May 2025 Newsletter

Parkline and Downtown Parking Lots

• Parkline Project - At the meeting on May 27, the city council will conduct a study session to review and provide feedback on the draft development agreement terms for the Parkline masterplan development project located on the SRI campus. Here’s a link to the staff report.

• Downtown Parking Lots (1, 2 and 3) - Any effort to redevelop the downtown parking lots could first go to voters. A group of residents have begun the process of collecting signatures for a ballot measure that, if approved, would require any future changes to the downtown parking lots to be first approved by voters. While this may seem like the latest unexpected turn related to the downtown parking lots, this is in line with how other major development matters have been resolved in Menlo Park. For example, the Springline and Stanford developments along El Camino Real were ultimately made possible by the failure of Measure M at the ballot box.

• Downtown Parking Lots (7 and 8) - At the council meeting on May 13, city staff shared plans to resurface downtown parking lots 7 and 8 in 2027. This timeline is driven in part by analysis and work that needs to be completed on the utility facilities under the parking lots. I advocated strongly that the staff look to accelerate this completion timeline given the current state of parking lots 7 and 8.

Commission Appointments

At a meeting on April 29, the council appointed and reappointed commissioners across all 7 of the city’s commissions. Congratulations to all of the newly appointed and re-appointed. I am always awed by the caliber of talented and accomplished residents who apply to these positions. I can speak from my own experiences, having served on the Bike Commission and the Planning Commission, that serving on a Menlo Park Commission is an extremely rewarding experience. It’s understandable (and in some instances even ideal) that residents with histories of advocacy and commitment in one area would be attracted to joining a commission focused on that field. But, I also want to emphasize that commissions should be forums of robust debates and not echo chambers of any singular position or approach.

Bike Rack Survey

Residents Meredith Bergin Bailey and Athena Ierokomos have issued a survey to get a better understanding of the city’s bike rack needs. You can complete it at this link. The data collected from efforts like this will be key to providing a full picture of residents’ bike habits and need for related infrastructure like bike racks.

Study Session: Conceptual Reach 2 Project Alternatives

At a special meeting on May 28, the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority board will review and provide direction on Reach 2 Project Alternatives. This meeting will provide the public and the board their first opportunity to discuss flood mitigation measures that reflect updated projections of the creek’s capacity. The public can attend the meeting virtually or in person at the East Palo Alto Council Chambers. Here’s a link to the agenda.

Mayor’s Office Hours and Community Engagement Events

• Mayor’s Weekly Community Office Hours - Here’s information about upcoming Mayor’s Office Hours:

  • May 24 - Cancelled

  • May 31 - Starbucks (1401 Willow Rd.) in Belle Haven from 9am to 10am

  • June 7, 14, 21 - Cafe Zoe in Willows neighborhood from 9am to 10am

  • June 28 - Coffee Bar (1149 Chestnut St.) from 9am to 10am

• On June 27, I’ll be participating in Assemblymember Marc Berman’s Community Coffee at a location in Menlo Park that has yet to be determined. Check his website for additional details. 

• In June, I’ll also be teaming up with my former council colleague, San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, for a community engagement event. Once details are finalized, I’ll post them on my website.