Our Loma Prieta Chapter Volunteers keep a watchful eye on the actions of local governments and institutions to make sure that our local ecosystems and communities are protected. Read the comment letters below to learn more about our Chapter's public stance in defense of the environment.
By policy, comment letters are required to be reviewed and cleared by our Chapter Director. If you are a Sierra Club volunteer who would like to send letters on the Chapter's behalf, contact chapter.director@lomaprieta.sierraclub.org for more information.
2026
2026.04.20
Pause Processing All Data Center Proposals for Community Outreach
Joint letter to: San Jose City Council
"In this letter, we ask the City to pause processing all data center proposals and related planning efforts until robust, equitable, and inclusive community outreach has been completed. San José residents have a right to full transparency about all data centers currently in San José’s development pipeline. Communities deserve both cumulative and site-specific analysis of the health, financial and environmental impacts and risks of these 34 data centers. Furthermore, data centers and all associated support infrastructures that are to be located on public land are of concern, such as the centers planned north of Hwy 237."
2026.04.16
Draft Environmental Review Handbook and Draft Environmental Standard Permit Conditions
Joint letter to: City of San Jose Planners
"We offer the following comments and clarifications to better protect biological resources and to improve effectiveness and consistency. As a threshold matter, these documents should make it clear that the guidance provided is not intended to set a cap or limit on the scope of environmental analysis or on the potential mitigation measures that could be required. This might be considered obvious, since thresholds of significance or other standards do not exist for every possible environmental impact, but it should be explicitly stated in order to avoid confusion."
2026.04.03
Bird Friendly Design Standards
Joint letter to: San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
"The proposed standards are reasonable, feasible, and consistent with both regional practice and emerging national building standards. They provide clear, objective design criteria that can be readily implemented. Bird-friendly design standards similar to those proposed by staff are already widely adopted across the Bay Area. San Francisco, Mountain View, Berkeley, Alameda, San José, Palo Alto, and Cupertino have all adopted or incorporated bird-safe design requirements in their codes or policies. Together, these jurisdictions demonstrate a clear regional trend toward practical, implementable standards that reduce bird collisions without impeding development."
2026.03.27
Support for GreenSpacesMV’s Recommendations on the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan
Joint letter to: Mountain View Mayor and City Council
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley, and the Community for Natural Play Surfaces are writing to express our strong support for the recommendations submitted by GreenSpacesMV regarding the Mountain View Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan. Our organizations share the goal of ensuring that Mountain View’s parks prioritize ecological health, biodiversity, and the well-being of all residents."
2026.03.26
Include Board Policy Manual Language Prohibiting Future Investment in Fossil Fuels
To: Santa Clara County Treasury Oversight Committee
"We hope this Committee considers the following language when making its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. "The County shall update its investment policy to reflect this guidance by amending 4.8 Treasury Investment Policy, section 4.8.7 Eligible, Authorized and Suitable Investments, subsection on "Socially and Environmentally Responsible Investments" to include the following language.” “No new investments shall be made in fossil fuel companies defined as any publicly-traded company that owns reserves of coal, oil, or gas, or that owns coal-fired power plants.""
2026.03.13
Support Bird-Friendly Design Ordinance, Please Do Not Weaken Standards
Joint letter to: Palo Alto Mayor and City Council
"The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance, the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and the American Bird Conservancy support adoption of the Draft Bird-Friendly Design Ordinance adding Section 18.40.280 to the Palo Alto Municipal Code as proposed in Attachment A. Palo Alto residents consistently express strong support for protecting nature, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat, as reflected in City policies such as the Comprehensive Plan and the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan."
2026.03.04
Heritage Oaks Memorial Park Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report
Joint letter to: San Jose Planning Department
"The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance and the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter are environmental organizations with deep commitment to the natural landscapes, wildlife, and environmental resources of Santa Clara County. We submit the following comments on the Heritage Oaks Memorial Park Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (DSEIR). Our comments are in addition to comments already submitted by our representatives via email and orally."
2026.03.03
Support for East Palo Alto Reach Code
To: East Palo Alto Mayor and City Council
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter supports the adoption of the staff recommended reach codes including Two-Way AC, FlexPath, and Electric Readiness policies. Our communities are already directly experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis, and the time for bold action is now. Two-Way AC policies encourage residents and businesses to replace broken air conditioners with electric heat pumps. [...] FlexPath policies for single family homes encourage residents to install energy efficiency measures, such installing electric appliances or solar panels, during additions or alterations affecting 1,000 square feet or more. [...] Similarly, Electric Readiness policies also encourage single family residents to install electric ready circuits or conduits when they are conducting an alteration that would make electric readiness convenient."
