Dear Menlo Park City Council Members,
As an attorney, my skill is to see "PROBLEMS " before they become "EMERGENCIES ".
I respectfully predict that: You are making a Long Lasting Grievous Error in judgment IF you proceed with a plan to use the parking lots in the Menlo Park business district for housing.
If I am right: Long after you are no longer on the council, your name will be identified as having permanently damaged the business community of your city.
In my forty years as a commercial real estate lawyer, I have seen city councils mismanage their city, because they made decisions based on politics, rather than common business sense.
I have NO Personal interest in this matter. I am not being paid by anyone. I will not lose or gain, no matter what you decide to do.
I am simply waving a red flag and predicting that unless you abandon the parking lot plan and find a better location, you will invite expensive, prolonged and embarrassing lawsuits, citizen complaints, business owners shutdowns and calls for recall.
As I said, you have a problem. You need to make sure it does not turn into an Emergency.
Respectfully
Michael DeMoss
Attorney and former member of the Menlo Park Finance & Audit Commission/ Chairman of the Audit subcommittee.
Sent from my iPhone
