Monte Sereno commission approves permit for new house at 18140 Via Encantada, allows removal of 13 trees

The Monte Sereno Site and Architectural Commission unanimously approved a site development permit and a tree removal permit for a proposed one-story home at 18140 Via Encantada during its Feb. 4, 2026 meeting.

Daniela Gonzales Ayala, the commission's consultant planner, presented the application and told the commission that staff recommended approval as conditioned in the draft memorandum of decision. "The application includes the removal of a total of 22 trees. Of the 22 trees, only 13 trees require a tree removal permit to be approved by the site and architectural commission," she said. Gonzales Ayala described the proposed house as a one-story residence with an attached garage and gave dimensions during her presentation.

The chair opened the public hearing and invited online participants to comment; none did. After no commissioners had questions of staff, a motion was made and seconded to approve the site development permit and tree removal permit as conditioned. The roll-call vote recorded affirmative votes from the commissioners present and the motion passed.

The planner's presentation included two numerical descriptions of the new home that differ in the meeting record: the chair's initial announcement referenced an "approximately 4,680 square foot" one-story house, while the planner described the proposed dwelling as "1,686 square foot" with a roughly 535-square-foot attached garage. The planner's figures are presented here as the staff recommendation and project description in the memorandum of decision; the meeting transcript contains both phrasings.