Woodside: Larry Ellison wins OK for driveway Woodside: Larry Ellison wins OK for driveway (January 16, 2002) **Town engineer opposed it, and three commissioners didn't vote.

By Andrea Gemmet

Almanac Staff Writer

Larry Ellison, Oracle software CEO and instigator of a long-running building project in Woodside, won approval last week for a new driveway linking the two adjoining lots on Mountain Home Road where he is building what Woodside staff refer to as "a residential compound."

Planning commissioners instructed Mr. Ellison's representatives to relocate the internal driveway to protect several oak trees, and conditionally approved the project 3-1.

Woodside town engineer Kent Dewell advised against the new driveway, which would allow Mr. Ellison's home to have one main entrance, routing visitors past a guardhouse on the property adjacent to the site of the main house.

Mr. Dewell was concerned about the inadequate sightlines for the entrance to the property, given the level of traffic expected to use it.

According to the traffic analysis, there could be as many as 50 vehicle trips during any one-hour period.

Besides being used as a residence, the property is expected to generate a number of trips from informal meetings and regular visits from service vehicles, according to the study.

Only three of the seven planning commissioners voted for the project. Commissioner Sara Jorgensen was opposed, Diane Elder was absent, and commissioners Kathleen Scutchfield and Stella Weng Kister recused themselves due to conflict of interest rules. Ms. Scutchfield owns nearby property and Ms. Kister is an Oracle employee.