City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 menlopark.gov City Council
SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Date: 5/27/2025
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Locations: Teleconference and
City Council Chambers
751 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025
Special Session
A. Call To Order
Mayor Combs called the meeting to order at 5:33 p.m.
B. Roll Call
Present: Combs (exited the meeting at 10:47 p.m.), Nash, Schmidt, Taylor, Wise
Absent: None
Staff: City Manager Justin Murphy, City Attorney Nira Doherty, Assistant to the City Manager/City Clerk Judi A. Herren
C. Closed Session
C1. Conference with real property negotiators pursuant to Government Code §54956.8 Property location: 1215 Chrysler Dr., Menlo Park
City negotiators: Justin I.C. Murphy, Nira Doherty, Lisa Maxwell Negotiating parties: James Albera
Under negotiation: Price, terms of payment, property negotiation Regular Session
D. Call To Order
Mayor Combs re-called the meeting to order at 6:22 p.m.
E. Roll Call
Present: Combs (exited the meeting at 10:47 p.m.), Nash, Schmidt, Taylor, Wise
Absent: None
Staff: City Manager Justin Murphy, City Attorney Nira Doherty, Assistant City Manager Stephen Stolte, Assistant to the City Manager/City Clerk Judi A. Herren F. Report from Closed Session
No reportable actions.
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 menlopark.gov G. Agenda Review
None.
H. Public Comment
• Scott Saywell spoke on impacts at the Belle Haven Pool and provided recommendations and suggestions to remedy issues.
• Annabelle Boenig spoke in support of increasing teacher salaries. • C. LaTrice Taylor provided information on the services provided by Samaritan House. • Laura Melahn spoke in support of in-street sign installations in Allied Arts.
I. Presentations and Proclamations
I1. Proclamation: Run Club Menlo Park (Attachment)
Mayor Combs introduced the proclamation (Attachment).
Run Club Menlo Park Founder and Head Coach Scott Paterson accepted the proclamation.
I2. Proclamation: Schoolhouse Rocks 5K (Attachment)
Mayor Combs introduced the proclamation (Attachment).
Executive Director of the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation Carrie Chen and Schoolhouse Rocks Run Chair Lennard Hachmann accepted the proclamation.
I3. Presentation: Girl Scouts beach clean-up and ocean conservation project (Presentation) Girl Scout Troop #61544 made the presentation (Attachment).
I4. Presentation: Youth Community Service (Presentation) Youth Community Service Community Executive Director Mora Oommen made the presentation (Attachment).
• Pam D. Jones spoke in support of Youth Community Service collaboration with other organizations and initiatives.
I5. Presentation: Ravenswood City School District (Attachment) Ravenswood City School District Superintendent Gina Sudaria made the presentation (Attachment).
• Mora Oomenn spoke in support of the Ravenswood School District collaboration with other organizations.
The City Council received clarification on Oct. 27 Promise Walk, Community Action Plan Belle Haven community input, challenges when engaging with the public for building the Community City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 menlopark.gov Action Plan and opportunities to share the Community Action Plan.
I6. Proclamation: Affordable Housing Month (Attachment) Mayor Combs introduced the proclamation (Attachment).
Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco Vice President of Home Preservation Pam Dorr accepted the proclamation.
I7. Proclamation: Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (Attachment) Mayor Combs introduced the proclamation (Attachment).
San Mateo County Asian American and Pacific Islander Alliance member Kimberly Woo, San Mateo API Caucus Board members Bill Chiang and Wayne Lee accepted the proclamation.
I8. Proclamation: Jewish American Heritage Month (Attachment) Mayor Combs introduced the proclamation (Attachment).
Jewish Silicon Valley Board Chair Ruth Fletcher and Jewish Silicon Valley CEO Daniel Klein accepted the proclamation.
J. Consent Calendar
J1. Accept the City Council meeting minutes for April 29, 2025 (Attachment)
J2. Review the investment portfolio reports for March 31 and recommend receipt by City Council (Staff Report #25-076-CC)
J3. Authorize the city manager to execute a multi-year maintenance agreement with WSP USA Inc. for the Bedwell Bayfront Park Landfill Ongoing Maintenance and Monitoring Services (Staff Report #25-077-CC)
J4. Consider and adopt a resolution approving the preliminary engineer’s report for the Menlo Park Landscaping Assessment District and adopt a resolution intending to order the levy and collection of assessments for the Landscaping Assessment District for fiscal year 2025-26 (Staff Report #25-082-CC)
ACTION: Motion and second (Taylor/ Nash), to approve the consent calendar, passed unanimously.
