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Pathways committee recommends Magdalena Road pathway go to council after lengthy resident pushback
Summary
After a two-hour public discussion about vegetation loss, privacy and driveway safety, the Pathways Committee voted to forward the Magdalena Road pathway design to the City Council on May 14 while directing staff to meet with affected homeowners and explore site-specific mitigations.
The Pathways Committee of Los Altos Hills voted May 9 to recommend the Magdalena Road pathway project proceed to the City Council while staff continues one-on-one work with affected property owners.
The committee’s recommendation follows a staff presentation of the design by Asta, the town project designer, who described a town-standard 5-foot-wide pathway surfaced with 6 inches of Stevens Creek quarry fines and 12 feet of vertical clearance for equestrian use. Asta told the committee the route was placed on the northern side of Magdalena Road to preserve continuity with the town’s master path plan and because constructability on the opposite side would require extensive retaining walls.
Residents near 10285 Magdalena voiced strong objections during a sustained public-comment period. One resident said, “This is a safety hazard,” and others argued the pathway would remove privacy screening, interfere with existing driveway and gate operations and reduce on-street convenience for deliveries and service vehicles. Several speakers said they received only a mailed notice and were surprised by the timing of the design going to council.
Staff responded that the town had followed its notification practice (mailing a 500-foot radius and conducting staking in the field) and that project field staking had been performed; Asta said staff had also knocked on doors and would schedule site visits with homeowners to show the exact plan footprint. Wuji, compliance staff, said the town will measure impacts precisely and that any deviation from town standards would require committee review or council approval.
Committee members sought to balance resident concerns and project timelines. The committee’s recommendation included a caveat that staff would continue outreach and, where feasible, avoid tearing up homeowner-built segments that meet safety needs (committee members noted 10285 as an example). Mike, the town maintenance lead and the motion’s mover, said the committee should press the project forward while accommodating reasonable on-site adjustments. The motion passed on a voice vote with all members saying “aye.”
Next steps: staff will schedule site visits with requesting homeowners, confirm any mailbox relocations with USPS, refine trimming/vegetation plans to limit privacy impacts where possible, and present the project to the City Council on May 14 for final authorization to advertise for bid and begin construction this summer if council approves.
