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Dear Council Members,
I want to express my appreciation for your time and attention at last week's council meeting during open public comment when my husband, Ram Duriseti, raised serious concerns regarding the site development plans at Oak Knoll Elementary School. The basic design elements were established well before any proposals were presented to the community and prior to any meaningful traffic analysis. Minor, marginal changes have been made to the design in response to community input, but these changes do not fundamentally alter the concerns that have been raised repeatedly regarding traffic management, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and loss of heritage trees and open space.
Although I realize that the City of Menlo Park does have limited oversight in this matter, these specific concerns do fall under the purview of the city and some knowledge of the particulars of the design plan are relevant. Specifically, the need for the proposed new parking lot off Oak Ave is unjustified. Superintendent Ranella has stated that the school needs 85 parking spaces, which I believe can be accommodated by restriping the existing parking lot. The current plan proposes 95 parking spots at tremendous environmental cost, despite their claim to a negative declaration of environmental impact. The district claims that the proposed new multipurpose room (MPR) requires proximate parking, but I am convinced that the school's stated educational and operational needs are still met by locating the new MPR at the back of the school, close to existing parking. Relocating the MPR from the front of the school dramatically reduces the negative environmental impact of the proposed construction and provides more opportunity to manage traffic, improve safety, and protect our heritage trees and open space.
Time is of the essence. The school district plans to commence construction at the end of this academic year. The school district wants to avoid any delays, including amendments to their development plan, to avoid escalating costs, which is understandable. However, I cannot condone choices that force my neighborhood, my community, and the City of Menlo Park to unnecessarily bear the brunt of imprudent action.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kristin Duriseti
1890 Oak Knoll Lane Received on Tue Feb 5 13:47:43 2008
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