Dear City Council, I am writing regarding the Overnight Parking ordinance in Menlo Park. As you are aware it was suspended at the beginning of Covid - perhaps to assist stressed residents, to lessen burden of reduced staff? We have had neighbors parking on the street - 2-3 cars nightly since suspension of the law. One car did not move for 3 months - at all (1646 Stanford). Now other cars near that house are following suit and also parking on street overnight. This law is a benefit to our community, it is not a burden. I chose specifically to live here and not in Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Carlos because of this parking ordinance. Their residential streets are lined with cars - continuously. I have seen several notices in Next Door questioning why cars are parked on street overnight. DeLeon Realty notes it as a benefit in it's brochure describing lovely Menlo Park. It also addresses safety and health issues - yes health, I could digress. I can understand changing daily business due to Covid for a bit - but this was never meant to be a permanent change. This law can easily be eroded - as evidenced but the neighbors also parking on street next to 1646. If there are specific streets that could benefit from having overnight parking, then this could be addressed on a street by street basis as evidenced by the parking allowed on Middle overnight where there is higher density housing. If the City Council thinks this law should be changed then that should be discussed openly - not gutted through the back door. The grocery stores have started charging again for bags. Business is getting back to a bit of normalcy - I hope. It is time to start reinforcing this law. It does not have to keep one officer occupied Full Time nor does it need to be aggressive. A few reminders left on a few wind shields a night would be a significant step forward in returning to abiding by our City mandate - we have respected and supported this law for the 30 years we have lived here - it is not always convenient (good things usually aren't) - but I choose that over the alternative I see in other Cities. Please re-support the ordinance! Susan and Bruce Benedick Second notice: Residents continue to park overnight on street - have parked on street continuously since beginning of Covid - never prior. Now other residents near them are doing same. This law is one of Menlo Park's highlights and why many bought here - it was important to us. It is even noted in DeLeon's Real Estates printed brochures. It is far enough out in Covid that this law could be reinforced again. The purchasing of bags at groceries has been reimplemented. Please sustain the law - do not let this erode. Received on Thu Jul 09 2020 - 12:57:39 PDT
