Dear City Councilmembers and County Supervisors--
First of all, thank you for your work serving our community. I appreciate all the time you spend making our communities a better
place, and know that you hardly make a fortune doing so! Your service is appreciated.
I live near the proposed Stanford development at 2131 Sand Hill Road. I bike, walk or drive by that address almost every day, at
different times of day, and am very familiar with the traffic flow. I pass it on runs, shop at the Safeway there, and visit my
elderly in laws who live nearby.
I am totally ok with Stanford building new buildings there. Go for it! Build offices, build housing, knock yourself out. Stanford
is growing and they need space. No concerns here. I was delighted to hear that it will have no net impact on traffic, since that
intersection is already a complete mess. There are a frequent accidents and even a fatality not too long ago, so I'm glad that
Stanford has studied it and it won't increase traffic.
Since it won't increase traffic, there will be no need for more parking spots at the new development. Maybe more handicapped spots
if it doesn't meet current ADA requirements. Stanford must plan on running shuttles from the Caltrain station or shuttling
employees there on the Marguerite. That's cool.
In other words, approve the buildings, but don't approve the parking spots. If the development really won't increase traffic, they
won't need the parking. If Stanford says they still need the parking, well, that shows they're lying about the traffic impact. Or,
you know, "adjusting the figures". If a development of that size requires a larger number of parking spots to meet construction
regulations, well, if there is parking people will drive.
To be serious, the Sand Hill/Alpine/Alameda intersection is already super dangerous. I have literally driven my kids from my
inlaws house to a meeting---directly across the street--because it is so dangerous. And Sand Hill at rush hour? Good luck getting
anywhere. If Stanford wants to develop there, they need to figure out how to get their employees there without making it worse.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration of this matter!
Best Regards,
Linda Barman
Menlo Park Resident
Stanford Employee (don't blame me for traffic, I bike!)
Mom
