January 2017 Community Forum
January 25, 2017 (All day)
Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto
What We Shared
On January 25, 2017, Stanford held a community forum at the Mitchell Park Community Center to inform our neighbors in the region about our application to the County of Santa Clara for approval of an update to our campus land use permit. The forum provided an opportunity for the community to learn more about the 2000 General Use Permit that currently governs land use approvals on the Stanford campus, our application for an updated 2018 General Use Permit and to ask questions, share feedback and communicate priorities. Participants were free to spend as much or as little time as they preferred and were able to talk to knowledgeable Stanford staff who could answer questions on a variety of topics.
The Process
The following graphic illustrates the General Use Permit application review process, highlighting four key points at which members of the community can provide feedback directly to the County of Santa Clara. In addition, Stanford's outreach and engagement efforts with the community will be occurring on an ongoing basis throughout the review process.

Powerpoint Presentation
You can review the PowerPoint presentation given at the Community Forum.
Display Boards
You can also review the display boards presented to learn more about additional information that was shared at the forum.
General Use Permit Intro:
The Community Plan provides the strategies and policies to ensure that Stanford’s land in unincorporated County of Santa Clara is well planned. The General Use Permit allows specified quantities of academic facilities and housing units and establishes conditions of approval ensuring flexibility with accountability.
Application Overview:
Stanford continues to rely on the principles of the university’s Founding Grant and the Olmsted Plan to guide campus planning and design. These plans provide a strong foundation for preserving the special quality of Stanford’s residential/academic community. The 2018 General Use Permit application proposes no changes in the governing principles contained in the Stanford Community Plan. Growth in the 2018 development request is similar to the amount allowed in the 2000 General Use Permit.
Housing:
Stanford has been a residential university from the beginning. Under the 2018 General Use Permit, Stanford will continue its efforts to provide housing on pace with academic development and support affordable housing options both on its campus and in the greater community.
Transportation:
Stanford has achieved the Community Plan’s No Net New Commute Trips goal even as the campus has grown. The university plans to maintain this by continuing to plan the campus to accommodate car-free commuters, promote regional transportation and expand the campus transportation demand management programs.
Next Steps:
Receiving timely feedback on the General Use Permit is a critical part of the community engagement process. We invite you to share your priorities and vision for the community. You can also sign up to receive Stanford’s 2018 General Use Permit email newsletter.