The photos referenced in my Viewpoint article here can be viewed at:

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Morri Brown
Stone Pine Lane
Menlo Park

Interesting, I came to the same conclusion about the meaning of "vibrancy" when Mickie Winkler and her cabal were pushing all the development in my neighborhood, Linfield Oaks. Mickie used the term repeatedly in a number of council meetings, and I came to know it was simply a euphemism for cramming more homes and people into an area while razing heritage trees and a beautiful, environmentally-friendly office building on Willow, all without upgrading or expanding city services or facilities (schools, parks, etc.).

And remember the claims of the city-hired demographer who "studied" the developments on Willow and Linfield? We were assured the homes in one or both developments would appeal only to empty-nesters, but a quick stroll through either makes a lie of that nonsense.

Gern

OMG 3 & 5 story buildings!? This is clearly a disaster waiting to happen. People will not be able to breath with the thin air at such lofty heights. Think of the children!!!

I'm struck by the fact that this downtown visioning project could well shape the look of the town for 20 to 30 years per the Almanac article, yet Ms Couperous and Mr. Brown, both apparently on the far side of seventy want to determine our town future even after they're gone. I cannot know what the future will bring but stopping it is always a folly. Like it or not, more people are coming to our state and our region. It's a function of our prosperity. Oh by the way, it's these people that will buy our homes at a seven figure price so that we can retire to a AZ or OR and still have cash to spend in our dotage. That's the upside to development, density, traffic, etc. not to mention things to do, places to eat, money to spend.

Sorry, but the consultant has proposed some things that just don't make sense. Why put a covered market over the street and part of Trader Joe's parking lot? How would cars get in and out, for starters. Why put a hotel behind Walgreen's, in the busiest parking lot downtown (serves Left Bank, Su Hong to Go and Walgreens)?
The process needs to consider logical concerns now, and not later ask "what were they thinking, or were they?"

I am with Morris. Menlo Park needs more retail, not more people fighting over the retail that does exist. I remember when the Derry project was under discussion, and there were a lot of cries of "no housing on El Camino." Sounds as those these consultants took a page from the Smart Growth playbook and decided to concoct their own research results. Not a formula for success.

Let's take care of the people who live here before we start bringing in thousands of new people.

Maybe in 100 years our state and country will become so heavily populated that dense housing will be needed, but that is not in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, I want to thank Nancy, Morris, and others for sharing their wisdom with us and for continuing to work toward a better future for all of us, even those residents who are not involved in the process. Your snark is unmerited, asdf, and these new residents aren't going to be buying your house for a million dollars -- why should they, when they can get cheap digs right on El Camino!