Menlo Park Council Leans Toward Trial Reopening of Downtown Plaza
City Council • Menlo ParkOctober 14, 2026
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Menlo Park's downtown plaza on Santa Cruz Avenue may soon share space with cars again. In a study session, a council majority informally backed a roughly 6-to-12-month pilot that would reopen the east lane while keeping a smaller community space. Residents also pressed the council on license-plate readers, a school bike corridor and a crumbling road with only one way in or out.
- Plaza pilot gains majority support: Option 2 would reopen one lane and keep a reduced community space. One member objected.
- Coleman Avenue barriers request stalls: Colleagues cited staff capacity, and the vote result was not announced.
- About 180 San Diego Circle homes are seeking a deadline on a tunnel dispute that is blocking repaving.
- Flock license-plate readers will return as a standalone item before the contract expires in February.
- Cul-de-sac setback ordinance introduced unanimously, aligning it with the 20-foot zoning standard.
The basics: Santa Cruz Avenue between Curtis and Doyle has been closed to cars since August 2023. Staff said the plaza is roughly 25% realized. The city has spent about $61,000 on furniture and has selected a design consultant.
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