Supervisor's proposal for Stanford

By Anne Rochell Konigsmark

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian on Tuesday waded into the controversy over Stanford University's huge land-development plan and offered a compromise on one of the most contentious points, preserving its foothills as open space.

Simitian, who is an influential player in whether Stanford wins approval for its plan, suggested that the university promise not to develop almost half of its 2,200 acres of foothills for 99 years or for the life of the development, whichever is shorter. He recommended that it reserve the remaining half as open space and for field research for 25 years.

Stanford would decide which parts of the foothills would remain as open space for 99 years or 25 years.

Residents packed the Palo Alto City Council chambers to hear Simitian's first comments on Stanford's community plan. Simitian, who represents Palo Alto and surrounding communities, will vote on the plan Oct. 31 with four other county supervisors.

Simitian's proposal is midway between the desires of Stanford and those of some of its neighbors and environmentalists. Stanford originally proposed protecting its foothills -- about a quarter of its campus, west of Junipero Serra Boulevard -- for 10 years. But after pressure from county planners and residents, the university agreed to 25 years.

However, many residents have continued to push for permanent protection. On Monday, the Palo Alto City Council endorsed a permanent ban on development in the foothills.

Larry Horton, director of government and community relations for Stanford, said Simitian's proposal was new to him.

"These new elements are quite sweeping to be introduced at the last moment," Horton said. He wouldn't comment further without studying the proposal in depth.

Peter Drekmeier, a leader in the fight for permanent protection of the foothills, said Simitian's plan wasn't ideal, but was "fair enough."

Simitian said Tuesday that his plan is the most legal way to ensure maximum protection of the foothills. "I'm saying to Stanford, 'If you want to build 2 million square feet, you've got to earn the right to do that by committing to keep it clustered,' " Simitian said.

The county can require that by insisting that Stanford set aside a certain amount of open space for every square foot it wants to develop on its core campus.

Simitian gave his blessing to Stanford's proposal to add 3,000 faculty, student and staff housing units in the next decade. But he added a condition that 15 percent of the staff housing be available at below-market prices.

And in a slight change to what the county planners proposed, Simitian said that Stanford must build enough housing to accommodate any increases in campus population. Simitian said Stanford must conduct a study to determine its future needs and to set ultimate limits on expansion.

And he also suggested a compromise on the controversial Lathrop district, a small swath of land in the foothills that has some light development on it. Stanford wanted the option to add more development on it, whereas open-space advocates wanted it preserved as is. Simitian proposed placing setbacks on the Lathrop district land abutting Junipero Serra Boulevard, and he proposed banning development in the areas of Lathrop that are now undeveloped.