Downtown Redevelopment Plan Attacked by Foes

The Menlo Park Downtown Alliance, a group of downtown business and property owners opposed to the proposed El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan, has released information that claims deficiencies in many areas of the City's plan.

The Alliance asked Shute, Mihaly, and Weinberger, a law firm specializing in government, land use, natural resources and environmental law, to analyze the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) recently published by the City of Menlo Park.  Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City was mandated to create the DEIR.  After review, the firm has issued an analysis that claims that the document is deficient in a number of areas. 

Shute, Mihaly, and Weinberger claims the DEIR violates CEQA:

• by failing to provide an accurate project description that accounts for all of the development that could be approved under the Specific Plan
• by failing to provide specific project level review for the City’s short-term public projects (sidewalk widening, pocket parks, paseo, central plaza, parking garage)
• by failing to sufficiently analyze the impacts to historical, biological, and air resources
• by failing to consider the potential for urban decay
• by failing to properly analyze the impacts on water supply
• by failing to consider transportation and air quality impacts during the construction period
• by failing to consider a reasonable range of alternatives, including an alternative that would reduce the project’s significant impacts on air quality, greenhouse gasses, and traffic

The DEIR, first published at the end of April, gives interested parties a chance to analyze the impact of the plan.

A link to the complete EIR can be found here.  The report is "thick", admitted Menlo Park Associate Planner Thomas Rogers when contacted by Patch in early May.  It is only a preliminary report;  changes can be made.  "The EIR is very rigid, very formal, by state guidelines," says Rogers. "It's not necessarily the primary driver for an ultimate decision."

Primary to the DEIR's discussion of the downtown redevelopment plan are topics called-out as "significant and unavoidable."  They include:

• Increased greenhouse gas emissions, directly and indirectly, that would have a significant impact on the environment and air quality
• An increase in area noise, primarily due to an anticipated increase in traffic volume
• An adverse impact on local intersections in the area due to traffic
• An adverse impact on local streets in the area due to traffic

The challenge for Menlo Park planners will be to mitigate these negative effects. They hope to promote infill development of empty lots along the El Camino; to retain a "village" character by keeping buildings low and pedestrian-friendly; to increase public spaces for parks and plazas; to widen sidewalks; to improve walkability and bikeability; and to integrate the Farmers' Market.

The law firm says there is no certainty that mitigation measures included in the City Plan will occur.

The Downtown Alliance feels the City’s Plan will have detrimental impacts on the downtown and the community as a whole.  “The proposed downtown portion of the Specific Plan will create a congested downtown, a more city-like atmosphere, rather than the small-town atmosphere now enjoyed by our residents,” said Mark Flegel, a downtown business owner and co-chair of the Menlo Park Downtown Alliance.  “I fail to see the benefits of high-density build-out either for businesses or residents,” he added.

“There is no doubt that our many small and unique businesses downtown will suffer and many will leave if this Plan is implemented.  One only has to look at other nearby cities and towns (e.g.  Redwood City and Sunnyvale) to see the results of this kind of misguided city planning,” said Nancy Couperus, a downtown property owner and a founder of the Sunday Farmers Market.

The Shute, Mihaly, and Weinberger comment letter was commissioned by the Menlo Park Downtown Alliance.

An e-mail and phone call to Rogers seeking comment have not yet been returned.

You can read the entire DEIR Comment Letter from Shute, Mihaly, and Weinberger

City officials have held seven workshops about the plan to date.  "We were very pleased with the number of people we got; according to planners and others helping us it's been the highest (turnout) they've seen anywhere," says Rogers.

The city also sent out two community-wide surveys responded to by over 2,000 residents, conducted two walking tours, and conducted one-on-one interviews with downtown business owners.  The Chamber of Commerce has been involved.

With the DEIR comment period open until Monday, June 20, more feedback is expected.

Comments may be emailed to throgers@menlopark.org or sent to the Community Development Department on Laurel Street in Menlo Park.

What are your thoughts about the tentative plan now proposed for Menlo Park's downtown? Tell us in the comments.