Dear Menlo Park City Council,
I am very concerned about Menlo Park loosing its Downtown Parking Plazas. This is happening
In Los Altos and Los Gatos too. The Downtown Parking Plazas are for people shopping or dining
Or pursuing activities with their families and friends in Menlo Park to use. They are not a
Toy for developers to try to pry away from Menlo Park residents while the developers call the
Menlo Park residents children. It is very insulting.
The population of Menlo Park is 32,000 residents. The RHNA number given to Menlo Park is
3000. We know the RHNA numbers are statistically wrong for this Housing Element cycle and
Were essentially "made up" "magic numbers" with no statistical relevance. It has been said
The RHNA numbers are even off by 50%. So, if one uses the figure of 50%, this means the
RHNA number for Menlo Park would only be 1500. That is a big difference to a town
The size of Menlo Park.
This means the bad RHNA numbers have forced Menlo Park to have its Downtown Parking
Plazas be given away to builders. The shopping core of Menlo Park is being destroyed
Because of bad data. This is truly horrifying. It is like someone is trying to take advantage of
The people and businesses of Menlo Park. One wonders if there will be a business
Core left in Menlo Park any more.
I have relatives whose families lived in Menlo Park for years and grew up in Menlo Park
And it is truly shocking to see what is being done to Menlo Park as well as Los Altos
And Los Gatos by these bad RHNA numbers. No one even bothered to use real math experts
When these bad RHNA numbers were developed and now cities like Menlo Park are being
Used by these bad RHNA numbers to destroy all the Downtown Parking and destroy the
Menlo Park Shopping and Retail sector. It is disgraceful. It is as disgraceful as what is happening
To Sunset Gardens, a truly historical site that someone is trying to build a huge Builders
Remedy on in a flood zone with few access roads.
Please do not let these bad RHNA numbers destroy Downtown Menlo Park and its retail and
Its shopping core. The Parking Plazas are not free land for developers to play on, especially when
The city is bring forced to use bad housing numbers given to them by the state. This is happening
Also in Los Altos and Los Gatos. We pride ourselves on STEM, yet we let others use bad data to
Steal our city lands. What example is that to our children or even to ourselves?
Please save Menlo Parks Downtown Parking Plazas. Bad data is bad data. It is bad for Menlo Park
And for us.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Jennifer Griffin
