[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6261303,"mediaKeyId","3124379-8f75789fc3828c00b3f225b46dfc62a5","parentId",3124379,"title","Town planner updates commission on staffing, council goals and code-enforcement penalty at 5 Collado; commissioners raise SB 9 questions","audioSeconds",204,"startMs",2337000,"endMs",2541000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124379-8f75789fc3828c00b3f225b46dfc62a5&start=2337&end=2541","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124379-8f75789fc3828c00b3f225b46dfc62a5/thumbnail_2337000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6261303/California/Town-planner-updates-commission-on-staffing-council-goals-and-code-enforcement-penalty-at-5-Collado-commissioners-raise-SB-9-questions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261303-859f3d517d030d33c7c05cf559234622/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164259&Signature=aR2vzrLv0INTiw4204nzz6SFiUjgfKGBRdm8o63VbV-zoqOk2qMOKRT5CCS4vz9dH2IIYUJKbapQSMMbDhK8~0y0q538EePBjBxsym22OqM5oqQq~OOL1IwhNDuU78PYNWGOjdzbqVy4V6bu1pBBc0LIgqawYXsgCvrN-70mpiALUnNrxtn2g2Ydzhnlaw1yEGtRMKqR-O6qqf0sYeLLjaS~jnFaEM3XN-V7ldU71JolXWuJ6YsUR9FX5QLZm1BMc7M6lN75Zc9VNOOtp~d46sgcqpBl5mOhMtlu4Ip26q6YVIZAIyraHCCD1PfFtU18Mo8fne3ZBThm1yGbNxrXOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town Council of Atherton CA","date","2025-04-25T16:19:56.613Z","article","Town planning staff used the April 23 meeting to introduce planning staff changes, summarize updated city council goals and report on an enforcement action at 5 Collado that arose from unauthorized tree work.

Town planner reported that Tom Ford is stepping in as senior planner and will assume planning commission clerk duties as staff roles transition. Staff distributed the city council’s updated goal statements and the monthly staff report to give commissioners context on ongoing work.

Staff also updated the commission on enforcement at 5 Collado. During a prior hearing staff had supported a TPZ request, but the property owner’s contractor began work early and allegedly deviated from approved conditions. Code enforcement issued an immediate stop-work order, and the town is assessing penalties; staff stated a penalty amount of $41,800 tied to damage to Tree 1 and said the town is seeking additional permit/fee penalties. Town arborist Sally Vance has requested quarterly arborist reports for the next three years to document tree health; staff said they are treating this as a code-enforcement matter and currently do not expect to return the item to the planning commission unless additional action is needed.

In the commission report portion of the meeting, a commissioner raised operational questions about SB 9 lot splits — specifically who must reside in a parcel, timing and enforcement of owner-occupancy or three-year requirements, and what penalties are available when a lot split is used by a developer rather than an owner. Staff said it has engaged legal counsel and is investigating how the town will track and enforce SB 9-related operational concerns and will bring findings to the commission as needed.

Commissioners thanked staff for the enforcement update and for distributing the council goals and monthly report.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Meeting April 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Town planner introduced a new senior planner, summarized revised city council goals and updated the commission on enforcement at 5 Collado where a stop-work order and fines were issued; commissioners raised operational questions about SB 9 lot splits.","taxTitle","Atherton Town, San Mateo County, California","taxId",72378,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":44,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6261308,"Planning commission approves removal of five heritage coast live oaks at 170 Atherton Avenue",1478,859000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124379-8f75789fc3828c00b3f225b46dfc62a5&start=859&end=2337","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124379-8f75789fc3828c00b3f225b46dfc62a5/thumbnail_859000.jpg","/articles/6261308/California/Planning-commission-approves-removal-of-five-heritage-coast-live-oaks-at-170-Atherton-Avenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261308-eae40ac20df36b146bb42bdc9ecebccb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164259&Signature=BK7YL9ghmbJtgDqV0hnHJYLdWHzqMFted4P8ENbd1eQZGGiXcwtNpCBBfgZKme~B-RoTW~tPUXkK~HXrMMQF2VeurDCHLEx1z-mSXJDkd5NxGbnemSosWyLAJMv2aBngICaiWow4nG~WAFollZH3KbPvELIm7Cn7PTi-LDtfTwCyal2LIVsGxInR6~h965bLAiR95x8oAqvHflZwHfiRb63ZqLrzZN9iWNmiWx-A7UXuoXEZ3ORz3p4HVI02zjNGqgfswl7STfxhq8Rd5XGPA6ccCUslZBYVFsAdmhcVrGzSbt8Rf4ViMHkB6Z71Q5111wgZCBVld5V82NbuuGceBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Atherton Planning Commission voted 4-0 on April 23 to approve a heritage tree removal permit for five coast live oaks at 170 Atherton Avenue (permit HTR24-002), after hearing staff recommendations, arborist findings and applicant testimony.

