The plan to build 56 houses on Linfield Drive was approved by the Menlo Park City Council last week despite another round of resounding criticism by residents concerned about the potential impacts on their Linfield Oaks neighborhood.
The new two- and three-story detached homes will be built at 110 and 175 Linfield Drive, sites of abandoned office buildings. The project is the largest Menlo Park housing development approved since the 145-unit Vintage Oaks complex, built in 1992.
In approving the project, the council amended the general plan and adopted a “statement of overriding consideration” — a declaration that the project’s benefits outweigh its negative impacts.
Eight of the homes will be below-market-rate units.
The project includes a $1.3 million “in lieu” fee for its lack of a park; a $360,000 storm drain improvement project; and $330,000 of traffic mitigation costs, all fronted by the developer.
It was approved by a 4-0 vote. Councilman Andy Cohen was absent.
Higher density
Neighbors have criticized the plan at a slew of public meetings since higher-density housing was initially proposed for the sites in 2002, reiterating fears of inevitable impacts on neighborhood streets and schools.The sites are now home to abandoned office buildings.
“[Neighbors] have been opposing this development for three years,” said resident JoAnne Goldberg at the March 21 council meeting. “We don’t think high-density housing makes sense in our neighborhood.”
Ms. Goldberg said the environmental impact report (EIR) and traffic study associated with the project don’t address the dangers of cut-through traffic for pedestrians and bicyclists.
She also predicted that the project will overburden local schools as families with children move into the new homes.
A recent demographic study done for the Menlo Park City School District cites new housing in Linfield Oaks as one reason to expect a 20 percent growth in enrollment by 2015. The district has a $90 million bond measure on the June 6 ballot to finance new facilities, in part to accommodate anticipated growth.
An estimated 15 elementary school students will move into the new homes, said Kevin Fryer of Pleasanton-based Mission Valley Homes, who spoke on behalf of the property owners.
Mayor Nicholas Jellins admitted the project will “change to an extent the look and feel” of the neighborhood, but the need for additional housing, plus additional traffic mitigation and storm water drainage costs covered by the developers, make it worth building.
Councilwoman Mickie Winkler called the proposal “a really nice project,” and noted that past proposals for the two sites called for higher-density housing.
Four projects
The project is the first in a line of four projects planned for the Linfield Oaks neighborhood. The other projects are in early stages of review, and include plans for building 37 homes at 8 Homewood Place and 33 homes at 75 Willow Road, and converting 321 Middlefield Road into medical offices.Cumulatively, the projects would bring an additional 2,000-plus vehicle trips per day to the neighborhood, and impact 12 intersections, according to a traffic study by Oakland-based transportation firm DKS Associates.
To compensate for the traffic impacts, the developers have pledged to cover the costs of traffic mitigations, estimated at $330,000. They also will donate up to $70,000 to the city for future traffic-calming projects.
Mitigations include restricting left turns onto Ravenswood Avenue from Alma Street, and installing a lighted crosswalk or traffic light on Middlefield Road at Linfield Drive.
Mr. Fryer noted that the owners could lease the existing buildings as office space without environmental review and traffic mitigations — a decision that would also bring more traffic to the neighborhood, he said.
Parking concerns
Another byproduct of the project may still have large impacts on the neighborhood: parking.Each unit will have a two-car garage, and there will be 20 spaces available for guests of the 56-home project. Council members questioned whether 20 spaces is enough.
Mayor Jellins said he had concerns about the number of parking spaces, but noted that “there is an enormous set of parameters [developers] are trying to meet,” and “behavioral modifications” will lead to homeowners’ buying fewer cars.
Councilwoman Lee Duboc said fewer spaces available for parking may lead residents to buy smaller, environmentally friendly cars.
Resident Susan Paris had a different take on the problem: “If there’s not enough room on the property, then don’t build so many houses.”
Developers of the Linfield Drive sites are looking to negotiate overnight parking space in the lot of the proposed offices at 321 Middlefield Road, said Mr. Fryer.
