Posted by Gunther Steinberg, a resident of the Portola Valley: Ladera neighborhood, on Oct 31, 2011 at 4:37 pm

Menlo Park had better take care not to become like San Francisco. There, the traffic and parking problems and costs had the result that we almost never go to San Francisco for anything any more.

Posted by Roland Kelly, a resident of the Menlo Park: Linfield Oaks neighborhood, on Nov 1, 2011 at 11:04 am

When will the City Council finally realize that they are driving this city OUT OF business ? A stroll along Santa Cruz Ave and El Camino reveals many vacant premises, defunct businesses starved of customers and for what .. a few extra bucks legally extracted by overzealous Parking Enforcement (I am a Menlo Park resident 17+ years and have not received a ticket (yet) .. I follow the silly rules and keep an eye out for the meter maids..). The City Founders, fellow Irishmen Dennis Oliver and DC McGlynn would turn in their graves if they knew what is being done to their City. Menlo Park/Atherton is one of the wealthiest communities on the planet and yet we are subject to this pettiness ! Unbelievable ..

Roland Kelly , East Creek Dr

Originally, Dublin Ireland

PS. When the City failed to deal with my complaints re the unsightly weeds & dirt at Willow/Bay Shore I contacted Caltrans to improve it and the whole mess at the Hwy 101/Jct.404 Willow Rd W Exit .. Within 4 weeks the issue was resolved … Why cannot the Council do this ? (My e-mails to the Council were met with standard reply..)

PPS. Can we please have suitable signs 'Welcome to Menlo Park' placed at the City Limits and stop this wanton waste of our taxpayer dollars on parking meters.

Posted by Reader, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Nov 1, 2011 at 1:14 pm

The lady who wrote the email won't do any better in downtown Palo Alto -- she'll find it's exactly the arrangement she's complaining about, of 2 hours maximum in any one area, with no return on the same day. It shouldn't be a surprise if you read the signs.

Perhaps, balancing things out, there's someone else complaining to PA about this and threatening to eat henceforth in Menlo Park?

Posted by Laverne , a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Nov 1, 2011 at 3:15 pm

I think this is a great idea. Now I can actually park my car for more than 2 hours without having to run out and move it and worry about getting a ticket! Thank you to the City.. finally.

Posted by Peter Oswald, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Nov 1, 2011 at 5:17 pm

The parking situation isn't nearly as much of a debacle as the mess the whole downtown redevelopment plan has been and continues to be...

The cost of the redevelopment plan feasibility study alone alone would have paid for 10 years of parking ticket revenue, had it been axed from the start.

3 hour or more as an option is a step in the right direction.