Council members,
Please remove item E6 from the December 6 Consent Calendar and postpone consideration of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the West Bay Sanitary District to allow time for the Council to consider public input on several aspects of the project that are concerning and were not adequately communicated to the public in the Draft or Final EIR.
1. How much will the construction and operation of this facility interfere with the use and enjoyment of Bedwell Bayfront Park by residents of Menlo Park and surrounding communities? The park is used at all times of the day. It provides a quiet, natural environment that is valued greatly by residents and workers, particularly with the increased growth in the Bayfront area. Although the Draft EIR lists measures such as fencing, flaggers, and signage to reduce hazards to the public, it is unclear whether access to parts of the park will be placed off limits for months or years while construction is underway. Additionally, there needs to be more public awareness that there may be additional truck traffic and noise along the western side of the park for the foreseeable future.
2.
There is confusion in the project documents as to how the wastewater will be treated. Although the Final EIR indicates that Reverse Osmosis will be part of the treatment process, the MOU does not. Is the City Council informed as to how this omission will affect the quality of the final water? I cannot find anything in the EIR or the Staff Report that specifies acceptance criteria for the finished recycled water. Will reduced quality be acceptable for the intended uses?
3. Changes to the Draft EIR made in reponse to comments by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife may not be sufficient to address their concerns regarding impacts on endangered species and other wildlife in the channel and on Greco Island. Precautions that CDFW consider mandatory are still being qualified by "to the extent feasible", and it is unclear whether added precautions specified in the Final EIR will be acceptable to that agency.
This recycling project is very important to help address current and future water shortages, but should not be rushed through without a full understanding of the impact on Menlo Park residents and on the environment.
Thanks for your consideration,
Naomi Goodman
Menlo Park
