We have concluded that San Mateo County has three options:
1. Complete the trail as designed by Stanford.
2. Work with Stanford and Santa Clara County to implement a less expansive
improvement to the trail along Alpine Road.
3. Return the funds to Santa Clara County.
We would like to discuss each of these options in greater detail.
1. Complete the trail as designed by Stanford.
This option could be implemented as the plan is developed. Stanford has previously approved the plan and no further action by Santa Clara County or Stanford would be required to implement. San Mateo County would be able to utilize all of the funds made available by Stanford. Stanford would pay for the necessary EIR.
This option would require extensive road work along Alpine Road. Stanford proposes major grading to move a hillside in order to shift the road “right of way” further ‘north’. This movement would allow for additional setback for the trail from properties to the ‘south’ and provide room for a wider trail. This proposal does not have the support of impacted residents in the Weekend Acres area. The plan does not have the support of the environmental community. Implementation would probably lead to lawsuits against San Mateo County.
2. Work with Stanford and Santa Clara County to implement a less expansive
improvement to the trail along Alpine Road.
The trail in this area could benefit from improvement as it is narrow, has been unmaintained, and is in danger of falling into San Francisquito Creek. No funds are presently available for such work. A minimal trail improvement would face a reduced level of neighbor and environmental opposition. County Parks estimates it would take approximately $2 million for minimal trail improvements between Piers Lane west to the County line.
The proposed work would require planning and EIR work that could be funded with Stanford dollars with permission of Stanford. Stanford would also have to approve any improvements before funding would be granted from Stanford. It is not clear that Stanford would approve funding if improvements to Alpine Road in the Weekend Acres area were not included.
A partial plan would spend far less than the total $8.4 million available. Any funds not expended under this scenario would revert to Stanford University. Some community groups will be opposed to this plan as they want to see Stanford spend the full amount as mitigation for the development allowed under the GUP.
3. Return the Funds to Santa Clara County
Under this option, San Mateo County rejects the proposal to implement/improve a trail along Alpine Road. Stanford funds would then revert to Santa Clara County.
We are recommending that the Board of Supervisors accept option three.
Trail development was a mitigation approved by Santa Clara County and if we reject the Stanford proposal, Santa Clara County would retain responsibility for the mitigation program and, importantly, all of the funds from Stanford University would be available for regional mitigation of Stanford’s development.
We believe that Santa Clara County may have some concerns about their ability to implement mitigations. We think that there is a simple and direct way for Santa Clara County to implement a mitigation program. Specifically, we would advocate that they use the $8.4 million to establish a grant program for regional mitigation. Santa Clara County could issue requests for proposals from local public agencies including San Mateo County; the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District; and the Cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. Under this proposal Santa Clara County would oversee a mitigation program that was implemented regionally by other local agencies. Any improvements (including trails) would be maintained by the agency receiving grant funds from Santa Clara County. Decisions on what to fund would be made by Santa Clara County and as long as no activity was on Stanford land, the University would not be involved in the process.
Under the terms of the MOU between Stanford and Santa Clara County, there may be some confusion as to when Stanford would be required to submit funds to Santa Clara County if the trail proposal is rejected by San Mateo County. We would suggest that Stanford University should immediately send funds to Santa Clara County upon a rejection by San Mateo County. This would allow for this issue that has been contentious in the community to be quickly resolved. It would also allow for development of mitigations sooner rather than later.
It is recommended that the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors direct the President of the Board to sign a letter to Stanford University officially rejecting their offer to build a trail along Alpine Road.
It is further recommended that the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors direct the President of the Board to sign a letter to Santa Clara County advising them of our rejection of the Stanford offer and advocating that Santa Clara County establish a regional grant program with the funds made available to them by Stanford University.
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