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Previous action alerts
December, 2002
Here we go again. The trail issue is up before the Santa
Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, December 17, 2002.
County staff is caving in to Stanford again, and have gone against
the decision of the Board that ordered an environmental study.
Read the County
Counsel's recommendation which proposes a trail in the Caltrans
drainage ditch alongside I-280, which Caltrans and Los Altos Hills
don't like and can stop. Or, alternatively, the old S1-C route rejected
by the Board, which goes at Arastadero and I-280 and won't connect
to the Arastadero Preserve. County counsel also recommends stalling
on the C-1 trail route and not even studying anything, for no really
good reason. That costs us at least another year, maybe longer,
without any trail.
(Confused? Click here for
a map.)
This is all happening over a year after easements for trails
were supposed to be dedicated.
Stanford is stalling, and stalling, trying to make the trails disappear,
hoping people will give up. Meanwhile, their paid lobbyists collect
high salaries, funded, ultimately, by tuition and alumni contributions,
while their lawyers collect huge fees. (Stanford pays millions every
year in legal fees; check their IRS
Form 990 filing with the Internal Revenue Service, which shows
over $8,8 million in outside legal fees for 2001 alone.) They have
every incentive to drag this out.
Come to the Board of Supervisors meeting on December 17,
2002, in the Santa Clara County Government Center at 70 West Hedding
St., San Jose, and make your voice heard.We need people at this
one.
The trail issue goes before the Santa
Clara County Board of Supervisors again on January 27, 2002. If
you'd like to come, the matter is scheduled for no earlier than
2:30 PM. A modest turnout would be helpful.
Stanford continues to propose various trail routes that move the
required trails off Stanford property onto someone else's property.
So far, Stanford's proposals to move the trails off their land have
been disapproved by the Palo Alto City Council, the Menlo
Park City Council, the Mayor of Los Altos Hills, the Midpeninsula
Regional Open Space District, and CALTRANS. The Santa Clara County
Board of Supervisors refused to approve Stanford's latest proposal
at their December 9th meeting, because, among other things, it called
for a trail through the middle of the Stanford Golf Course. It also
didn't fix most of the problems described elsewhere on this site.
Stanford's
latest proposal involves putting a trail alongside I-280 on
CALTRANS land, using a boardwalk over a drainage ditch. Really.
And they want six more months to work on that idea.
This is not compliance; this is stalling. But it won't work.
County Supervisor Liz Kniss has this to say about the trail issue:
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“After weeks and months of discussions, negotiations and
public input, I’m sorry to report that I’m very disappointed
in Stanford’s newly released trail proposal. I don’t believe
this plan provides for adequate public safety, trail connectivity
or the quality of recreational experience that Peninsula residents
expect and deserve. In short, I find the current proposal
unacceptable, but I believe there remains the opportunity
to compromise and achieve a trail plan that reflects both
the spirit and intent of Stanford’s obligations and creates
the kind of trail system that our County residents deserve.
I have faith in Stanford University’s goodwill and good intentions
towards the community and I am willing to work with Stanford
officials night and day before our Board Meeting on Tuesday,
December 4th to achieve a proposal we can all support.”
County Supervisor Liz Kniss,
November 30, 2001
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But, in fact, Stanford didn't propose anything acceptable before
the December 9th meeting. Nor have they done so yet.
So it's time for the Supervisors to take enforcement action. As
of December 12, 2001, Stanford is not in compliance with its General
Use Permit from the County of Santa Clara, because the required
trail easements have not yet been dedicated.. This gives the Supervisors
the authority to block Stanford's building permits and shut down
some or all construction on campus until acceptable trail routes
are offered. We suggest that a total construction shutdown would
be overkill, but stopping new construction starts south of Junipero
Serra Boulevard (the Dish area) would be an appropriate sanction.
A detailed position statement by a coalition of local environment
groups will be posted here shortly.
Also see the Commitee
for Green Foothills report for an update on other Dish area
environmental issues
We can win this.
Santa
Clara County Board of Supervisors will consider the trail plan on
December 4, 2001
"Stanford's
idea of a pastoral hike: sucking exhaust" -- Mercury News editorial
Endorsement
by Open Space District.
Stanford
makes their formal trail route proposal. It's not good.
Proposed plan from Stanford and County Parks and Recreation gives
up 3.6 miles of legally required trails over Stanford land.
