LOS TULARES, Carmel Valley — October 30, 2026. A public county planning file offers a detailed look at how steep hillside construction and environmental restoration can intersect in the Los Tulares subdivision. At 15596 Via La Gitana, the Monterey County Zoning Administrator’s November 13, 2025 agenda included a retrospective permit request for development on slopes steeper than 25 percent, together with a proposed plan to restore 3,545 square feet of previously altered slope.
County staff’s publicly available report identifies the matter as PLN240108 — Buchanan, associated with Code Enforcement case 20CE00484. The report documents a planning and enforcement history; it should not be interpreted as proof that a present owner has an outstanding violation or that the restoration either did or did not occur after the hearing. The final disposition and compliance status would require later county records.
What the county planning file describes
The property covers approximately 2.52 acres in the Carmel Valley Master Plan area. Staff described an existing main residence and improvements on steep terrain, including landscaping, hardscape, stairs and retaining-wall work. The report says unpermitted grading and related hillside construction were cited in June 2023. One affected area contained an accessory dwelling unit identified in the report as approximately 1,200 square feet.
Because some work took place on slopes greater than 25 percent, staff recommended an after-the-fact use permit for development on the steep land and a separate restoration permit addressing the 3,545-square-foot area. The listed zoning classification included low-density residential zoning with additional building-site, design-control and site-plan-review overlays. A property owner cannot assume the same path is available to another lot without reviewing the parcel-specific zoning and applicable state ADU law.
What was recommended — not necessarily decided
Staff recommended that the Zoning Administrator adopt a finding of categorical exemption under sections 15301 and 15333 of California’s environmental-review guidelines and approve the combined development permit subject to six proposed conditions. The published agenda report is a recommendation for consideration at a public hearing. It does not by itself establish that the permit was finally issued, whether conditions changed, whether appeals were filed or whether the cited work was corrected.
That distinction is central to responsible coverage of an individual property. A preliminary recommendation should never be rewritten as a final violation judgment, a completed restoration or permission to undertake similar work elsewhere.
Why this matters to hillside neighbors
Los Tulares has substantial variation in terrain, and hillside alterations can affect drainage patterns, slope stability and neighboring properties. The county’s case illustrates the potential importance of seeking a site-specific determination before grading, terracing or constructing large accessory improvements. The size of a proposed ADU alone does not settle whether separate land-use, grading, drainage or environmental permits are needed.
For owners considering an ADU or major landscape alteration, the practical first step is checking the zoning designation, parcel map, environmental constraints, and the status of existing permits with Monterey County Housing and Community Development. Private homeowners-association rules, where applicable, may create separate questions. Do not infer approvals from the existence of another homeowner’s hearing record.
How to review the file
The official county report for Zoning Administrator file ZA 25-068 summarizes the case, proposed environmental findings and staff recommendation. Search Legistar for PLN240108, ZA 25-068, or the November 13, 2025 meeting to check minutes, adopted resolution, potential appeal and follow-up actions. California58 has not verified a subsequent compliance inspection or final project closeout.
Source: County of Monterey Zoning Administrator staff report, PLN240108, hearing scheduled November 13, 2025. This is a document-based account of a historical planning case and not a claim of new allegations in October 2026.
Contact California58 Editorial Desk with corrections supported by official records.
Featured image: Carmel Valley landscape in July 2023 by Austin Curtis / Unsplash. It does not depict the property named in the county planning file.
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