Menlo Park makes progress on review of downtown plan

A public parking structure that adds hundreds of more parking spaces in the existing plazas is likely needed in the next five years but would cost Menlo Park tens of millions of dollars, an amount which is simply unaffordable for our residents. I encourage our city to explore ALL possible private-public partnerships for building a multi-use facility that provides public parking, private parking and combinations of residential, retail, office and entertainment uses. When residents understand the possibilities, benefits, negative impacts and trade-offs residents can back good ideas. Otherwise, it either does nothing or sets itself for ill-informed divisive debates. Perhaps a building/structure with 3 stories on and above ground and 2 or 3 below might in attract developers to partner with Menlo Park. Let's see what is possible before preemptively ruling anything out. And yes, it MIGHT require changes to the Specific Plan. It should only take a few months to identify economically viable opportunities, IF they exist. Let's not spend lots of money and a year scoping out reasonable alternatives. It is NOT necessary.

Please do not build more parking. Parking = traffic congestion.