The Menlo Park City Council expects to change how development is approached downtown—in particular changing parking requirements near transit and earmarking project fees for downtown development.

Modifications to the city's El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan would adjust parking requirements for new developments near the Caltrain station, create a public amenity fund for funneling payments from oversized projects to downtown development and allow larger signs on certain projects, reports the San Jose Mercury News. City officials have found the city has twice as much parking as needed near Caltrain.

The council also considered the idea of a downtown parking garage, including the possibility of working with businesses or developers interested in building the garage on city land. Any revisions will be reviewed by the planning commission and city council at a later date. [SJMN]