This week's agenda includes items related to traffic calming in neighborhoods, the City's swimming pool operator and potential turn restrictions off of Oak Grove Avenue. Also included is information related to the Housing Element and updates related to progress on the City Council's top priorities. As always, please feel to reach out to me directly at jwolosin@menlopark.gov or the entire City Council at city.council@menlopark.gov.
Enjoy the beautiful weather and have a wonderful week.
Almost 20 years ago the City adopted the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP). The program aimed to slow vehicle speeds on neighborhood streets and to discourage cut-through traffic via the use of traffic calming devices (speed bumps, etc.). The design of the program included various hurdles so that the those living in the area of the proposed roadway changes would have opportunities to support, change or object to modifications.
Agenda Item H1 is a study session about the NTMP and staff is seeking Council direction on the future design of the program. As stated in the staff report, "while residents have been appreciative of the extensive community outreach conducted as part of the process, staff have received feedback that the process is restrictive and lengthy. As a result, some have expressed a need to reevaluate the existing process, particularly for requests involving safety."
Staff is recommending several modifications to the program, including:
Renaming the program to reflect the intention of having "slow streets" and to focus on speed management requests (versus parking requests).
Changing the voting procedure
Streamlining the number of steps in the process
Batching requests in order to prioritize where to allocate limited staff resources.
If directed by the City Council, staff will return at a future Council meeting for any desired changes to be adopted.
On February 28th the City Council identified Team Sheeper, Inc., as the preferred aquatics operator and directed City staff to negotiate a new aquatics agreement for City Council action. This agenda item includes the new agreement and the staff report summarizes the key agreement terms, including:
Agreement duration (5 years initial, with option to extend for an additional 5 years)
Operating hours and schedules (no fewer than 63 hours per week at both Burgess pool and the soon-to-be-opened Menlo Park Community Campus [MPCC] pool in Belle Haven).
Commitment to inclusion, access and anti-discrimination.
Target of 2/3 of pool visitors to be Menlo Park residents.
Creation of a working group of Menlo Park residents to informally meet with the pool operator and City staff regarding desired services and programs, concerns and suggestions and general feedback.
Details around aquatics user fees.
Revenue sharing amounts for the operator to pay the City (1% of total annual gross revenues from resident fees, 1.35% from non-residents, or $20,000, whichever is greater).
Reporting and auditing information.
Details about liquidated damages, defaults and termination of the agreement.
The staff report also has rough figures and information for the City Council if it chooses not to move forward with the agreement but instead brings the operation of the pools in-house. Note that City staff does not recommend pursuing a City-operated aquatics program at this time.
In order for the City of Menlo Park to establish a Quiet Zone, safety enhancements are required at our at-grade Caltrain crossings. As part of the work leading up to the future creation of a Quiet Zone, City staff met with representatives from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) who expressed concerns about the configuration of the Oak Grove railroad crossing and potential vehicle queueing onto the tracks due to left turns at the intersections adjacent to the railroad. In order to address these safety concerns, staff is recommending left turn restrictions from Oak Grove Avenue to Merrill Street and Garwood Way. This would be achieved by extending the existing raised median and adding flexible posts. The staff report for this item contains more information, including concerns about access expressed by some of the surrounding businesses.
On August 29th the City received a letter from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that additional changes were needed to the City's adopted Housing Element. The staff report for Agenda Item L4 summarizes the revisions requested in the letter from HCD, including:
Provide a more robust series of actions to promote housing mobility, increase new housing choices and affordability in higher opportunity areas, promote place-based strategies for community preservation and revitalization, and protect against displacement, with significant numeric metrics (such as number of households assisted, number of housing units constructed, etc.).
Evaluate a constraint in the amount of parking required for emergency shelters that exceeds the number of spaces necessary for staff only, and include a program to address the constraint.
Include a program to conduct a mid-cycle evaluation of the Housing Element strategies and programs.
Add a program with numerical objectives committing to facilitate development on federally-owned and school sites during the 2023-2031 planning period, and include alternatives if development does not materialize as identified in the inventory.
Evaluate lot coverage requirements for the R-3 zoning district as a potential constraint to housing development and include a program committing to allow increased lot coverage in the R-3 zone.
