The Future of our Downtown
is Worth a Vote.
Menlo Park needs more housing. But we don't need to sacrifice our downtown to get it.
There are viable alternatives — sites better suited for residential use, with proper infrastructure and access.
And yet …
The City still wants to declare heavily-used, downtown parking plazas as “surplus land” for housing.
The loss of these plazas threatens the businesses we rely on.
Easy access to surface parking is what makes our downtown work. Drone footage of downtown plazas 1, 2, 3.
We have only one downtown. A once-in-a-generation decision like this should have public consent.
SO WE’VE PROPOSED A COMMON-SENSE SAFEGUARD:
If the City wants to permanently repurpose the downtown parking plazas, voters must approve it.
November 2026 Ballot
Downtown Parking Plazas Initiative
THE MEASURE: No repurposing of the parking plazas without a public vote.
THE GOAL: Encourage community-driven solutions that keep our downtown thriving.
THE IMPACT: Residents — not City Hall — get the final say on our downtown’s future.
☑️ Vote YES to: Ensure that any fundamental transformation of our downtown plazas has community consent.
⬜ Vote NO to: Allow a 5-person City Council to repurpose our downtown plazas at their own discretion.
___________________________________
Let residents decide the downtown’s future - vote YES!
In 2025, we had to say no.
Just over a year ago, the City was preparing to declare our downtown parking plazas as “surplus land” for high-density housing.
When residents and business owners learned what was being proposed, they filled the City Council chambers and sent hundreds of emails asking the City to pursue other housing options.
Menlo Park City Council Meeting - Jan. 14, 2025
This decision is too important to be made without community support.
And so a Citizen’s Initiative was written..
15% of Menlo Park voters signed it, far exceeding the required 10% to qualify for the ballot.
In 2026, we get to say YES!
YES! - TO PUBLIC CONSENT
Right now, any 5-person city council can declare the downtown plazas to be “surplus land” and lease them to developers for $1/year. It almost happened, and it still might.
We all hope our city leaders will make sound choices. But a permanent decision of this magnitude must not be made without true public consent. And that requires a public vote.
YES! - TO A THRIVING DOWNTOWN
We love our downtown - both what it is, and what it can be.
Whether you adore our long-time shopkeepers, or relish the prospect of new venues, all of it depends on convenient parking.
The very prospect of losing this vital parking is already having consequences. Existing businesses are not renewing leases, and new businesses are choosing other locations. Over 130 downtown businesses issued this statement expressing their deep concern about the threat to parking.
Our initiative provides a needed safeguard: it ensures that any permanent change to this critical infrastructure must have broad public support, so we can continue to enjoy a thriving downtown - one that businesses want to invest in.
YES! - TO BETTER ALTERNATIVES
Putting large apartment buildings into narrow, commercial parking lots is fraught with problems. There are better alternatives - sites appropriate for residential use, with better access and proper infrastructure. We do not need to depend on the parking plazas to comply with our housing obligations - we can pivot to a better path.
The question is not whether we need more housing. The question is whether the downtown parking lots are the right place for it. Our Citizens’ Initiative trusts the people of Menlo Park to make that decision.
Let’s Do This Right
San Mateo easily amended their Housing Element. We can too. Click the above video to watch a one-minute summary.
We Have Time
What About Builder’s Remedy?
When Councilmember Schmidt asked what would happen if the City chose not to move forward with the parking plaza plan, the City Attorney confirmed the City could “continue on the path of pursuing other housing development projects.”
Watch the exchange:
Video of June 3, 2025 Council Meeting
Housing Elements are implemented over time. Cities adjust as a project’s viability changes or better options emerge.
Importantly, cities are NOT required to complete construction by 2031. The current Housing Element cycle runs through 2031, and compliance is measured by entitlements and permits — not finished buildings.
Changing course on the parking plaza plan does not automatically jeopardize certification or trigger “Builder’s Remedy.” The greater risk to compliance is spending years advancing a site with significant financial, legal, and logistical challenges while more viable options are available.
The best way for Menlo Park to stay in compliance is to shift to better alternatives.
We have time.
We Have Choices
Menlo Park has multiple sites better suited for residential development - locations with proper infrastructure, transit access, and room to build. These alternatives allow us to meet our housing obligations without sacrificing our downtown.
Explore our Better Alternatives page for details.
Bohannon Park
Civic Center (city-owned)
333 Burgess Dr. - Corporation Yard (city-owned)
1283 Willow Rd. (city-owned)
2400 Branner Dr. (city-owned)
SRI / Parkline
“Until the voters have spoken.”
In his December 2025 newsletter, Then-Mayor Drew Combs captured the situation clearly:
“… there were alternative paths to pursuing redevelopment of the parking lots … I don’t think the city council should take any additional actions to move the project forward until the voters have spoken.”
And watch this 2.5-minute excerpt from the March 4, 2025 City Council meeting. The mayor expresses concern about 'the extreme concentration of affordable housing in one location' and 'strangling downtown.' He then notes that the parking lot plan was not seen as a last resort, but as the Council’s “vision” for Menlo Park.
March 4, 2025 City Council Meeting
A once-in-a-generation decision to fundamentally transform our downtown should not be made without clear consent from the people of Menlo Park.
And that requires a vote.
Make an Informed Decision
In-depth resources to understand the full picture
Should a City Council be allowed to declare downtown plazas “surplus land” without voter approval? Drone footage showing plazas 1, 2, & 3.