Signature Development, on behalf of Meta (formerly Facebook,) is looking to redevelop 59 acres in District 1 with a mix of commercial and residential uses. The mixed-use project, known as Willow Village, proposes a "bonus" level amount of development in exchange for 50% of the value of the additional zoning capacity. The City of Menlo Park's appraisal of that value is $133 million.
This agenda item is to review the project's community amenity proposal. As the staff report and the supplemental documents show, the package being offered to the City is at a minimum, twice the required amount (approximately $296 million based on the applicant's appraisal and $267 million based on the City's).
Tuesday's discussion will center around whether the proposed amenities satisfy various community amenity policies, whether the amenities have been adequately valued and whether the proposed amenities are consistent with the current City Council-adopted community amenities list. As this item is a study session, no formal action will be taken.
Menlo Park Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
Monday, May 23rd at 4:30pm
The Menlo Park Finance and Audit Committee will be meeting for the first time in about six months on Monday, May 23rd at 4:30pm. You can find the agenda, participation information and the staff reports here. The Finance and Audit Committee is charged primarily to support delivery of timely, clear and comprehensive reporting of the City’s fiscal status to the community at large. Councilmember Cecilia Taylor and I sit on this committee, as well as five other residents.
Save the Dates
Upcoming Menlo Park Meetings
In addition to Tuesday night's City Council meeting, there are a lot of important meetings coming up in Menlo Park. The meetings below are in addition to regular scheduled City Council meetings. Please note the following (information/links to be provided when available - dates also subject to change):
May 31st at 5pm - Special City Council Meeting about the Housing Element Draft
June 7th at 5pm - City Manager's Proposed Budget Workshop
Coleman and Ringwood Traffic and Safety Study
The San Mateo County Office of Sustainability is preparing a study about Coleman and Ringwood traffic and safety. The goal of this study is to identify a conceptual street design developed with community input and engagement for Ringwood and Coleman Avenues that improves transportation, safety, and mobility for all roadway users. The study is intended to serve as a guide to the County of San Mateo, City of Menlo Park, and their partners to implement future street changes, if supported by the community and each jurisdiction’s leadership.
The study will:
Review existing transportation conditions on both corridors,
Develop and evaluate potential street designs, and
Recommend a preferred alternative and future actions.
To read more about the study, please see the Office of Sustainability website here. You can also provide input by stopping by a Pop-Up Event on Coleman Avenue (at 868 Coleman Avenue) on Wednesday, May 25th between 3:00 and 5:30pm.
Jefferson Union High School District Opens
Affordable Educational Staff Housing in Daly City
With the Menlo Park Housing Element causing many of us to think a lot about affordable housing, I want to highlight an inspiring project in Daly City. On Friday, May 14th, Jefferson Union High School District officially opened an affordable educational staff housing development of 122 units. As coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle highlights, the project will house approximately one-forth of the District's 500 employees, including teachers, van drivers and classroom aides. Rents will be deducted directly from the employees' paychecks.
To help mitigate some of the traffic related to the added housing, Commute.org (I was recently appointed to their board) has applied for a grant from the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA) Alternative Congestion Relief and Transportation Demand Management (ACR/TDM) Program. If awarded, the funds will be used at the new site to develop and implement Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs that include:
Subsidized vanpools for residents to commute to school and district sites
Subsidies for residents to purchase bicycles for commuting
Bicycle education, safety training, and organized rides
With a high concentration of residents living and working in the same location, the programs suggested will be an attractive and affordable alternative to driving alone to work. Commute.org views this project as a pilot with the potential to be replicated at other school district workforce housing projects.
Micromobility Survey for San Mateo County
Deadline to Participate is June 17th at 5pm
Micromobility refers to services such as bikeshare and scooter-share, where users are able to check out various small and light-weight vehicles for short term use through a self-service rental portal. The City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) is seeking public input on the San Mateo County Shared Micromobility Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan. The Study’s key deliverables include investigating the feasibility of a micromobility program, compiling research and best practices, and developing program guidelines to support jurisdictions that wish to launch a program.
Looking for a more secure place to store your bike at the Menlo Park Caltrain station? Good news! New electronic bike storage lockers have been installed right next to the bike lanes on Oak Grove near the corner of Oak Grove and Merrill. Rates are 5 cents/hour, with night and weekend rates of 2 cents/hour. Those who sign up for an account at www.bikelink.org and link it to their Clipper card, will get 100 free hours the first time they use a Caltrain owned e-locker. Happy biking and train riding!
In Case You Missed It:
Jen Walks Through the Housing Element Draft
Last weekend I sent out a special edition of the D3 Download that contained a video of me walking through the Menlo Park Housing Element Draft (released on May 11, 2022). For those of you wanting to learn more about the Housing Element and how to weigh in, this video might be of interest to you. I also recommend the City of Menlo Park's official Housing Element webpage that has lots of good information and links to past reports, presentations and meetings.
