Leaves falling and Halloween decorations coming up on an even calendar year means only one thing...political campaign season! Since California has vote by mail, and the San Mateo Elections office has already put ballots in the mail, voting will officially start this week.
I know that elections can be polarizing. Regardless of how we personally feel on various issues, we are all neighbors and its important that we treat each other with dignity and respect. Reasonable people can disagree, and once the election passes we will still see each other at Trader Joe's and soccer games. I am personally working on noticing the difference between passion and righteousness, and being genuinely curious about other people's points of view. I am the first to admit that I am not perfect and that I'm a work in progress.
For those of you looking for some timely reading material, I highly recommend a book I read this summer called High Conflict by Amanda Ripley. The subtitle is "Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out" and it is particularly relevant in today's America, and today's Menlo Park. If you read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Since June 2020, all advisory body meetings have been conducted virtually, whereas the City Council initiated hybrid meetings in November 2021. On August 23rd, the City Council requested that staff begin the process of bringing advisory body meetings to a hybrid platform (in person and online). The table above and in the staff report shows when the various advisory bodies are targeted to begin hybrid meetings.
The City of Menlo Park was very involved in the public process for the 2018 Stanford general use permit (GUP) application that covers Stanford's planned development. In late 2019, Stanford withdrew its application for a new GUP, but recently, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors held a study session about the topic. This agenda item is to authorize Mayor Nash to submit a letter outlining Menlo Park's concerns, which mirror those of other neighboring cities. As stated in the letter, "We have specific concerns about accommodating requests [made by Stanford] to water down the policies in the Community Plan by doing things like:
removing the trip-based standards from the circulation chapter, including peak period and reverse commute trips
allowing for use of an in lieu fee for affordable housing units when we know those fees never stretch far enough to actually result in the number of units we need
allowing for housing built under the current GUP to be credited to a future GUP, and
allowing for credit for housing that occurs off campus"
This staff report contains a draft request for proposals (RFP) for qualified pool operators to submit proposals for operating the Burgess Pool and the future MPCC aquatics center. The City Council is anticipated to select the preferred provider in January 2023. Please note that the current pool operator, Team Sheeper, Inc., is invited and encouraged to respond.
Each year, the City replaces vehicles and equipment based on mileage, age, downtime for repairs, mandated emission regulations and an assessment of all vehicles and equipment. Replacements must strive to meet the City's Climate Action Plan No. 5 goal to eliminate fossil fuels from city operations by 2030 and use the Sustainable Fleet Policy adopted by the City Council when making decisions about vehicle purchases.
The table above summarizes the recommendations classified by department in accordance with the decarbonization plan and explains why certain vehicles and equipment are not all-electric.
According to the staff report, the following police and public works vehicle and equipment purchases are being proposed by Staff in this fiscal year:
Police:
One electric Ford Mustang Mach-E pool vehicle;
One electric Ford F-150 Lightning community service truck;
Three electric detective vehicles (two Ford Mustang Mach-E, and one Ford-150 Lightning); and
Three lower emission BMW 1250 RT-P gasoline powered motorcycles.
Public Works:
Three electric Ford F-150 Lightning light-duty trucks;
One electric reel mower; and
Four renewable diesel powered maintenance equipment.
The State of California is currently in a Stage 2 Drought. This informational item contains a list of drought regulations currently in effect for Menlo Park Municipal Water customers, and outreach efforts the City has undertaken to inform residents. In addition to this staff report, the City also maintains a webpage related to drought-related information here.
In 2021 the City Council approved the 2021 San Mateo County multijurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). The Menlo Park LHMP annex focuses on actions to mitigate flood, earthquake and sea level rise/climate change, which are categorized as “high” risk hazards within the city boundaries. At the time of adoption, the City Council requested annual updates on progress to implement the LHMP actions. It lists 34 mitigation actions 13 short-term (one to five years), three medium-term (five to 10 years), three long-term (10 years or greater), and 15 ongoing (continual.). This informational item provides an update on work being done in this area.
Other Items of Interest
Below are some additional items of interest:
Ballot Initiatives Pros and Cons Presented by
San Mateo County Leagues of Women Voters
Thurs, October 13th at 3:00pm
Join Thrive and the two Leagues of Women Voters (LWV) of San Mateo County on Thursday, October 13th at 3pm. LWV will present a non-partisan breakdown of each ballot initiative on the November General Election ballot. As part of its mission to provide non-partisan political information, LWV provides impartial information about the ballot measures each election cycle.
You will learn:
The intent of each initiative
What a “yes” vote means; what a “no” vote means
Supporting and opposing arguments
How the proposition is funded and its budget impact
Organizations that support and oppose the proposition
2nd Menlo Park Community Collaborative Session: Environmental Justice Two Dates and Locations:
Monday Oct. 17th at 6pm at the Belle Haven Library
Monday, Oct. 24th at 6pm at the Menlo Park Library
The second Menlo Park Community Collaboration Session will be held from 6-7pm on Monday, October 17th, at the Belle Haven Branch Library and/or from 6-7pm on Monday, October 24th at the Menlo Park Library.
This month’s topic will cover the Environmental Justice and Safety Element and will be led by Climate Resilient Communities, Juanita Croft from the Belle Haven Community Development Fund, and Pam D Jones, with Belle Haven Empowered.
As a part of updating the city’s General Plan, Menlo Park is for the first time preparing an Environmental Justice Element which identifies neighborhoods like Belle Haven that are disproportionately affected by pollution, climate, and other environmental hazards.
The city aims to create policies and programs that address the inequities and at the same time update its Safety Element to reduce existing and future hazards due to the impacts of climate change. This month’s discussion will provide historical context and outline current environmental impacts in the Belle Haven community.
Food and $25 gift cards will be provided to each in-person attendee and the event will be presented in English and Spanish.
Everyone is welcome to attend, share ideas, and join these discussions about the future of our city.
Any questions: Reach out to Marlene Santoyo with Menlo Spark at msant043@ucr.edu
Menlo Park Community Campus Construction Tour
Friday, October 21st at 3:30pm
Residents and other interested parties are invited to a guided tour of the Menlo Park Community Campus project now under construction in the Belle Haven neighborhood. This is part of a series of neighborhood-oriented tours at various stages of the project.
The October 21st construction tour will feature the interior stairs, in addition to a walkthrough of the structure.
The intent of the neighborhood tours is to provide Menlo Park residents, especially from the Belle Haven neighborhood, the opportunity to observe and experience the project while it is under construction.
Must be 18 years of age or older. This is an active construction site with uneven surfaces and other potential hazards. Sturdy footwear is required. Personal protective equipment (hard hats, hi-visibility vests) will be provided.
Advance registration and liability waiver are required. Please click here for information about how to register for this tour.
