Dear Members of the Menlo Park City Council,
My family lives in Palo Alto’s Crescent Park neighborhood, near University and Lincoln Avenues. On weekdays between approximately 2:00 and 6:00 p.m., traffic frequently backs up along University Avenue to Middlefield Road as commuters attempt to reach Highway 101 or cross the Dumbarton Bridge. Allowing the proposed large-scale towers to move forward would add even more congestion to streets that are already overwhelmed.
My children previously participated in after-school activities near the Belle Haven Pool. We have since stopped patronizing businesses in that area because traveling there from Greene Middle School or Palo Alto High School at 3:30 p.m. can take more than an hour.
This congestion also raises serious public-safety concerns. Emergency vehicles cannot move through the area promptly when traffic is gridlocked—a particularly troubling situation given the presence of medical offices and a fire station nearby.
The project’s size and scope are also disproportionate to the surrounding neighborhoods and inconsistent with the character and scale of the broader community.
I respectfully urge the City Council to protect residents, families, local businesses, and emergency access by opposing this proposal and standing firm in its discussions with the developer and the California Attorney General’s Office.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Dawn Billman1450 University Ave at Lincoln AvePalo Alto, CA 94301
