Lorie's position on Menlo Park Issues

By Lorie Sinnott

Below please find Lorie's ideas and positions on various issues facing Menlo Park residents.

Building Consensus- Many believe Menlo Park has divided into two different political camps. I hope to be a bridge between both sides for the greater good of our community. My goal would be to encourage common sense governance, consensus building and calm decision-making. Emphasis should be placed on the commonality we all share, while at the same time working to hear all perspectives where we do have differences.

Budget and Fiscal Responsibility- Like most cities in California, Menlo Park is faced with dwindling revenues and has to make difficult financial choices to balance the city's budget. For the past few years, the City Council has been forced to make difficult cuts to staffing and programming, while at the same time dipping into long term reserves to make up the difference. There is no single "magic" solution to the city's budget problem, but my goal if elected will be to continue to find the cuts necessary to balance the budget with minimal impacts to the city services that keep our families safe, our neighborhoods maintained, and our quality of life intact.

Residential Remodel Ordinance 926- A great deal of debate and divisive dialog has taken place over the residential remodel ordinance recently passed and then rescinded by the City Council. As a Planning Commissioner that has studied the issue carefully, I supported Ordinance 926 and I felt strongly that all residents and their interests would be protected. Nevertheless, because of the opposition's success in gathering signatures, I also agree that the City Council made the right decision by rescinding Ordinance 926. Our community should not be divided by any single issue and I support the formation of a Task Force comprised of supporters and opponents of Ordinance 926 who would be charged with developing recommendations to the City Council on how to deal with residential issues.

Maintaining Community Facilities- Menlo Park residents love their parks, libraries and recreation facilities. As a member of the City Council, I will work with residents and staff to ensure that Measure T park bond funds continue to fund the projects and upgrades that residents want and result in parks, recreation facilities, and play fields for the entire community to enjoy. I will also make it a priority to maintain our libraries and move forward on improving the Bay Front Park and public trails near the Bay Front Parkway.

Caltrain Grade Separations- There are four streets in Menlo Park that cross the Caltrain tracks. City staff and Caltrain engineers have determined that all four streets may require future grade separations to eliminate traffic congestion and prevent pedestrian accidents. If they are necessary, our challenge in Menlo Park is to find a way to ensure that grade separations are designed and constructed in a way to protect the quality of life in surrounding neighborhoods and reduce noise. If elected, I will be proactive in assuring that neighborhoods are listened to and protected.

Dumbarton Bridge Rail Line- San Mateo County and Santa Clara County transportation officials are moving forward with plans to link transit systems in both counties with East Bay transit systems via a new commuter rail line over the Dumbarton Bridge. This new rail line has the potential to take cars off our local streets and highways and ease traffic congestion on 101 and Willow Road. I will ensure that Menlo Park residents, especially in neighborhoods closest to the proposed rail line, such as Suburban Park and Belle Haven, have the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns about any future stations, construction and long term impacts that would result from the Dumbarton Rail Line. We must work to ensure this new transit option improves our quality of life and does not negatively impact surrounding neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan (NTMP) and Traffic Calming- Until now, the City has dealt with traffic management measures on a case-by-case basis with no study about how calming in one neighborhood might negatively effect traffic in another neighborhood. I support the current effort to develop a Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan that studies traffic citywide. We all want our streets and neighborhoods to be safe. Reaching community consensus on issues like traffic management is critical, otherwise divisiveness is the result. The new NTMP is a process for getting public input and approval so that "Santa Cruz Avenue" mishaps don't get repeated again.

Walkable Neighborhoods- Making sure that children, seniors and pedestrians can walk safely through Menlo Park neighborhoods is a top priority. I support creating a continuous sidewalk on the south side of Santa Cruz Avenue, and I support installing lights-on-demand for pedestrian safety where conditions warrant such safety measures.

El Camino Corridor- With the relocation of car dealerships, narrow sidewalks, aging buildings, and the inability to keep historic and popular sites such as the Park Theater alive, the El Camino Real corridor is in real need of revitalization. As a Planning Commissioner, I have studied ways to improve the look of the El Camino and explore the retail, commercial and residential options available to Menlo Park residents. I support the creation of a Task Force that includes residents, business and property owners and City representatives to study the possible alternatives for redeveloping the El Camino corridor through Menlo Park.

Downtown Menlo Park- Our downtown business district is one of the many jewels in our community. A vibrant downtown gives our community a sense of unity and a place to gather with neighbors and friends. As a Planning Commissioner I have worked hard to support a strong business climate in Menlo Park and ensure new businesses are successful. As a councilmember, a healthy downtown will continue to be a top priority for me. Another important issue downtown is the parking situation. We should study the alternatives and decide how to improve the parking situation downtown. We need to maximize available space by expanding parking options.

Street Maintenance- Attention must be paid to the maintenance of our roads and infrastructure here in town. 10 years of deferred maintenance have taken their toll. It is more cost effective to maintain our roads and sewer systems on an ongoing basis than to force major upgrades once substantial deterioration has taken place.