2026.02.19
Integrating Climate Resilience in the City of San Mateo Zoning Code Update
Joint letter to: San Mateo City Council
"San Mateo has a significant amount of housing, commercial building, essential infrastructure, and roadway in low-lying areas near the shoreline that face increasing risk as sea levels rise and storms intensify. If sea levels rise by 3.3 feet, a conservative estimate for 2100, this would put at risk 12,005 residential parcels, 7 emergency shelter sites, 20 miles of highway, and many other assets.1 Additionally, rising groundwater may inundate contaminated sites near the shoreline, potentially posing a health risk to surrounding Bay ecosystems and community members (see maps attached).
At 6.6 feet of sea level rise, San Mateo will have 1,028 acres of Plan Bay Area 2050 Growth Geographies2 exposed to sea level rise and resulting groundwater rise (see maps attached). This means that more than 50% of the geographic areas where future growth in housing and jobs is likely to happen during the next 30 years will be at risk of flooding3. As these areas develop, it’s critical that new buildings and infrastructure be resilient to climate-driven flood risk."
2026.02.19
SFPUC Water Demand Projections are Unrealistically High and Threaten Tuolumne River Ecosystem and Ratepayer Affordability
Joint letter to: SFPUC Commissioners
"The Sierra Club, representing 5,500 members in San Francisco and 35,000 around the Bay Area, has concerns about the SFPUC’s water demand projections. The draft 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) demand projections paint an unrealistically high picture of future water demand. The projections ignore the clear track record of conservation in SFPUC’s wholesale and retail service territory."
2026.02.13
Redwood Shores Flood Protection Project
To: Redwood City Mayor, City Council, and Engineering Department
"Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Redwood Shores Flood Protection Project. We offer these comments in the spirit of strengthening the planning process, improving community understanding, and supporting a durable, resilient outcome, consistent with BCDC’s Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP)."
2026.02.09
Redwood Shores Sea Level Rise Protection Project
To: Redwood City Mayor and City Council
"We appreciate that the Consultant team is looking at 2 alternatives, including an Adaptive Pathways approach with an intermediate 35 year phase. We generally support a phased, adaptive approach, not merely as a cost-saving measure, but as a core implementation strategy, consistent with BCDC’s Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP). A phased approach allows the City to align future infrastructure investments with evolving sea level rise and regulatory conditions while minimizing unnecessary impacts and preserving flexibility. However, how Phase One design will influence and limit Phase Two design was concerning. We are concerned that the City Council is being asked to vote on these alternatives without the benefit of community feedback."
2026.01.23
SAFER Bay Project Draft Environmental Impact Report
Joint letter to: San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority
"Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge is submitting this joint letter on behalf of ourselves, the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter’s Bay Alive Campaign, San Mateo County Bird Alliance and Green Foothills. We respectfully submit these comments regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Strategy to Advance Flood protection, Ecosystems and Recreation (SAFER) Project (Project). We commend the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (SFCJPA) for its efforts to provide sea level rise resiliency for our Bayside communities and ecosystems through this project and for its repeated outreach to impacted communities throughout the planning process. [...] Our organizations have been involved with this project throughout the planning process. We have attended public meetings, met with community groups, and submitted comments on previous planning documents. Based on our review of the DEIR, we submit the following comments on the Project, organized by overarching concerns that extend beyond a single reach or CEQA category, followed by comments related to specific CEQA categories. In addition, please see Exhibits A and B for memoranda prepared by our technical consultants."
2026.01.16
Phasing Out the Use of Plastic Turf
To: Sunnyvale, Hillsborough, San Jose, San Bruno, Redwood City, Menlo Park, The Mid-Peninsula Water District, Estero Municipal Improvement District, Burlingame, Morgan Hill, Brisbane, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Milipitas, Gilroy
"When cities partner with government agencies to agree that plastic grass is inappropriate for landscaping around private homes and public buildings, it must also be considered inappropriate for play surfaces, whether on sports fields, playgrounds, or dog parks. It is truly encouraging to see [you] partnering with the Valley Water District to replace water-intensive lawns with drought-tolerant plants and permeable hardscaping. This kind of collaboration sets an important example of responsible water stewardship. When California cities, agencies and government districts work together to solve serious environmental and public health concerns we are all better served."
