I speak as a resident and former Planning Commissioner, and Finance Committee member.
When we moved into our Linfield Oaks home, the statement of CC&R’s (Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions) provided to us at closing included interesting details, such as ‘“Asians may not stay overnight.” While I was flabbergasted, this reflected the post WW-II paranoia and sentiments, as the Linfield Oaks subdivision was created less than 10 years after the end of WW-II.
Then City Attorney Bill McClure, a real city attorney who grew up in Menlo Park, and thus inherently preserves institutional knowledge, said that subsequent federal law removed that possibility.
Quirky Phantom Parcels and Easements
There are instances of land quirks in the city. For example is a shaded path in the willows extending behind houses from the Willows Market to near highway 101. The ownership of that path is unclear, or forgotten, but nonetheless serves as a barrier to some forms of development, such as, removing trees in Tree City.
When I was on the Planning Commission, one proposed single family project we reviewed included a separate, tiny lot - 6 inches wide by 20 feet long; barely visible in the plans provided to us, along the driveway, whose intent was to prevent expansion by neighbors, Justin Murphy probably remembers that.
Don’t buy into other people’s neuroses…
(Adbice I learned as a testifying expert witness.)
Like California Bill SB 9, is the wrong effort. Mini houses on existing parcels will likely be used as home offices.
What about the proposed Right of First Refusal for the when a rental property is sold. Easy enough to require, but the details are tough: What does a renter need to quality for a loan?
Our former Below Market Rate (BMR) program dedicated a percentage of new construction for people who registered for the BMR list maintained by our city. I knew a couple who who lived in one of the BMR properties. One of the saddest sights I ever witnessed was because the husband passed away. He was the bread earner. His widow needed to vacate the property as a consequence.
Don’t fix things that aren’t broken
Council-members should not impose on other areas of our city that one’s own planned subdivision precludes from implementing on their own property. Like splitting lots. I suggest council members n CC&R’s on the City website for all to compare to changes she proposes.
We already have a two story triplex that overlooks our bedroom windows.
Sacrificing Burgess Park has always been tempting. Menlo Park long ago sacrificed and demolished a city facility in Burgess Park: The Menlo Community Theater, for the current swimming pool.
A current council member proposes taking Burgess Park parking near the pool - and converting it to housing.
We’ve been through housing experiments over the years - like the former Menlo Park Redevelopment Agency (formerly a council responsibility). More well-intentioned voodoo economics. Basically, the RDA could issue bonds to finance housing and other improvements, The bond holders were paid through increased in value of the properties from rent and sales. Our RDA collapsed when the bank that issued RDA bonds couldn’t pay the interest.
Housing concerns are nothing new,. They are difficult. Long ago former council member Paul Collacchi and I toured Menlo Park examining areas and ‘How to solve the housing crisis.’ We once stopped at the end of University Avenue facing the San Francisco Bay. It dawned on us that we could solve all housing needs in one swoop by constructing two buildings in the Bay, 100 stories each. Voila.
What about using our Parking Lots as housing.
Well, city parking lots are not entirely owned by the city. While maintained by the City, they are a pastiche of parcels whose current owner(s) would need to be located, persuaded - and compensated, or to sell. Menlo Park had such a problem on the construction of a property downtown where we had to locate heirs to the parcels and persuade the current heirs to sell.
Why Isn’t the Town of Atherton adding low cost housing as well?
1). https://www.menlopark.org/DocumentCenter/View/7778/OB---Refunding-Bonds-Staff-Report?bidId=
2). 12/18/2013. See, http://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/topic_files/CAMENLO/CAMENLO_279/2013/12/17/file_attachments/258344/SR%2BFinal%2B-%2BLetter%2Bof%2BCredit%2BAmendment__258344.pdf
3) 8/6/2021. https://www.menlopark.org/DocumentCenter/View/756/The-History-of-RDAs-in-California-and-in-Menlo-Park
12/30/2011. https://almanacnews.com/news/2011/12/30/state-court-says-yes-to-rda-shutdown
4). http://cdiacdocs.sto.ca.gov/2015-1873.pdf
