On Thursday, Dec. 5, the Portola Valley Town Council voted unanimously to approve Stanford’s Portola Terrace residential project. Portola Terrace will provide 27 single-family homes for faculty and 12 affordable housing units for members of the Portola Valley community on a portion of “the Wedge” property along Alpine Road, near Westridge Drive.
Intentionally configured as a cluster development, Portola Terrace will occupy only 10.8 acres of the 75-acre property, including nearly 5 acres of buffer and setback space, thereby maintaining the large oak woodland on the property as open space.
“We’re very glad that the Portola Valley Town Council approved the project, and grateful for town staff’s diligent work throughout the process,” said John Donahoe, senior director for planning and entitlements in Land, Buildings, and Real Estate. “Portola Terrace will enhance the Portola Valley community, provide much-needed housing, improve wildfire resiliency on and around the property, and increase tax revenue for the town and local schools.”
The 39 new housing units represent 15% of what Portola Valley is required to plan for as part of its current Housing Element, and the affordable housing would be some of the first-ever deed-restricted units built in Portola Valley that are available to the general public.
Half of the 12 affordable housing units will be reserved for households earning up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with the remaining units serving individuals or families making up to 120% of AMI. Eligible households with at least one member currently working or living in Portola Valley will be given priority when applying to live in one of the affordable units.
“Approving Portola Terrace marks a significant milestone in addressing our local housing needs. We have appreciated the partnership with Stanford throughout the process,” said Portola Valley Mayor Sarah Wernikoff. “We look forward to welcoming the new residents who will occupy these homes, whether they are Stanford faculty or local workforce members, who can now live closer to their workplaces and foster stronger connections within our community.”
Stanford first proposed Portola Terrace in 2016, following interest from town leaders in seeing housing built on the property. The university’s project team engaged the community throughout the ensuing eight years to carefully design and gain approval for a project that is responsive to community feedback.
A major emphasis was placed on wildfire resilience in the project design. Features include the undergrounding of utilities, bringing water service to the property, creating a new fire maintenance road, and using fire-resistant building materials.
“I’m proud that my final official act as a member of the Portola Valley Town Council was to vote in favor of this project to bring much-needed housing, especially affordable housing, to our community,” said Councilmember Jeff Aalfs. “Portola Terrace includes significant sustainability and wildfire safety features that responsibly address our need for more housing while protecting our community and minimizing our impact on climate change.”
The project also features three new publicly accessible trails that will allow for enjoyment of the property’s open space.
Now that Portola Terrace has been approved, Stanford will work with Portola Valley staff to obtain building permits, followed by project construction.
More information about Stanford’s housing inventory and programs is available at housinginfo.stanford.edu.
“Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies 8,180 acres, among the largest in the United States, and enrols over 17,000 students.”
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