as a concern.
Concluding his remarks, Mr. Linebarger questioned the message being sent by a predominantly affluent, white and Asian community avoiding its housing obligations. He maintained that these projects should not be denied and corrected the record by clarifying that condominium mapping was not part of the most recent project submittals.
Public Comment:
1. Esther John, a Los Altos Hills resident, expressed strong opposition to the proposed development, citing concerns about wildfire risk and insufficient parking. She noted that despite some reductions in the number of units, the core issues remain unchanged. Ms. John emphasized that the area is designated as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and that many residents in the neighborhood are elderly, raising concerns about safe evacuation in the event of a fire. She urged the Council to reject the proposed development plans.
2. Aart De Geus, a Los Altos Hills resident, thanked staff for the comprehensive report and expressed strong concerns about the scale of the proposed development. He noted that the two parcels in question are significantly smaller than the neighborhood average, having been created through the subdivision of a previously larger lot. Mr. De Geus described the proposed project—comprising 30 and 32 condominium units in 8- and 9-story buildings—as dramatically out of scale with the surrounding single-story homes. He likened the proposal to placing two cruise ships next to small houses and urged the Council to consider the disproportionate nature of the project, stating it was “completely out of whack” in terms of scale and compatibility with the neighborhood.
3. Gerda Cristal, a Los Altos Hills resident, expressed opposition to the proposed development, stating that as a senior resident, she saw little benefit for seniors in the project.
She noted that she has lived on Mora Drive for 52 years and is very familiar with the area’s narrow, winding, and hilly roads, which she described as unsafe and difficult to navigate, particularly at sunset due to visibility issues. Ms. Cristal raised concerns about limited evacuation routes and overall traffic safety, referencing a recent incident involving a child who was struck by a car. She stated the proposal does not serve the interests of seniors or the broader community and suggested it is motivated primarily by financial gain.
4. David Kehlet, a Los Altos Hills resident, thanked staff for their thorough report and expressed strong opposition to the proposed development, citing serious safety concerns. He noted that previous discussions had focused on issues like density and Town Charter compliance, but emphasized that the current concern is public safety, particularly in the event of a wildfire. Mr. Kehlet highlighted the narrow, winding, and heavily vegetated nature of Mora Drive, comparing it to areas affected by recent and historic wildfires, including Pacific Palisades and the 1991 Oakland Hills fire. He questioned how emergency evacuation could be achieved for the hundreds of residents in the area, especially with the addition of 62 senior housing units. He urged the Council to approve motions for denial, citing the project’s failure to meet safety and access requirements.
Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 Wednesday, June 18, 2025
5. Mary Jo Feeney, a Los Altos Hills resident, reiterated her ongoing concerns about the proposed development, referring to a letter she submitted in January. She emphasized that the health and safety risks extend beyond Mora Drive residents to anyone who uses the road, including children, hikers, walkers, and bikers. Ms. Feeney referenced a recent accident between a bicyclist and a pedestrian as an example of existing safety concerns and urged the Council to deny the proposal in the interest of protecting the well-being of all Los Altos Hills residents.
6. Hal Feeney, a Los Altos Hills resident, urged the Council to deny both proposed development projects due to their serious public safety impacts. He noted that in the event of a mandatory evacuation, over 80 homes rely solely on Mora Drive as an escape route. Adding 62 senior housing units, he warned, could create a public safety catastrophe by increasing dwelling density on Mora Drive by nearly 200%. Mr. Feeney questioned how emergency vehicles—such as buses, ambulances, and fire trucks—would be able to respond effectively under such conditions. He emphasized that Mora Drive is already a challenging, narrow, and winding roadway, and pointed out that many surrounding streets are dead ends with no alternate outlets. He also noted that the Waldorf School, with over 250 students and staff, relies on Mora Drive for access. Mr. Feeney concluded that the added congestion would pose a severe risk to public safety.
7. John O’Connell, a Los Altos Hills resident, strongly urged the City Council to deny this application being considered.
8. Prabhu, a Los Altos Hills resident,shared that his daughter was hit by a car on Mora Drive because of how steep and narrow the curves in the area are, resulting in a broken arm. He emphasized how dangerous the streets are, noting that they are extremely narrow and difficult to navigate safely, especially with both pedestrians and vehicles present. He observed that cars often drift out of their lanes due to the limited space, making it nearly impossible to stay within the lane boundaries.
9. Sasha Zbrozek, a Los Altos Hills resident, highlighted the serious concerns about unsafe infrastructure on Mora Drive, including a recent cyclist accident and heightened fire danger.
He noted that the road is inadequate and questioned whether any development should occur there at all. In a facetious tone, he suggested the Council use eminent domain to condemn all properties along Mora Drive and convert the area to parkland to protect residents— underscoring, through sarcasm, the severity of the hazards and the perceived inappropriateness of development in the area.
Council Member Tyson made a motion to extend the meeting past 10 PM in compliance with Ordinance No. 506, the Council Meeting shall adjourn no later than 10 PM, unless otherwise approved by a majority of the Council Members present. Council Member Swan seconded the motion. Approved, Vote 5-0
Vice Mayor Bhateja made a motion to Adopt the Resolutions making findings to deny two applications to construct multi-family senior residential developments on undeveloped parcels located at 10728 and 10758 Mora Drive (APNs 331-15-061 and 331-15-062; File Nos.
Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5 Wednesday, June 18, 2025
CDP23-0001 and CDP23-0002), pursuant to Government Code section 65589.5(d). Council Member Swan seconded the motion. Approved, Vote 5-0
MOTION PASSED: 5-0
AYES: Tankha, Bhateja, Mok, Swan, Tyson
NOES: None
RECUSE: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
3. ADJOURN
Mayor Tankha adjourned the Special Meeting at 10:18 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Arika Birdsong-Miller