2023
2023.12.13
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Athletic Fields
To: Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, San Jose City Mayor and City Concilmembers, San Jose State University, and San Jose Earthquakes
"Please help the state of California, Santa Clara County, the City of San Jose, and our splendid local Earthquakes Soccer team lead the nation in both community sporting venues and in building sustainable playable non polluting athletic fields that use drought tolerant bermudagrasses or other grass hybrids with Dark Sky compliant lighting that support our children and our environment."
2023.11.29
Notice of Preparation: Millbrae and Burlingame Shoreline Area Protection and Enhancement Project EIR
To: OneShoreline
"We diligently reviewed OneShoreline’s supporting documents to improve our understanding of the Project. Unfortunately, we encountered inconsistencies in the documentation, with numbered alternatives not aligning across various reports. Similarly, the feasibility report drew from analyses in prior reports that did not consistently address the same Project concept or feature. Although we acknowledge the evolving nature of the Project, the lack of a definitive Project description forced us to make assumptions about the intended alternatives and hindered our ability to provide precise scoping comments regarding specific features or locations."
2023.11.29
Response to the Santa Clara County Health Department's letter on the public health risks of artificial turf
To: Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
"Given the outdated nature and inaccuracies of the letter from the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, the SCLP recommends the letter be withdrawn. Because the public health and environmental impact of continued usage of petroleum products such as artificial turf can be devastating, we ask that the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors take time to thoroughly research the issue so that decisions will be based on the most current and reliable independent evidence-based information. We, the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, stand ready to assist you, and we will be more than happy to provide you with the latest research on this critical issue."
2023.11.20
Valley Water Community Outreach Plan
To: Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors
"On October 17, we sent the following suggestions to staff to provide specific ideas for consideration and possible implementation. Our suggestions include general outreach ideas, ideas for a series of BLOGs on the Water Supply Master Plans, and ideas for better outreach and communication about the Delta Conveyance Project."
2023.11.16 Letter to City of San Mateo regarding San Mateo Updated Housing Element
2023.11.06
Requesting a submission extension for written comments to the NOP for the Millbrae and Burlingame Shoreline Area Protection and Enhancement Project EIR
To: OneShoreline Board of Supervisors
"We would like to provide useful comments on this project. To do so we need sufficient time to review and understand this newly-available information. Therefore, we respectfully request that the deadline for the submission of written scoping comments be extended by an additional two weeks."
2023.10.30
Sea Level Rise Guidance for Cleanup Activities
To: Department of Toxic Substances Control
"We were pleased to see the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) issue draft Guidance for their Project Managers on how to incorporate future sea level rise (SLR) into hazardous waste site remediation planning and implementation. Importantly, the Guidance applies not only to sites currently undergoing remediation planning and implementation, but also to sites that have already completed all required remediation but leave hazardous wastes still in place. Nonetheless, we believe the Guidance lacks the necessary specificity to ensure consistent interpretation and application of the Guidance, as well as public clarity about the criteria for certain determinations and mechanisms for accountability."
2023.10.23 Joint-letter to Los Altos, regarding Oct 24 meeting agenda item 6 (Dark Skies Discussion)
2023.09.27 Joint-letter to BAWSCA Re: Conduct hybrid in-person and livestreamed meetings
2023.07.24
Supporting city-led community engagement process
To: Mayor Gee and Members of the City Council
"While we support staying with the original Westport Specific Plan, we support the staff recommendation that a city-led community engagement process should be used to update the Westport Specific Plan, if the Council is considering the possible repeal of the existing Westport Specific Plan. To emphasize the necessity of meaningful community engagement, we further acknowledge the Planning Commission’s recent unanimous recommendation that the City Council direct the applicant to engage in additional community outreach."
2023.07.18
Recent revisions to the Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan Update framework
To: Community Development Director, City of East Palo Alto
"We commend the diligent work of City staff and its team of consultants to develop a thoughtful plan for the future of the RBD/Four Corners area and the City. We are particularly pleased to see that the RBDSP updates include protection of the public and private wetlands at the north east edge of the plan area. Reduced floor area ratios and the inclusion of stepped-back building heights and transition zones next to residential and shoreline areas are steps in the right direction, but do not allay all of our concerns. Please see our comments below regarding the recent plan updates as well as some continuing concerns regarding chemical hazards and community outreach."
2023.07.07
Moffett Park Specific Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report
To: Mayor Klein and City Councilmembers
"We commend the diligent work of the City Council, City staff and its team of consultants to put forth a comprehensive and thoughtful plan for the future of Moffett Park. We acknowledge and appreciate the extensive research, refinement and public process that underlie the MPSP. Nevertheless, the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and associated updates to the MPSP did not allay some significant concerns. We strongly disagree with the EIR’s conclusion that increased use by 42,000 new residents and 60,000 new employees in the Moffett Park area will not have a significant impact on wildlife and habitat in existing park and open space adjacent to Moffett Park. We also disagree with the EIR’s comment responses asserting that the threat of bird collisions above 60 feet is minimal."
2023.07.03 Joint-letter to Assemblymember Luz Rivas opposing SB 423 unless amended
2023.06.23
Prematurity of the New Redwood Life Precise Plan and EIR
To: Mayor Gee and Redwood City Council
"We believe that it is premature to start a new Precise Plan for the Life Sciences industry and especially the associated EIR because there are several items that are not yet adequately addressed."
2023.05.19 Letter to OneShoreline Project Manager regarding the Draft OneShoreline Planning Guidance Policy
2023.04.20 Letter to Redwood City Council regarding Bio-Safety Level 3 labs in Redwood Shores
2023.03.31 Letter to the Palo Alto City Council regarding the dedication of the Measure E site as parkland
2023.03.28 Letter to the San Mateo City Council regarding Land Use Heights and Densities, and Measure Y
2023.03.17 Letter to the San Carlos City Council recommending no BSL-3 labs in San Carlos
2023.03.13 Letter to the San Jose City Council regarding the Measure T Status Report
2023.01.27 Letter to the Palo Alto City Council Regarding 2023 Council Priorities
2023.01.22 Joint-letter to the Palo Alto City Council regarding the 575 Los Trancos Road Residential Project
2023.01.18 Joint-letter to the Gilroy Planning Commission regarding Electronic Billboards
2023.01.17 Letter to the Cupertino City Council regarding the Review of City Hall Decision
2023.01.09 Letter to San Mateo City Council regarding the San Mateo 2023-2031 Housing Element Updated Draft