2026.01.15
Protecting the O’Keefe Open Space Preserve
To: Los Altos Hills Mayor and City Council
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter is concerned with the proposed ballot initiative, discussed by the City Council in October and November of 2025, to un-designate the O’Keefe Open Space Preserve and rezone it for multifamily housing development. Furthermore, we are alarmed at the City’s intent to avoid the CEQA process in its October and November discussions. Los Altos Hills should provide affordable housing without sacrificing open spaces or avoiding CEQA. Los Altos Hills, rather than building on open space, should prioritize other parcels as it seeks to meet its housing goals."
2025
2025.12.04
Palo Alto Dark Sky (Outdoor Lighting) Ordinance
Joint letter to: City of Palo Alto Mayor and City Council
"The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance and the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter support the adoption of Palo Alto’s Dark Sky (Outdoor Lighting) Ordinance, and suggest a few critical corrections. We appreciate the extensive work by City staff, and the clear direction from the Planning and Transportation Commission and Council to develop a measure that protects migratory birds, nocturnal wildlife, and human health while conserving energy and restoring the City’s night sky. The ordinance follows best practices from DarkSky International and the Illuminating Engineering Society by ensuring that lighting is shielded, directed, and used only where and when needed. Please consider incorporating the following five requests. We have made changes in blue since our November 10th letter to the City Council on this subject."
2025.12.04
BAWSCA’s Water Demand Model (the Decision Support System): Concerns and Opportunities for Collaboration
Joint letter to: Policy Committee Chair and BAWSCA Board Members
"Thank you for this opportunity to comment to the Policy Committee on BAWSCA’s water demand model (the Decision Support System, or DSS). While much work by experienced industry professionals has gone into developing the DSS model, we strongly believe that past performance data needs to be recognized and included in the model. The current DSS ignores BAWSCA members’ track record of conservation. We believe a more nuanced, evidence-based view of demand will allow better management of the Tuolumne River and its ecosystem—as well as preserve water affordability for ratepayers. This memo outlines our concerns and presents opportunities for collaboration."
2025.12.04
Request for Amendments to 1548 Maple Street Development and Subdivision Agreements
Joint letter to: Redwood City City Council and Planning Department
"Since this project was originally proposed and permitted, the regulatory and environmental landscape has changed substantially, particularly for shoreline-adjacent parcels such as this one bordering Redwood Creek. This stretch of Redwood Creek is tidal and already experiences flooding from both storm-driven creek flows and storm drain discharges, as well as Bay storm surges and rising high tides. In addition, rising ground water is of concern. Newly enacted legislation now places additional responsibilities on both the City and the applicant with respect to sea level rise adaptation. In October 2023, SB 272 was passed, requiring all California cities to develop Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plans that meet BCDC standards. In December 2024, BCDC adopted the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan, establishing clear guidelines and expectations for all Bay Area jurisdictions. Any extension of entitlements for shoreline developments should reasonably align with these updated requirements."
2025.11.11
Sailing Lake Habitat Island Restoration Alternative 2
Joint letter to: Mountain View Parks and Recreation Commission and Urban Forestry Board
"The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance, Green Spaces Mountain View, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, and Green Foothills strongly support staff’s recommendation to approve Habitat Island Restoration Alternative 2 (Repair Eroded Slopes and Expand Island Size) and Barrier Improvement Alternative C (Drilled Wooden Piles) for the Sailing Lake Habitat Island project. The island supports critical nesting and roosting habitat for sensitive and declining species, including Black Skimmers, Forster’s Terns, American Avocets, and Black-necked Stilts, making its protection a high priority for our members. We appreciate that Alternative 2 clearly advances ecological goals by restoring and expanding the island footprint, improving slopes to enhance fledgling survival, incorporating native and structurally diverse habitat features, and reducing ongoing erosion. These actions will strengthen shoreline biodiversity and long-term habitat resilience."
2025.11.07
Stanford Dark Sky Ordinance
To: Palo Alto Mayor and City Council
"In reviewing the letter sent by Stanford University to the City, the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter has some responses that are relevant to consider as Council deliberates on topics raised by this ordinance. 1. Safety concerns regarding motion sensor outdoor lighting are already addressed by the ordinance [...] 2. The lighting levels established by the ordinance offer sufficient lighting for public safety, and avoid the hazards of glare caused by overly bright and ‘cool’ lighting. [...] 3. The ordinance as written establishes clear precedence for state and federal laws."
2025.11.06
Dark Sky (Outdoor Lighting) Ordinance
Joint letter to: Palo Alto Mayor and City Council
"The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance and the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter support the adoption of Palo Alto’s Dark Sky (Outdoor Lighting) Ordinance, and suggest a few critical corrections. We appreciate the extensive work by City staff, and the clear direction from the Planning and Transportation Commission and Council to develop a measure that protects migratory birds, nocturnal wildlife, and human health while conserving energy and restoring the City’s night sky. The ordinance follows best practices from DarkSky International and the Illuminating Engineering Society by ensuring that lighting is shielded, directed, and used only where and when needed. Please consider incorporating the following four requests."
