February 3, 2003

Honorable Mayor and Council Members
City of Santa Clara
1500 Warburton Avenue
Santa Clara, CA 95050

Re:  Bay Area Research and Extension Center (aka BAREC), Reuse Plan


Dear Mayor Patricia M. Mahan and Council Members,

We welcome the opportunity to comment on the proposed Reuse Planning Principles being considered by Council for the BAREC Reuse Plan. We take seriously our Chapter’s commitment to Smart Growth and transit-oriented development as means of fighting sprawl in the South Bay region. Smart Growth means planning our communities so that our homes will be accessible to public transportation, our air and water will be less polluted, and our region’s critical habitats will be secure from urban sprawl.

We believe that the BAREC redevelopment provides an excellent opportunity to exercise Smart Growth principles that both support much-needed infill housing and preserve open space. In order to maximize open space, we therefore urge that Council oppose the following proposed principles:

“The balance of site developed with single family residential”

“The design of single family units along the perimeter of the site…compatible w/ existing adjacent single family houses.”

and instead consider site designs that would cluster development to allow preservation of public open space at the site.

We further believe that this project offers an excellent opportunity to use innovative Transportation Demand Management methods. These could include, but not be limited to: ecopasses to residents, siting of "car-sharing" operations on site, de-coupling parking costs from residential costs by selling, or leasing auto parking separately from the residences.

We also urge that Green Building and Watershed Management principles be creatively applied to this project. Solar hot water, solar photovoltaic, passive solar architecture, light-colored roofing materials, minimization of hardscape and use of swales to reduce storm water runoff and water pollution, and other innovations could make this project a true model of eco-friendly development.

We look forward to being able to work with the City to provide additional input in these areas. Thank you for your consideration of these comments.

Sincerely,



Bill Michel Michael Stanley-Jones
Chair, Transportation Subcommittee Chair, Conservation Committee