Come
to the Town Hall meeting on Stanford's compliance with its General
Use Permit.
Santa Clara County Supervisor
Liz Kniss has scheduled a town hall meeting to update the community
on the Stanford GUP and Community Plan. Now is the time to let her
know that the community wants to see progress on all of the environmental
protections called for in the GUP/CP. Please plan to attend.
Where: Palo
Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto.
When: Thursday, August 23, 7pm.
PATHS position statement
This is the message we'd like your help in getting across.
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5th District residents pay 26% of the tax dollars received
by the Parks Charter Fund, but receive only 16% of the park
acreage. Over many years this 5th District shortfall amount
is estimated to be about $32 million dollars.
PATHS has submitted a proposal to both Stanford University
and the Santa Clara County Supervisors outlining how the county
could support and facilitate trail maintenance and resource
management in the Foothills, relieving Stanford of expense
and liability in providing trail access.
There is no 5th District county park north of Rancho San
Antonio. Trails and paths in the Dish area have proven (by
their usage) to be needed and used. Sensitive ecosystems and
public access do co-exist in many parks and open spaces where
resource management practices are used. Contrary to Stanford's
accusations, the public has done little to despoil the Foothills
area. We don't need another Jasper Ridge, a lovely but inaccessible
open space.
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Sign the P.A.T.H.S. petition. You can sign on-line
or at the S.O.S.A. table at Junipero Serra and Stanford Avenue (by
the entrance to the Dish) on weekends. Download
a printable petition and collect signatures, return to PATHS,
788 Stern Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94303 by October 10th. We will be
presenting these to Joe Simitian at the Planning Commision's and Supervisors'
hearings.
They're working the open-space issue, and need your help.
Contact the Santa Clara County Supervisors.
Click
here to write all the supervisors.
Contact Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss
Contact Stanford University President John Hennessy
Especially important if you're a Stanford graduate.
Hennessy@Stanford.edu
President@Stanford.edu
phone 650-725-3723,
fax: 650-725-6847
Provost John Etchemendy
phone 650-724-4075
fax: 650-724-1347 |
Board of Trustees
phone: 650-725-9217
fax: 650-725-3340,
Bldg. 10, Stanford U., 94025 |
Write letters to the editor
Palo Alto Weekly, PO Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302
fax: 650-326-3928;
letters@paweekly.com
Palo Alto Daily News, 329 Alma St., Palo Alto, CA 94301
fax: 650-327-0676,
editorial@paloaltodailynews.com
San Jose Mercury News, 750 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose, CA 95190
fax: 408-271-3792
letters@sjmercury.com
Stanford Daily, Storke Publications Building, Stanford, CA, 94305
fax: 650-725-1329;
letters@daily.stanford.edu
Menlo Park Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA
94025
fax: 650-854-0677;
editor@calmanac.com
San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103;
fax: 415-543-7708;
chronletters@sfgate.com
Show public support by attending meetings
If you come 15 minutes early and sign up, you may have an opportunity
to speak.
[PAST] October 30th (Monday), 7 pm: Special
Board Hearing on Community Plan, GUP and final EIR, County Government
Center, 70 W. Hedding St., San Jose.
- [PAST] October 18th (Wednesday), 6:30 pm:
Planning Commission Hearing on Community Plan, GUP and Final EIR,
Palo Alto City Council Chambers, 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto.
- [PAST] October 24th (Tuesday), 7 pm:
Supervisor Joe Simitian announces his thoughts on the Stanford
Community Plan and GUP and invites community feedback, Palo Alto
Council Chambers, 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto.
- [PAST] October 30th (Monday), 7 pm: Special
Board Hearing on Community Plan, GUP and final EIR, County Government
Center, 70 W. Hedding St., San Jose.
Student Protest
Stanford students
protested the night closure of the Dish area on Wednesday, October
4, 2000 at 11:30 PM. Read their manifesto.
Silent solidarity
Notice what seem to be the silent statements of solidarity and
community that are appearing on the loop trail at the Dish: Cairns
(heaps of rocks in a pile or spire) are arising along the side of
the asphalt road. We at PATHS appreciate these gestures of support
and commitment. (Update: the cairns referred to have been destroyed
by Stanford as of Spring 2001).
Be true to your heart. Follow wherever this trail of events leads,
bringing your commitment and goodwill, no matter how insurmountable
the situation may appear. Leave room for the unexpected.
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