Menlo Watch: Plan to require fire sprinklers on tap for council meeting Menlo Watch: Plan to require fire sprinklers on tap for council meeting (January 14, 2004)

By Rebecca Wallace

Almanac Staff Writer

A proposal that would require automatic fire sprinklers to be installed in all new buildings -- including single-family homes -- over 1,000 square feet in size is heading to the Menlo Park City Council on Tuesday, January 13.

The plan, championed by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, would also require sprinklers in all new buildings with a basement of 250 square feet or greater, and in existing structures that undergo remodels affecting 75 percent or more of the square footage.

In addition, the requirement would apply when existing buildings add a basement larger than 250 square feet.

Fire officials say the plan could reduce the number of fire-related fatalities, but some people are worried about the costs to residents and business owners. Menlo Park Fire Chief Paul Wilson says the cost of sprinkler installation is typically under $3 a square foot.

Currently, automatic fire sprinklers are required to be installed in commercial buildings of 5,000 square feet or larger in the Menlo Park Fire District, which also includes Atherton and East Palo Alto. Smaller buildings may also need sprinklers if they stock materials that could be hazardous or have a location that could be difficult for firefighters to reach, Chief Wilson said.

The council is set to vote on whether to adopt a resolution supporting these revisions to the fire district's fire prevention code. The Atherton City Council has already given approval. Menlo Park's meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at 801 Laurel St.
Study session on housing/retail plan

More details about a housing and retail project on Oak Grove Avenue and Derry Lane east of El Camino Real are likely to be made available at a Menlo Park City Council study session on Tuesday, January 13.

A spokesman for the San Mateo-based O'Brien Group, which is partnering with the Derry family on the 3.5-acre project, has only stated that the development is likely to include higher-density housing, but declined to state how many units could be built or what type of retail businesses would go in.

Under city law, a maximum of 138 dwelling units could be built on the site, said Justin Murphy, principal planner for the city. Some of the businesses on the site, such as Foster's Freeze, could possibly remain, an O'Brien Group spokesman has said.

The study session is expected to allow the council a chance to informally comment on the project. No further details on the project were included in the staff report prepared for the study session. Mr. Murphy said that was because the developers have not yet submitted an application and fees, and that the extra staff work could be costly.

The session begins at 6 p.m. in Room 112 of the Burgess Recreation Center, 700 Alma St., Menlo Park.
Resident meeting on budget cuts

Menlo Park residents will be able to weigh in on potential cuts to city services at a 10 a.m. community meeting on Saturday, January 17.

At the event, the first of three scheduled for January, attendees will also discuss the results of a survey mailed out to 1,000 residents last year that asked them to state which services they'd be most and least averse to cutting.

The meeting will be led by City Manager David Boesch and take place in the Burgess Recreation Center at 700 Alma St. Menlo Park seniors and people with disabilities can call 330-2512 to schedule a free van pick-up.

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