2025.11.04
Air Conditioning to Heat Pump Reach Codes
To: Saratoga Mayor and Councilmembers
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter supports the adoption of the 2025 CALGreen reach code to encourage that all air conditioning (AC) replacements in single-family homes include both cooling and heating modes. These two-way ACs, commonly known as heat pumps, reduce climate pollution, improve indoor air quality, and lower energy costs. Our communities are already directly experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis, and the time for bold action is now."
2025.11.04
Air Conditioning to Heat Pump Reach Codes
To: Los Gatos Mayor and Councilmembers
"The undersigned organizations are writing to voice our strong support for adoption of the 2025 CALGreen reach code to encourage that all air conditioning (AC) replacements in single-family homes include both cooling and heating modes. These two-way ACs, commonly known as heat pumps, reduce climate pollution and lower energy costs. Our communities are already directly experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis, and the time for bold action is now."
2025.10.28
City of Mountain View Biodiversity and Urban Forest Plan
Joint letter to: City of Mountain View Assistant Community Services Director
"We appreciate that the Plan is not entirely anthropocentric. It is refreshing to see a Vision that recognizes the city as a shared environment for both people and native species, rather than focusing solely on human benefits. This positions Mountain View as a leader among cities acknowledging that human wellbeing and ecological health are interdependent. The Plan’s strong scientific foundation offers a meaningful roadmap that, when implemented, will strengthen the interconnected health of people, nature, and the broader environment. With this strong foundation, we believe that there are some additions that would further strengthen the Plan, so we offer the following comments and recommendations."
2025.10.17
Beatty Parking Area and Trail Connections Project at Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
Joint letter to: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Planning and Natural Resources Committee
"During the April 2025 on-site Planning and Natural Resources Committee visit, we were struck by the presence of Fernald’s irises scattered across the open grassland. It reinforced what cannot be overstated; open wildflower meadows of this kind are exceptionally rare in the Sierra Azul landscape. This meadow’s ecological value as habitat for native wildflowers, birds, pollinators, and wildlife movement would be permanently diminished by grading, paving, or fragmentation."
2025.10.17
Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for Surrey Farms Estates
Joint letter to: Town of Los Gatos Planning Commission
"Based on our review of the IS/MND and the recent October 2025 comment letter from the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), we find substantial evidence that the project may result in significant hydrological and biological impacts that are not adequately disclosed, analyzed, or mitigated. As detailed below, the IS/MND fails to address the jurisdictional status of an on-site ephemeral drainage, potential dewatering of riparian habitat, habitat fragmentation for wildlife, impacts from lighting and collision hazards to birds, and procedural conflicts with CEQA’s fair argument standard. For these reasons, the Town must withdraw the IS/MND and prepare a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to ensure adequate environmental review in compliance with CEQA."
2025.10.06
Passage Redevelopment – 678 Concar Dr. San Mateo
To: Koh Planning and Brookfield Properties
"As a follow up to our meeting on September 23rd, below are the main comments we made verbally at the meeting with you on the Formal Application (of August 4, 2025). SLU would like to see these comments factored into the final approved project. SLU would also be interested in meeting with you again as we expect to have more comments as the project goes through its approval process. We do plan to meet with City Staff, as well."
2025.10.03
Vista de Almaden Project Appeal
Joint letter to: Santa Clara County Planning Commission
"The undersigned organizations respectfully urge the Planning Commission to deny the appeal of the Vista de Almaden project. As with previous appeals to the Commission in the past few weeks, this project did not meet the 90-day deadline for complete applications and was appropriately deemed incomplete. The Planning Commission should uphold the staff incompleteness determination for the Vista de Almaden project and deny the appeal."
2025.09.19
Notice of Preparation for the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Redwood Life Project
Joint letter to: Redwood City Planning Services
"At more than twice the size of the Oracle campus built in 1989, the Redwood Life Project would be the largest development in Redwood City’s modern history. Unlike past projects, however, it is proposed on a closed, degrading1 landfill surrounded by sensitive shoreline habitats and residential neighborhoods, and subject to accelerating risks related to sea level and groundwater rise. This creates unusually precarious site conditions for new development. The combination of unprecedented scale and uniquely vulnerable conditions raises extraordinary risks of long-term harm to people, the Bay ecosystem, and regional resilience. For these reasons, we urge the City to pursue a broad scope and rigorous analysis for the DEIR, evaluate the project’s long term impacts related to sea level rise using the projection criteria required by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan, and provide vigorous and enforceable mitigations beyond the minimum required by CEQA. If the City fails to fully evaluate and address these risks, the consequences could be irreversible."
