Save Downtown Menlo takes first step in putting city’s plan to eliminate parking on the ballot

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer

A group of Menlo Park residents will begin the process to put a ballot measure opposing the city’s plans to redevelop three downtown parking lots into public housing on a future ballot.

The group, Save Downtown Menlo, plans to file a notice of intent to start collecting over 2,000 signatures on Thursday, according to a statement sent by Menlo Park resident Alex Beltramo. Proponents of the measure will turn in the initiative paperwork, and the city attorney’s office has 15 days to review the paperwork and return it to Save Downtown Menlo so they can start collecting signatures.

Save Downtown Menlo is already suing the city over the parking-to-apartments proposal. The group has been ardently against the idea to redevelop the parking lots with 556 spaces into public housing projects on the lots between Santa Cruz and Oak Grove avenues.

The issue has been a controversial topic, debated by residents, merchants, property owners and downtown shoppers with rivaling petitions and hourslong public comments at a Jan. 15 council meeting.

“This initiative simply says that any plan to diminish public parking downtown should go to the voters. The plazas are public assets, and the public deserves a say before they’re lost forever,” Beltramo said. “This is not completely surprising. Mayor Drew Combs said the ballot measure isn’t surprising.

“This is actually in line with Menlo Park tradition,” Combs said. “It’s fairly common that in Menlo Park’s history, major development matters have ultimately gone to the ballot.”

Past ballot measures

Combs pointed to Measure V in 2022, Measure M in 2014 and Measure T in 2010 as examples of times Menlo Park residents have banded together to put development-related issues on the ballot.

Voters defeated Measure V, which would have required council to ask voters to approve certain housing projects, like the Flood School development. The measure was defeated 62% to 38%.

Measure M, which would have limited how much office space could be built in downtown, lost 61% to 38%.

Measure T, which backed Bohannon Co.’s proposal to build what is now the Hotel Nia and three office buildings, was approved 64% to 35%.

“I am dreading what I know will be a really divisive discussion that will happen over the next few months,” Combs said.

Save Downtown has also filed a lawsuit

This proposed measure comes after the group filed a lawsuit against the city on April 14 in the San Mateo Superior Court, claiming inconsistencies with city plans and policy, disregarding the interests of the

downtown property owners who paid for the parking lot.

The group’s attorney, David Lanferman, said that because the parking lots were funded and maintained

by the downtown property owners, the city needs the OK from 51% of property owners to redevelop the lots.

“A ballot measure is a cleaner process than a lawsuit. It clearly is an expression of the voters versus a lawsuit where you are relying on a specific interpretation of the law by one person, a judge,” Combs said.

Council talked about lawsuit in closed session

Council discussed the lawsuit during its meeting yesterday for the first time in closed session.

The measure would not restrict short-term community uses like farmers markets or improvements that expand parking for customers, workers and visitors.

The San Mateo County Election’s office did not respond to the Post regarding the process of the measure. But when Measure V was placed on the ballot in 2022, proponents needed to gather 2,043 signatures.