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A Menlo Park business that nearby Palo Alto residents say has been a nuisance for three years must cease holding events at its offices, Menlo Park officials said in a letter to the company.
The Oct. 5 letter to Mukul Agarwal, managing partner at BootUp Ventures, a startup-networking business at 68 Willow Road, stated the company must cease immediately holding events, receptions or other gatherings and from advertising its spaces for events on its website.
The company, which was founded in 2013, bills itself as a “startup ecosystem co-working and event space.” It advertises co-working spaces, a business accelerator, corporate workshops and event venues for rent at prices ranging from $80 to $500 per hour.
Residents of Palo Alto’s Downtown North neighborhood, which lies just across the San Francisquito Creek from BootUp, said the events create unwanted noise from people shouting, laughing and talking loudly and from amplified music. The problem has gone unabated for about three years, they said, despite their complaints to Menlo Park staff and elected officials.
“All afternoon, it was just blasting out from there, all over our neighborhood,” resident Anne Meyer said of a Sept. 15 foundation fundraiser that was attended by about 300 people. The event had amplified music and took place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m, according to the application.
Andres Mediavilla, a Palo Alto Avenue resident whose home is immediately across the creek from BootUp, told the Weekly that the problem has become so persistent that he has considered filing a lawsuit. On Oct. 4, he wrote to Menlo Park city officials regarding an event.
“We could still hear people being loud and screaming at 9 p.m.,” Mediavilla wrote. “BootUp has been organizing events without the proper permits on average of twice per week for the last three years in complete violation of their C-1 zoning rules.”
Neighbors have called Menlo Park police numerous times, Mediavilla said, and he and his attorney have communicated several times with Menlo Park City Attorney Bill McClure. (McClure is currently out of the office and could not be reached for comment.)
Mediavilla and his partner presented concerns at a Menlo Park City Council meeting last December, and he said he communicated several times with the city’s code-enforcement officer. A police commander who was said to be in charge of the matter didn’t reply to Mediavilla’s inquiries, the resident said.
“All our efforts have been utterly fruitless. The city of Menlo Park’s apathy and inactivity to resolve this situation makes it appear as if the city of Menlo Park condones BootUp’s violations and that it is biased on enforcing their zoning rules,” he wrote in his letter.
“These constant events are negatively impacting our quality of life by preventing the peaceful enjoyment of our home and surroundings,” he wrote.
But now, the city is finally taking action. In its letter to BootUp, Menlo Park staff said the business is allowing unpermitted activities. The property is zoned C-1, which is limited to professional, executive and administrative offices; research facilities; public utilities; and some special uses in accordance with applicable laws, according to city ordinance.
“The property at 68 Willow Road cannot be used for hosting, conducting or renting (e.g., conference room or the patio) for special events, receptions, workshops, and/or other gatherings. These uses are not permitted under the current use permit for general-office uses. All such activities and advertisement as an event venue on the BootUp website will need to cease immediately,” wrote Deanna Chow, assistant director of community development and planning.
She cited the business’ 2007 application to the city’s Planning Commission for new landscaping and outdoor improvements.
“The patio was described as a passive area with reading benches and a water fountain that would connect via a path to a new passive seating area adjacent to the creek. There was no mention of any active use of the patio for events, receptions or other gatherings in either the application or discussion at the Planning Commission meeting,” Chow’s letter noted.
BootUp will need to seek a revision of its use permit if it wants to conduct outdoor gatherings and social events associated with office use, she noted. A new permit application would require a full accounting of the types of activities, their frequency, times and locations, use of amplified sound and the number of attendees, among other data.
But in no case can the site be used as an event center for patrons who are unaffiliated with the business, the letter noted.
Such a restriction would appear to dampen BootUps’ current practices.
“Event space for any occasion,” the website offered, as recently as Oct. 17.
The choices include business networking to conference rooms; professional catering; outdoor events; corporate off-site presentations; and “formal evening,” which offers indoor dining for up to 48 people. Its Startup Cafe for professional networking events accommodates up to 130 people at a rate of $500 per hour; the outdoor patio can be rented for $200 an hour, according to the website.
The change can’t come fast enough for the neighbors.
BootUp’s location is not appropriate for “a nightclub kind of thing,” LaNell Mimmack said.
Mimmack went to BootUp when it first opened to find out what was going on.
“I think they offered me a beer,” she recalled.
BootUp has not responded to requests for comment. Mark Muenzer, Menlo Park’s community development director, said the company has not replied to the Oct. 5 letter.
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BootUp Ventures in Menlo Park functions as a startup accelerator co-working space and event space, according to its website. Photo by Veronica Weber. -
Palo Alto resident Andres Mediavilla stands just across the street from his creekside home as guests of BootUp Ventures exit a shuttle bus and head to the Menlo Park event space on Oct. 17. Mediavilla says the startup accelerator and co-working space has hosted numerous indoor and outdoor gatherings and parties for the past three years, creating noise that disturbs residents of his Downtown North neighborhood. Photo by Veronica Weber. -
A sign posted outside BootUp Ventures directs visitors to head to the back patio on Oct. 17. The space often hosts gatherings and parties on the outdoor patio, according to Palo Alto resident Andres Mediavilla, whose house faces the patio across San Francisquito Creek. BootUp, he says, is a source of consistent noise. Photo by Veronica Weber.
From BootUp’s marketing brochure, accessed just now:
“The Patio. Outdoor Dining and Open Space. Our outdoor courtyard can accommodate up to 200 guests. The upper-deck portion features a waterfall, fire pits and a casual dining area for up to 80 guests. Adjacent to our upper-deck is an 8600 square foot garden area with seating inter-mixed among Redwood tress [sic] with a removable outdoor stage.
“Other amenities include seating for up to 50 with tables, 5 fire pits, 4 heat lamps and a fountain.”
[ source: https://www.bootupventures.com/downloads/bootup_event_venue_full.pdf ]
This article omits much of the sordid history of this 68 Willow enterprise, which has gone by different names. Most notably, the “gentlemen’s club,” Cuckoos’ Nest, that they attempted to launch a few years ago, halted only because one of the partners embezzled. The city seemed to have no problem allowing such a club in a residential neighborhood. Google “Cuckoos Nest Menlo Park” for all the background, including an article in Forbes.
Also note a few current council members promoting this private venture on a video posted by the City of Menlo Park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvcpeAlu8Iw
Can we see another article that includes a real investigation? I’d like to understand why the city has been so unwilling to put the brakes on this disruptive organization. Is someone profiting? Or is there merely an unfounded fear that all the venture capitalists will pick up and leave Menlo Park if anyone says no to them?
The article says the City is forcing Bootup to apply for a new permit? What am I missing?
The libelous accusations that people write on this town hall sometimes are ridiculous.
“The article says the City is forcing Bootup to apply for a new permit? What am I missing?”
uh, it took years for the city to do this? That’s what your missing Mr Bootup.
Why anyone volunteers for public service in Menlo Park is puzzling to me? Ribbon cuttings and promotional videos for local businesses on the City website are evidence of bribery and illegal activity? That’s pretty standard fare in the rest of the world.
Maybe those videos get posted regularly on sites belong to “another community,” but this is the only video promoting a private business on our city’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/cityofmenlopark/videos
There’s doubtlessly a legitimate reason for boosting this business and not others. Why not share that reason with us? Along with explaining why it’s taken so long for the city to act on the many complaints.
I guess we’ll see whether the recent handslap has any effect, or whether the city decides not to follow up and let the events continue because “we sent them a letter.”