Hearing officer approves landscaping permit for 11035 Magdalena Ave., adds lighting and tree conditions

IJ Bradford, the hearing officer for the Town of Los Altos Hills, approved a site development permit on April 21, 2026, for 11035 Magdalena Avenue (file SD25-0033), granting a categorical exemption under CEQA Section 15304(b) and imposing project-specific conditions that address grading, lighting and tree concerns.

Jonathan Fox, the staff presenter, told the hearing the proposal is a landscaping-focused site development permit covering planting, irrigation, landscape lighting and associated hardscape, with an approximately 639-square-foot increase in development area and about 360 cubic yards of grading (cut plus fill). "Staff is recommending that the hearing officer make a categorical exemption under CEQA and approve the site development permit subject to project-specific conditions of approval," Fox said.

Sarah, the project's landscape presenter, said the applicants had already reduced several lighting elements in response to committee feedback, removed angled tree spotlights and some bollard fixtures, and switched a nonnative ornamental grass to a California native. "We want her to be able to still enjoy the property and get fresh air," Sarah said, describing path lighting installed with safety for an elderly household member in mind.

Neighbors and volunteer committee members pressed for further changes or verification. Peter, who identified himself during the hearing, urged more native plants: "If you could increase the number of native plants, that would definitely support the local ecology," he said. A committee member and at least one neighbor also raised concerns about building-mounted and gate lights they said were not currently compliant.

Staff and the applicant agreed to a set of project-specific conditions added after discussion: update Worksheet 2 for compliance with the MDA and with the revised plans (administrative resubmittal as part of permit processing); remove two path lights at the northeastern corner of the property; remove proposed artificial turf that encroached into the front setback (verified by staff at final inspection); revise the two lights at the vehicle gate to be fully shielded and downward-directed (to be checked at final inspection); and remove the pointed spikes on the existing vehicle gate (to be verified).

The hearing record also addressed fire-safety and tree-management issues. Staff noted that redwoods overhanging the ADU present a fire concern and said the homeowners were willing to remove those trees; staff also reminded participants that properties in very-high fire-severity zones face evolving maintenance expectations, particularly around the 0–5-foot noncombustible zone. A neighbor raised a plant-health concern, warning that bay laurel hedges can be associated with spread of pathogens under some conditions; the applicant responded that the proposed hedgerow would be maintained and was not expected to create such a problem.

Fox recommended approval with the conditions listed above and the hearing officer granted the permit subject to the standard conditions of approval and those project-specific items. The decision is subject to a 14-day appeal period. The hearing concluded with staff noting which items must be addressed in final plans or will be inspected during building inspections.

What happens next: the applicant must submit required administrative plan corrections where specified and staff will verify the lighting revisions, turf removal and gate modifications at final inspection. The approval may be appealed for 14 days following the hearing date.