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Residents urge caution on Menke Park circulation as foundation-led park improvements proceed
Summary
At open time residents praised a community introduction to proposed Menke Park improvements but warned against changes that would reduce vehicle access or parking. Council and staff said the park improvements and parking concerns will be considered separately as planning and budgeting move forward.
Multiple residents spoke during the public comment period April 1 to support Menke Park improvements while urging the council to avoid changes that would reduce traffic flow or parking in the square.
Peter Chase, who described himself as speaking about Menke Park, thanked town staff and the Corte Madera Foundation for a recent introduction event and said the park plan should move forward with engineering and planting. "The plan can progress with the council support for engineering and planting for the park," he said.
Aaron Parsons, who lives on Montecito Drive above the park, asked the council to treat parking and the park as separate issues. Parsons said the square provides the only access for about 80 households on Montecito Drive and Grove Avenue and warned that restricting traffic could shift congestion to nearby signals at Redwood and Corte Madera avenues. "Any changes or restrictions to traffic flow and parking in Menke Park are gonna negatively impact those residents, those businesses," Parsons said, and he asked staff to consider the area as both a transportation facility and a recreation space.
Mike Strasser and other speakers expressed support for adjacent commercial revitalization (including reuse of the barn next to Café Verde), saying investment in nearby commercial centers could help concentrate activity. Town Manager Adam Wolff said the town heard similar concerns at a March community meeting and that staff would continue work with the foundation, noting further work and budget discussions may be scheduled this spring and early summer.
Councilmembers indicated they heard the public’s safety and parking concerns and said staff would bring further planning and budget options back to the council for the town’s consideration. No formal decisions were made at the meeting; the item was raised during open public comment and later referenced in the town manager’s report.
