Dear Mayor and Members of the Menlo Park City Council,
I have resided in Menlo Park for 24 years, and I write to convey my sincere
concern regarding the proposed development at 80 Willow Road. I
respectfully urge the Council to take whatever time is necessary — rather
than the time frame proposed by the developer — to thoroughly examine the
legal, environmental, and community implications of this project before any
final decision is made.
In that regard, I do not believe the Attorney Generals letter should be
regarded as conclusive. I would ask the Council to fully explore its
available legal options prior to the developers October 27 deadline, and
to hold a public hearing before rendering any final decision.
The scale of what has been proposed is unprecedented for our city: three
towers reaching 39, 33, and 18 stories. This magnitude of development
stands in considerable tension with the state-approved housing plan the
City worked diligently to establish — a plan predicated on the equitable
distribution of new housing throughout Menlo Park. Yet a disproportionate
share of new construction is currently concentrated in District 3.
The cumulative scale of nearby projects further underscores this concern.
The SRI/Parkline development, located just half a mile from 80 Willow Road,
is expected to add 1,082 residential units along with substantial
commercial space. The USGS development would contribute an additional 670
residential units and commercial space, while 68 Willow Road would add 90
units. Taken together, these projects would introduce more than 1,800 new
residential units into a relatively confined area — a level of density that
I believe merits particularly careful consideration.
I am also concerned about the practical consequences for our neighborhoods.
The 80 Willow Road project alone would add approximately 665 residential
units while generating an estimated 3,100 jobs — more than three times the
number of residents those units could accommodate — thereby exacerbating,
rather than alleviating, our existing jobs-housing imbalance. The site
itself has limited access to public transportation, and the developers
plan provides only approximately 17 percent of the parking required under
code. This shortfall would likely result in thousands of additional
vehicles in surrounding neighborhoods, adding further strain to an area
already extending from Marsh Road to Embarcadero Road and from El Camino
Real to the Bay — with potential consequences for emergency response times
as well as everyday traffic.
In light of these concerns, I respectfully ask the Council to:
- Formally rebut the Attorney Generals letter wherever the Citys legal
position is well-founded. The City should not concede important points by
default; where its original analysis is sound, I believe it should be
defended.
- Decline to approve the 80 Willow Road project until a complete
Environmental Impact Report has been prepared. Residents deserve a thorough
and independent assessment of the risks to the creek, public safety, and
surrounding neighborhoods prior to any final vote, not afterward.
- Decline to allow the developers October 27 deadline to dictate the
Citys process. A deadline established unilaterally by the developer should
not compel the Council to expedite a decision of this magnitude.
- Hold a public hearing prior to any final decision. Two closed sessions
followed by no public statement do not, in my view, provide the degree of
transparency this decision warrants.
- Publicly clarify, before November 3, how the Council intends to proceed.
As three Council seats will be decided the following week, residents
deserve to understand their representatives positions on this significant
matter before casting their votes, rather than afterward.
After 24 years in this community, I remain committed to its continued
success. I support responsible housing development, but I believe that
growth must be planned thoughtfully, distributed equitably, and evaluated
according to its actual impact on our neighborhoods and environment.
I would respectfully urge the Council to stand firm against pressure from
both the State and the developer. Neither a warning letter from Sacramento
nor the threat of litigation from N17 constitutes a legal obligation to
approve this project. I trust the Council will base its decision on the
merits, the Citys legal obligations, the environmental evidence, and the
best interests of Menlo Park residents — rather than under duress or an
artificially imposed deadline.
Thank you for your continued service to our community, and for your
thoughtful consideration of these concerns.
Respectfully,
Eric Selvik
717 Gilbert Ave
Menlo Park, CA
