Hearing officer approves site permit for new single‑story home at 26918 Dezahar Way amid debate over open‑space and pathway easements

The Town of Los Altos Hills hearing officer approved a categorical exemption under Section 15.303(a) and a site‑development permit for a new single‑story residence at 26918 Dezahar Way (file SD25‑66) while deferring detailed decisions on potential open‑space and pathway easements to follow‑up review.

Jay Bradford, the hearing officer, said staff recommended the exemption and permit and that final details about landscape screening, open‑space easements and removal of structures in pathway easements would be addressed through conditions and subsequent committee review. "With that, I, as the hearing officer, will approve this project subject to the standard conditions of approval and those project specific conditions of approval," Bradford said.

Why it matters: The project proposes a new 4,837‑square‑foot single‑story house (no basement) with an attached ADU. Staff told the hearing that the proposal generally keeps the new footprint in the same location as the existing house, uses existing tree screening along the southern property line, and meets the town's height and setback calculations subject to the conditions described below. Neighbors and committee members focused attention on whether parts of the lot near a mapped fault should…