Town staff explained the application covers a roughly 3.99-acre site created by a 2024 lot split. The site contains numerous coast live oaks; staff said the owner has worked to rehabilitate trees after historic overwatering on the property. The removal request covered several heritage trees that town staff and the town arborist agreed were either within the proposed building footprint or in poor health; staff recommended approval for those removals but had urged denial of one particular tree identified in the record as Tree 3 because the town arborist judged its health improved and recommended preservation or relocation be avoided unless proven safe.

Applicant representatives said the proposed location of a workshop and secondary driveway responds to the owner’s program and that some alternative driveway alignments would either conflict with the main house or create difficult vehicle turning radii. Architect Henry Zhao said the workshop location was chosen for programmatic reasons and to form an approach to the house and that the project team had discussed alternative alignments with staff.

Commissioners discussed the health of Tree 3, the applicant’s prior work to improve tree condition (irrigation changes, trenching and other treatment), and the town arborist’s site visits. Commissioners expressed caution about imposing a heavy penalty tied to a tree’s appraised value if a relocated tree later dies; several commissioners supported allowing relocation or removal with a requirement that the applicant replace a tree in the event a relocated tree fails.

A motion to approve the heritage tree removal permit HTR24-002 for removal of the five coast live oaks listed in the application passed on a 4-0 vote; Chair Lane and Commissioners Lugers, Levison and Tenali voted yes, Commissioner Pulido was absent. The motion authorizes removal as set forth in the application; staff will proceed with permit processing and noted standard replacement and landscape-screening requirements apply. The commission discussed, but did not adopt, a double-appraised-value fine for failure of relocated trees; commissioners instead emphasized requiring replacement plantings and standard monitoring to document tree health.","The Planning Commission approved a heritage tree removal permit for five coast live oaks at 170 Atherton Avenue after a split staff recommendation and discussion about relocation, monitoring and replacement requirements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6261313,"Planning commission approves tree protection zone exception at 99 Edwards Lane",746,111000,857000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124379-8f75789fc3828c00b3f225b46dfc62a5&start=111&end=857","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124379-8f75789fc3828c00b3f225b46dfc62a5/thumbnail_111000.jpg","/articles/6261313/California/Planning-commission-approves-tree-protection-zone-exception-at-99-Edwards-Lane","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261313-f90def2ae779f2969b796182928a24e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164259&Signature=KZ1eq0l6-GSFmNbUW4qfkrS~bW3c2udR1o0McmZ6F7lw4y-kIX8YiPFIFcBM2S0wIG3sWWzvMmA9RJbmuByppUK8btmFJC-3oyTvWmCuiY-dws5aFwhlBWp9mMfDu~LB3Y1-vMP5IWLAH2dOnGkApA9do~QeueNh8M4YZ-Uhejs2RUwiv49~6DcbSD8ny0Bg~wfN8sHZapoTmN33WCLmX0y1ifZXXniRa2IP18P4wP8~e~ncm60ai4M-zo3snqcbyGUz6G73nZOmz6fzKAlPvNchZ7uogwgngSx2M9LHbgR3941jvYss469SgWdTbWyY1~EM~VOkqibzLjuh3ZeWBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Atherton Planning Commission on April 23 approved a tree protection zone exception permitting construction of a small pool equipment building and a detached garage within a reduced protection area around two coast live oaks at 99 Edwards Lane.

Staff presented the request and recommended approval of a TPZ exception permitting structures to be placed at a distance equal to six times a tree's diameter-at-breast-height from two coast live oaks; one tree on the subject property measured 26 inches DBH and the other, on the adjacent property, measured about 30 inches DBH. The staff report said the pool equipment building would be roughly 80 square feet and largely occupy the footprint of an existing pool equipment shed.

Town arborist Sally Vance inspected the site and the applicant’s exploratory trenching and concurred with staff that the trees were in fair health and good structure and that the proposed work presented minimal risk if typical safeguards are used. Vance said she “found no significant roots” during hand trenching and recommended approval with the conditions listed in her memo attached to the staff report.

Applicant Riley Anderson said the request was reasonable and thanked staff: “the request is reasonable, and we appreciate the report that was written.”

After questions about neighbor notification and the site visit, a commissioner moved approval of the tree protection zone exception permit ETPZ25-00002 for 99 Edwards Lane, citing the findings in the draft permit and the stated environmental exemption. The motion referenced Atherton Municipal Code provisions and an exemption for minor alterations to land. The commission voted 4-0 to approve the application; Chair Lane and Commissioners Lugers, Levison and Tenali voted yes, Commissioner Pulido was absent.

The approval allows the applicant to proceed with the pool equipment building and the detached garage as shown in the application, subject to the conditions in the staff report and the town arborist memo. The planning commission noted that typical tree-protection measures and the limited footprint made this the least impactful location for the proposed work.","The Atherton Planning Commission approved a tree protection zone exception allowing a small pool equipment building and a detached garage to encroach near two coast live oaks at 99 Edwards Lane after staff and the town arborist recommended approval.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Town planner updates commission on staffing, council goals and code-enforcement penalty at 5 Collado; commissioners raise SB 9 questions

Planning commission approves removal of five heritage coast live oaks at 170 Atherton Avenue

Planning commission approves tree protection zone exception at 99 Edwards Lane