Dear MP Council members,
Just a note on this family and letter.
I personally biked with my son the 3 years he was at lower Laurel: Im on Gilbert so we went up Santa Monica to get to Coleman. I approve of your Coleman project and thank you for the idea and being willing to try it out.
I am writing against this entitled person (see post on Nextdoor below) trying to manufacture dissent because its inconvenient for her family to have the common people parking or driving down their fancy street.
I know this person as she is constantly posting on Nextdoor. She has also imposed her will in my complex by paying one of my neighbors so her son and friends could set up a e-bike shop in one of the garages which is against our policy. Money finds a way to circumvent rules.
This is definitely a case of "not in my neighborhood". This person has money and is entitled. I support the MP City Councils decision to TRY OUT the one way on Coleman.
Good luck! In solidarity,
Natalie Zahr
homeowner at Gilbert and Willow condos
Coleman Avenue Potential Debacle Just emailed the Menlo Park City Council Council the following letter: Council, thank you for considering child bike safety. We live on Santa Monica Avenue and our 15-year old twins went to both Lower and Upper Laurel. We are against making Coleman Avenue one way because it will push more commuter traffic onto Santa Monica Avenue which is not set up to handle the volume nor the speed of commuters. We already have problems with commuters short-cutting onto Gilbert from Willow Road then racing up Santa Monica Avenue. We lived in the apartments on Coleman Avenue for years before purchasing our home. We know first hand that by removing required parking on Coleman Avenue you will not only measurably harm the hard-working individuals and families who live there—including dozens of Laurel, Hillview and MA families—but will hurt all the neighbors by forcing the Coleman Avenue neighbors to park on Santa Monica Avenue, Gilbert, Santa Margarita, Berkeley and Menlo Oaks. Then as parking in front of our houses gets taken up by the Coleman Avenue apartments who will have literally nowhere to park, we will be forced to petition the city to issue two-hour parking permits and limit parking in front of our own homes like what happens in downtown Palo Alto. We cannot even imagine what would happen to little Santa Monica Avenue that only has a partial sidewalk on one block on one side if suddenly 100s of cars were being parked bumper-to-bumper on it day and night while it was the main thoroughfare for everyone who used to drive on Coleman Avenue or were driving on it to avoid Willow Road. Exhaust fumes, garbage, noise, car accidents, the loss of Santa Monica Avenue as the main walking street that it is now—just to make it easier for some children to bike to school 90 minutes a day on school days. Santa Monica will no longer be the main walking street for the neighborhood that it now is, and the only direct travel street for most to Seminary Park. We beseech you to start with lower impact measures such as “No Right Turn Onto Coleman Avenue 7:30-8:30 am Unless Child Is Present” and the all-way stop sign at Santa Monica Avenue and Coleman, and to avoid ruining the lives of the apartment dwellers who have nowhere else to live and to avoid ruining Santa Monica Avenue and its safe walking area. Thank you. The Frederickson Family
