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On Tuesday, June 16, the Menlo Park City Council will be considering a resolution proclaiming “Black Lives Matter.” This is a welcome step, and an opportunity to go further to demand action.

Already, nearly 100 residents have signed a petition demanding that Menlo Park’s Police Open Data Portal track stops by neighborhood and race. Thanks to everyone who signed the petition. As promised, we are forwarding the names of petition signatures to City Council. If you have not yet signed, you can do so here.

In addition to the demand to track stops by race, Menlo Together’s letter is asking for several other steps to improve public safety – a Public Safety Commission with review and oversight capabilities, and to replace the upcoming “police strategic plan” with a “public safety strategic plan”  that would consider more broadly what types of investments will improve community safety, and explore for which activities other community resources may be a better, such as social workers with mental health and substance abuse expertise.

You can share your own thoughts with City Council tonight – the public meeting is likely to start around 5pm, after a closed session starting at 4pm. If you are sending written comment, please send it before 3pm (see instructions below)

The Black Lives Matter agenda item is on what is called the “consent calendar” – items that Council will vote on without discussion. But the City Council will hear comments on the item and may choose to discuss if there are comments.

How to participate in the meeting
• Submit a written comment online:
menlopark.org/publiccommentJune16*
• Record a comment or request a call-back when an agenda topic is under consideration:
Dial 650-474-5071*
• Access the special meeting real-time online at:
joinwebinar.com – Special Meeting ID 987-314-579
*Written and recorded public comments and call-back requests are accepted up to 1 hour before the meeting start time. Written and recorded messages are provided to the City Council at the appropriate time in their meeting. Recorded messages may be transcribed using a voice-to-text tool.

On a June 3 teleconference with the Menlo Park Mayor Cecilia Taylor and Police Chief Dave Bertini, a woman called in and asked about how to explain to neighborhood teens about being stopped for no apparent reason by police. Studies show that youth who experience intrusive police stops are at risk of heightened emotional distress.

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of racial disparities in police stops in Menlo Park but we don’t yet have the data to show it. There is no data by race for police stops that do not conclude in a citation or detention.

The City of Menlo Park has an Open Data Portal that provides information about local law enforcement activity. The portal provides statistics for citations, showing disparities by race. Of the citations between 2016 and 2018 that listed the individual’s race (all but 2%) 31% were given to white individuals while 69% were given to non-white individuals (40% for Black and Hispanic individuals alone). In contrast, the population of Menlo Park is exactly the opposite: 70% white and 30% non-white (according to the 2010 census).

If you want to see Menlo Park police track data about police stops by race and neighborhood, please sign this petition. If you sign this petition, Menlo Together will:

• share your name with Menlo Park City Council
• contact you with more opportunities to demand transparent data about police stops, and other opportunities for a more transparent and just city

On June 1, hundreds gathered at Burgess Park, at a rally in support of #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd and #BlackLivesMatter. Mayor Cecilia Taylor, the city’s first African-American Mayor, gave a moving talk where she shared with the crowd that she fears for her stepson and nephews’ lives. When she heard the news during a Council meeting she struggled with tears from the dais.

After the Mayor spoke, the group knelt for nine minutes, recalling how long the murderer had his knee on George Floyd’s neck.  Then the group marched, chanting and holding signs, up Alma Street and across the Caltrain tracks to the Palo Alto Avenue soccer fields. The rally, like so many across the United States, was organized by high school students who demand a more just and equitable future where #BlackLivesMatter, where Black people do not fear police violence, and where the outcome of people’s lives – health, education. prosperity – can’t be predicted by skin color.

At the close of her talk Mayor Taylor, “There are policies we can put in place” to bring about a more just and equitable city. For those who share this vision, click here to join us at Menlo Together, a group of Menlo Park and Peninsula residents who envision a city that is integrated and diverse, multi-generational, and environmentally sustainable. We’ll keep you posted on opportunities to learn and take action at bringing about a just and sustainable Menlo Park.

In 2020, the city of Palo Alto is looking to roll out an escooter pilot program, with Mountain View and Sunnyvale set to follow close behind.  

Studies show that escooters can help reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. A 2019 study by the City of Santa Monica, where Bird has a 750-scooter fleet,  found that 49% of scooter rides would have otherwise been made in a passenger vehicle, whether privately-owned or for hire. 

The Palo Alto and Mountain View programs include rules about where the devices can be parked, and require the operators to have a hotline to report problems.  

Over the next few years, the major new developments, including 1300 El Camino and the Stanford development on El Camino near Safeway will be opening up. Caltrain will start electrified service with more frequent trains.  Scooters could potentially provide a convenient way for people to get to nearby destinations that are a little far to walk. 

Menlo Park has an opportunity to watch the results closely in nearby cities, to assess if it would be helpful to follow in their footsteps. 

On Thursday, January 30 from 1-5 pm, the Menlo Park City Council will host its annual goal-setting meeting. This is your opportunity to tell the Council that you want more affordable housing, safer streets, climate action, and racial equity in Menlo Park!  Send your thoughts to city.council@menlopark.org or come in person if you can. 

Here are recommendations from Menlo Together:

1) More Housing Downtown, especially Affordable Housing

More housing downtown would support the Council’s existing goal to address the housing crisis, improve the jobs/housing balance, and reduce driving alone. In particular, we would like to see more density to enable more housing, dedication of publicly owned downtown sites to affordable housing, and zero displacement in new development.

