Our town has officially submitted a Draft Housing Element for RHNA Cycle 6 (2023-2031). Like most compromises, everyone has something to be unhappy about (and mostly forgets the pieces they should be happy about). The plan as filed is designed to be compliant with State requirements. However, some aspects are likely to generate push back… Continue reading Housing Part 2: Compliance Explained
Category: Housing
PV Housing: About our RHNA Allocation
Like many, if by now not most, of you, I’ve been interested in learning more about how RHNA works, especially as it relates to us. Digging through the Regional Plan for the Bay Area, I found some things I think are interesting: Spoiler Alert: RHNA Allocations were not affected by town Wildfire Danger Zones: This… Continue reading PV Housing: About our RHNA Allocation
Please Read our Draft Housing Element
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
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
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
Making sense of SB9, SB10, and RHNA
Let’s try to keep SB9, SB10, and RHNA, separate. Yes, it’s confusing, but it’s important: SB9: A heavily-contested law that allows property owners to put multiple structures on a lot currently-zoned single-family residential — with a variety of caveats around respecting local interests and safety. Independent of whether this law is great, or terrible, it… Continue reading Making sense of SB9, SB10, and RHNA
Portola Terrace, aka “Stanford Wedge” TL;DR version
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 Portola Terrace, aka “Stanford Wedge” TL;DR version