Masson Estates

Supported the project, saying the HAA leaves the council no choice and the project will help Pierce Road more than any other.

Said public safety is the council's top job and the project makes a bad evacuation situation worse.

Described fear of evacuating with one way out in a wildfire and urged denial on safety grounds.

Urged a no vote, citing the narrow bridge stretch of his evacuation route and cumulative builder's remedy traffic.

Cited the 2-hour-45-minute to 5-hour evacuation estimates and urged the council to protect hillside residents.

Asked what changed since the Planning Commission denial and cited General Plan safety element policies and CalFire statistics.

Said the commission's denial wasn't in error and asked the council to approve on a split vote and explain honestly why.

Warned that the Masson project plus the Mountain Winery plans will add hundreds of cars to Pierce Road.

Described losing fire insurance in 2023 and his son's Altadena evacuation, and asked the council to put existing families first.

Said the project can't be considered in isolation from the Mountain Winery development and asked what public benefit justifies the risk.

Rejected the claim that the HAA ties the council's hands, citing the 2:45 evacuation study and the planning commission's 5-0 denial.

Asked for enforceable affordability protections, disclosure of total monthly housing costs, and verification of low-income eligibility.

A CEQA attorney argued the HAA does not trump the Subdivision Map Act and that the city retains police powers to deny.

Spoke on the consent calendar and later during the Pierce Road hearing.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Spoke during the public hearing on the Pierce Road subdivision appeal.

Asked the city attorney to state on the record whether denial is legally unavailable and, if the record lacks quantified analysis, to continue the matter.

Argued the city can and should fight like other cities have, using the safety exception or legislation, and urged adopting objective standards now.

Said three developments sit near his Mount Eden home and described already-clogged traffic from Mountain Winery concerts.

Remote speakers including a Pierce Road resident and others raised the 30-foot setback exception, cumulative impacts of ~1,800 additional residents, and disability access concerns.

The applicant's land-use attorney argued CEQA doesn't trump the HAA and that no written standard exists to deny the project.