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Planning Commission approves Linkanada/La Rinconada redevelopment, including removal of 287 trees with replanting conditions
Summary
The commission approved the country club's $20 million redevelopment plan, authorizing removal of 287 trees (16 large protected) and requiring substantial compliance with the presented planting plan and town replacement rules; commissioners cited water savings and safety improvements.
The Los Gatos Planning Commission on Aug. 13 approved a comprehensive redevelopment and reforestation plan for the La Rinconada/Linkanada Country Club that will reconfigure the golf course, move more than 52,000 cubic yards of earth on site, and authorize the removal of 287 trees to accommodate updated fairways, bunkers and a new comfort station.
Staff reported the application proposes removing 287 trees, including 16 large protected specimens; the applicant's arborist identified an additional 47 hazard trees for safety removals. The club's submission includes a reforestation plan that would plant 173 new trees on site, many in 48- and 60-inch box sizes, most of them native oaks. Town code requires specific replacement ratios (Town Code section 29-10985); after consulting the town attorney, staff concluded the commission cannot unilaterally grant extra credit for trees larger than the code table without a variance.
Club leaders, including president Bob Ryland and general manager Andy Kimble, said the $20 million, member-funded project is aimed at three goals: modernization of aging infrastructure, sustainability (a conversion to drought-tolerant Bermuda grass estimated to cut water use by roughly 30 million gallons per year), and safety by removing failing or high-risk non-native trees. The club said grading will be balanced on site, there will be no import/export of soil, and construction will be phased to limit disruption.
More than two dozen members and neighbors spoke in favor at the hearing, citing water savings, improved fire resiliency, and continued community open space stewardship. Opponents raised environmental concerns, noting the loss of canopy and wildlife habitat, questioned CEQA implications, and flagged recent removals they described as unpermitted. Speakers also submitted a petition opposing the scale of large-tree removals.
Commissioners pressed the applicant on tree counts, species, and replacement details. Applicant representatives said 211 redwoods would remain and about 150 redwoods were proposed for removal; they confirmed the plan includes 66 48-inch box trees and 26 60-inch box trees as part of the replanting program and said removed wood would be repurposed where feasible. The commission asked staff to clarify tree-replacement accounting and to ensure enforceability of the planting plan.
Vice Chair Burch moved to approve the architectural/site application S-25-00005 with the conditions in the staff report and to modify condition 8 to tie replacement requirements to town code; Commissioner Raspby seconded. Commissioners then added a condition requiring that the landscape plans be implemented in "substantial compliance" with the planting table presented to the commission. The motion passed unanimously. Staff noted that appeal rights to Town Council are available within 10 days.
The approval allows the club to proceed under the conditions set by the commission; any future material changes to the approved landscape or grading would be subject to director review and possibly return to the commission depending on scope.