2025.09.02
Request to Redo the “Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields” Study with Transparent and Accurate Analysis
To: Palo Alto Community Services Department and Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta expresses its concern about the Draft Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields commissioned by the City. While the report may be copious and well-written, in a grammatical sense, it falls short as a serious analytical study needed for the staff and council to make an informed decision. It presents information selectively, relies on questionable and outdated data, particularly in relation to natural grass care, and often lacks transparency in sourcing. A meaningful and conclusive decision on this matter cannot be made until the report is properly revised and corrected."
2025.09.02
Baylands Specific Plan Project Draft Environmental Impact Report
Joint letter to: City of Brisbane Community Development Director
"The Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, Green Foothills, and the San Mateo County Bird Alliance respectfully submit the following comments regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Brisbane Baylands Specific Plan. Our organizations represent tens of thousands of Bay Area residents with a deep interest in the San Francisco Bay and its ecosystems, as well as areas near the Bay where development may impact natural resources and climate resilience in the region. We recognize the critical role that the Baylands Specific Plan will play in shaping the future of Brisbane and its natural resources alongside San Francisco Bay. We have participated in the various iterations of this Specific Plan over the last several years and commented on them. We appreciate the long comment period to enable community review of this large and complex Specific Plan and DEIR."
2025.08.26
Palo Alto Stream Corridor Protection Ordinance
Joint letter to: Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission
"Thank you for your review of the draft Stream Corridor Protection Ordinance. As you consider your recommendation to Council, we urge you to strengthen the ordinance to ensure it truly fulfills Palo Alto’s Comprehensive Plan commitments, aligns with Valley Water guidance, and anticipates climate and future development pressures on our waterways. Recommendation 1. Please include 2030 Comprehensive Plan Program N3.3.3 to the current draft ordinance, restricting the development of recreational trails to one side of natural riparian corridors. [...] Recommendation 2. Please include 2030 Comprehensive Plan Program N3.3.1 to the current draft ordinance, preventing the siting of impervious structures within the setback area. [...] Recommendation 3. Provide more information on what and how many parcels less than 20,000 square feet in rural areas will be allowed to use a 30 foot setback."
2025.08.13
Concar Passage Re-submission
To: Brookfield Properties
"Following our meeting on June 23rd, below are the main comments we made verbally at the meeting on the preliminary application (of February 14, 2025). [The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter's Sustainable Land Use Committee (SLU)] would like to see these comments factored into the final approved project. SLU would also be interested in meeting with you again to further discuss the final submitted project and our comments. In general, the concepts presented in your application are a much-simplified project compared to those in the original project that was approved in 2020. SLU performed a detailed evaluation of your original project and concluded that the project scored well in our SLU guidelines for station-area plans at that time. The simplified new project does not have some of the positive features of the original project, but the new project has some improvements in important areas."
2025.08.11
Upgrading Single-family Home Air Conditioning to High Efficiency Heat Pumps
Joint letter to: Palo Alto Mayor and City Council
"The undersigned organizations are writing to voice our strong support for the City of Palo Alto to adopt the 2025 CALGreen standards to encourage that all air conditioning (AC) replacements in single-family homes be upgraded to high efficiency heat pumps in order to reduce climate pollution and lower energy costs. Our communities are already directly experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis, and the time for bold action is now."
2025.07.15
Draft Water Supply Master Plan (WSMP) 2050
To: Valley Water Water Supply Master Plan Team
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft Water Supply Master Plan (WSMP) 2050. We commend Valley Water staff and the Board of Directors for making many updates that improve upon the WSMP 2040. Still, we see many opportunities to provide additional contextual information. We also have some suggestions for future Monitoring and Assessment Program topics. Our comments are as follows."
2025.07.15
San Mateo County Southern Bayside Cities Shoreline Resilience Plan
To: California Ocean Protection Council
"We strongly support the development of a multi-jurisdictional sub-regional shoreline adaptation plan that will include nature-based adaptation solutions, keeping Bay ecosystems healthy, and include meaningful engagement of local residents and community stakeholders, while considering the appropriate adaptation strategies for the varying shoreline. We understand that the project will update vulnerability assessments and develop a sub-regional adaptation plan that will align with the guidelines required by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s (BCDC) Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP)."
