The Committee is Watching...

Half Moon Bay — where Federal Judge Vaughn Walker has issued a bizarre judgment of $40 million in favor of developer Chop Keenan, who has been seeking approval of an 83 home subdivision called Beachwood. Instead of appealing the ruling, the City has signed an agreement to pursue legislation to overrule all state environmental laws on Keenan’s property, as well as an adjacent parcel; if that fails, the City will be obligated to pay Keenan $18 million.

Stanford University — which has decided not to dump up to 300,000 cubic yards of “diggings” from campus construction on the former Christmas Tree Farm along Sand Hill Road, but instead plans to truck the dirt across the Dumbarton Bridge. CGF urges Stanford to partner with the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge and use the dirt beneficially for restoration of Bair Island.

SB 1295, authored by Senator Denise Ducheny — which would eliminate the ability of the Coastal Commission to appeal projects approved by local governments, placing the burden of appealing bad projects instead entirely upon citizens and community organizations.

Proposed closure of 48 California state parks — which would include Henry Coe State Park, the second largest in California, and Portola Redwoods State Park, one of the closest state park camping sites in the Bay Area, for minor budgetary savings that are greatly outweighed by the impact on the taxpay-ers’ right to access these publicly-owned, natural open spaces.

A proposed new quarry near Watsonville Road on the west side of Gilroy — which may affect open space and Uvas Creek.

The California Board of Forestry — which will decide whether to revive the environmentally destructive, permanent logging plan for the Los Gatos Creek redwoods.

Palo Alto — which is deciding whether to stop monster mansion development in its hillside areas.

The Committee Applauds…

San Mateo County Board of Supervisors — which adopted new Green Building standards for major remodels and new residential, commercial, and industrial construction.

San Mateo County Board of Supervisors AGAIN — for unanimously rejecting a proposed sidewalk expansion along Alpine Road by Stanford University and to Supervisor Rich Gordon for calling Stanford’s tactics “unconscionable.”

Santa Clara Valley Water District — which adopted unanimously all recommendations from its Environmental Advisory Committee to reduce erosion and pollution in local watersheds.

San Mateo County Planners — who are developing a Watershed Protection Ordinance to comprehensively address potential impacts on water quality from land clearing and grading on steep slopes as well as setbacks from creek banks and riparian areas.

The Gilroy citizen group, SOS Gilroy — whose strong opposition to the Westfield proposal for converting County agricultural land into yet another shopping mall, helped convince developers to relocate their proposed project.

The Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce — whose energetic Environmental Advisory Committee seeks to promote environmental awareness in general, Earth Day activities and green businesses that protect against climate change.

Craig Britton — who is retiring after 30 years with the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, which has now protected over 50,000 acres of open space in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.

A Special Tribute to Congressman Tom Lantos
CGF honors Congressman Tom Lantos for his passion for our landscapes and his unswerving devotion to protecting land — from the Phleger Estate in Woodside and Bair Island in Redwood City to Mori Point in Pacifica, and the 4,000 acre Rancho Corral de Tierra near Half Moon Bay. He leaves a lasting legacy of magnificent parks and open space.