Is Stanford’s Site Suitable for High Density Housing?
Portola Valley is situated between the mountainous wildlands to the west and southwest and the increasingly urbanized communities of Menlo Park, Palo Alto and Los Altos to the east.
Our intermixed wildland-rural community provides unrestricted, unparalleled access to surrounding wildlife, unspoiled vistas, majestic, rolling hillsides and creek-fed ravines. We enjoy these blessings because we also have a General Plan and municipal ordinances that were wisely adopted decades ago to protect and preserve these blessings against heedless development.
Our General Plan and municipal ordinances are designed to maintain and protect Portola Valley’s delicate wildland-urban interface and rural, open space character. If the balance struck by those policies and ordinances is upended or ignored in favor of greater density and increased development, the wildland-rural balance struck in Portola Valley will quickly succumb to increasing developmental pressure for denser housing, expanded roadways, greater services and an urbanized infrastructure.
Will we lose – or carelessly ignore – what we most value in a town whose natural bounty enriches all of us? Will we act now to protect and preserve what we cannot replace once it is gone?
Stanford’s proposed site for faculty housing is not only unsafe for dense housing development, it is also unsuitable for such development. This becomes especially clear when Stanford’s proposed project is assessed in light of the express objectives, principles and standards of the General Plan.
Portola Valley’s Major Community Goals
Portola Valley’s common, overriding purpose to preserve and protect its unique and increasingly vulnerable rural open space and natural features is clearly set forth in the General Plan’s introductory statement of Major Community Goals:
“To preserve and enhance the natural features and open space of the planning area because they are unusual and valuable assets for the planning area, the Peninsula and the entire Bay Area.”
“To allow use of the planning area by residents and others so that the natural attributes of the planning area can be sustained over time.”
“To conserve the rural quality of Portola Valley and maintain the town as an attractive, tranquil, family-oriented residential community for all generations compatible with the many physical constraints and natural features of the area….”
“To guide the location, design and construction of all developments so as to:
“Minimize disturbances to natural surroundings and scenic vistas.
“Reduce the exposure of people and improvements to physical hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, fire, floods, traffic accidents and to provide evacuation routes for emergencies.
“Protect the watershed of the planning area.
“Ensure that projects complement and are subordinate to their natural surroundings….”
“To protect, encourage and extend the use of native plant communities, grasses and trees, especially oak woodlands, because they reduce water usage and preserve the natural habitats and biodiversity.”
Land Use Element
The Land Use Element separately addresses land uses for residential areas, parks, recreational areas and open spaces as well as commercial and administrative uses. It seeks to maintain the natural character of the town, to provide for park, recreational and open spaces in appropriate scenic areas where the uses will be compatible with the residential nature and quality of the town, and to minimize the need for non-local traffic to penetrate the town.
“The planning area should have the low intensity of development which is appropriate to its location on the fringe of the urban area of the Peninsula and should provide a transition between urban densities of adjoining communities and non-intensive land uses west of the skyline.”
Where feasible, the Land Use Element encourages development proposals that “incorporate unified planning for the largest land area practically possible in order to preserve open space, conserve unique natural features of the area, allow logical extensions of the trail and path system, maximize the opportunities for controlling the extent and impacts of development and otherwise help ensure the application of good land use planning.”
The Land Use Element classifies four categories of residential land use intensity and specifies the appropriate level of population and housing density for each classification. The highest intensity areas are restricted to areas of already existing development. The conservation-residential intensity is assigned to less steep land close to community and circulation facilities and existing development. The open residential intensity is mostly applied to undeveloped lands with rugged topography, scenic qualities, remote locations, or extreme geologic instabilities.
The intensity of land development in the Residential-Conservation category should be further reduced beyond the slope intensity requirements of the zoning ordinance to address a particular site’s specific geologic conditions, minimize visual impacts, preserve scenic qualities or avoid high fire hazards and inadequate emergency access.
Portions of some of Residential-Conservation areas, such as Stanford’s land in the Alpine Canyon, are classified in the General Plan Diagram and the Land Use Element as “Residential Open Space Preserves.” These lands — both public and private — typically have “slopes, canyons and ravines generally in excess of 30% in slope, unstable lands, lands of significant scenic value to the town, historic resources, riparian environments, and lands inaccessible without traversing potentially unstable lands. To the maximum extent possible,” the Land Use Element provides, “these preserves should be kept free of structures and left in a natural condition with respect to terrain and vegetation. New residential subdivisions should provide for clustering of residences outside of residential open space preserves so that these areas are left undisturbed for visual enjoyment and limited local use.”
