Dear City Leaders,
My name is Brian Collins. I grew up in Menlo Park. For the past 60 years, my family and I have owned two retail buildings on Santa Cruz Avenue. I also own retail and commercial properGes in San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin CounGes.
I have always admired the foresight of Menlo Park’s past leaders, who created the extraordinary parking plan that has long supported the vibrancy of downtown. A thriving downtown is the heart and idenGty of any community and parking is essenGal to its success. It is deeply concerning to see current leaders and city staff rushing to dismantle this invaluable asset in response to state-imposed housing quotas—quotas that ciGes are neither bound to meet nor limited by.
In Marin County, where I now reside, numerous small-city downtowns are struggling due to insufficient parking and compeGGon from e-commerce and shopping centers. These challenges serve as a cauGonary tale: dismantling Menlo Park’s parking infrastructure would irreparably harm its downtown, leading to long-term economic and cultural decline.
I firmly believe that creaGng more affordable housing is a criGcal goal for the Bay Area, where housing costs have placed immense pressure on residents and local economies. However, pursuing this goal should not come at the expense of destroying the infrastructure that sustains the very communiGes these efforts aim to support. Menlo Park’s proposal to designate criGcal parking areas as “exempt surplus land”, which they are not, is a misguided approach. This move is akin to San Francisco declaring Golden Gate Park as surplus land to meet its preposterous State mandated 80,000 unit housing target—a noGon that is patently absurd and unthinkable.
Removing parking from downtown Menlo Park would also have a severe adverse effect on local businesses and the sales tax revenue they generate. These revenues are vital not only for the City, but also for San Mateo County and the State of California. A decline in downtown accessibility and customer convenience would directly impact retail and restaurant sales, undermining the economic health of the community and the public services these taxes support.
SaveDowntown.org has highlighted numerous issues with the current plan, including its lack of thorough study, inadequate public outreach, availability of alternaGve sites, and significant and growing community opposiGon. Approving such a plan without proper analysis and consideraGon would be reckless and damaging to Menlo Park’s idenGty.
The role of city leaders and planners is to prioriGze the interests of their ciGzens. Affordable housing and a vibrant downtown are not mutually exclusive, but achieving both requires thoughXul planning. This plan, as it stands, risks severe unintended consequences for the health, vitality, and character of Menlo Park. It requires careful reconsideraGon and further study to ensure the long-term prosperity of our community.
Sincerely, Brian Collins
