By Linda Taaffe

The Los Altos Hills couple who demolished the landmark Winbigler home without city approval will have to pay a maximum $27,000 fine, give up a height variance and site development approval for the project, and bring plans for their house on Fremont Road back to the drawing board, the Los Altos Hills Planning Commission decided last week in front of a standing room only crowd.

Property owners Maria Ligeti and Gordon Campbell were in the midst of a massive construction project on the property that was to incorporate the former 1926 Winbigler home into a new, 18,000-square-foot addition that included a 35-foot height variance. Last month they demolished the home after allegedly discovering that the structure had termite, asbestos, mold and dry rot damage.

Part of the condition of approval for the project was that the house would not be removed, relocated or demolished without returning to the planning commission for approval.

City Planning Director Carl Cahill said Campbell and Ligeti did not notify the city before demolishing the house. He put a stop work order on the project after a neighbor discovered the house’s condition.

Campbell and Ligeti told the planning commission the demolition was a mistake on the part of their contractor.

“It was clearly spelled out in the conditions of approval,” said Planning Commissioner Janet Vitu. “It’s important to understand that the home was not historical. It was recognized in the town’s general plan as being of local historic significance but (Campbell and Ligeti) could have come in and said, ‘We want to tear it down’ … there would have been no problem. It wouldn’t have been illegal. Instead, the owners specifically asked to save the home in return for a height variance.

“We gave them a variance based on the presumption that they would meet certain conditions. Since (preserving) the home is no longer part of the condition, they must redesign (their plans) to fit existing town codes.”

The commission’s decision ultimately means the owners could have to tear down any construction on the site that exceeds 32 feet, Vitu said.

Vitu said the city had not been to the site to check if the partially constructed structures exceeded the town’s height limit.

Campbell and Ligeti presented revised plans to the commission during last week’s hearing that essentially incorporate the Winbigler home’s French Provincial style into an approximately 30,000-square-foot estate.

Campbell and Ligeti may appeal the commission’s decision to the Los Altos Hills City Council within 21 days of last week’s hearing.

Spokesman David Bogstad, who is the architect for the project, was unavailable for comment last Friday.

Vitu said the commission plans to review and possibly update the city’s building inspection processes.