20090210_es

COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT

DATE:

January 26, 2009

BOARD MEETING DATE:

February 10, 2009

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None required

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development

SUBJECT:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Stanford Sustainable Development Study

RECOMMENDATION

Approve the attached letter regarding the Sustainable Development Study (Study) and transmit to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

PROPOSAL

Stanford University has completed and submitted for review and approval by Santa Clara County a Sustainable Development Study (Study). Although San Mateo County has no approval authority, it is being presented to San Mateo County for review.

VISION ALIGNMENT

The opportunity to comment to Santa Clara County on the Study is consistent with Goal 23, in that it is an example of government collaborating across boundaries to develop regional solutions to land use, housing, education, health and transportation.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Although the majority of Stanford-owned lands are in Santa Clara County, about 2,700 acres are located in unincorporated San Mateo County. Stanford University has agreements with Palo Alto and Santa Clara County relating to land use policy for the Campus that date back to 1985. The original “Three-Party Agreement” primarily addressed annexation procedures for and municipal services within Stanford lands in unincorporated Santa Clara County. There is no similar agreement with San Mateo County. This particular Study is specifically focused on Stanford lands in unincorporated Santa Clara County, not in unincorporated San Mateo County.

SUMMARY

The Sustainable Development Study addresses how Stanford University will apply sustainable planning principles as it grows over the long term. Completion and submittal of the Study is a requirement of the Stanford General Use Permit (GUP) and Stanford University Community Plan, adopted in 2000 by Santa Clara County. The Study is a planning study undertaken by the University in cooperation with the Santa Clara County Planning Office, and is not a specific development proposal. The Study divides Stanford’s Santa Clara County lands into two areas: (1) Central Campus, which is within the Academic Growth Boundary (AGB) identified in the GUP, and (2) Foothills.

The Study includes three general required components: (1) a description of long-term growth potential for Stanford lands, including how future development will avoid sprawl into the hillsides and instead follow a compact urban development outline, (2) protection of natural and scenic resources, and (3) identification of planning principles and areas of potential future development in the Foothills. The Study indicates that maximum planned buildout of the Central Campus through 2035 could likely be accomplished within the existing AGB. The projected completion for development under the GUP is 2018, and the date for reviewing the AGB is 2025.

The Study modeled three growth scenarios for future development between 2018 and 2035: (1) minimal growth, (2) moderate growth, and (3) aggressive growth. Even under the “Aggressive Growth” scenario, all of the development could be accommodated within the AGB, according to the Study. In the event that future development outside the AGB may be needed, Stanford developed a land sensitivity methodology to help evaluate constraints on that development.

PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION

At the January 14, 2009, Planning Commission public hearing, the Commission encouraged looking at a longer timeframe beyond 2035. The Commission also urged Stanford and San Mateo County to deepen discussion on planning efforts. The Commission was also interested in developing an agreement with Stanford that would address planning on Stanford’s unincorporated San Mateo County lands, as well as possible impacts from development of its Santa Clara County lands, perhaps along the lines of the “Three Party Agreement.” The Commission heard comments from Janet Davis, representatives of Stanford University, and the Committee for Green Foothills, and continued the item until January 28. At the January 28 hearing, the Commission made editorial changes to the letter and approved forwarding it to the Board.

FISCAL IMPACT

None.



COUNTY OF SAN MATEO Inter-Departmental Correspondence

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT


DATE:		January 26, 2009
BOARD MEETING DATE:		February 10, 2009
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:		None required
VOTE REQUIRED:		Majority

TO:	Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:	Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development

SUBJECT:	EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Stanford Sustainable Development Study


RECOMMENDATION

Approve the attached letter regarding the Sustainable Development Study (Study) and transmit to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

PROPOSAL

Stanford University has completed and submitted for review and approval by Santa Clara County a Sustainable Development Study (Study). Although San Mateo County has no approval authority, it is being presented to San Mateo County for review.

VISION ALIGNMENT

The opportunity to comment to Santa Clara County on the Study is consistent with Goal 23, in that it is an example of government collaborating across boundaries to develop regional solutions to land use, housing, education, health and transportation.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Although the majority of Stanford-owned lands are in Santa Clara County, about 2,700 acres are located in unincorporated San Mateo County. Stanford University has agreements with Palo Alto and Santa Clara County relating to land use policy for the Campus that date back to 1985. The original “Three-Party Agreement” primarily addressed annexation procedures for and municipal services within Stanford lands in unincorporated Santa Clara County. There is no similar agreement with San Mateo County. This particular Study is specifically focused on Stanford lands in unincorporated Santa Clara County, not in unincorporated San Mateo County.

SUMMARY

The Sustainable Development Study addresses how Stanford University will apply sustainable planning principles as it grows over the long term. Completion and submittal of the Study is a requirement of the Stanford General Use Permit (GUP) and Stanford University Community Plan, adopted in 2000 by Santa Clara County. The Study is a planning study undertaken by the University in cooperation with the Santa Clara County Planning Office, and is not a specific development proposal. The Study divides Stanford’s Santa Clara County lands into two areas: (1) Central Campus, which is within the Academic Growth Boundary (AGB) identified in the GUP, and (2) Foothills.

The Study includes three general required components: (1) a description of long-term growth potential for Stanford lands, including how future development will avoid sprawl into the hillsides and instead follow a compact urban development outline, (2) protection of natural and scenic resources, and (3) identification of planning principles and areas of potential future development in the Foothills. The Study indicates that maximum planned buildout of the Central Campus through 2035 could likely be accomplished within the existing AGB. The projected completion for development under the GUP is 2018, and the date for reviewing the AGB is 2025.

The Study modeled three growth scenarios for future development between 2018 and 2035: (1) minimal growth, (2) moderate growth, and (3) aggressive growth. Even under the “Aggressive Growth” scenario, all of the development could be accommodated within the AGB, according to the Study. In the event that future development outside the AGB may be needed, Stanford developed a land sensitivity methodology to help evaluate constraints on that development.

PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION

At the January 14, 2009, Planning Commission public hearing, the Commission encouraged looking at a longer timeframe beyond 2035. The Commission also urged Stanford and San Mateo County to deepen discussion on planning efforts. The Commission was also interested in developing an agreement with Stanford that would address planning on Stanford’s unincorporated San Mateo County lands, as well as possible impacts from development of its Santa Clara County lands, perhaps along the lines of the “Three Party Agreement.” The Commission heard comments from Janet Davis, representatives of Stanford University, and the Committee for Green Foothills, and continued the item until January 28. At the January 28 hearing, the Commission made editorial changes to the letter and approved forwarding it to the Board.

FISCAL IMPACT
None.