I received notice that there is an emergency Council Meeting to be held tonight at 5 PM. Other than some closed session items, I am not sure what items will be discussed. In case last night's Menlo Park order suspending all construction sites in Menlo Park is discussed; I wanted to make you aware of an email I sent earlier today to the City Manager. When Menlo Park sent out that email last night, it was before 11:22 PM when the Governor clarified that the California Shelter in Place order was to include housing construction. Station 1300 includes 183 apartments of which 20 are deemed affordable. The city is in need of transit oriented housing and suspending construction at the site will cause substantial delays in the completion and occupancy. Station 1300 is also in need of City inspections for this housing construction. The Station 1300 construction site has implemented multiple Covid-19 workplace rules to safeguard the workers and anyone else that is on the site. The health and safety of the on-site workers is very important and given the size of the site verses the number of workers, social distancing is easily attained. Please read my email below: Ms. Robinson, as the developer of the Station 1300 mixed-use development, I received an email from the City last night stating: "Due to the statewide stay-at-home order, effective Friday, March 20, no construction activity is allowed within the city of Menlo Park, except for essential infrastructure projects as determined by the City Manager/Emergency Services Director, until further notice. Active construction sites are instructed to secure their site and cease all further work immediately." When the Governor first issued his order, it did not clarify that housing construction was part of that order. At 11:22 PM, the Governor amended the order as per below and that now appears on the State's website. "The California State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health is ordering all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors, critical government services, schools, childcare, and construction, including housing construction." The San Mateo County Health Shelter in Place order dated March 16, 2020 also exempted housing construction under Section 10-C of that order. Station 1300 includes 183 apartments of which 20 apartments are designated "affordable" by our development agreement with the City. As you are well aware, housing is badly needed in the City of Menlo Park, especially affordable housing next to the CalTrain station. At the Station 1300 site, all workers are briefed daily on the safety rules in place regarding Covid-19 and this includes social distancing on the 6.5 acre site by each worker along with having washing stations and hand sanitizers readily available. Our general contractor is taking every precaution to prevent the spread of this virus on the construction site. Since the Menlo Park Order allows you, as the City Manager, to determine what are essential infrastructure projects, we respectfully request that Menlo Park follow both the County and State's Shelter in Place Order and allow housing construction to continue. We have stopped construction on the two office/retail buildings but need to continue on the apartment building and its supporting infrastructure. A work stoppage will delay the completion of this much needed housing for a much longer time than just the time the order is in place due to the difficulties and delays in starting construction back up after being shut down. It is also necessary for the City to provide building inspection services during the housing construction otherwise the construction can not continue and that in itself will cause the construction to stop. If you have any questions, I am happy to discuss with you or any of your staff. Thank you for your consideration. Thanks, Bob Burke Principal Greenheart Land Company Thanks, Bob Burke Principal Greenheart Land Company 650-681-9334 Received on Fri Mar 20 2020 - 14:11:22 PDT
