Hi Drew,
Youll see that I followed up thanking the MP Council for its response to
AG Bonta and its united stance on the 80 Willow project, but wanted to send
thanks directly to you for responding personally to my email.
Ive checked out your newsletter and will keep in mind your Saturday office
hours. I think for now were just waiting for the response to the decision
before deciding next steps.
I wouldnt assume the pushback so far will be sufficient for the developers
to cede the project to the potential surprise buyer, but its certainly an
interesting option to continue developing -- and indeed quite a surprise!
Thanks again,
-- Tim
On Thu, Oct 1, 2026 at 7:55 PM Tim Lindholm wrote:
> Dear Menlo Park City Council,
>
> I wrote to you on Sept 24 regarding the 80 Willow Road project, and now
> want to thank you effusively for the decision you made the other day in the
> face of pressure to approve the project.
>
> I thought your Sept 29 statement refuting Attorney General Bontas
> position and stating your unified position was excellent, and for what its
> worth it aligns with my views.
>
> This is far from over, of course, and whats coming next probably wont be
> easy. But this is one of those rare issues of such consequence that we will
> still be talking about it in 20 years and 40 years. Im proud that you are
> standing firm and demanding that we get this right.
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Tim Lindholm
> 218 Middlefield Rd
> Palo Alto, CA 94301
>
> On Thu, Sep 24, 2026 at 3:05 PM Tim Lindholm
> wrote:
>
>> Dear Menlo Park City Council,
>>
>> I am not one of your constituents, but your Palo Alto neighbor in the 200
>> block of Middlefield, just south of the Sunset site. I know you are under
>> immense pressure to approve N17s proposal for their absurd, monstrous
>> project. And Im going to beg you not to, but rather to continue to process
>> their application in the hope it can eventually be quashed.
>>
>> You certainly understand how this project, submitted under a provision
>> naively intended to increase housing, will make Menlo Parks housing
>> deficit significantly worse. N17 took advantage of loopholes in a process
>> Menlo Park was trying to engage in, but which the state was handling
>> clumsily. It will put huge stress on utilities, traffic, and surrounding
>> neighborhoods.
>>
>> My understanding is that Sacramento recognized this project was an
>> unintended and negative consequence of how the rules had been written and
>> revised them -- but was unwilling to make the revision retroactive. *Oops,
>> I guess we screwed up, but youll just have to live with that forever -- WE
>> dont want to get sued...*
>>
>> As a resident of Middlefield, who was very involved in its
>> reconfiguration some years back, Im intimately aware of the traffic flows
>> and loads in the area. The notion of adding 7000 more car trips per day (as
>> projected) is unthinkable. I also envision the implications for traffic
>> from what will have to be years of construction, hauling the materials for
>> three skyscrapers through those already-busy roads.
>>
>> You are now facing an extraordinarily difficult decision. But the right
>> answer is not to make the immediate problem go away.
>>
>> Approving the proposal now likely would make the project unstoppable,
>> forever locking Menlo Park -- and Palo Alto -- into a nightmare of
>> gridlock, destroying the Willows neighborhood, and undoing progress toward
>> housing goals. The nontrivial risks of the developers lawsuit pale against
>> the costs of their success. Please dont give up prematurely.
>>
>> Good luck, and Ill be following these proceedings closely.
>>
>> Tim Lindholm
>> 218 Middlefield Rd
>> Palo Alto, CA 94301
>>
>