2025.07.01
Draft Climate Smart San Jose Plan Update
Joint letter to: San Jose City staff
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action’s San Jose Youth Climate Action Team are local environmental organizations committed to conservation and climate action and are broadly supportive of the Climate Smart San Jose and Carbon Neutrality by 2030 goals. We are writing this letter to provide comments and questions on the draft Climate Smart San Jose Plan Update."
2025.06.24
Menlo Park High Voltage Streetlight Conversion Project
To: Menlo Park Mayor and City Council
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter has engaged with light pollution reduction policies, also known as Dark Sky policies, in multiple cities in Santa Clara County. We have provided research and model language for Dark Sky ordinances adopted in Cupertino and Los Altos, and have worked closely with Palo Alto to influence the language in their Dark Sky ordinance slated for adoption this year. We believe the High Voltage Streetlight Conversion Project is an opportunity to reduce light pollution in Menlo Park while conserving energy resources with the use of Dark Sky techniques and fixtures."
2025.06.23
2400-2700 E. Charleston Road Permit Extension Request
Joint letter to: City of Mountain View
"The undersigned organizations appreciate the inclusion of an oak grove in the plans for 2400 - 2700 E. Charleston Road, and encourage the City of Mountain View to strengthen project conditions to better reflect the City’s commitments to biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable landscaping."
2025.06.09
Coyote Valley Monterey Corridor Study
Joint letter to: San Jose City Council
"It has become extremely clear during the years in which the study has been in progress that any expanded uses along Monterey Road in Coyote Valley would be inconsistent with the requirements of the General Plan. General Plan policies regarding the Urban Service Area, Urban Growth Boundary, agricultural land, and environmental goals for Coyote Valley all prohibit the type of expanded uses and development that have been proposed by Coyote Valley landowners during the study."
2025.06.09
Oppose Excessive Appeal Fees – Support Stronger Tree Protection Instead
Joint letter to: Mountain View Mayor and City Council
"The undersigned organizations oppose the proposed increase in Heritage Tree removal appeal fees1. Raising the fee from $50 to $650, and eventually $1,250, unfairly burdens residents who are often stepping forward to uphold the City’s own tree protection goals."
2025.06.09
Valley Water’s Draft Water Supply Master Plan 2050
To: Valley Water Board of Directors
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter will provide comments to staff on the Draft Water Supply Master Plan 2050 (Plan), but there are a few items we want to bring to the Board’s attention regarding the staff report for this agenda item. In general, we want to see more transparency in this plan with detailed explanation of how modeling and other information was used to formulate the Plan, and how staff analysis led to the conclusions in the Plan."
2025.05.21
Support for Wildfire Detection Sensor Pilot Program
To: Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
"On behalf of the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter we are writing to express our strong support for the wildfire detection sensor pilot program outlined in item #11 of the May 20th, 2025, Board of Supervisors agenda. Early detection of wildfires is a critical tool that can save lives, protect our environment, and prevent billions of dollars in damages. As climate change continues to increase the frequency and severity of wildfires, adopting proactive technology such as AI sensors has never been more important."
2025.05.19
Water Storage Investment Program Quarterly Report: Pacheco Reservoir Expansion
To: California Water Commission
"Valley Water’s April 2025 Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) Quarterly Report for the Pacheco Reservoir and the PowerPoint submitted for the subject agenda item paint a picture of no further obstacles to start construction of the Pacheco Reservoir Project in 2029. However, the Sierra Club sees many potential issues that should be considered before increasing the WSIP award for this project."
2025.05.06
333 Ravenswood Avenue (Parkline) - Lane Partners LLC
To: City of Menlo Park Mayor and City Council
"This is in reference to the letter the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter’s Sustainable Land Use Committee sent to the City on March 22, 2024, in which we urged the City to set safety standards for biotech development in the City. Since then, we have been following the progress of Menlo Park's planning review of the SRI / Parkline Master Plan and we are very concerned that the large new housing development proposed by Lane Partners is wrapped around an older, existing BSL3 biological laboratory structure on the SRI campus."
2025.04.25
Design Level Geotechnical Investigations for the Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project Public Draft Environmental Impact Report
To: Santa Clara Valley Water District
"The Sierra Club appreciates the opportunity to evaluate the Design Level Geotechnical Investigations for the Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project Public Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Our comments are detailed below." Comments included the number of helicopter and surface vehicle trips, personnel access to helicopter sites, risk of erosion on steep access routes, water use and water supply, and wildfire risks.
2025.04.17
Recommendations Related to Palo Alto Turf Study
To: Palo Alto City Council
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter applauds the City of Palo Alto’s dedication to ensuring that public health and the environment are not endangered by plastic grass fields. At this point, knowing that Palo Alto has plans to hire Lloyd Consulting to do much of the research comparing natural grass and synthetic turf fields, we have a few recommendations to share."