Specifically address how the City complies with state density bonus law (SDBL), including procedures for a SDBL project, available benefits and non-discretionary actions.
Provide specific information about the affordable housing overlay (AHO), such as thresholds for projects to qualify for the AHO, and provide evidence demonstrating likelihood of developers taking advantage of the AHO.
Provide specific information in Program H4.M regarding reductions in parking requirements and ensure that the reduced amounts will not constrain multifamily housing development.
The staff report includes how staff plans to respond to the requested changes, as well as an outline of work left to be completed related to the Housing Element.
On March 18th the City Council held its annual goal setting workshop and identified five top Council priorities for the fiscal year 2023-24:
Housing
Activating downtown, with the added focus of economic development, small businesses and downtown vibrancy
Climate action
Emergency preparedness
Safe streets
Information Item L5 provides an update regarding staff work related to these priorities. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our hard working staff for their dedication to our community!
Other Items of Interest
Below are additional items of interest.
Outreach Events for Comprehensive Shuttle Study
Survey and Kick-Off Meeting (September 14th at 6pm)
The City of Menlo Park currently operates four shuttle routes, two that serve commuters and two that serve the community. The Marsh and Willow Shuttles connect the business parks with Caltrain. The Crosstown Shuttle is a scheduled service around Menlo Park and parts of Palo Alto, while the Shoppers’ Shuttle is a door-to-door service around Menlo Park, Redwood City and parts of Palo Alto.
These shuttles have been in operation for 20-30 years and along with changing commute patterns due to COVID-19 and work-from-home, the time has come to evaluate the system. The comprehensive shuttle study will analyze current transportation options and propose shuttle service changes to better serve the community.
As part of the study, community outreach is being conducted to collect feedback on how to shape the future shuttle system. You are invited to fill out an online survey on this topic and attend a virtual kick-off meeting on Thursday, September 14th from 6-9pm (Zoom Link: nelsonnygaard.zoom.us/j/86038472489, Meeting ID: 860 3847 2489, Passcode:12345).
For more information on the Menlo Park shuttles currently operating, please visit the Menlo Park shuttle website. For more information on the comprehensive shuttle study, please visit the study’s website.
Public Works Open House
Saturday, September 16th, 10am to 2pm
Public Works is hosting a family-friendly open house on Saturday, September 16th from 10am to 2pm. Join the City of Menlo Park's Public Works team as they demonstrate how they maintain and preserve Menlo Park's vibrant community. Come prepared to meet the team as you learn more about them and the important work they do while you take in an afternoon filled with games and family fun!
Attendees will enjoy:
Tree walk with the City Arborist
Petting zoo
Displays from the Public Works team
Delicious food from local food trucks
Fun and creative family-friendly activities
Locally sourced and handmade raffle prizes
Viewing of Public Works equipment
Tree carving
Don’t forget to bring your reusable water containers and consider biking, scooting, or walking to the event. The event will take place at the City of Menlo Park's Corporation Yard, located at 333 Burgess Dr, Menlo Park, CA, 94025. View map. For more information click here.
Ride Caltrain and Tour Caltrain's New Electric Trains with
All Aboard, Peninsula! Saturday, September 23rd, 10am to 2pm
Join 350 Silicon Valley and other community partners on Saturday, September 23rd for All Aboard, Peninsula! and experience how riding climate-friendly transit can be sustainable and fun. The event will start in Menlo Park on the Library Lawn with storytime, before riding Caltrain up to San Mateo, where attendees can disembark for a scavenger hunt and refreshments on B Street, the vibrant pedestrian mall in downtown. The adventure ends in San Francisco, where attendees can tour Caltrain’s electric trains that are planned to be in operation next year; for more info on Caltrain's Electric Train Tour, visit the Caltrain event page.
Event Schedule:
10:00am - 10:30am: Start Your Adventure in Menlo Park
Meet on the Library Lawn for a train-themed storytime with the Menlo Park Library. You'll also be able to pick up your passport & activity booklet that will guide your adventure for the day. Be sure to arrive by 10:30; you'll walk over together with the group to the Caltrain station to catch the 10:50 train.
11:15am - 12:15pm: Scavenger Hunt in San Mateo
Hop off at the San Mateo stop to enjoy a treat while you complete a scavenger hunt, before catching the 12:15 train.
