Guest opinion: The upside of the downtown plan

Dear Mr. Molony

I think you should talk to your friend again, you seem like a person who is willing to listen but maybe you’ve been operating under a few misconceptions.


Planning process: Our zoning laws are not stuck in the 1960s as you imply. Looking at the city’s municipal code will give you an idea of the updates that that taken place over time. In fact, Menlo Park’s current General Plan elements have been adopted at various times. The Land Use and Circulation Elements were adopted in 1994; the Housing Element in 1992.

Parking structures: section F, page 27 of the plan (ecr-d_draft-specific-plan_F_circulation.pdf) has a 5 level (4 levels above ground, one below) garage on parking plaza 1 (the plaza closer to El Camino Real). There is also a planned garage on plaza 3 (closer to University drive) that is shown with two options: one being a 3.5 level garage with housing above (2.5 levels above ground, one below) the other being a 5 level garage (4 levels above ground, one below). Later in the implementation portion of the plan, the consultants state their preference for the 5 level garage option in plaza 3. The current plan is asking that the lots for these garages be zoned for 48’ instead of the current 30’ height restriction downtown, see section E(ecr-d_draft-specific-plan_E_land-use-building-character.pdf), page 25 for the height changes the plan would require.

Ms. Couperous’s opinion piece seemed to be more about illustrating problems other cities are having with developing downtowns quickly and so did not see it in error, but that is just my opinion (on the opinion ;). I didn’t think she was actually blaming Redwood City’s downtown development for all the problems of the retailers, but just pointing out that the retailers have not survived. I agree with you that the recessions probably had a bigger impact, but her point is something to consider. Saratoga is closer to Menlo Park in population than Redwood city, but I have never been to its downtown. The Menlo Park Alliance and Ms. Couperous are not fear mongerers and they have been unfairly accused of being unwilling to compromise or accept any changes to the downtown. They have studied the draft plan closely and are telling the public the facts.

Sincerely
Roxie Rorapaugh

With all due respect, I think both of the above Guest Opinion and comment by Ms. Rorapaugh are incredibly naive.

Both Saratoga and Los Gatos are towns with populations very similar to Menlo Park's ~ 30,000. They have charming downtowns without the density Clem advocates.
One problem of all this emphasis on density close to transit is that Menlo Park does not have good transit. It is very clear that Caltrain favors Palo Alto and Redwood City. HSR, if it ever happens, won't even stop here. Bus transit it a joke.
Modernizing is one thing, urbanizing is totally another. We don't need to do it.

"small towner"- can you really not see a difference between Menlo Park and Saratoga/Los Gatos? Do you really think the plan is about urbanizing because it might permit a few 3-story buildings along Santa Cruz? Have you never noticed that one of the most loved community spaces (Boronne/Kepler's/BBC complex) is one of the tallest and most modern?

Something tells me this is just the same OLD tactic of waiting until the last minute and whining your way to 'victory'.

Uh, I do see a difference in a plan that shoves hotels, garages and housing behind existing stores, puts 5 story buildings on El Camino.

Yes, the Kepler/Borrone space is popular and it is far more set back and has more open space than the new plan would require.