Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Steve Monowitz, Community Development Director
Subject: Comment Letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Report Regarding Stanford's General Use Permit Application
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation to authorize and direct the President of the Board of Supervisors to sign the attached comment letter regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Report prepared as part of Santa Clara County's review of Stanford's General Use Permit (GUP) Application.
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BACKGROUND:
Stanford has submitted a General Use Permit (GUP) application to Santa Clara County that proposes the construction of up to 2.27 million square feet of new academic and academic support facilities, and 3,150 new on-campus housing units, between 2018 and 2035. The development proposed under this GUP adds to the 10.25 million square feet of academic facilities and 15,237 housing units constructed under the prior General Use Permit. Santa Clara County has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as part of its review of this application for the new GUP.
DISCUSSION:
CEQA requires an analysis of a project's impact on the environment in order to inform decision makers and the public of the potential consequences of the proposed development. CEQA also requires an analysis of how to reduce a project's environmental impacts to insignificant levels where feasible. In this case, the project under review is located entirely within the unincorporated area of Santa Clara County. Santa Clara County is therefore the Lead Agency and sole decision maker as to whether to approve the GUP and certify the EIR.
Although the physical development proposed by Stanford is confined to its main campus, the environmental impacts of this development will occur over a much larger region, including in the unincorporated areas of San Ma...
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