Details emerge in Stanford’s Belmont campus plan

While the specific building and construction details are yet to be determined, Stanford is proposing about 50 to 200 housing units on the 46-acre site — for students as well as university employees — while maintaining the three historic structures on the property, including Ralston Hall Mansion.

“We are proposing to redevelop all of the areas where essentially there has been development already, so we’re not branching out into new areas. If you’ve been on the campus now, we’re remaking those areas that have already been disturbed and keeping the open space intact,” said John Donahoe, senior director of Planning and Entitlement for Stanford University Office of Real Estate.

The effort would also come with a host of community benefit contributions — largely, but not exclusively, financial — such as the restoration of Ralston Hall Mansion for public use, a million-dollar contribution toward TK-12 education programs, a shared-use agreement for the nearby Koret Field, as well as the commensurate development impact fees for each new facility.

But some of the contributions, such as $5 million toward a new Barrett Community Center — which has been the subject of frequent city discussions over its outdated infrastructure — as well as $2 million to help with traffic mitigation, were seen as relatively low figures by most councilmembers.

The community center is a key source of children’s services, as about 400 to 450 kids frequent the location each day, but the city has been noting the demand for a more modern emergency resource center that is better equipped to handle flood risks, earthquakes and wildfires.

“I would like to ask Stanford if maybe another review of the contribution … to the Barrett Community Center could be looked at and potentially increased,” Mayor Julia Mates said. “As our city and community grows with students and residents alike, it’s very likely that we’ll need a modernized community center sooner than later.”

Residents’ concerns over the Stanford University project have also centered around traffic impacts, Councilmember Tom McCune said, and with the cost of implementing a traffic light nearing $2 million — the cost of which will only increase in the next several years — Stanford should be able to beef up its mitigation efforts.

“My primary concern here is the $2 million for transportation and traffic. That seems light to me. Two million dollars doesn’t buy what it used to in that world. You used to be able to do a lot of work for $2 million — not so much today,” McCune said.

A draft environmental impact report will be released Aug. 2 for a 45-day public review period.