Dear Drew and the Menlo Park City Council,
I have recently viewed the new updated landscape plan and I really feel the need to speak up. The last plan I saw was the 2020 plan and I felt the landscape designers listened to the needs of our neighborhood. All the sports fields and most of the amenities that included noise and large numbers of people were placed next to the parking lot or in the center of the park. THIS HAS NOW CHANGED! The new plan is much worse for our neighborhood in terms of traffic and noise. We really need to pay attention before these changes are set in stone.
Here is the new plan.
https://parks.smcgov.org/sites/parks.smcgov.org/files/press-release/files/220519%20Flood%20Park%20Updated%20Landscape%20Plan.pdf
This plan is hidden on the websites and even yesterday an email to our neighborhood included a link to the 2020 plan. I believe many in our neighborhood still think the 2020 plan is what is currently being reviewed and voted on. Personally I thought which trees to save and which can be removed was the only question left for discussion. I was clearly wrong and the entire plan has been redone since the 2020 plan.
If there are sports fields on the Del Norte side of the park, we will get drop off traffic racing through our neighborhood as parents drop off and pick up their children from practice and games. Parents will pick the nearest entrance to the field their children are playing on. It’s nice that they aren’t charging for parking, but that will not solve the problem. Parents will find every possible way to and from Flood Park to make drop off and pick up efficient for their child. I think this will impact Del Norte, Van Buren, Sonoma, Tehama, Oakwood, Ringwood and Iris Lane at a minimum. With approximately 10 kids per team, 2 teams per hour, and pick up overlapping with drop off, this can result in 40 cars per hour on the hour hurrying through our streets from just one small field. Most likely there will be more if you add in the Pickleball and Basketball Courts and the pump track. In addition there will be more if you believe that picnic goers will also choose the closest gate to deliver their items.
There are now reservable picnic spots for 300 people right next to Del Norte along with 9 drop in picnic spots. 5 of these are between the path and the fence at Del Norte. 7 are right on the other side of the path. I originally was led to believe that there was a 100 foot setback. This is not represented in this plan. In fact several drop in picnic tables are within the 100 foot setback.
Personally I am most worried about the drop off traffic since I think this will make an unsafe environment in our neighborhood for children and pets. This is my number one issue and I think it is also a concern for many of my neighbors. We have a number of small children and pets in our neighborhood. In addition, there are other concerns that will impact our neighborhood with this new plan. For people on Del Norte, there will be several picnics right on the opposite side of the fence every weekend. This noise will be added to the sports field which is now on the Del Norte side of the park. There is also pickle ball, basketball and a pump track. While scheduled events will only happen during certain hours, the fields can be used at anytime by anyone. The noise will not contain itself to the schedule that the park committee is claiming.
I have personally enjoyed Flood Park over the years and believe it can be a wonderful part of our neighborhood again. The new plan does not adequately meet the needs of our neighborhood and I think we need to let the park designers know before this plan is set in stone. There is a meeting on 6/11 from 3 to 5 at Flood Park. It would be wonderful to have representation from the Menlo Park City Council at this meeting.
Shari Conrad (Del Norte Resident)
p.s. Please let me know if there is someone else I should contact with my concerns.
