*To the Honorable Mayor, Members of the Menlo Park City Council, and City
Staff:*
I respectfully urge the City Council not to move forward with declaring
Downtown Parking Plazas 1, 2, and 3 as exempt surplus land.
This decision carries significant legal, financial, and community
consequences that deserve careful consideration before the City takes
another irreversible step.
Throughout the Housing Element process, the California Department of
Housing and Community Development (HCD) repeatedly emphasized that when
sites present environmental, jurisdictional,infrastructure, or other
significant constraints, local jurisdictions should carefully evaluate
alternative locations. HCDs review letters issued on October 21, 2022, and
again during the Citys 2023 Housing Element review requested additional
analysis regarding site suitability, constraints, and the adequacy of the
Citys housing inventory.
Many residents and business owners believe those concerns remain unresolved.
Downtown Menlo Park is not simply a collection of parking lots. It is the
economic heart of our community. More than 100 downtown businesses have
expressed opposition to the current proposal because of concerns regarding
customer access, business viability, construction impacts, parking
availability, circulation, emergency access, and the long-term health of
the downtown business district. Thousands of residents have also signed a
ballot initiative seeking voter approval before these public properties are
permanently repurposed. These actions demonstrate that the proposal remains
highly controversial and lacks broad community consensus.
The City is also aware that litigation has already been filed regarding
this matter. Proceeding with an exempt surplus land declaration before
these issues are fully resolved will almost certainly invite additional
legal challenges, increasing costs for taxpayers while delaying any housing
project the City hopes to accomplish.
This is not an argument against affordable housing.
Menlo Park has both the opportunity and the obligation to meet its housing
goals. The question is whether these three downtown public parking plazas
are the appropriate locations. If substantial environmental, circulation,
safety, infrastructure, jurisdictional, or other development constraints
exist, then the City should follow HCDs guidance by evaluating alternative
sites that can better achieve housing objectives while minimizing harm to
existing businesses, residents, and taxpayers.
The City should not move forward with a declaration that could permanently
alter the character and function of Downtown Menlo Park until all legal,
environmental, circulation, infrastructure, economic, and public safety
concerns have been thoroughly addressed and the community has confidence
that all reasonable alternatives have been fully evaluated.
Public trust depends not only on complying with state housing law, but also
on making thoughtful, transparent decisions that balance housing needs with
the long-term vitality of our downtown.
We respectfully request that the Council pause this process, reconsider the
selection of Parking Plazas 1, 2, and 3, fully evaluate alternative
locations, and avoid taking actions that may expose the City to unnecessary
litigation, financial liability, and further division within the community.
Please make decisions that are fiscally and morally sound and safe for our
community.
Respectfully,
Mary Seaton
Cal-Interiors
1300 El Camino Real, Belmont Ca 94002
650-477-7790
cal-interiors.com
