Stanford's trail obligation pushed into San Mateo County, Portola Valley Stanford's trail obligation pushed into San Mateo County, Portola Valley (December 21, 2005)

** Santa Clara County supervisors vote 4-1 to let Stanford put its trail along Alpine Road.

By Marion Softky

Almanac Staff Writer

The arena for the long-running battle over a trail Stanford is required to build around the northwest side of its campus has just jumped from San Jose to Redwood City.

Last week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors ended five years of squabbling over routes for two recreational trails which Stanford was required to build to offset impacts of its general use permit (GUP). Adopted in 2000, the GUP would allow some 5 million square feet of new homes and buildings on campus.

They voted 4-1 for two trail alignments. The southern trail generally following Page Mill Road was uncontroversial and should open in about a year. However, the C-1 trail around the north and west sides of campus ran into fierce opposition when Stanford refused to run it across its open lands in Santa Clara County, and insisted on placing it along busy Alpine Road in San Mateo County.

North County Supervisor Liz Kniss, who represents the communities most involved, cast the lone no vote.

"I'm troubled we're asking a neighboring county to take on the burden of mitigation," she said at the December 13 hearing in San Jose.

Supervisor Pete McHugh expressed the impatience of the rest of the board with the five-plus year dispute. "It would be nice to see the trails built before BART arrives," he grumbled.
What next?

Now that Stanford has got its way with the Santa Clara supervisors, what next?

In January, Stanford will present formal proposals to San Mateo County and Portola Valley to build the trail, according to Larry Horton, Stanford's director of government and community relations. These offers will include engineering designs for the proposed Alpine Road recreational trail prepared by Brian Kangas Foulk.

Stanford is offering San Mateo County $8.4 million to extend the trail along Alpine Road from the existing trail at the Menlo Park city limit at Rural Lane, 1.6 miles to the Portola Valley town limits just past the Ladera Oaks Swim and Tennis Club. Portola Valley would receive $2.8 million to extend the trail 1.2 miles farther south to Arastradero Road.

Under the agreement approved by Santa Clara County, the money would remain available for five years, with a possible two-year extension.

If San Mateo County or Portola Valley reject the trail, or don't spend all the money, any unspent funds would not go back to Stanford, according to an amendment adopted by the Santa Clara County supervisors last week. Instead, leftover money would go to Santa Clara County. It would be used to reduce adverse impacts of the new development on recreational opportunities.

What if San Mateo County accepts the trail but Portola Valley rejects it? The trail could build it in San Mateo County but not Portola Valley, or vice versa, Mr. Horton said. "They're independent."

In any case, Stanford is off the hook for its obligation to build the trail, even if it isn't built or is partially built.
The next round

Once they get the formal offers, San Mateo County and Portola Valley have promised full environmental studies and public hearings before any decision is made.

These promise to be long and contentious -- if they aren't short-circuited by lawsuits. Residents of environmental groups and Stanford Weekend Acres, who passionately oppose what they call the "Alpine Road sidewalk," are debating whether to sue.

Two areas in unincorporated San Mateo County present major problems.

"We're talking about a very sensitive area," said San Mateo County Supervisor Rich Gordon. "I think this is a very problematic area for a trail."

For the half-mile stretch of the trail route by the old summer home community known as Stanford Weekend Acres, Stanford's engineering plans call for moving Alpine Road away from the busy section, punctuated by roads and driveways. This section of Alpine Road carries some 28,000 cars a day on average that whiz by the bicycle lane proposed for a multi-use recreational trail.

Since Stanford owns the land across Alpine Road, it could move the road far enough away into the hill to provide room for a safe trail, Mr. Horton said.

This solution could make a huge improvement for residents of the community, he added. "I believe that Stanford Weekend Acres will be a big beneficiary of the trails. I really do."

West of the freeway, Stanford's money might help the county forestall a serious threat where Los Trancos Creek curves within a few feet of Alpine Road in two places, and threatens to undermine it in case of a major flood.

Stanford proposes to stabilize the creek and cantilever the trail over the creek in a manner similar to the recently completed intersection at Junipero Serra Boulevard and Sand Hill Road, Mr. Horton said.

Last week's hearing in San Jose, gave a preview of the arguments and passions that are likely to move to Redwood City as San Mateo County takes up the debate.

Thirty-eight speakers addressed the board in two-minute bites. Sixteen supported Stanford's plan; 22 opposed the Alpine Road trail.

"For $12 million you can build a beautiful trail," said David Wilkins. "The jurisdictions get to decide what kind of a trail."

Ron Alexander of Stanford Weekend Acres, a retired Stanford professor, felt betrayed. "This is a catastrophe for our neighborhood," he said. "I am flabbergasted and deeply ashamed. Consult your moral compass."

Michael Anderson of Menlo Park countered: "Thank you Stanford for the Sand Hill Projects. The same can be expected."

Elaine Haight argued that the C1 route along Alpine Road is not a trail. "A trail is not a road," she told the supervisors. "It's your job to enforce the agreement on Stanford."
Trail design

San Mateo County and Portola Valley can design the trails as they wish, Mr. Horton said. They can pick the width and surface so long as it is consistent with the guidelines in the general use permit. "The jurisdictions can do as they wish," he said.

The Santa Clara County parks director would sign off on the trails, Mr. Horton said. "Stanford does not sign off."

E-mail a friend a link to this story.