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https://n2v.almanacnews.com/square/print/2014/08/26/measure-m-blocks-new-tesla-headquarters---a-view-of-the-future

Town Square

Measure M blocks new Tesla Headquarters - a view of the future

Original post made by Peter Carpenter, Atherton: Lindenwood, on Aug 26, 2014

Imagine that it is mid-2015 and Measure M passed on a 51-49% vote in a very low turnout election. In fact, the residents of Allied Arts turned out in force and were the only neighborhood in which Measure M received anything close to a majority vote.

Tesla has proposed a new corporate headquarters on the Stanford ECR properties that would encompass both offices and R&D spaces. After unanimous approval by the Planning Commission and the City Council a resident of Allied Arts who overwhelming lost his/her bid to serve on the City Council files a lawsuit claiming that the office definition adopted by the voters in Measure M combined with the limit on office space per project adopted by the voters in Measure M precludes this project from receiving City approval.

Without waiting for adjudication of the lawsuit Tesla withdraws its project proposal.

Is this the future that you want for Menlo Park? Preserving the special interests of a small group while sacrificing the best interests of the whole community?

Comments

Posted by MLK
a resident of Atherton: West Atherton
on Aug 26, 2014 at 3:55 pm
MLK is a registered user.

I have to disagree with you, Peter, that significantly increasing traffic on El Camino is in the best interests of the whole community. You continue to say that opposition to the Stanford/Arillaga project is the work of a small, self centered group of people, but that is clearly not the case.

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Posted by Menlo Voter
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Aug 26, 2014 at 4:04 pm
Menlo Voter is a registered user.

MLK:

if Stanford builds out what they can if the measure passes there will be much more traffic generated than what the current project as negotiated with the city will generate. That is backed up by the traffic study that was demanded by Savemenlo. Of course they never talk about that because it doesn't support their argument of increased traffic on ECR. If you want a heck of a lot MORE traffic on ECR, vote for measure M.

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Posted by Peter Carpenter
a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood
on Aug 27, 2014 at 1:25 am
Peter Carpenter is a registered user.

MLK - my posting has nothing to do with the Stanford project.

My posting shows the unintended consequences of the poor wording of Measure M plus the fact that, if Measure M passes, then every project will be easily stopped using lawsuits based on Measure M's faulty language.

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Posted by Roy Thiele-Sardiña
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Aug 27, 2014 at 10:34 am
Roy Thiele-Sardiña is a registered user.

@MLK,

Stanford and Greenhart will build something on their unused land.

What measure M does is force them to work within a VERY narrow set of guidelines and limit office space. They will therefore maximize the space they have (since they can't negotiate and give public benefit in exchange for a compromise) and that means build the maximum 30% as Medical Offices (allowed under the DSP) which as the traffic studies show will have 40% more traffic.

They will also maximize the SIZE not the NUMBER of housing units (capped at 608 by the DSP and Measure M)and put a financial burden on the Menlo Park School District.

All of these issues are in the MPK Wise Report on the City's website. They amount to what is now being referred to as the "Unintended Consequences" of a poorly written, unvetted measure.

SO while the Save Menlo/Yes on M people say they want reduced traffic, they are in fact increasing traffic. The only way they will reduce traffic is to STOP any development (which is what they really wanted) Then we are stuck with the Blight on ECR and our dead Downtown.

We urge you to:

Vote No on Measure M
M is a Mistake

Roy Thiele-Sardina

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