Land designated as a Residential Open Space Preserve
“should be primarily a permanent open space, but should in addition accommodate a variety of recreational uses well suited to the natural terrain and which preserve the continuity of native vegetation. Such uses include riding and hiking trails, informal play areas, scenic walks, picnic areas, and residences subject to suitable conditions. These areas can be either privately controlled by the local property owners or held by a public agency.”
For land within conservation-residential areas, where minimum lot sizes range from 2 acres to 4 acres per house, the Land Use Element calls for population densities of 1.3 to .65 persons per acre.
“Land use intensity standards provide a guide for the intensity of residential development within which considerable flexibility remains as to design solutions. They indicate the maximum number of housing units to be permitted on a given piece of land but do not prescribe type of design in relation to a minimum lot standard. Specific conditions may require lower intensities.”
For example, the element notes that housing and population densities should be less “where geologic conditions limit development.” And while the density of population in multiple family affordable housing projects may be increased somewhat, the increase in density “shall not exceed 3 times the densities stipulated” for the zoning district in which the development is located.
Stanford’s land in the Alpine Canyon is specifically addressed within Residential Area No. 8 in the Land Use Element:
“This area is composed of the Westridge and Oak Hills subdivisions plus a steep undivided area between Westridge and Alpine Hills subdivision. The area is shown in the conservation-residential intensity. Few lots are vacant in the subdivisions. The character and quality of the area should be conserved as the area plays an important part in maintaining the open space character of the town.”
The Land Use Element calls out a number of specific objectives for the development of residential areas in Portola Valley, including
To assure that all building sites and residences are developed in a manner minimizing disturbance to natural terrain and vegetation and maximizing preservation of natural beauty and open space.”
“To provide for the grouping or clustering of residential buildings where this will maximize the opportunity to preserve natural beauty, habitat and open space without generally increasing the density of development otherwise possible.”
“To maintain the established character of established residential areas.”
“To control the occupancy of parcels so as to:
“Prevent overcrowding of dwellings.”
“Insure that occupancy of land and dwellings will be in balance with service facilities such as on-site parking, traffic capacity of access streets and capacity of utilities such as water and sewage disposal.”
“Insure against adverse impact on neighboring residences.”
“Fix responsibility for use, occupancy and conduct on the premises in relation to town standards and requirements.”
Among the governing principles for development within Portola Valley, the Land Use Element provides that:
Population densities should be guided by considerations of topography, geology, vegetative cover, access to transportation and services, fire hazards, emergency access and impact on pre-existing residential development
Steep slopes, potentially unstable ground, canyons and ravines should be left undisturbed as residential open space preserves
When residences are grouped or clustered in areas where intensity standards require one acre or more per dwelling unit:
“Each residence should have substantial direct frontage on a common open space of sufficient size to convey a feeling of being on the edge of a large and significant open space
“Clusters should generally consist of a small number of detached residences, and each cluster should be well-separated from adjacent clusters rather than interconnected in a linear line
On tree covered buildable slopes, development should be designed to preserve groves of trees as well individual trees and native understory to the maximum extent possible.
“In all residential areas of the town … particular attention must be given to the effects of approaching the maximum amount of development permitted on individual parcels.”
“The cumulative effect of buildout under appropriate ordinances and policies should be examined and steps taken to ensure that its effect will not be injurious to the unique and desirable characteristics of each area.“
Overall development levels as measured by floor area ratios and impervious surfaces should be limited so as to preserve the rural setting.”
Open Space Element
The Open Space Element provides a framework for the preservation of all open areas, large and small, public and private, within the town. The element is most concerned with protection of those open space lands that are of major significance for protection of natural resources, public health and safety, aesthetics and recreation.
As defined by California state law, “open space land is any parcel or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use as defined … and designated on a local plan … as any of the following:
“Open space for the preservation of natural resources, including but not limited to areas required for the preservation of plant and animal life, including habitat for fish and wildlife species ….”
“Open space for outdoor recreation, including but not limited to areas of outstanding scenic, historic and cultural value ….”
“Open space for public health and safety, including but not limited to areas which require special management or regulation because of hazardous or special conditions such as earthquake fault zones, unstable soil areas, flood plains, watersheds, areas presenting high fire risks, areas required for the protection of water quality and water reservoirs ….” Government Code section 65560(h)
To implement these State-wide policies, the Open Space Element establishes the following objectives:
“To preserve open space in order to maintain the natural environmental qualities that make Portola Valley an unusual and special place in which to live.”
“To provide visual enjoyment by means of a continuous flow of open space and natural ground contours throughout the entire planning area….”
