Dear Menlo Park City Council members,
I am writing this as a business owner on Santa Cruz Avenue since 1991. The proposed long-term street closure of the eastbound direction of Santa Cruz Avenue from Curtis Street to Doyle Street to vehicles is on your agenda. I want to voice my strong objection to taking such an action. The street closures on Santa Cruz Avenue have had a very negative effect on the businesses located here. We have lost much parking along our streets, and the loss of through traffic is an inconvenience that we find many motorists will choose to avoid by taking their business elsewhere.
Because of the proximity of the closure to El Camino, the downtown area is effectively throttled. The blocked-off sections of the street serve no purpose most of the time other than as a hangout for teenagers and the homeless, yet many businesses are damaged as a result. Our clients voice their frustration with the confusion created by the diversions regularly. Accommodations have been made for many restaurants with their expansion into the streets, and this closure seems unnecessary.
I urge you to do the right thing. Please respect the wishes of the majority of the businesses who really are only responding to the desires of their clients in objecting to the current state of affairs. Retail business is hard enough without our elected officials placing more hurdles in our way.
Best regards,
Stephen
Stephen Miller
Stephen Miller Gallery
stephen@stephenmillergallery.com
650-327-5040