1:00pm - 2:00pm: Tour the Electric Trains in San Francisco
Caltrain is going electric! Caltrain's electric trains, scheduled to begin service in 2024, will be cleaner, safer & quieter. Get a sneak peek at the electric trains and join the festivities; for more info on Caltrain's Electric Train Tour, visit caltrain.com/projects/electrification/electric-trains/electric-train-tour
Please note: While this event is free, you will need to purchase Caltrain tickets. Visit How To Ride Caltrain for instructions on purchasing tickets. Tickets must be purchased on the day of travel and can be purchased either at the station kiosk or on your phone with the Caltrain Mobile app, or remember your Clipper card. Be sure to check out special fares that Caltrain is offering in September!
San Francisquito Creek Clean-Up
Saturday, September 23rd, 9am to 12pm
The City of Menlo Park and Grassroots Ecology are partnering to host volunteers for Coastal Cleanup Day at San Francisquito Creek on Saturday, September 23rd from 9am to 12pm. This annual event brings communities together throughout the state to clean California's beaches, lakes, and watersheds. Come help remove trash and recyclables from our local watershed to celebrate and enhance our beautiful waterways. Sign up here.
Waivers/Registration: All volunteers attending the workday must be registered individually and have approved the online waiver through the Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver on their behalf. Volunteers age 12 and under require an accompanying adult.
Parking: Street parking available along Alma St. next to the train tracks. There is no nearby official bike parking, but you can leave it at the meeting location – there will be at least one staff to look over it.
Alternate Transportation: From Caltrain. Alight from Palo Alto Station and walk/roll north on Alma St. Go straight through El Palo Alto Park, crossing a pedestrian bridge over the creek towards the meetup location.
VTA (Santa Clara County) and SamTrans (San Mateo County): Take any bus (e.g. 22, Rapid 522, ECR) that stops at the Palo Alto Transit Center. Take the pedestrian underpass to cross under the train tracks to Alma St. Then use the Caltrain directions to head towards the meet up location.
Meeting Space: Meet by the curb where East Creek Dr and the train tracks meet. There are no public toilets. The nearest public restrooms are located at Burgess Park 0.4 miles away and El Camino Park 0.5 miles away.
Prepare for Working Outdoors:
Face mask for COVID-19 safety (optional)
Reusable water bottle (filled with water)
Snacks, if desired
Long pants, long sleeves recommended
Sturdy closed-toed shoes that can get dirty
Hat/sunscreen or rain gear/boots
Epi-Pen or allergy medicine, if applicable
Plan for potential exposure to sun, poison oak, ticks, prickly plants
Staff will carefully adhere to safety protocols that have developed in compliance with public health guidelines. View the COVID-19 safety protocols here. As of March 1, 2022, masks are optional for all staff and volunteers.
Event Cancellations:
The safety of staff and volunteers is of utmost importance. In the event that the workday must be cancelled due to extreme weather conditions or poor air quality, a Grassroots Ecology staff person will reach out via email no later than 5:00 PM the day prior to this event.
Grassroots Ecology encourages people from all identities and backgrounds to participate in their programs. Many of the programs are outdoors and involve moving and working in a variety of landscapes. If you have accessibility concerns (e.g. allergies, limited mobility, learning differences), the projects are flexible and they are happy to work with you. Please reach out to the workday facilitator so they can prepare for your participation.
Electrify Your Home and Save Money
Tuesday, October 3rd, 6:30pm to 8pm
On Tuesday, October 3rd at 6:30pm, learn how switching to electric water heating, space heating (air conditioning is included), and cooking creates safer and healthier homes for future generations. Find out about financial incentives. See an induction cooktop demonstration and connect with homeowners who have electrified. Enjoy light appetizers and refreshments. Secure your spot now for an electrifying evening of inspiration and sustainable living! The event will be held in the Community Activities Building, Room 3 at 1400 Roosevelt Avenue, Redwood City. RSVP here.
Know Your Rights
Tenant Protections Under California Law: AB 1482
The County of San Mateo has developed a webpage with information for renters. The website covers information related to AB 1482 regarding tenant protections, including The Basics of AB 1482, How AB 1482 Works and other important details and resources. Please visit smcgov.org/housing/tenants-protections-and-rights for more information.
