Equestrian estates planned for Woodside parcels near freeway Equestrian estates planned for Woodside parcels near freeway (April 28, 2004)

By David Boyce
Almanac Staff Writer

A square peg may have found a square hole to nestle in with the Woodside Planning Commission's approval of a site plan for four topographically complex parcels located on 92 acres of undeveloped oak woodland near Interstate 280.

The site had been owned by Phillips Brooks School -- a private elementary school in Menlo Park -- but plans to build its campus there were voted down by the Planning Commission in October 2002.

At its April 21 meeting -- with commissioners Elizabeth Hobson and Diane Elder absent -- the commission voted 5-0 to approve a proposal by property owner and Woodside resident Buno Pati to rearrange the parcels' boundary lines and the route of the access road. Since the property's natural contours include steep slopes and wetlands, the changes are intended to increase the residential appeal of some "very constrained parcels," Mr. Pati said.

The properties are located just west of I-280 between Sand Hill Road and Woodside Road.

The commission's action, which can be appealed to the Town Council within 10 days of the decision, allows the owner to apply for a builder's permit.

Economic return was not a motivating factor in delineating the "equestrian estate lots," Mr. Pati said. "It's something that I want to do because I feel good about it."

"This is a great project," said commission chair Tom Livermore. "This is the right project for this piece of property. I think everybody should feel good."

"I'm very pleased that somebody has stepped up to the plate," said Commissioner Steve Patrick in a comment on the difficulties associated with developing the property. "This is what our community wants to see."

The commission's approval marks another milestone in the history of the property. More than 100 years ago, the site was divided into five plots, according to former Woodside Planning Director David Rizk. In 1995, it was reformed into nine parcels in a subdivision that was approved but never recorded.

In 1997, Phillips Brooks School began an ultimately fruitless five-year effort to win permission to build a 290-student campus on 14 acres, leaving the rest of the site as open space.

The Planning Commission initially indicated approval but then rejected it on a split vote. A group of residents challenged the conclusions of the environmental impact report, specifically concerning fire safety, traffic volume, and environmental damage due to grading and excavation.

Problems of access

In approving the rerouted road that follows the tree line and the western property lines of the parcels, the planning commissioners rejected staff recommendations to use the existing roadbed, which bisects two of the parcels.

In his presentation, Mr. Pati included retouched photos showing the effect on the current roadway if paved, as recommended, or replanted with grass after being rerouted.

The proposed road has two sharp turns that violate town guidelines for a minimum curve radius, but the curves serve to create building sites that are integrated with the bulk of the properties, thereby promoting safety and privacy, Mr. Pati said.

"I'd rather see a road take an unnatural turn than drive down (Interstate) 280 and see a statement house on the hill," said Commissioner Sara Jorgensen before casting her vote.

Jody Lawler, whose property adjoins the parcels and who must use the road to get to and from her home, noted concerns about construction delays, soil compaction around existing trees, and the grading of hillsides.

The final design of the road is still to be worked out with planning staff, giving the town a chance to address these concerns, the commissioners said.

The commissioners also addressed the needs of local equestrians by approving easements to connect existing horse trails at the north and south ends of the property.

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