Environmental Justice (EJ) Element
In 2024, following three years of community outreach and engagement with a focus on meeting people where they are and empowering the voices of Menlo Park's underserved Belle Haven and Bayfront communities, the City of Menlo Park adopted its first General Plan Environmental Justice (EJ) Element.
Through an inclusive, intentional, and equitable planning process with over 15 outreach and engagement events, and additional digital outreaches over a span of three years, the Menlo Park community together created an action-oriented plan that is intended to evolve with and for the community over time.
The community identified three top priorities for advancing EJ: Priority #1: Provide Safe, Sanitary, and Stable Homes; Priority #2: Promote Access to High Quality and Affordable Food; and Priority #3: Reduce Pollution Exposure and Improve Air Quality. The City looks forward to continually engaging and working with the community to implement the community-identified priorities and actions, which better positions Menlo Park for a stronger, more resilient, and equitable future.
Click on the priority tiles below to learn more about highlighted goals, policies, programs, and action items to advance EJ, described below:
- Goals: Broad actions to pursue to work toward EJ
- Policies: Focused principles to guide decision-making
- Programs: Precise steps to further policies and goals
- Action Items: Additional details from community-based feedback on preferred methods to fulfill programs
See the EJ Element Action Guide drop down menu below for the full matrix of all EJ Element goals, policies, programs, and action items.
What is Environmental Justice?
Environmental justice (EJ) means that everyone should have equal protection and advantages when it comes to the environment around them. It also means that people should be meaningfully involved in the decisions that affect their community.
Fair treatment means no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies.
Meaningful involvement means:
- People have an opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health.
- The public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision.
- Community concerns will be considered in the decision making process.
- Decision makers will seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.
EJ Element Action Guide
The EJ Element is accompanied by an Action Guide, most recently updated in February 2025. The Action Guide is a separate, complementary document that lies outside of the General Plan itself. The Action Guide is a tool used to manage and coordinate City efforts to accomplish the goals, policies, and programs outlined in the EJ Element. This dual document approach allows for more frequent updating of the Action Guide in response to changing community needs, funding opportunities, and ongoing community outreach – particularly input from Menlo Park’s underserved communities.
Click here for the EJ Element Action Guide (Updated February 2025)(PDF, 1MB)
Related documents
- Adopted Environmental Justice Element - September 24, 2024(PDF, 11MB)
- Draft Environmental Justice Element - August 21, 2024(PDF, 36MB)
- Draft Environmental Justice Element - April 24, 2024(PDF, 12MB)
- Draft Environmental Justice Element - December 12, 2022(PDF, 4MB)
- Executive Summary - December 12, 2022(PDF, 223KB)
- Neighborhood Profiles of Environmental Justice Considerations(PDF, 2MB)