“To protect and enhance more intimate views for the enjoyment of local residents.”
“To protect and maintain those areas necessary to the integrity of the natural processes with special emphasis on, but not limited to, the watershed.”
“To preserve and, where appropriate, enhance and restore streams and lesser drainage courses and their corridors, unique resources in the area, in a manner that will assure maximum retention of their value as wildlife habitat and provide for their use and enjoyment by local residents.”
“To provide scenic corridors along routes of major movement.”
“To preserve as open space, insofar as necessary, those areas subject to inherent natural hazards in order to ensure the public safety and welfare.”
“To preserve and protect areas vital as wildlife habitat or of a fragile ecological nature.”
“To ensure connectivity between open spaces to provide for wildlife movement.”
The Open Space element sets out the following principles to guide development in Portola Valley:
Structures and land uses should be subordinate to the dominant natural land forms and vegetation of the town.
Roads and other public works should incorporate beauty as well as utility, safety and economy.
The scale and type of materials used in developments should be harmonious with the surrounding natural scenery.
Open space along creeks, streams and scenic trails should be protected from encroachment
Scenic corridors should be protected to maximize their scenic quality
Development within scenic corridors should not detract from the essential qualities of the corridor
New residential developments should provide for the clustering of residences to leave larger natural areas as undisturbed open space
The General Plan’s Open Space Element defines several categories of open space lands, including:
“Community Open Space Preserves are scenic areas kept essentially in a natural state for the benefit of the residents of the town. Such preserves provide visual pleasure and accommodate very limited access and use, such as by trails and paths. They serve major parts of town and generally are up to 50 acres in size.”
“Scenic Corridors are broad linear bands of open space along major roads in which recreational uses are acceptable when compatible with the open character of the corridor.”
“Residential Open Space Preserves are parts of residential developments that are kept as open space because of environmental constraints such as steep terrain, unstable land, and sensitive habitat. Also, these lands are visual assets for residents of the development in which they are located as well as the town. Where appropriate, access to portions of these areas by local residents can be an ancillary use by means of public trails and paths and thereby serve in part as a recreation function.”
The General Plan Diagram designates Stanford’s lands in the Alpine Canyon as a Residential Open Space Preserve.
To implement the Town’s open space objectives and principles, the Open Space Element relies on enforcement of the Town’s zoning, subdivision and site development ordinances.
“The zoning ordinance has been tailored to carry out the open space provisions of the general plan. Control of lot sizes, permitted land uses, and building bulk, height and coverage requirements limit the type and intensity of activities or intrusiveness of buildings.”
In particular, the zoning ordinance regulating planned unit developments specifically requires developers to designate Residential Open Space Preserves shown on the General Plan Diagram as common areas of the development protected by open space or conservation easements granted to the town. Zoning Ordinance 18.44.050(C).
The Open Space Element goes on to note that California State law governing the subdivision of undeveloped land affords Portola Valley “considerable latitude in requiring a subdivider to provide a range of amenities, including cluster subdivisions, open space easements, park and recreation lands, pedestrian pathways, hiking, cycling and equestrian trails, minimal road standards and protection of trees and other native vegetation or streams.
However, as the Open Space Element also observes, the regulations enacted by the Town to preserve and enhance its natural setting
“will only achieve town objectives with careful and imaginative guidance by town staff, elected representatives and citizens. In other words, these regulations are tools which need to be properly utilized.”
The Open Space Element points to the initiatives of a number of benefactors, including the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Portola Valley Ranch, various Westridge properties, Sausal Vista, the Hayfields, Rossotti, Portola Glen Estates, Meadow Creek Estates, Blue Oaks and the Woodside Priory, all of whom have granted or conveyed easements or conservation covenants protecting and preserving open space lands. Notably absent from the list of town benefactors is any easement or covenant granted by Stanford in any of its open space lands.
Conservation Element
The Conservation Element addresses separately the town’s principal conservation objectives for wildlife, water (creeks, ponds and groundwater), vegetation and soils.
Wildlife. In accordance with its strictures, the design of all developments should ensure that the habitat of all wildlife, especially endangered species, is protected, and that creek corridors are maintained and protected for wildlife who depend on them for food, shelter, migration and breeding. All subdivision and site development projects should ensure that they do not obstruct wildlife access to important water, food and breeding areas. Creek corridors should be designated as sensitive areas which provide important habitat for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, and all subdivisions and site development projects should provide creek setbacks sufficient to buffer wildlife inhabiting or using the creek from the impacts of development.