2) Residents’ safety and mobility on Willow and in the Belle Haven/Bayside area

Menlo Park’s streets reveal the disparities in our city.  Belle Haven, with a history of redlining, has highways and major arterials cutting through that reduce air quality and create hazardous conditions for local residents, especially children.  

Menlo Together wants the City to invest in safer streets for children, seniors, and all, including on Willow Road in Belle Haven, and at the Gateway Family Apartments and the new Belle Haven Library and Community Center, and El Camino Real. 

3) Climate Action at the level of the Climate Emergency

Menlo Together urges the City Council to adopt a new reduction target of carbon neutral (zero emissions) by 2030. Since transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, we support the Environmental Quality and Complete Streets Commissions working together with City Staff to create more climate measures relating to mobility.  

4) City government focus on racial equity

Menlo Together is urging the City to join Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) to actively pursue racial equity within the scope of city government activities.  According to the GARE definition: “Achieving racial equity means outcomes cannot be predicted based on race and are improved for all people.” 

GARE is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Over the last two years, four Menlo Park city staff people have attended GARE conferences which provide local governments with training on how to improve racial equity. Other GARE members (cities, counties, etc) report that putting together inter-departmental teams to advance racial equity builds collaboration among staff and improves operations and outcomes overall.  

Thanks for staying informed, learning, and taking local action.

On Wednesday, January 8^th, the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) Board of Directors weighed the future of the Dumbarton Rail Corridor. The Dumbarton Rail Corridor is a critical east-west link between the southern portions of the San Francisco Peninsula and the East Bay, connecting a route from Redwood City through Menlo Park, Newark, and Union City).

https://crossbaytransit.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DRC-Corridor-Map-November-2019.pdf

The SamTrans Board expressed support for integrating the Dumbarton Corridor into the broader, Bay Area-wide transportation network. However, the Board has not yet confirmed whether they would prefer to adopt regional rail, light rail, or other mass transit technology. Adopting regional rail would enable faster trips and better connections with existing transit systems including BART, ACE to the Central Valley, and Capitol Corridor to Sacramento. 

The project is being conducted as a public-private partnership between SamTrans, Facebook, and the Plenary Group, a private transportation firm brought in by Facebook. Environmental review of the project is expected to begin in early 2020. They anticipate to release the Final Environmental Impact Statement in quarter 4 of 2021.

To read the SamTrans Board staff report, click here.

On Tuesday, December 10, 2019, the Menlo Park City Council discussed options for updating the city’s climate plan, including the recommendations from the Environmental Quality Commission, supported by Menlo Together, to set a city-wide climate goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. The Council did not make a decision yet as this was a study session. 

The Council supported the Environmental Quality Commission’s recommendation to achieve the equivalent of a 90% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and to remove the remaining 10% of emissions from the atmosphere through carbon sinks, like trees. Several members of the public, and Complete Streets, Housing, and Planning Commissioners also spoke in support of the plan.  

The Council expressed the need to take swift action on climate change by reducing emissions. Mayor Pro Tem. Taylor suggested increasing the frequency of the city shuttle and increasing its number of stops to decrease vehicle trips. Councilmember Nash also supported reducing vehicle trips and suggested creating an educational program for property owners to learn how to electrify their buildings. Councilmember Carlton suggested increasing the number of electric vehicle charging stations required to be installed by property owners to reduce residential emissions. 

To continue the conversation, the Council created a subcommittee including Mayor Mueller and Councilmember Nash to continue developing the work plan. The Council also reaffirmed its commitment to tackling climate change by adopting a climate emergency resolution. Read the resolution here.

For more information on this topic, read “Menlo Park council open to bold new climate goal: carbon neutrality by 2030” by Kate Bradshaw’s in the Almanac.

In addition, on December 12, 2019 the Menlo Park Fire Protection District (Menlo Fire) showcased the Rosenbauer all-electric concept fire truck at Fire Station 6. 

According to Menlo Fire, most of the emergencies that the department responds to are close by and last 30 minutes or less. Thus, electric vehicles would meet department needs while saving energy and reducing emissions. Upon arrival at the scene, fire crews can shut off their engines to conserve energy. The all-electric engines would also eliminate carcinogenic diesel emissions. 

The fire truck on display is a prototype model, and isn’t yet available for purchase.  For more information about the benefits of all-electric fire engines, read “Menlo Park fire district to showcase all-electric engine at open house” by Rick Radin in the Almanac, and see the company’s website: https://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/concept-fire-truck

In addition, on December 12, 2019 the Menlo Park Fire Protection District (Menlo Fire) showcased the Rosenbauer all-electric concept fire truck at Fire Station 6. 

According to Menlo Fire, most of the emergencies that the department responds to are close by and last 30 minutes or less. Thus, electric vehicles would meet department needs while saving energy and reducing emissions. Upon arrival at the scene, fire crews can shut off their engines to conserve energy. The all-electric engines would also eliminate carcinogenic diesel emissions. 

The fire truck on display is a prototype model, and isn’t yet available for purchase.  For more information about the benefits of all-electric fire engines, read “Menlo Park fire district to showcase all-electric engine at open house” by Rick Radin in the Almanac, and see the company’s website: https://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/concept-fire-truck