I was looking into the possible arguments against this development and they
are as stated below. If Sunset is classified as a historic site then it
could not be torn down. I know when I was remodelling a commercial building
in Palo Alto, I had to prove that it was not historic before I could do
anything. Has the developer filed a historic evaluation to determine if it
is historic? The city can do its own analysis by a consultant and charge
the developer for it. I know its on the National Register as well as
the CA Register of Historical resources. Surely it would qualify. As I
recall there are 3 or 4 criteria that prove its historic which includes
1. Tenant significant to the area ie Sunset Magazine ( "Bible of Western
Living," shaping post-war suburbanization, gardening, and architectural
trends like the California ranch house. )
2. Noted architect/builder or landscape architect: architect Cliff May ( Cliff
May is widely considered the most significant figure in defining the California
Ranch-style house, a style that became the quintessential suburban home in
post-World War II America. ) and landscapes by ( nationally recognized
and highly influential landscape architect. He is credited as the pioneer
of the "California Style" of garden design, transitioning the field from
traditional Neoclassical layouts to modernist, functional aesthetics.)
3. Significant contribution to the area ie important to national history,
see above
[image: image.png]
Given the above I dont see how it could be torn down.
Who can I write to at the state level to stop this
Leslie Mills
Menlo Park Resident
