Note: This alert is now closed.  The Board of Supervisors has met and we will be publishing an updated post on this issue shortly.  Thanks for all the many, many people who sent comments calling for transparency and a fair public process!

On Tuesday, October 16, the Santa Clara County Supervisors will be deciding whether to move forward with a Development Agreement with Stanford. Please email the Supervisors and ask them not to begin any negotiations with Stanford until a final Environmental Impact Report is available.

What’s Happening

Santa Clara County is in the midst of the environmental review process for Stanford’s proposed General Use Permit (GUP), which requests permission to develop 2.275 million square feet of academic development (classrooms, offices, etc.) and 3,150 housing units/beds through the year 2035. Once approved by the County, Stanford would have the right to build out all this development without the County being able to require any further mitigations or community benefits.

Why It Matters

The public is waiting for the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which will list the required mitigations for Stanford’s future development. However, Stanford has now proposed to enter negotiations with the County on a Development Agreement that could potentially undermine the public environmental review process. Rather than the community meetings, hearings, and opportunity for public comment that the EIR process provides, a Development Agreement can be negotiated behind closed doors with no public input whatsoever.

What You Can Do

Please email the Board of Supervisors by Tuesday, October 16 and ask them to wait until the EIR process is complete before negotiating a Development Agreement, so that the public can be fully informed about the environmental impacts.