Apple Inc. chief executive Steve Jobs lost a bid to demolish a Spanish Colonial Revival-style mansion he owns about 30 miles south of San Francisco.

A California appeals court ruled Thursday that Jobs and the city of Woodside, where the 17,250-square-foot mansion was built on 2.4 acres in about 1925, didn't consider alternatives to destroying the home.

Jobs said he never liked the 30-room house, which he bought 21 years ago. He wants to tear it down so he can build a smaller one, which he told Woodside would be designed better and possibly merit historic status itself some day.

The appeals court backed a lower-court ruling in favor of preservation group Uphold Our Heritage, which sued to block the demolition.

"Woodside issued a permit to Steve Jobs authorizing the demolition of a mansion of historic significance," the three- judge panel wrote.

The city's conclusion that alternatives aren't feasible was "not supported by substantial evidence," the panel said.