Dear City Council Members:
First of all, THANK YOU for making the New Guild project one of your top 5 priorities for 2018. I know that was a big deal to put
a project like this to the front of the line, and I agree with you that this project is unique and deserves special consideration
and focus for our City. However, based on the outcome of the study session last Tuesday, despite unanimous and overflowing support
for the project, I am concerned about the timeline for approving this project, and I fear that one of your Top 5 priorities may be
at risk of evaporating as a result.
It was clear from the City Council study session last Tuesday that the Council is in agreement on the following:
* the New Guild project is really great and something that would be a boon to downtown Menlo Park, to other downtown businesses,
and for our residents
* the FAR variance required to build the basement has unanimous support, it enhances the project significantly without increasing
the people using the facility or creating additional traffic, and that this variance should be granted for this project
* the FAR allowance in the current DSP is not sufficient to encourage projects like this and requires review and potential
expansion in the upcoming DSP review.
My concern is that this last bullet, while well-intentioned, was tied to the Guild project in such a way that the timelines for
approval are likely to elongate, putting the entire project at risk.
As I understand it, Council gave staff the following direction to evaluate 3 options:
1. Approving the new Guild project as is under the current DSP
2. Approving the new Guild subject to expanding the FAR allowance in the DSP for a small section of the downtown corridor that
includes the Guild
3. Approving the new Guild subject to expanding the FAR allowance in the DSP for the entire downtown plan area.
Since both #2 and #3 make changes the DSP, either one may trigger a CEQA review that will add months to the process. If this
happens, the Peninsula Arts Guild (PAG) will abandon the project in Menlo Park. In fact, I have heard that just the potential for
the delay that these 2 options could pose is forcing the PAG to restart discussions with owners of alternative locations in case
the timeline is elongated. Worse yet, by tying the New Guild to required changes in the DSP, this could unintentionally ignite
opposition to the project from factions in the city that actually support the New Guild as proposed, but do not support making
wholesale changes to DSP for some unknown projects in the future. Finally, asking the PAG to pay thousands more dollars for
consultants to evaluate changing the DSP in order to approve their project seems like an overreach, and is reminiscent of the old
(bad) Menlo Park that was unfriendly to any type of development.
The sponsors of the PAG stated that they only have an option to purchase the Guild property through June, 2018. I know from
personal conversations that If the PAG is unable to secure the Guild by this time they will consider the other multiple offers
they are receiving to build this world-class performance space in some other location. If we lose this game-changing project in
our downtown area because of unnecessary time delays, no matter how well-intentioned, it will be a HUGE loss for our city and to
all the other downtown businesses that will benefit from a magnet to draw more patrons to our downtown core.
So here is my ask, as a humble resident of 25 years that desperately wants to see this project built in our downtown corridor:
* Consider leaving any changes to the DSP to a separate effort AFTER the New Guild has been approved, and do not tie them to this
project at this time. PAG has already propose a way to do this to City Staff.
* If the consultants believe that options #2 or #3 have any chance of triggering CEQA, please abandon these options and pursue
option #1 to approve the New Guild project on its merits under existing DSP.
* Take EVERY MEASURE and make EVERY EFFORT to fast-track the approval processes for this project so that the applicant can
exercise their option before it expires in June 2018.
This is a chance to make your mark as City Council members and representatives of our residents to bring something TRULY GREAT to
our downtown that will impact our town for years to come. I will toast you all when this project is completed, and I appreciate
your diligence, focus and support for this unique opportunity for our city.
Thank you for taking my views into consideration in a timely manner.
Sincerely,
--
Skip Hilton25 year resident of Menlo Park
skiphilton@gmail.com [skiphilton@gmail.com]
650-799-1992
