Coffee Bar is one of the best-loved and most successful businesses introduced to Menlo Park in recent years.
Even now, parking is tough to find for Coffee Bar customers. With the proposed removal of the Chestnut/OakGrove
parking lot, Coffee Bar would lose lots of loyal customers.
Lets find a plan that keeps or increases parking in the off-Santa Cruz areas. Multi-level parking structures, like Castro St
in Mountain View or California Ave in Palo Alto would be welcome. Many businesses in Menlo Park fail; lets not damage them further
by eliminating parking for their customers. We have several new restaurants in construction now. Lets help them be successful.
Housing is a big challenge. And, the state requirements are difficult for Menlo Park to meet. Lets work harder to find good areas for
housing: multi-level along either side of Caltrain, like in Redwood City; thoughtful re-use of SRI campus; etc.
Skip Stritter
Menlo Park
Coffee Bar had good sidewalk seating during Covid, taking up only 8 parking spaces. Revoking access to those spaces has hurt Coffee Bar
business unnecessarily. Its not fair to allow Santa Cruz restaurants to take more space, less well-used, and not allow Coffee Bar the same
privilege.
