Notes
Research notes and hearing briefings
Short, sourced updates — not a daily blog. We publish when the city record moves.
September 18, 2026
CRED sues Saratoga over Masson EstatesThe hillside group filed a Santa Clara County lawsuit challenging the City’s August 19 approval of 25 homes on Pierce Road.
September 7, 2026
Quito Road is on the September 9 Planning Commission agendaCity page and Granicus still list 14076 Quito Road (69 units) for Wednesday, September 9 at 7:00 p.m. Oak Place Council appeal is scheduled September 16. Confirm the live packet before you travel.
August 21, 2026
Two hearings after Masson: Quito Road Sept 9, Oak Place Sept 16CRED rebuilt the tracker from the city’s 21 Builder’s Remedy pages. The next public dates are Planning Commission and a neighbor appeal.
August 19, 2026
City Council grants Masson Estates appeal 5–0After a long hearing, Council reversed the Planning Commission’s emergency-access denial and approved the applicant’s appeal.
June 3, 2026
CRED analysis: what Saratoga’s evacuation assessments say about hillside capacityFehr & Peers’ May 2026 model estimated 2 hours 45 minutes for 90% — and 5 hours for 100% — of the population in the defined evacuation area to clear under existing-condition assumptions. That is not a citywide finding.
July 8, 2026
Planning Commission denies Masson Estates 5–0Commissioners found that environmental impacts — emergency access, response, and evacuation — outweighed the project’s benefits.
2025–2026
Builder’s Remedy — why every Saratogan should be paying attentionState housing laws can force ministerial processing. They do not erase wildfire physics, tree canopy, or a two-lane hill road.