Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Menlo Park eyes five sites for new housing units

by Sandy Brundage

Members of the Menlo Park City Council meet on March 12 with one thing on their minds: updating the city's housing plan.

The city must finalize its housing element update by May as part of the settlement of a lawsuit brought by three nonprofits over Menlo Park's lack of compliance with state housing law.

During this update cycle, the city needs to identify sites where zoning changes would allow a maximum of 900 new housing units to be built. Menlo Park held numerous community workshops and study sessions to whittle the initial list of 25 sites down to 14. Now staff is recommending the council approve five:

• A site at the Department of Veteran's Affairs campus in the 700 block of Willow Road (60 housing units).

• Gateway Apartments at two locations: the 1200 block of Willow Road and in the 1300 block of Willow Road. Both sites are owned by the Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition (78 units total).

• Hamilton Avenue East located in the 700 and 800 blocks of Hamilton Avenue (216 units).

• A site in the 3600 block of Haven Avenue (540 units).

Go to tinyurl.com/MP-heu to review the proposed changes and the update process. Tuesday's meeting starts at 6 p.m. in council chambers at the Civic Center at 701 Laurel St.