Downtown Parking Plazas
Ballot Measure
A 5-person city council should not be able to repurpose the downtown parking plazas without voter approval.
Our volunteers collected signatures from 15% of Menlo Park's registered voters—well beyond the 10% required. On December 2nd, 2025, the City Council voted unanimously to place our measure on the November 2026 ballot.
What Does Our Ballot Measure Do?
If we win in November, our measure will create the Downtown Parking Plazas Ordinance, which would require a public vote before the City can sell, lease, declare as surplus, or repurpose any of the eight Downtown parking plazas.
Changes to maintain or improve parking (EV charging stations, a parking structure, renovations, etc.) would not require a vote, nor would temporary events such as farmers markets.
The ordinance would only apply to the 8 publicly-owned downtown parking lots - it does not impact the development process anywhere else.
Why It Matters
Here's why community members and business owners are supporting this initiative:
Van Kouzoujian, Menlo Park Resident
“Downtown Menlo Park works because it’s accessible. The Parking Plazas are the infrastructure that makes that possible. If the City wants to change their use, the community - not just City Hall - should make that decision.”
Vasile Oros, Owner of Menlo Park Ace Hardware
“People don’t just stumble into our storehey plan a visit. If they expect that parking will be difficult, they’ll go somewhere else. This initiative gives power to the people, so they can keep shopping in Menlo Park.”
Richard Draeger, Owner of Draeger’s Market
“Our market depends on customers being able to park nearby—especially older folks and families with kids. Loss of convenient parking poses an existential threat to businesses such as ours.”
Alex Beltramo, Menlo Park Resident
“This initiative simply says that any plan to repurpose the downtown parking lots must be approved by the voters. The plazas are public assets, and the public deserves a say before they’re lost forever.”
Caitlin Darke, Menlo Park Resident
“As a real estate developer myself, I’m excited about ways Menlo Park can create more housing. But using the Downtown parking lots is a terrible idea. It would devastate our businesses.”
Mary Seaton, Woodside Resident
“Our family comes Downtown for everything—errands, lunch, grocery shopping, and church. I don’t want the City making irreversible changes without first asking the people of Menlo Park. That’s why I support this initiative.”