By Bruce Barton

Los Altos planning commissioners continue to grapple with a popular private school’s wish to expand versus neighbors’ concerns that expansion will overwhelm the surrounding area.

Commissioners at Thursday’s meeting will consider requests from Pinewood School to expand facilities. Plans are to demolish four of the five existing buildings at 1012 Campbell Ave. (477 Fremont Ave.), renovate the remaining building and build three new structures. School officials propose to build five new buildings on the adjacent lot at 450 Covington Road. The renovated campus could house up to 160 K-2 students and a junior kindergarten.

Up for approval is a use permit, design review and general plan amendment that would change the zoning on the proposed site from R-120 - 0.75-acre to 1-acre lots unique to Los Altos - to a “private school” designation.

School officials will have to make their way through united neighborhood opposition as well as meeting city requirements to get their expansion plans under way. Chief concerns include increased traffic in a residential neighborhood and fears of further expansion, undermining the residential integrity of the area.

The planning commission meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., at Los Altos City Hall, 1 N. San Antonio Road.