2025.04.11
CEQA Review for the Redwood Life Project
To: Redwood City Mayor and City Council
"Given the constraints of the site and its location alongside the sensitive habitat of the Redwood Shores Ecological Reserve, our strong preference remains to avoid large scale construction impacts and retain the original Westport Specific Plan. Nonetheless, we supported the City Council’s prior direction to develop a “Community Alternative” through a robust, city-led community engagement process prior to the possible repeal of the existing Westport Specific Plan. Unfortunately, that inclusive process came to a premature end. In the rush to initiate the CEQA review process, community discussion was cut short after Alternative 2 was revealed and inclusive participation was abandoned, calling into question the credibility of private data used to suggest support for Alternative 2 at the Joint Session on March 4, 2025. This artificial curtailment of the process to create a community-developed alternative is deeply troubling. We strongly urge you to complete the community process to arrive at an alternative that is more aligned with community concerns and responsive to the impacts identified in the City’s Sensitivity Analysis before advancing into an EIR."
2025.04.08
Bird Safe Design and Lighting Performance
To: Los Altos City Mayor and City Council
"The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance and the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter are organizations united by our shared commitment to the protection of the environment, nature, and open space. We strongly support the adoption of the Environmental Commission Draft Lighting Performance Standards and the adoption of the Draft Bird-Safe Design Ordinance."
2025.04.04
Palo Alto City Dark Sky Ordinance
To: Palo Alto Mayor and City Council
"We have supported Palo Alto in its efforts to create a Dark Sky ordinance by sharing research and model ordinance language with City staff, the Architectural Review Board and the Planning & Transportation Commission. The Planning and Transportation Commissioners (PTC), in their October 30th motion, made an effort to recommend strong ordinance language that reflects the Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting, but the April 7th proposed ordinance has not incorporated some of the most critical PTC recommendations. Our recommendations for Dark Sky applicability, lighting curfews, and light trespass thresholds are based on adopted Dark Sky policies in California, including ordinances from Cupertino, Malibu, and Brisbane. The draft ordinance to be heard by Los Altos City Council on April 8th 2025 also includes language consistent with these recommendations. Our recommendations are reflected in the October 30th PTC motion."
2025.03.20
San José Municipal Electrical Utility Exploration
To: San José City Council
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance, Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley, and the San José Youth Climate Action Team are opposed to the development of the 159 acres of open space south of the Regional Wastewater Facility and North of Highway 237. San José should instead explore the conversion and repurposing of existing development if it chooses to incentivize the construction of data centers in this area. We are also concerned with the potential for data centers to use gas-powered fuel cells, which generate a disproportionately large amount of greenhouse gas emissions compared with other energy sources."
2025.03.07
Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration for Installation of Back-to-Back Electronic Billboard on City-owned Property
To: City of San Jose
"We have been advocating for a reduction of light pollution in the region, and have advocated against electronic billboards and the proliferation of light pollution in San Jose and in other Bay Area cities for many years. We submit the following comments on the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the installation of a back-to-back electronic billboard on City-owned property at the northeast corner of SR-87 (Guadalupe Parkway) and Willow Street."
2025.03.07
2025 Palo Alto City Council Priority Objectives
To: Palo Alto Mayor and City Council
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance commend the City Council for its continued commitment to addressing climate change and protecting the natural environment. The 2025 City Council Priority Objectives, which prioritize key issues such as electrification, sea level rise, stream corridor protection, bird-friendly design, and dark sky initiatives, are important steps toward a more sustainable and resilient future for Palo Alto. As you continue to refine these priorities, we respectfully request that you consider adding two additional objectives."
2025.03.03
Opposition to Removal of Two Coast Live Oak Trees at 5131 Ishimatsu Place
To: San José Planning Division
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance strongly oppose the proposed removal of two mature Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees located at 5131 Ishimatsu Place, as detailed in the arborist report prepared by A Plus Tree LLC. These trees provide significant ecological, aesthetic, and community benefits, and their removal should be reconsidered in light of their continued viability and importance."
2025.02.27
Draft Removal Action Workplan for the Harbor View Property Site in Redwood City, CA
To: California Department of Toxic Substances Control
"We have concerns that the RAW Alternative 4, recommended by the authors and preferred by DTSC, may not be protective against future human and Bay ecosystem exposure to asbestos-containing material (ACM) in the face of flooding or groundwater rise. Although the proposed plan will prevent near-term inhalation or dermal exposures by use of a clean soil layer and impermeable surfaces, and will require a land use covenant (LUC) to prevent future removal of the cap layer, there are uncertainties related to the potential for ACM to travel in flood water or groundwater. We also have concerns related to the proposal to move soil around the site without testing the excavated material for ACM content, increasing the risks of worker and offsite inhalation exposure from the earth-moving operations. We recommend the following changes to the plan."
