Approved November 20, 2025
Town of Los Altos Hills
City Council Special Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 10:00 A.M.
Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California
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, Deputy City Manager Cody Einfalt, and City Clerk Arika Birdsong-Miller
1. CALL TO ORDER (10:00 A.M.)
Mayor Tankha called the meeting to order at 10:00 A.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.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT (Public Comment is Limited to Items which are the Subject of the Special Meeting)
1. John Swan, a Los Altos Hills resident, stated he watched the prior City Council meeting online and was very disappointed, describing it as lacking civility. He expressed concern that some residents publicly criticized staff for issues related to state housing laws, which he believes are unreasonable constraints imposed by Sacramento. He felt the Council should not allow residents to blame staff for state mandates and noted that several statements made by residents at the previous meeting were, in his view, misinformation—such as claims about staff turnover.
Mr. Swan referenced similar concerns he raised at the February 20th Council meeting and reiterated that focusing blame internally creates unnecessary division. He stated that actions by certain residents may now jeopardize the Town’s housing element and increase vulnerability to builder’s remedy applications. He urged the Council to handle the matter differently going forward.
2. Michael Grady, a Los Altos Hills resident, commented on the Town’s Housing Element and expressed concerns regarding City Manager Peter Pirnejad’s role in its preparation and implementation. He stated that he believes the reliance on the Foothill/Twin Oaks site was a significant issue and that opportunities to address this concern were not pursued over the past two years. He also raised concerns about the Town’s response to Public Records Act requests related to communications with the Twin Oaks property owner, noting that he initiated legal action to obtain records and believes some communications may still be outstanding.
3. Cheryl Evans, a Los Altos Hills resident, expressed concerns about resident engagement in Town processes and stated that she believes City Manager Peter Pirnejad’s recent actions have discouraged public participation. She referenced a community meeting on the planning process and stated that the published agenda, in her view, was structured in a way that would deter attendance. Ms. Evans also commented on a Town mailer regarding the Housing Element Los Altos Hills Special City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 Thursday, October 16, 2025
discussion and expressed concern that the wording could have caused some residents to believe the issue did not affect them.Ms. Evans noted that several recent issues, including planning fee questions, fire hazard mapping, and communications regarding the Twin Oaks property, were raised by residents, which she believes demonstrates strong community involvement. She stated that the Town would benefit from a City Manager who actively encourages resident participation and concluded by urging the Council not to extend the City Manager’s contract.
4. John O’Connell, a Los Altos Hills resident, commented that he views the Town as a service organization and believes resident feedback is essential to understanding performance. He expressed concerns about Town Hall’s limited operating days and hybrid work schedules, stating that he does not believe they fully support resident service needs. Mr. O’Connell also commented on the Pathways Fee discussion, stating that in his view, the focus should be on determining how many miles of pathways the Town aims to build each year and how to manage costs, rather than on increasing fees. He expressed concern about reported pathway construction costs and suggested that clearer targets and cost-management strategies are needed. He further stated that recent changes to fire hazard severity zones did not address underlying issues and described these matters as examples of leadership challenges.
4. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING:
A. Public Employee Performance Evaluation (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957) Title:
City Manager
B. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956(d)(1) CalHDF, et al v. Town of Los Altos Hills (Case No. 25CV475174)
5. ADJOURN CLOSED SESSION
The Closed Session adjourned.
6. REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
Attorney Mattas provided a report for the Closed Session. Attorney Mattas explained that the Council considered two items. There was no reportable action from either item. One item concerned litigation titled CalHDF v. Town of Los Altos Hills, relating to the Town’s prior denial of two Builder’s Remedy projects on Mora Drive. The litigation remains in its early stages. The Town completed and lodged the administrative record of proceedings with the court as required by law. The next steps include a briefing by both parties and a subsequent court hearing. The Council will be kept informed of further developments.
7. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Arika Birdsong-Miller, City Clerk