Dear Council members:
I want to voice my full support for keeping the outdoor dining on Santa Cruz avenue.
Despite Covid I am spending more time downtown due to our more walkable and interesting city. By bring the action out onto the street, you have energized and activated our downtown core. People walking by (or driving by slowly) can see the activity, are curious, and want to participate - leading to more business for our downtown restaurants in these difficult times.
As I recall these outdoor structures were promoted by Ray Mueller and approved by the Council before Covid hit, so why would we take them down just because Covid starts to recede? What is the rationale for removing these community enhancers?
Even as we get a handle on Covid with vaccines, it will always be safer to drink and dine outdoors - so I say let’s have more bars and restaurants with outdoor seating (witness the vibrancy of Broadway in downtown RWC).
Lastly, the outdoor dining and takeover of parking spaces on Santa Cruz has created a concomitant safety benefit - slower traffic. It took a little bit for me to navigate and learn the new one-way sections, but it has not caused traffic jams or backups. And everyone (including myself) is driving slower and more alert as we navigate Santa Cruz.
I see no downside to keeping (and even expanding) the on street dining in downtown Menlo Park.
Thanks.
Skip Hilton
Menlo Park resident since 1993
skiphilton@gmail.com
Cell: 650.799.1992
