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On Aug. 27, the town of Portola Valley released the much anticipated final environmental impact report and fiscal impact analysis for Stanford University’s housing project, Portola Terrace, formerly Stanford Wedge, for public review. The report includes details on the single and multi-family development and proposed scheduled hearings with town committees and Town Council.
The 75.2 acre site at 3530 Alpine Road will be divided into 10.8 acres of residential housing and 64.4 acres of open space. Portola Terrace proposes to build a total of 27 single-family, two-story residential units for Stanford faculty and 12 affordable housing units in three, two-story buildings.
The 640-page final EIR comes two years after the public comment period for the draft EIR closed on May 13, 2022.
The formal application for the proposal was submitted in 2019 but due to the town’s obligations to complete the housing element, the processing of the application has been delayed, according to town officials. The housing development has been a topic of contention among community members who are concerned about fire safety, protection of wildlife and indigenous history of the land.
Portola Valley resident Dave Cardinal, who lives near the site, is supportive of the project and believes that it’ll benefit the community by bringing in a more diverse population and inviting in younger families. He also points out that having more families with kids move into the area would benefit the local school district’s declining enrollment rates.
“I think it’d be great to have more young families in Portola Valley. We have an aging population and you have to be pretty wealthy to move here, so having some diversity in jobs and having smart people who work at places like Stanford would be great,” he said.
Rita Comes, president of Portola Valley Neighbors United, who formed her organization, in part, in opposition to the Stanford Terrace project, said she was surprised to see the final EIR get released after so many Planning Commission and ASCC meetings had been canceled in the past years. Since May 15, the Planning Commission has canceled seven consecutive meetings, leaving many residents’ questions and concerns about the project unanswered, according to Comes.
While still a supporter of providing housing and welcoming new residents to the community, Comes is worried that proceeding with the project will worsen the town’s ongoing infrastructure and safety issues. She would like to welcome new community residents into a safe environment, which she feels the town has not yet prepared for.
“We have problems with electricity, sewer, water, Wi-Fi, cellphone coverage and here we are welcoming people into our community,” Comes said.
Public hearings on the proposal are tentatively scheduled to be reviewed throughout September to December by the Trails and Paths, Conservation and Bicycle Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committees; Architectural Site Control Commission, Planning Commission and ultimately the Town Council. Decisions are required to be made by the Town Council to approve or deny certification of the EIR.
Community members are invited to submit comments on the final EIR before through email at portolaterrace@portolavalley.net or by mail and drop-off to the Planning Department at 765 Portola Road. Comments that raise environmental issues will be addressed in the Planning Commission and council hearings, according to the memorandum by the Planning Department.
Hard copies of the final EIR are available for viewing at Town Hall and the Portola Valley Library. For more information on Portola Terrace and updates to the project and future meetings visit portolaterrace.stanford.edu.
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