Alpine Canyon provides habitat, breeding and hunting grounds for some of our most beautiful animal species, including bald eagles, golden eagles, hite-tailed kites, great-horned owls, mountain lions, coyotes, grey fox and deer. It also serves as a wildlife corridor for migration of mammals between Jasper Ridge and Arastradero. Animals migrate via the Stanford Wedge between Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, the Stanford lands at Felt Lake and the Arastradero Preserve.
Mountain lions and coyotes den in the remnants of an 1800s quarry on the west border of the canyon as well as Golden eagles and dusky-footed woodrats. From at least the 1960’s to the 1990’s signs along the Alpine Canyon wilderness trail announced its designation as a State Game Sanctuary. All of these species would be displaced, lose habitat, die or attempt to move into surrounding valleys and hilltops if dense housing is brought to the canyon.
Water Resources. With respect to the town’s water resources, the Conservation Element notes that we live in a semi-arid area with increasing demand on limited water supplies. It calls for protection against runoff, erosion and flooding; protection of natural groundwater recharge areas; preservation of the natural character of all watershed land; and maintenance of creeks in their naturally meandering channels. There should be “no significant alterations of stream channels or obstructions in the natural flow of water.”
Alpine Canyon is not only a vital habitat to many animal species in and around the canyon, it also provides two critical watersheds for the animals who live there and along San Francisquito Creek. Riparian and aquatic life throughout the creek depend on the Alpine Canyon watersheds to sustain and nurture their habitat as well. The alluvium at the mouth of the canyon is also a principal source of local groundwater recharge, collecting and restoring to the ground runoff from the canyon’s steep ravines. These watersheds need to be restored, not destroyed or further degraded. It is one of our community’s few opportunities to improve the San Francisquito watershed. The Town’s Conservation and Trails Committees and many Westridge neighbors have unsuccessfully requested the proposed project be moved away from the watershed.
Vegetation. Native plants, especially unique, rare or endangered species such as oak woodland and serpentine grasslands, should be protected and preserved; mature native trees and shrubs should be conserved; native vegetation should be managed for fire safety to the extent necessary to meet reasonable fire safety objectives while still protecting the biological resources of the environment; and the design of new local roads and thoroughfares should preserve the natural beauty and character of their corridor to the maximum extent possible.
Soils. Soil erosion should be prevented or controlled and corrected; development in hazardous geologic areas should be limited and, where necessary for public safety, prevented; and agricultural uses within areas suitable for agriculture should be encouraged.
The Conservation Element encourages education, control of development through enforcement of the Town’s zoning, subdivision and site development ordinances, land acquisition, public incentives for private initiatives and remedial work programs to implement its objectives and principles. Like the Land Use and Open Space elements, the Conservation element calls for enforcement of zoning, subdivision and site development regulations to achieve its conservation objectives by ensuring that the Town reviews all development projects with
The General Plan’s conservation objectives in mind, and
The goal of obtaining conservation easements when appropriate.
Confronted with the unrelenting press of increasing urbanization and the demands it imposes, will we continue to be a community that strives to appreciate and protect our open spaces, our wildland canyons, our native flora and fauna? Will we protect the fragile, vanishing ecosystem that enriches all of us — as well as ourselves — from natural disasters and reckless developers?
The Alpine Scenic Corridor
The Alpine Corridor extends nearly 10 miles from Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park to the Skyline Boulevard summit. Following in succession three creeks (San Francisquito, Los Trancos and Corte Madera), the corridor integrates trails for hikers, equestrians and cyclists with grassland pastures, oak covered hills and steep wooded ravines and canyons providing magnificent vistas throughout its course. The Alpine Corridor Plan seeks to “retain the natural beauty of the scenic corridor as a welcome contrast with nearby urban centers,” and “preserve the intrinsic qualities of the creeks and creeksides of the San Francisquito Creek system.”
Rather than preserve and accentuate Portola Valley’s “welcome contrast” to the increasing urbanization of Palo Alto and Menlo Park, Stanford proposes to bring that urbanization to Portola Valley and prominently display it at the mouth of the Alpine Canyon in the midst of the Alpine Scenic Corridor.
Because “the creeks and creekside trees, the valleys through which they flow, the canyons, the confining ridges and the mountain tops all relate to the watershed of the San Francisquito and its tributaries, including the Corte Madera and Los Trancos Creeks,” the Plan calls for limiting new points of access to Alpine Road to the maximum extent possible; increasing setbacks along the road to reduce the feeling of encroachment on the road; and stringently controlling the removal of trees or other native vegetation along the road.
The fact that Alpine Road is becoming an increasingly intense and important thoroughfare for traffic provides even more reason to take special care in its future development and protection.
