Dear City Council Members
I am a former downtown business owner (RE/MAX Distinctive Properties) who occupied the space at 648 Santa Cruz Avenue (opposite Chase Bank) for 10 years.
I am also a former transportation commissioner of 10 years, and was chair of this commission for several of those 10 years.
As a transportation commissioner, when assessing the length of time and what to charge for parking, we studied the value of the parking lots for the downtown businesses. We engaged the downtown business owners and assessed the impact of charging for parking and limiting the length of time cars could be parked on city streets and the parking lots, to find a balance that worked for everyone. I believe we were successful because we listened. Our primary responsibility was to retain the vibrancy of downtown and support our local businesses.
The parking lots for downtown businesses are essential and invaluable for the success of a vibrant downtown. When my business was located at 648 Santa Cruz Avenue, there was a constant flow of foot traffic through the alley that connects the parking lot we were adjacent to, to Santa Cruz Avenue.
Businesses cannot thrive without customers, customers need an easy place to park while they are shopping, eating, engaging personal services and conducting business.
THERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE NO DOWNTOWN IF YOU CONVERT THE PARKING LOTS TO HOUSING. Businesses cannot survive the construction time, and the resulting housing will not be sufficient to support the downtown businesses. Customers will not come from the neighboring communities if they cannot park, they will just choose to shop, eat and conduct business somewhere else.
Building anything, other than a multistory parking lot, that could first and foremost accommodate employee parking, on any of the parking lots is a mistake.
Respectfully,
Penelope
Penelope Huang
DRE# 01023392
Broker Owner
Taylor & Huang Properties
P.O. Box 4012, Menlo Park, CA 94026
Penelope@PenelopeHuang.com
650-281-8028
