Dear Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers,
The future of a vibrant Menlo Park downtown depends upon an adequate supply of convenient and safe parking. The primary reason is that our downtown businesses must compete with nearby Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto downtown, Town & Country, and Redwood City downtown. Easy access for shoppers and patrons is an essential competitive advantage. At this time, I do not believe we know what the "new normal" is post-COVID. But we do know that our town is expected to grow at a rate and an amount unprecedented in the past several decades. Such growth should be supported by MORE parking, not a reduction.
Unfortunately, the RFQ implies that a reduction of parking is adequate (from the current 556 to 506, and that there is no need for additional parking for residents or visitors of the housing the RFQ aims to replace the current parking lots.
The RFQ must be modified before its issuance to ensure there is adequate future supply of parking to include specifically the developers proposed approach to:
1. full replacement of all existing parking spaces on the subject lot(s)
2. adequate additional (not shared) parking for the residents of the proposed housing
3. adequate additional parking for visitor parking (e.g., for social visitors as well as those who would provide goods and services, including deliveries, to the new residents)
4. description of phasing that would ensure the availability of sufficient parking
Our community of residents and businesses - and potential developers - deserve clarity about the provision - and expectations of responsibilities - for parking,
SIncerely,
Patti Fry, former Menlo Park Planning Commissioner
