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Menlo briefs: Walgreens appeals denial of permit to sell alcohol

by Sandy Brundage

Walgreens has filed an appeal of the Menlo Park Planning Commission's 4-3 denial of its request to sell beer and wine at its Santa Cruz Avenue store.

At the June 27 meeting, Planning Commissioners Katie Ferrick, Peipei Yu, Jack O'Malley, and Ben Eiref voted against granting the permit, arguing that allowing the downtown drugstore to sell alcohol for off-premise consumption was inappropriate and detrimental to Menlo Park's welfare.

The final outcome now rests with the City Council, which is expected to hear the issue on Aug. 23, according to the city clerk's office. Earlier this year the council members voted to allow Beverages & More to open a store on El Camino Real after that franchise lost a bid to open a smaller shop on Santa Cruz Avenue.

Walgreens representatives were not immediately available for comment.

Green building code, Habitat parcel on tap

Returning after a hiatus, the Menlo Park City Council faces a full agenda that nevertheless appears free of controversial items — a little school route planning, a couple responses to grand jury reports, updating the city's green building ordinance, and possibly buying back a Terminal Avenue parcel from Habitat for Humanity.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in council chambers at the Civic Center at 701 Laurel St.

Go to menlopark.org and click on "City Council" to view the agenda and related staff reports.

Parks and Rec meets at library

Taking a change of scenery, the Menlo Park Parks and Recreation Commission meets Wednesday, July 20, in the multipurpose room of the library at 800 Alma St. The agenda lists the election of a vice chair, the approval of a work plan for communicating with community user groups, and updates as the main items. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.