Housing — What kind we allow, who it is for, and where it is built — is key to how Portola Valley evolves. There are a Gordian Knot’s worth of interlocking priorities and issues. Many of them have been raised, often in isolation, on this forum. I’ve just finished reading the Draft Housing Element Document… Continue reading Please Read our Draft Housing Element
Month: June 2022
Detailed thoughts on the “Stanford Wedge” from Dan Cornew
Hi Sylvia: Thanks for the note. And you catch me with my evening glass of wine which with the wonderful heat is a strong G&T cause life got in the way!…. Watch out ;). Hope to not bore you. Variances do include the minor adjustments you mention such as fences and rooflines, but they can… Continue reading Detailed thoughts on the “Stanford Wedge” from Dan Cornew
Resources
portolavalley.net wfpd.net
Stanford Wedge Project as of 2021
The proposed project by Stanford University to develop the property they own in PV between Westridge and Golden Oak is controversial and complex. I’ve been following along the best I can, and thought it might be useful to post my “Cliff’s Notes” (or perhaps what could be called a summary) of my understanding of where… Continue reading Stanford Wedge Project as of 2021
SB9: The Bill that Cried “Wolf”
There has been a lot of justifiable concern about SB9 and its potential impact on Portola Valley. For various reasons, I don’t think that the economics of SB-9, combined with our current zoning and development policies, make that likely. I’m not sure if betting is legal on PV Forum, but if it is, I’m happy… Continue reading SB9: The Bill that Cried “Wolf”
PV Housing Recap as of March
There has been a lot of good discussion of housing in Portola Valley, both related to our intrinsic needs, and more-urgently the requirements that the state has placed on our town to create new, and affordable, housing. The problem is over-constrained, our town staff is over-worked, and the committee of 14 volunteers who signed up… Continue reading PV Housing Recap as of March
Stanford’s Option to Develop Large Estates
There has been some discussion of whether Stanford would pursue developing single-family homes on its property in Portola Valley, if not allowed to proceed with the Portola Terrace proposal. For perspective, Stanford does own a growing portfolio of over 700 single-family homes, with a value of over $1B as of 2019, that it offers on… Continue reading Stanford’s Option to Develop Large Estates
Being part of fire and evacuation drills
Ragni — There are drills of one kind or another fairly frequently. There are radio check / communication check drills, emergency responders have their own drills (including lighting & extinguishing controlled burns). There have been larger-scale mutual-aid drills involving a number of agencies. Our schools also have drills. There are limited-scale evacuation drills to help… Continue reading Being part of fire and evacuation drills
Digging in to the Hermit Fault
Like many of you, I’ve become curious about the Hermit Fault, since it both isn’t too far from our house, and has become quite a controversial subject — notwithstanding that I’d never heard of it until last year, and I don’t believe it every came up as an issue for any of the Westridge homes… Continue reading Digging in to the Hermit Fault
About Portola Valley’s first-ever Political Action Committee — Organized to Raise Money to Defeat Volunteers
Like most of you we received a colorful mailer today explaining that we could have a great future together if we simply voted out our town council, rescinded all the recommendations of our housing committee, and elected some other set of people who would apparently care more about our town than the people we have… Continue reading About Portola Valley’s first-ever Political Action Committee — Organized to Raise Money to Defeat Volunteers