*Alliant Communities, Presidio Bay Ventures, and Related Companies / Alta
Housing - *
Your proposals for housing on Parking Plazas 1, 2, and 3 would reshape
downtown Menlo Park and affect residents, businesses, and visitors for
decades. With the open house this Thursday, residents will be looking for
clear answers to the following questions:
*Big Picture*
• *Downtown Functionality: *The parking plazas are heavily used for
parking and circulation. What evidence supports the conclusion that
removing them will not undermine downtown functionality?
• *Housing Goals: *The original premise for using the parking plazas
was to provide housing for extremely low-income residents (<50% AMI). How
many such units would your development provide?
• *Project Viability: *Given the need to replace public parking and
build within constrained spaces, what assumptions are required for the
project to be financially feasible? What happens if the project stalls
midstream?
• *Alternatives: *Do you believe the downtown parking plazas are the
most appropriate and viable city-owned sites for housing?
*Financial*
• *Parking Replacement Costs: *What is the expected cost to replace
556 public parking spaces? Who will pay that? Who would be responsible for
cost overruns?
• *City Terms: *What are the expected terms with the City on land
lease, rent, and revenue sharing? Will your project generate standard
property tax revenue for the city?
• *Infrastructure: *What utility and transportation upgrades are
required, and how will those costs be allocated among the developer, future
residents, and the city?
*Parking*
• *Public Parking: *Where will the replacement public parking be
located? On average, how much longer will it take downtown customers to
reach their destination? Will the replacement short-term public parking
remain free?
• *Resident Parking: *How much parking will you include for residents
of your buildings? What share is allocated to affordable units? Are
residents without a space expected to not have a car?
• *Long-Term Maintenance: *Who is responsible for the safety,
maintenance, and affordability of the public parking garages 10 and 20
years from now?
*Impacts*
• *Traffic and Circulation: *What do traffic studies show about
peak-hour impacts, and what mitigation measures are proposed?
• *Environmental Risk: *What environmental investigations have been
done, and who is responsible for any needed remediation? Given the history
of nearby dry-cleaning uses, will a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
be completed before any agreement?
• *Shadows: *How tall will your buildings be, and for how much of the
day will they cast shadows on sidewalks, storefronts, and outdoor dining?
• *Construction Period: *For how long will construction last? Where
will people park during that time?
• *Service and Emergency Access: *How will delivery, waste collection,
and emergency vehicles (including fire ladder trucks) operate within these
constrained site layouts?
We appreciate your willingness to engage publicly. The people of Menlo Park
deserve a full understanding of the impacts, risks, and tradeoffs that your
proposals would entail.
Thank you,
Save Downtown Menlo
