Menlo Park Planning Commission reviews Facebook EIR

The Menlo Park Planning Commission will meet on Monday, January 9. On the agenda is a review of the draft environmental impact review (DEIR) for the new Facebook campus.

The Planning Commission will review and take legally applicable oral comments to the Facebook Draft Environmental Impact Report.

SVBC members Adina Levin and Andrew Boone have been working hard to fix the nearby gap in the Bay Trail and ensure the new Facebook campus can be easily reached by bike. Here are their notes and talking points for the Planning Commission meeting:

We need maximum possible turnout to send a strong message that improving bicycle infrastructure in the vicinity of the Facebook Campus is important to:

help commuters get to Facebook and other Silicon Valley companies without driving, in order to reduce traffic congestion, noise, and air pollution impacts


Talking points for cyclists:

• *Thank Facebook for being a strong supporter of bicycling and other alternative modes of transportation.
• *Urge Facebook to help fund the completion of the one-mile Bay Trail gap through Menlo Park and East Palo Alto.
• *Ask Facebook to provide continuous bike lanes on Willow Rd, University Ave, and Bay Rd (there are many gaps in the bike lanes on these streets).
• *Menlo Park should include these bicycle improvements as Transportation Mitigation Measures in the Facebook EIR, because bike commuting reduces auto traffic.

Talking points for alternative transportation experts (such as TDM coordinators):

• *Thank Facebook for being a leader of alternative transportation programs and having already achieved a 41% non-drive alone mode share (as documented in the EIR).
• *Share any relevant data or personal stories about bike commuting on the Bay Trail, or how other bicycle infrastructure improvements have increased bike commuting.
• *Encourage Facebook to help fund the completion of the one-mile Bay Trail gap, and to fund continuous bike lanes on Willow Rd, University Ave, and Bay Road.
• *Menlo Park should include these bicycle improvements as Transportation Mitigation Measures in the Facebook EIR, because bike commuting reduces auto traffic.

What to Expect

Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) volunteers will be available outside the City Council Chambers to help coordinate bicycle parking, hand out flyers containing more detailed information on the Facebook EIR, and hand out public speaker cards, which you need to fill out in order to make a public comment, and to answer any questions you may have.

There will be a "pre-party" outside the City Council Chambers from 6:30 - 7:00 pm. There we'll help each other prepare for the meeting, practice our public comments, and discuss the next (exciting!) steps.

What to Do

Wear bike-specific clothing (tight-fitting, bright colors, gloves, helmets) to the meeting that make it obvious to everyone that you're a cyclist. Bike Pride!

Getting there on Caltrain

If you take a northbound Caltrain, you can arrive at Menlo Park at 6:46 pm, 6:57 pm, 7:13 pm, 7:24 pm, or 8:04 pm and will arrive on time to make a public comment.

If you take a southbound Caltrain, you can arrive at Menlo Park at 6:28 pm, 6:34 pm, 7:28 pm, and probably even 8:23 pm and will arrive on time to make a public comment.

If you can't attend

Please send an email to the Menlo Park Planning Commission at planning.commission@menlopark.org. Please use the above talking points in your email.

Thanks!

The notice of public hearing is attached below. We'll see you there!