City Council will be deciding whether to put the Downtown Parking Plazas Ordinance onto a ballot next year, or whether to adopt the ordinance outright. Adopting outright would immediately confer the right to vote on any repurposing of the lots.
Below is our open letter urging Council to adopt the Downtown Parking Plazas Ordinance outright, along with a brief introductory note.
Dear Mayor Combs and Members of the City Council,
Please find the attached letter urging Council to adopt outright the Downtown Parking Plazas Ordinance.
We recognize that at the November 4 meeting, you may reasonably choose to request a staff report before making your decision. Nonetheless, we hope you will consider the points raised in this letter, as we believe that adopting the ordinance outright would benefit everyone:
If one’s priority is downtown vitality, the sooner we resolve this, the better.
If one’s priority is affordable housing, the sooner we resolve this, the better.
If one’s priority is rebuilding trust with the people of Menlo Park, the sooner we resolve this, the better.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Save Downtown Menlo - www.savedowntownmenlo.org
OPEN LETTER TO THE MENLO PARK CITY COUNCIL
Adopt the Downtown Parking Plazas Ordinance
October 30, 2025
Mayor Combs, Vice Mayor Nash, and Councilmembers Taylor, Schmidt, and Wise,
We urge you to adopt the Downtown Parking Plazas Ordinance without delay.
Menlo Park needs more affordable housing, and we need to move faster to identify the best sites. Adopting this ordinance now will:
1. Respect the voters’ mandate. Our petition was certified by the County after receiving 150% of the required signatures, showing broad resident support for a public vote before repurposing the downtown parking plazas.
2. Save public resources. An extra election would be costly, distracting, and unnecessary.
3. Keep housing on schedule. Adoption provides immediate clarity, so staff and developers can focus work on the most suitable housing sites now, rather than waiting 6–12 months for an election cycle.
This ordinance is narrow in scope and simple in effect: if the City wants to accept a proposal to repurpose the downtown parking plazas, residents get a vote. It does not prevent the Council from advocating for projects you believe serve the public interest - you can make that case directly to voters.
Meanwhile, Menlo Park can advance housing where it makes the most sense.
By adopting the ordinance now, you can accelerate the site selection process for the housing we need, while demonstrating your trust in the people of Menlo Park.
Sincerely,
Save Downtown Menlo - savedowntownmenlo.org
Let City Council know what you think by emailing city.council@menlopark.gov
And attend the November 4, City Council meeting - this issue will be agenda items J2 and J3. Wear blue to show your support for adopting the ordinance.