There are THREE categories of parking permits available for the City of Menlo Park:

• Overnight Residential Parking
• Daytime Residential Parking
• Downtown Plaza Parking

OVERNIGHT RESIDENTIAL PARKING:

GENERAL SUMMARY:

Parking any vehicle is prohibited between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on all residential streets, or within 300 feet of a residential area, within the City of Menlo Park.

The parking ordinance is in effect 7 days a week, 365 days a year. All vehicles parked on any Menlo Park residential street overnight must have a permit or are subject to citation.

All parked vehicles will receive one courtesy warning (whether a permit is displayed or not). The purpose of the courtesy notice is to inform those who are unaware of the ordinance, since no signs are posted. Vehicles that have received prior warnings are listed in our computer system, and will be cited if later found parked without a permit.

HISTORY AND PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE:

The ordinance was enacted in 1963 and has been upheld by the courts, several different majority votes of city residents and has been actively enforced ever since. The benefits of the ordinance to city residents and businesses are many:

• Issuing permits assures that vehicles belong to our residents and their guests.
• Our streets are free of the congestion of over-parking from too many cars.
• Better distribution of cars parked overnight in higher density areas.
• Suspicious, stolen, abandoned and disabled vehicles are easily checked, identified and removed.
• Less overnight crime by reducing suspect and possible victim vehicles.
• Officers patrolling many residential streets deter some crimes.
• Street cleaning and maintenance is assured.
• Easier access to residences during nighttime emergencies.
• A cleaner and better-looking city.

*EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES

Vehicles displaying valid handicapped license plates or placards are exempt from this ordinance.

TEMPORARY OVERNIGHT PARKING PERMITS

All Menlo Park residents are allowed to purchase up to 100 temporary one-night permits per year, per household (50 January thru June and 50 July thru December). Permits are generally good for a one year time period, though some may have a shorter or longer expiration, depending on when during the year the permits are purchased and what our supply is. Please only purchase what you intend to use in the immediate future or call us before purchase if you need further details regarding this at 650-330-6308 during Police business hours. Temporary permits can be used for guests, or other reasons that you would need to park your car on the street (such as vehicle breakdown, driveway repair etc). Temporary permits are available for purchase by residents only at the Police Department during Police business hours, or use the PayPal button above. Permits that are purchased online are mailed out within ten (10) days. The permits can be purchased in advance, and the date scratched off when you need to use them. A limited number of permits can be purchased at the Police Department thru the Dispatch window after hours or on weekends/holidays for an additional fee.

*Note: Your Driver's License is needed to establish residency and for cashing checks. Payments acceptable are cash, check, credit card (Visa/MasterCard) or ATM debit card.

ANNUAL OVERNIGHT PARKING PERMITS

Per city ordinance, Annual permits are available for only certain apartment buildings within the city limits that lack adequate resident parking spaces and are zoned R3.

• Your apartment rental/lease contract showing the same name as the vehicle's registered owner.
• Your Driver's License is needed to establish ID, residency and to accept any checks.
• Current California vehicle registration for the vehicle you will park on the street. Vehicle must be registered to the permit holder listed on the lease agreement. No out-of-state or foreign vehicle registrations allowed for annual permits.

You can read the entire text of Menlo Park's Parking Ordinances, including Section 11.24.050 Overnight parking - HERE

DAYTIME RESIDENTIAL PARKING:

Some areas of the City have requested parking restrictions in their residential areas because of numerous all day parkers. Special permits have been designed for these residents in certain approved areas so they can have guests at their homes without fear of a citation. The current areas where these are located are:

• Flood Park area
• College Avenue area
• Crane Street

DAYTIME RESIDENTIAL PERMITS

A resident or landlord who would like a Daytime Residential Permit must complete the proper form, with their name, address, and phone number. The permits are then mailed to the address listed on the form. There is an annual fee for up to three permits for residents, or one for landlords.

FLOOD PARK RESIDENTIAL PERMITS

The residents in the Flood Park area requested and received no parking restrictions in their neighborhoods between April and October. The primary purpose of this restriction is to keep visitors to Flood Park from parking in front of their homes.

The permit system is very similar to the residential permit system used for the College area. For an annual fee residents get three permits which can be displayed on their visitors vehicles or their own.

*EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES

Marked repair, maintenance, utility, refuse, or delivery vehicles while doing business in the residential parking district, as well as vehicles displaying valid handicapped license plates or placards are exempt from this residential daytime parking ordinance.

DOWNTOWN PLAZA PARKING:

The Menlo Park Downtown Plazas are timed parking areas, and are strictly enforced. There are three types of Downtown Plaza Parking Permits available for purchase:

• Annual (including Merchant Delivery Vehicles)
• Temporary Full Day
• Temporary Half Day

ANNUAL DOWNTOWN PERMITS

Annual downtown permits are available for business owners and employees in the downtown assessment district. In short the borders are:

• North side of Menlo Ave to South side of Oak Grove
• West side of El Camino to the East side of University

A limited number of permits can be purchased on an annual basis. Permits allow all-day parking in assigned plazas. City Council has mandated a limit on the total number of permits to be assigned at any one time in order to make parking available for customers and clients.

Permits are issued in plazas 1,2,3,5,6,7, and 8. A total of 685 permits are issued, divided throughout the plazas as designated. The current cost of an annual permit is $569.00 per year, which is pro-rated throughout the year depending on when it is purchased - please call for exact amount. To purchase an annual downtown permit, please come to the Police Department during City business hours with the appropriate fee, business name and address, and description of the vehicle that will be using the permit.

Subscribe to Parking Permit Availability Updates

If a permit is turned in during the year we will prorate a refund for only the unused full months remaining until expiration. An administrative fee will be charged for all refund requests. The permits are assigned to a specific plaza only.

Merchant Delivery Vehicle Permits are available for delivery vehicles, which are clearly marked identifying the business. Permits are purchased annually for the same fee as regular downtown plaza permits, however they are not considered part of the 685 permits issued.

TEMPORARY DOWNTOWN PERMITS (Full and half-day)

Temporary permits are available for purchase only by eligible plaza businesses, and are limited to 50 per month, per business. They may be used by the business employees as needed or may be given to their clients for use while on extended appointments at the business. They are only valid in plaza's 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Permits are NOT valid in plaza 4 (the lot next to Draegers) and they are not valid for on-street parking. The current cost of temporary permits are $10.00 for a full day and $5.00 for a half day.