After four years of hard work, East Palo Alto’s City Council approved a scaled-back expansion plan for the shoreline Ravenswood Business District (RBD) on December 3rd. While the plan remains substantial in size and impact, it now includes a majority of our policy recommendations to protect Baylands ecosystems, enhance sea level rise resilience, and minimize harm to the community. 

The original proposal called for 4.5 million square feet of new office space—a scale that threatened to displace residents, harm wetlands, and impede future sea level rise adaptation. City studies revealed alarming potential impacts: an 82% increase in traffic in some areas, displacement threats to 25% of current residents.  Eight-story buildings abutting the Bay Trail and wetlands could have increased bird collisions and produced shading, artificial light, noise, and human activity that harm wildlife and critical wetlands habitat. Overbuilt development also risked impeding sustainable sea level rise solutions.

In collaboration with Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, Nuestra Casa, Green Foothills, Sequoia Audubon Society, SPUR, and Climate Resilient Communities, we helped increase community participation, reduce the maximum expansion to 2.8 million square feet, escalate attention to groundwater rise and contamination risks, and secure essential new safeguards:

• Environmental Protections: Shoreline setbacks for sea level rise protection, 17 acres of wetlands preserved, and policies addressing groundwater rise, contamination, and habitat protections.
• Smart Design: Lower building heights, height transition zones, bird safety measures, and dark sky requirements.
• Community Benefits: An innovative framework ensures developer investments prioritize, and frontload, benefits serving community-identified needs.
• Affordable Housing: More affordable units to address displacement risks.

We remain concerned about the inevitable impacts of so much growth on this small community and important shoreline. However we’re proud to have played a role in shaping a plan that better balances growth, community well-being, and environmental stewardship. Thank you to everyone who supported this effort!