2025.02.26
Response to City Manager’s Reply to the Boulware Park Sierra Club Comment
To: Palo Alto City Manager
"Although we appreciate the promptness of the Boulware Park response from your staff we must express our disappointment with what we regard as the essence of that response. Artificial turf is not a perfectly acceptable alternative in the departmental toolbox requiring no analysis or notification to commissions or neighbors. It is controversial from a health standpoint and has been so for decades. Controversial materials should not be made known to neighbors only by its installation."
2025.02.21
Scope and Timeline of Sea Level Rise Protection Efforts in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
To: Valley Water Board of Directors
"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) decision to indefinitely postpone action in the Phase II area of Project E7 heightens the urgency of pursuing alternative strategies to protect critical shoreline assets. However, the proposed modifications to Project E7 and the previously agendized reallocation of Phase II funds risk excluding Environmental Impact Areas (EIAs) 1-4 from the benefits promised under this voter-approved local tax. Valley Water must ensure that the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program continues to direct substantial investments toward flood resilience projects in EIAs 1-4, as originally intended."
2025.01.31
Thank You Santa Clara County Board President Lee and Supervisor Abe-Koga
To: Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter expresses our deep gratitude for your leadership in championing an ordinance to prohibit new installations of plastic grass. Supervisor Lee, your office and especially Emily Pachoud, helped us immeasurably. By this past Tuesday, January 28, a coalition of more than 90 San Francisco Bay Area health and environmental organizations had written letters and provided public comments directly to the County Board of Supervisors asking to prohibit new installations of plastic grass on County-owned land, including in landscaping, dog parks, community gathering locations and, for one version of an ordinance, sports fields."
2025.01.24
80 Willow Road Proposal
To: City of Menlo Park Planning Department
"We have been following the evolution of the 80 Willow Road proposal and wish to reinforce and support the comments sent to you earlier by Naomi Goodman, resident of Menlo Park, on the Scope of Work for the EIR consultant. We will be submitting scoping comments when the NOP for the EIR is issued. However, we are now requesting that you include the following items into the “Scope of Work” in the RFP for the EIR consultant (or in an addendum to the RFP) for the upcoming environmental impact report for the project: 1. a geotechnical study with soil borings[; ...] 2. A biological resource assessment of the creek[; ...] 3. A traffic study[; ...] 4. Public safety."
2025.01.13
Boulware Park and Synthetic Turf
To: City of Palo Alto
"During 2019 and through 2021 there were multiple Community Meetings to discuss the upcoming project, and Community feedback was solicited and recorded. In 2022 Staff changed those plans apparently without contacting anyone from the Community or Council. Specifically, “mulch” in the planned dog park was replaced with “synthetic turf.” More egregiously, “synthetic turf” was added to the Boulware children’s playground area, previously assumed by the community to be natural grass. The City should remove synthetic turf from Boulware Park. It was never the public intention to allow plastic grass anywhere in the park but it appears to have been added in the final plan, somewhat surreptitiously, and in several areas."
2025.01.12
Scoping Comments for Environmental Impact Report for Plan Bay Area 2050+
To: Metropolitan Transportation Commission Public Information
"We are appreciative that PBA 2050+ is now recognizing the need to address environmental issues by proposing a new “Plan Bay Area 2050 + Environment Element” (EN1) into its Blueprint Strategies. However, this Strategy fails to address and incorporate into the Blueprint the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s (BCDC) recent adoption (December 2024) and incorporation into the Bay Plan of its Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) as required by the passage of SB 272 (Laird). This action included the RSAP’s Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (SSAP) Guidelines that every local shoreline government (and county) jurisdiction must use to develop its own Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plan and then submit it to BCDC for approval by 2034."
2025.01.06
Guadalupe Quarry Redevelopment Project Draft Environmental Impact Report
To: City of Brisbane
"The proposed Project plans to close and reclaim the currently idle1 Guadalupe Quarry to construct and operate an approximately 1,319,000 square-foot, 100-ft tall warehouse facility and ancillary site modifications. These modifications include new access routes, and the construction of a new underground electrical line from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Martin Substation to the Project site. The Project includes a General Plan amendment of land use designation, subdividing the quarry property and making parcel boundary adjustments along access routes, and annexing approximately 104 acres into the City of Brisbane."