You’ve probably heard about
Facebook’s recent IPO, but you may not have heard about their plan to relocate
to the former Sun Microsystems campus in Menlo Park, at the foot of the
Dumbarton Bridge. Since this is an already-developed site, CGF did not oppose
the plan, but due to the projected increases in traffic and potential impacts
on the Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge (which borders the new Facebook campus on
two sides), we did submit comments on the EIR for the project. Here is an
excerpt from our comments:
By far the
greatest impact the Project will have on the surrounding area is the increased
traffic and associated effects on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. In
spite of Facebook’s mitigation measures with regard to supporting bicycling
amenities and other alternative modes of transport, which the Committee
recognizes and appreciates, these impacts will significantly impact the
environment and the surrounding community, especially taken in conjunction with
increased traffic resulting from other projects already approved or planned in
the vicinity. It is vitally important for the City of Menlo Park, as well as
other local and regional agencies, to recognize the cumulative effect of more
and more development occurring in this area, which is isolated from public
transit options that could reduce car traffic if the projects were more
centrally located. The Committee strongly urges the City to focus future
development in underutilized and already-developed areas nearer to public
transit corridors.
We will be keeping an eye on
future development proposals in this area, including Cargill’s proposal to
build a city of 30,000 people on the Redwood City salt ponds.
