Menlo Park residents to file Downtown Parking Initiative on May 15
Alex Beltramo, representing SaveDowntownMenlo.org sent this information to InMenlo:
A group of Menlo Park residents will file a Notice of Intent to Circulate a Petition for a local ballot initiative aimed at protecting the city’s eight publicly owned Downtown parking plazas.
The proposed measure, titled the Downtown Parking Plazas Ordinance, would require voter approval before the City could sell, lease, declare as surplus, or repurpose the parking plazas for uses other than public parking and vehicular access.
Proponents plan to file the Notice at City Hall on Thursday, May 15 at 2:00 pm and welcome members of the community to join them.
This initiative responds to growing public concern about City-led plans to redevelop Downtown parking lots for high-density housing amidst widespread opposition from residents and businesses. Proponents of the initiative argue that the Parking Plazas are essential infrastructure needed for public accessibility and business vitality, and that the people of Menlo Park should have the final say in their use.
The measure would not restrict short-term community uses like farmers markets or improvements that enhance or expand parking for Downtown customers, workers, and visitors.
Petitioners expect to begin signature gathering in the coming months and will need to collect over 2,000 valid signatures from registered Menlo Park voters to qualify the measure for the ballot.
More information is available online.
Peter F Carpenter May 13, 2025 at 1:18 pm
If you don’t want new housing in single family zoned areas and don’t want new housing over the downtown parking lots then just exactly where do you want new housing???
fred May 13, 2025 at 2:37 pm
Um, they don’t want new housing.
mary May 13, 2025 at 5:32 pm
USGS 17 acres. It is already being planned on and there are many other projects in the work not just DT
Josephine Kamin May 14, 2025 at 5:53 am
Excellent! We need to save our downtown as a small town and support our stores and restaurants. We cannot give up our parking.
Hobertson May 16, 2025 at 2:56 pm
New housing would inject life into downtown Menlo it desperately needs!!
Emma May 18, 2025 at 5:13 pm
It’s so frustrating to see Menlo Park businesses fall for the Save Downtown Menlo misinformation campaign. Replacement parking is part of the proposed housing development. We won’t lose parking—we’ll gain customers! And we’ll take control of MP housing, rather than leaving it up to builder’s remedy projects that put profit over community.