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A consulting firm outlined possible changes to downtown parking rules in Menlo Park at a meeting attended by some 35 residents and business owners Thursday, March 11.
Under one alternative proposal suggested by the firm, parking would be restricted to one hour on and around Santa Cruz Avenue, with a three-hour limit set in some parking plazas to allow people to shop for a longer period of time.
Another approach would be to keep the current two-hour limit in the city’s plazas, but allow people who wanted to stay longer to pay for extra time.
The meeting was the second of three, part of a $90,000 study the city is conducting in the wake of complaints by some business owners and shoppers that time limits are too restrictive, and that it’s hard to find places to park on plazas and streets in the central downtown area.
A comprehensive story will appear in the March 17 issue of The Almanac.
I hope that Menlo Park will think carefully about the effect of parking fees and fines on their attraction to shoppers and restaurant customers. I hardly ever go to San Francisco any more than absolutely necessary, because of the parking hassle and expense. I shall not forget that the last time we had a gathering of family in SF, the parking tab was $54, not a ticket, but cost. – If this happens in MP, I will stay with Redwood City and Palo Alto or where ever parking is free. – The problem of employee parking is one that needs an innovative solution. – One cannot build a home without a garage or carport,the same rules should apply to businesses.
I agree with your statements with one exception. Redwood City does charge for parking downtown. To rent your parking space is a pain. No parking meters. but pay stations.
I’m not sure if this is the case in all neighborhoods but in the places I’ve parked with the pay stations in Redwood city the fees begin after 1-2 hours.