During the past year, Stanford's use of its lands has received greater scrutiny than, perhaps, ever before. As the region has developed, more value has been placed on the land Stanford has left untouched.
We are now working with our neighbors on a new community plan and general-use permit that will address our land-use plans for the next decade and take the place of the permit issued in 1989. We are committed to the responsible stewardship of the 8,180 acres of land we hold in trust for the support of education.
Our objective is to establish a framework permitting Stanford to use its lands to provide for higher education, as our founders intended. When Leland Stanford bequeathed his lands, he stipulated that "neither the Trustees named herein, nor their successors, shall have the power to sell or convey the real property hereinbefore described and granted." He later explained, "The endowment of lands is made because they are, in themselves, of great value, and their proper management will ensure to the University an income much greater than would be realized were their value to be invested in any reliable, interest-bearing security. Again, they can never be alienated and will, therefore, be an unfailing support to the institution they are designed to benefit."
His words continue to inform our land-use decisions. Stanford's academic trust benefits the entire state and nation, not just those who live, work and study here and in the local communities. We can -- and must -- achieve the purposes of that trust while being a good neighbor.
All of us at Stanford value conservation and open space. Stanford is rich in "place" -- meaning both its Western location and the physical expression of its traditions. For alumni, memories of their university include the famous landmarks, quiet corners and open spaces that are historical, aesthetic and personal. They are places to which students feel connected for the rest of their lives.
One-third of Stanford lands -- 2,700 out of 8,180 acres -- has been developed for the central campus, residential areas, the linear accelerator center and such properties as the Stanford Shopping Center and the Stanford Research Park. The shopping center and the research park are probably the present-day equivalent of what Leland Stanford had in mind when he saw our lands as a source of revenue to support education. They also provide substantial tax revenue for the city of Palo Alto. Another 700 acres are put to public uses, from five public schools to Highway 280.
The remaining 5,400 acres -- two-thirds of the University's holdings -- are open or lightly used. These include the 144-acre Arboretum, the 1,200-acre Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, the golf course, various agricultural leases and the foothills.
This preservation of open space did not happen by accident; it results from careful stewardship and planning by the Board of Trustees. Long-range planning at Stanford dates back to the original campus design, which is followed to this day. In 1947, Stanford became one of the first universities to establish a planning office. What may not be widely known is that the trustees -- even when income was badly needed -- have declined lucrative opportunities to develop land beyond the central campus.
To create land-use plans for Stanford, Santa Clara County, under whose jurisdiction most of Stanford's land falls, has approved an extensive process. This process includes four community forums on such topics as housing, transportation, open space and the environment, and basic academic purposes; many public hearings; and extensive environmental review. The County also has established a group to provide community perspectives.
Besides conservation and open space, the plan will specifically address two issues critical to Stanford and neighboring communities: transportation and housing. Here, too, Stanford has a record of success.
Traffic is the bane of life in California, and Stanford has been a leader in reducing commute trips. We provide incentives for carpooling, as well as the free Marguerite bus service to campus and the local community. As a result, 45 percent of our population commutes using alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles, compared to the Santa Clara County average of 22 percent.
Stanford also is working hard to house its own on campus. Construction is about to begin on new Stanford West rental housing for faculty and staff, and we expect soon to build new campus housing for nearly 500 single graduate students. This housing is for our existing population level, not future expansion. Every faculty member or student who lives on campus reduces the competition for scarce housing in adjacent communities and decreases commuter traffic.
Stanford is blessed with a land endowment to support education and research. We must protect that endowment entrusted to us for the future support of the University, while preserving the beauty and serenity of the campus we all treasure.