“The lower portion of Alpine Road, from Junipero Serra Boulevard to Willowbrook Drive, is an essential traffic carrier for Portola Valley, but this function should be subordinated to the natural features within the scenic corridor to the maximum extent feasible. Protection of visual quality and mitigation of traffic impact in the corridor should be given highest priority.”
As to the steep wooded canyon and hillside forming the Stanford Wedge, the Plan calls for “extreme care” in design and construction if lands are developed in the future, but preferably they should be maintained “as permanent open space if possible.”
Trails and Paths Element
The Trails and Paths Element provides a general guide for the development of a comprehensive network of hiking and equestrian trails as well as pedestrian and bicycle paths throughout the town. It also provides standards for the construction and maintenance of trails andf paths. The Trails Element includes a Trails Diagram detailing the existing and planned trails and paths that comprise the Town’s comprehensive plan.
The character and quality of the town’s trail system is intended to provide high scenic value due to “the low-density rural character of the community and the town’s dedication to furthering the concept of Portola Valley as an open space preserve in the Midpeninsula.” In addition to providing a comprehensive network of trails and paths, the element seeks to “create a tradition of access to and use of open space so that citizens will willingly relinquish these rights under the pressure of urbanization.”
The Trails Element calls for implementation of the comprehensive plan through application of the town’s subdivision regulations as well as public programs of acquisition and development and private cooperation and support. Where proposed trails traverse unsubdivided lands, the routes shown on the Trails Diagram are intended to indicate the trail’s approximate desired location and pathway.
As the following portion of the Trails Diagram shows, the equestrian and hiking trail along the northeastern portion of the Stanford Wedge is a part of the comprehensive plan.
The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is a 1,210-mile segment of the National Park Service’s National Historic Trail and National Millennium Trail programs. It passes through Santal Clara and San Mateo Counties to its Trailhead in San Juan Bautista. This trail is a celebration of 250 years of freedom to move on foot or horseback in California using the few wilderness trails we still have available on the Peninsula. Such wilderness trails reflect a national commitment to our long-standing heritage of exploration and affinity to Nature. They serve to provide scenic opportunities for exercise and serenity in unspoiled natural settings. They also provide a walkable, connected community separate and apart from vehicular traffic. And, in emergencies, they can serve to provide alternative, potentially life-saving routes of escape and communication.
The trail’s progress is interrupted at Stanford, Portola Valley and Woodside. We can do better. Portola Valley’s historic trails maps show a community commitment to the historic connection of Arastradero Park, the Alpine Inn, Shady Trail, and Woodside. To date, these trails have been maintained and defended by a variety of committed trails advocacy groups in our community. They need at this point much more commitment from our local, county, state and national institutions and governments. Portola Valley prides itself on its wilderness trail system. The Alpine Canyon Trail is the critical link between the Westridge Trails, Alpine Trails, and Arastradero Trails.
Housing Element
As justification for development of dense, multi-family housing on Stanford’s property in the Alpine Canyon, the 2014 Housing Element amendment relies on an ill-defined “Affiliated Housing” program of the town. The Town’s website provides no comprehensive description of the terms of an “Affiliated Housing Program”, nor any reference to any authorization or implementing legislation for such a program in our Municipal Code. Nonetheless, the amendment states that the “program allows multifamily housing to be built on three sites in town: the Sequoias, the Priory School, and the Stanford Wedge.”
The ostensible justification for the “Affiliated Housing” program – promotion of affordable housing for workers in Portola Valley – certainly applies to the Sequoias and the Priory, but it does not apply to Stanford. Stanford is not seeking to provide housing for workers in Portola Valley. Rather, it is seeking to provide housing in Portola Valley for its faculty at Stanford.
The most recent May 8, 2019 report of the Town staff on the status of the town’s housing element initiatives states that the town is exploring expansion of the Affiliated Housing Program with other potential partners. The report does not identify what candidates the town is pursuing.
If, as the 2014 amendment appears to contend, a large employer’s ownership of land in town is sufficient justification to allow construction of dense, multifamily housing projects in town, what distinguishes Stanford from any other large, self-interested employer, such as Facebook, Google, Apple or any other wealthy organization who wishes to benefit its favored employees by acquiring and developing land in Portola Valley?
At bottom, it is the 2014 amendment of the Housing Element that needs to be brought into conformity with the remainder of the General Plan, not the reverse as the 2014 amendment wrongly states. Increased urbanization – increased density of housing – is not Portola Valley’s overriding objective nor is it the solution for our unique needs and interests.