NO METERS IT WILL MAKE THING WORSE

honestly, i've rarely had a serious parking problem in down-town menlo park. nothing like palo alto where you can circle the block a zillion times and not find a space.

hope this is not about revenue generation.

"hope this is not about revenue generation."

Of course that's what this is about.

As long as the city is talking parking how about doing away with the overnight street parking ban. The reasons given for the 2am-5am ban area:
crime prevention - ok if I'm a burglar working the 2am-5am shift I'll just park in someone's driveway while I'm working.
street cleaning - the street sweeper shows up during the day.
civic beauty - how many tour buses do the streets of MP 2am-5am?
Do away with this ridiculous rule and the city can save at least one half-time employee position, probably more if you count the paper work.

Can't make the meeting but here's a suggestion:

Sell half as many parking permits at twice the price.

This will free up spaces for shoppers - at least half of the cars in the lot behind our store must be owned by office workers who have permits and therefore the lot is half full before the retail stores open for the day. If you count the number of retail stores fronting the parking lot, the number of available spaces for customers is spread pretty thin.

This may also encourage office workers to consider alternate forms of transportation.

Parking in menlo park is fine. I don't see what the problem is with it. Palo alto parking is much worse.

I'd say one of the prime reasons non-locals would bother to shop in a small downtown like Menlo Park's is because of the free, convenient parking and small-town feel. Parking meters will do more harm than good over the long run, if you ask me. Pay to park in Menlo Park, or park for free in Palo Alto -- which one do you think people will choose?

While it may add more revenue, there is a cost to having parking meters. It's not as if new merchants are fighting to do business in the city. This may in the end deter people for coming here. Also, not having the meters keeps the hometown atmosphere and community feeling.

Palo Alto may have a parking problem, but I would rather go there than Redwood City and deal with their new parking meter system.

I live in Palo Alto but my hairdresser is in MP. It is a nightmare because my appointment always last over 2 hrs and I end up having to run out with my hair dye on and a cape to move my car!

Please - make a three hour parking lot somewhere near downtown. I can't even have lunch with the kids and walk around because we always end up rushing back. If not, consider a three hour lot where you pay - I'd do it to not run out with my hair dye!