Dear Mayor Nash and Council Members:
The plan you asked developers to bid on has generated just 3 proposals,
none of which meet your requirements of including PAID-FOR PARKING. Im
concerned about the parking replacement estimates made by the 3 proposals,
with none of the proposals including any payment toward replacement parking
Palo Alto has approved $41 million for 267 spaces in an 8-story parking
garage at the corner of Waverly and Hamilton. Its logical Palo Alto would
not pay more than necessary, so how can your estimates be so much lower? To
replace 550 spaces plus provide parking for 1 each of the proposed housing
units will be more than 3 X $41 million= $123,000,000. That looks like an
increase in sales tax and a bond to pay in our already high property taxes.
Then there is the problem of the proposals not including any payment on the
developers part toward schools, sewers, utilities, streets, provisions for
delivery vehicles to businesses, fire, police. Oak Knoll School appears to
be at capacity. Who is to pay for infrastructure and services?
Lastly there is the problem of a staging area for the proposed buildings.
Where will that take place and will that impact any businesses?
Since we can no longer vote for our city council members, but only one from
our district, there seems to be a lack of cohesive thought regarding
constructing new housing downtown. 5 years of construction means loss of
businesses and loss of sales tax.
Im asking that you come up with a proposal that doesnt add to our
property tax bill or increase our already-high sales tax, and that doesnt
negatively impact our downtown businesses.
Thank you for your consideration.
Louise DeDera, Menlo Park resident of 62 years.
--
*Louise DeDera*
Realtor® DRE#: 00409938
Cell: 650-642-1422 Compass,1377 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025
louise.dedera@compass.com
WIRE FRAUD WARNING: “If you receive an email/text providing wire
instructions or requesting personal financial information that appears to
come from me or any Compass representative, do not respond, send, or wire
funds. Instead, call me immediately. Be advised such instructions may be
fraudulent. To ensure authenticity contact the escrow/title company
directly to verify the authenticity of the wire instructions. Do not call
the number provided with the wire instructions. Beware of wire fraud in
connection with real estate transactions, observe this protocol to protect
yourself.”
