City Council Members,
I have lived on Greenwood Drive in the Suburban Park neighborhood of Menlo Park since 1996. I have seen the tremendous appreciation in property values since that time and certainly agree that our community needs to invest in more affordable housing.
I am however, very concerned about high density housing being build on the old Flood School property (opportunity site #38). I had small children when Flood School was active and I can tell you that despite the primary entrance at the time being accessed through Flood Park, it still felt like I was taking my life in my hands (and those of my children) to be walking in our neighborhood along the routes to the school (Hedge Rd and Greenwood Dr) during pickup or drop off. Our roads were far too narrow and winding with too many cars parked on them to even safely cross the street.
I honestly cannot imagine the degradation of safety and our quiet neighborhood environment, should a high density housing development with a primary entrance located on Sheridan Drive be built on that small parcel.
Suburban Park currently has only 225 homes within its boundaries between Hedge Road and Greenwood Drive and yet the proposals I’m seeing discussed would add as many as 260 households on a lot that is the size of only a few it’s current homesites. That would more than double the size of the neighborhood overnight. Our streets just weren't built for this many people. It’s a significant safety and quality of life concern for my family.
I urge the city to carefully evaluate the environmental impact a development like this would have and consider alternate sites and/or provide access to the development through Van Buren &/or Flood Park and NOT Suburban park.
Thanks for your consideration.
Kristin Campbell
1051 Greenwood Dr
650-868-6703
