This page provides answers to frequently asked questions about El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan. For more information about the overall project, please see the main El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan page.
What is a Specific Plan, anyway?
A specific plan is a comprehensive, action-oriented set of rules for a specific geographic area. For Menlo Park, the El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan is setting the direction for the heart of the city over the coming decades. It builds on the successful 2007-2008 Vision Plan process, which established twelve key goals. The Specific Plan will define what our community desires for its future by regulating land use and defining other aspects of possible future public and private development.
Why do we need a Specific Plan? Aren't things fine as they are?
By having a specific plan, we as a community can control our future based on positive changes the community would like to see. Many of the current rules are several decades old, and don't necessarily reflect community values. The plan will help address long-standing concerns people have with the El Camino corridor - parking, blight, pedestrian access, traffic and vacancies. It will also help address concerns people have with downtown - parking, pedestrian access, inviting community spaces and increased vibrancy. At the same time, the plan will help maintain and enhance what we value most about these areas.
We want our future choices to include information about impacts (both positive and negative) so we can make informed decisions about the area as a whole, not as individual projects are proposed and we want to ensure public investment successfully leverages private investment and results in improved prosperity for the community overall. A specific plan helps achieve these important goals.
How has the community been involved in the process so far?
The plan has included extensive opportunities for input in various formats including eight citywide mailouts to all residents and businesses in Menlo Park, two community-wide surveys responded to by over 2,000 people, seven workshops, an email list of over 900 people who get regular updates, one-on-one interviews with downtown business owners and other important stakeholders, two walking tours, regular Chamber of Commerce outreach, booths at all the Downtown Block Parties, and more. And the community input is still in process: we want to continue to see new faces and to get input to refine and improve the plan. The process has used detailed information to help people weigh alternatives and engage in dialogue with one another around the various choices.
Why does the Plan include both El Camino Real and downtown?
From the very first project mailing (October 2007), the process has included both the El Camino Real corridor and downtown district, in recognition of the fact that these zones intersect at the Caltrain station area (which is not the case for all Peninsula towns- for example, Palo Alto and Los Altos' downtowns are not located directly adjacent to their El Camino Real segments). Because of this proximity, the long-term vision for each area needs to consider the other, such as by El Camino Real providing uses that support but don't directly compete with downtown's retail core. As the iterative workshop-based process has unfolded, the community has had the opportunity to tailor the plans for downtown, El Camino Real, and the station area in detail.
How does the Plan support the Farmer's Market and other important community activities?
One important goal from the Vision step was to increase vibrancy - the number of people enjoying the downtown shops and eateries. The plan includes new public spaces for festivals and gatherings, including an enhanced, park-like space for the Farmers Market. These elements are based on extensive community input about the importance of preserving Menlo Park's special public attractions.
How would development occur once the Specific Plan is approved?
The Specific Plan establishes regulations and guidelines for development in the overall area, but does not include detailed development plans. Individual property owners will still need to propose specific development, which will be subject to appropriate review processes, including additional environmental review (such as traffic studies) as needed. We do not anticipate major changes right away, and in fact, development will probably occur at generally the same pace as in the past.
What are the next steps in the process?
The Draft Specific Plan was released for public review on April 7, 2010. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was released on April 21, 2011, and the comment period concluded on June 20, 2011. The Planning Commission and City Council undertook a detailed review (informed by public input) of the Draft Specific Plan in summer-fall 2011. The draft plan has since be revised and improved, and then presented again for final review (in-progress) by the Planning Commission and City Council, again to be informed by public input. The Final EIR is also available for review.
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