NOTE: To learn more about our Citizens' Initiative, click here. And vote YES! in November.

To the Menlo Park City Council:

We, the undersigned members of the Menlo Park community, respectfully urge Council to reconsider the plan to declare three downtown parking lots as "surplus land,” to be then given to developers for the construction of massive housing projects for low and very low-income residents. Such a move would grant developers complete control over public lots that are integral to the functionality of our downtown.

Our Concerns

• Loss of Businesses: Reduced parking and increased congestion will deter patrons, forcing businesses to close.
• Lack of Study or Outreach: No studies were done on the impact to traffic, infrastructure, public schools, safety, or the local economy. And very few residents even knew about this idea.
• Loss of Character: Towering structures and dense development will forever destroy the village charm of our downtown.

Our Requests

1. Halt the declaration of parking plazas as "exempt surplus land.”
2. Find alternative sites for affordable housing, including other city-owned land.
3. Engage the community in developing our downtown without pressure from state mandates.

Downtown Menlo Park is the heart of our city and requires careful stewardship to thrive as both a commercial hub and a gathering place. Let’s work together to responsibly provide affordable housing in a way that does not sacrifice our downtown.

[After you sign, you will be asked to "chip in." But your donation will go to Change.org to promote this petition, not to us. So instead, please learn how you can further help at SaveDowntownMenlo.org]