Menlo Watch: Council plans big projects for coming year Menlo Watch: Council plans big projects for coming year (March 02, 2005)

By Rebecca Wallace

Almanac Staff Writer

How many times has someone told you to "get your priorities straight"? On Saturday, March 5, you can tell the Menlo Park City Council to do just that.

From 9 a.m. to noon, the council will hold a special meeting in the Fireside Room of the Burgess Recreation Center at 700 Alma St. to review major project priorities for the fiscal year 2005-06, which starts July 1.

As in years past, the council will have lots of projects to sift through and decide which need to be ranked the most important in a time of budget doldrums.

Possible projects could include yet again trying to revamp the city's residential zoning code. Last year, council members talked about launching a new effort on the home-building rules but decided to hold off until they had looked at other potential city projects at this upcoming meeting.

The public will also get a chance to speak at the March 5 meeting. A full staff report on the meeting is expected to be available on March 1. For more information, go to menlopark.org and click on "City Council."
Free compost is available

Residents of the city of Menlo Park can pick up free compost on Saturday, March 5, starting at 9 a.m. just inside the entrance to Bayfront Park near the intersection of Bayfront Expressway and Willow Road.

Residents need to bring their own shovels and containers. Heavy rain means the event will be postponed for one week. For more information, call the city's environmental and recycling division at 330-6763.
Flood-zone law change gets postponed

A plan to make it easier for Menlo Park residents living in flood zones to upgrade structures on their property has been postponed and likely will return to the City Council on March 15.

Councilwoman Kelly Fergusson voiced concerns February 15 that making it easier to upgrade garages might lead to increased traffic on alleys in the Willows neighborhood. She asked city staff to look into how many of the potentially affected properties have alley access and how the alleys could be affected.

Building an accessory structure in a flood zone currently requires a variance from the Planning Commission, but new regulations from the Federal Emergency Management Agency state that there are circumstances under which a variance wouldn't be needed, staff said.

For more information, go to menlopark.org, click on "City Council" and go to the February 15 meeting agenda.

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