Dear City Council Members,

While it appears this rezoning and building project is a fait accompli,
I may as well voice my concerns as a neighbor living on Sand Hill
Circle. I am relatively sure by now that you have heard all the
comments about increased traffic, which will be brought on by this
project. However, you will not hear about the "rain effect" until the
season begins. Having lived here for 14+ years, I can tell with
certainty that once the roads are wet, there will be days when westbound
Sand Hill Road traffic trying to merge with 280 will be backed up to
Sharon Park and possibly to Alameda de las Pulgas. This does happen on
occasion even now. It will happen much more often with the increased
traffic from the hotel site. As for we residents on Sand Hill Circle
and 3000 Sand Hill Road business complex, with only one entrance/exit to
the main road, one can only hope there will be no need for emergency
vehicles. Please do not deceive yourselves that this only happens
during morning and evening "rush hours." When Sharon Heights County
Club has a function, we will experience true gridlock. I will not even
get into the subject of bicycles.

I have an additional concern, which will affect the city coffers. Once
Menlo Park has built this fabulous upscale hotel with all of its
"rustic" separate buildings, the city had better make sure it has
increased police and emergency services for this area. Crime will
certainly move on up the hill to where the money and goods have
traditionally been available to thieves, a hotel. Rent-a-cop security
services will not suffice. The city shall be forced to beef up its
police department and provide much more visible law enforcement for this
area. I am grateful as a resident and am confident that the city has
planned for this in its budget.

With all of the monies flowing from Stanford to Menlo Park for this
project, we can now expect far superior street maintenance all along
Sand Hill Road, all the way to Sand Hill Circle, can we not, and that
means cleaning the center greenbelt on a regular basis. To the best of
my knowledge and observation, I am the only person who collects litter
in that area, at least for the past 14+ years. I should think the areas
around this boutique project will be kept virtually spotless.

Menlo Park has noted its need for the revenue from this hotel project
more than once. A city needs revenue, granted. I am a bit curious,
however, what became of the vast millions paid to Menlo Park just a few
years back for permission to widen Sand Hill Road at the creek. Surely,
it has not all been spent to date, and to what purpose?

How much did Menlo Park contribute to the cost of preparing all the
studies for this hotel project?

If Menlo would like an influx of money fast, just post some traffic
enforcement along Sand Hill Road, almost any day from7:30 - 9:00am and
you will rake in a fortune in speeding fines.

Is Menlo Park lobbying Caltrans for the sound-attenuation and water
dispersal pavement installation on this area of 280? The increased
traffic and accompanying noise will affect not just the area residents
but more importantly, the paying hotel guests.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Pamela Martin

650 Sand Hill Circle, Menlo Park

 
Received on Thu Jun 8 17:47:07 2006