City of MENLO PARK
Housing Element, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND SAFETY ELEMENTS - 6TH CYCLE
On September 24, the Menlo Park City Council adopted their new Environmental Justice Element and an updated Safety Element, culminating a process that began in 2021 and included the adoption of the City’s Sixth Cycle Housing Element earlier this year.
The Environmental Justice Element is the City’s first. It sets the City on a committed path towards equal protection and advantages, as well as meaningful community involvement in municipal decisions. As part of this commitment, the Environmental Justice Element is accompanied by an Action Guide that will be used to manage and coordinate City efforts. This Action Guide was developed from outreach in Menlo Park’s underserved communities and is designed to be adaptable and responsive to community needs.
Menlo Park’s Safety Element was updated from a 2013 document in order to address new topics such as climate change adaptation and resiliency, wildfire hazards, and emergency evacuation. It was refined to be consistent with the San Mateo County Multijurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Menlo Park’s Climate Action Plan, and the County’s Emergency Operations Plan.
This work included substantive community outreach, including multiple meetings convened in English and Spanish held throughout the City. This outreach began mostly online in 2021 and by its close we held a Planning Commission meeting in the new Belle Haven Community Campus!