This week's City Council meeting's biggest discussion topic is on the Housing Element (See Agenda Item H2). City Staff is asking Council to select a preferred land use strategy among four that are being proposed. The differences among the options center on where to concentrate new affordable housing growth over the next decade. The options include:
Option A: Moderate Upzoning Throughout the City
Option B: Mixed Use Development Focused on Middlefield/Willow
Option C: Mixed Use Development Focused in Downtown/El Camino Real
Option D: Mixed Use Development Focused in Downtown/El Camino Real and Sharon Heights
(Note that the quantities above are in addition to over 3,200 units already in the development pipeline in District 1, and 400 units proposed for the SRI site in District 3. The vast majority of those units are market rate.)
Determining the preferred locations for new affordable housing growth is only part of the ongoing process of the Housing Element. The City will also need to develop policies that will support the intended outcomes. These will likely include "higher densities, modifications to development regulations, and other tools such as the affordable housing overlay to help encourage development and remove potential constraints." (p. H-2.22 of the Staff Report)
The Housing Element is an extremely complicated planning process, but it's very important for residents to understand and engage in it. For more information, please refer to various newsletters of mine from the past few months (www.jenwolosin.com/newsletters) and/or the City's Housing Element webpage at www.menlopark.org/he.
And...rain! It's so wonderful to to finally see rain. Enjoy and stay safe.
Below are some additional items that may be of interest.
Learn about Menlo Park’s Climate Action Plan
Thursday, October 28th at 6:30pm
Menlo Park’s Climate Action Plan aims for zero carbon emissions by 2030. Join this library event on Thursday, October 28th at 6:30pm to learn about the issues and the core measures moving forward, and to have an opportunity to ask questions. Speakers include Menlo Park Sustainability Manager Rebecca Lucky and Menlo Spark Executive Director Diane Bailey. Register for the event here.
Deadline Extended to October 29th
Residents Needed to Serve on Menlo Park's
Independent Redistricting Commission
At the August 31st meeting, the City Council voted to establish an Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) to set Menlo Park’s electoral boundaries for City Council districts following the 2020 census. Now the City is seeking Menlo Park residents to apply to serve on the IRC. The Commission shall be comprised of seven (7) commissioners and two (2) alternate commissioners. Applications and more information are available on the City's website here. Deadline to apply has been extended to October 29, 2021.
Menlo Park Community Campus Groundbreaking Ceremony
Saturday, November 6th at 10am
Community members are invited to participate in the Menlo Park Community Campus groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 6, at 100 Terminal Ave. This historic ceremony will formally mark the start of construction of Menlo Park’s newest public facility, a state-of-the-art multigenerational center located on the site of the former Onetta Harris Community Center, Menlo Park Senior Center, Belle Haven Pool and Belle Haven Youth Center. The new facility is slated to open in 2023 and will include a recreation center, gymnasium, senior center, afterschool child care, fitness center, pool, branch library, teen space, makerspace and community meeting rooms. The new facility will be all-electric, including solar panels to generate renewable energy for use on-site, and is being constructed to emergency shelter standards.
Watch Jen Discuss Safe Routes with M-A Parent Laurie Sobel
Recent reports of kid/car-related collisions have parents and neighbors concerned about the safety of our city's streets. I had the opportunity to discuss our streets and how to make them safer with M-A Parent Laurie Sobel. This conversation took place on Sunday, October 17th at 5pm.
