The second Menlo Park Community Collaboration Session covered the Environmental Justice and Safety Element and was led by Climate Resilient Communities, Juanita Croft from the Belle Haven Community Development Fund, and Pam D Jones, with Belle Haven Empowered. The presentation is available here.
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 provided historical context and outline current environmental impacts in the Belle Haven community.
Community Collaboration Sessions invite different guests to host discussions on a variety of environmental issues affecting our city. Community members, local environmental nonprofits, and members of Menlo Park’s Environmental Quality Commission, working as private citizens, have established this new series of citizen-led discussions to help address Menlo Park’s responses to a changing climate.
The goal is to prompt deeper dialogue, gather new ideas, and ensure multiple voices are represented in proposed solutions. Future sessions will include discussions on electric vehicles and transportation, electrification, sea-level rise, and green careers.
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