K. Study Session
K1. Review and provide guidance on the draft development agreement terms for the Parkline masterplan development project located at 201, 301 and 333 Ravenswood Ave. and 555 and 565 Middlefield Rd. (Staff Report #25-081-CC)
Principal Planner Corinna Sandmeier made the presentation (Attachment).
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 menlopark.gov Applicant from Lane Partners Mark Murray made the presentation (Attachment). • Peter Lezak spoke on concerns related to noise and traffic impacts on Ringwood Drive. • Bret Simon spoke in support of sports fields.
• Brooke spoke in support of removing vehicular access on Laurel Street to the apartment building.
• Brielle Johnck spoke on concerns of the development agreement and the project contributing to the housing deficit.
• Steve Schmidt requested clarification on the noncommercial use of the five office buildings and on concerns of the project contributing to the housing deficit. • Will Oursler spoke in support of the project.
• Patti Fry spoke on concerns of the project contributing to the housing deficit and provided suggestions for traffic mitigation..
• Peter Colby spoke on concerns to the number of employment spaces and inadequate housing. • Verle Aebi spoke on concerns to the additional vehicular traffic on Laurel Street resulting from the project.
• Sue Connelly spoke on concerns related to additional traffic and biohazard levels. • Katherine Dumont spoke in support of the additional housing proposed by the project. • Adina Levin spoke in support of the project and requested clarification on public transportation options.
• Zachary Anglemyer spoke in support of additional affordable housing on the site and retaining the natural gas plant to supply the site with electricity. • David Crabbe spoke on concerns to the biohazard levels. • Ken Chan spoke in support of the project with the greatest number of housing. • Karen Grove spoke in support of the project.
• Gita Dev spoke on concerns related to the biolabs.
• Denis Kourakin spoke in support of the project and on concerns related urban project impacts to a suburban neighborhood, the amount of office impacts to housing shortage and parking infrastructure.
• Harman spoke in support of large multi-sport space and safe bike/pedestrian routes.
The City Council received clarification on luxury housing, moderate and affordable definitions, parking for new housing units, rental and for-sale rates, number of affordable units, jobs housing imbalance, lab sunsetting, use of recycled water for landscaping, housing near biolabs and shuttle service options.
The City Council discussed the use of current office spaces, employment caps, traffic impacts from the project, community benefits (e.g., sports field size, point system), reducing office square footage, definition of temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO) for the townhomes and residential and public access to the sports field.
The City Council provided feedback indicating the point system is reasonable for the project, expressed concern on the definition of commencement of construction, and indicated just building pads and evidence of financing is not sufficient to meet the definition of TCO. The City Council also expressed interest in increasing the project’s financial contributions towards the City’s shuttle system, maintenance of the public park, and public outreach on the programming of the park. The City Council expressed concern that financial contributions to the City’s shuttle system versus the developer having their own shuttle could result in a transportation demand management (TDM) program penalty if using the City’s shuttle is not as efficient. The City Council discussed whether City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 menlopark.gov another Study Session would be best or if the entire project should be brought to the City Council and left the decision up to staff.
ACTION: By acclamation, the City Council extended the meeting past 11 p.m.
L. Regular Business
L1. Review and consider modifications to the Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco Home Preservation Program and authorize the city manager to execute a first amendment to the community funding agreement (Staff Report #25-080-CC)
Management Analyst II Adam Patterson made the presentation (Attachment). • Pam D. Jones spoke on concerns to the effectiveness of the program and requested that applicants receive assistance in submitting required documents.
The City Council received clarification on denied applications and future opportunities to reapply and the application processes and required documents.
The City Council discussed retaining 80% or below of area median income (AMI) for Belle Haven homeowners, community engagement at the start of a program, partnering with community-based organizations (CBO) for outreach and extending the agreement an additional year.
ACTION: Motion and second (Taylor/ Nash), to approve the following requested modifications to the Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco Home Preservation Program and authorize the city manager to execute a first amendment to the community funding agreement:
• Extend the initial funding agreement term for an additional year to June 30, 2027; • Expand the geographic eligibility area from the Belle Haven neighborhood to all of Menlo Park, with 70% of the project funds allocated to Belle Haven; and
• Retain income eligibility 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) for Belle Haven homeowners, passed 4-0-1 (Combs absent).
L2. Consider and adopt a resolution amending City Council Policy CC-01-1996 Community Funding Program and make appointments to a City Council subcommittee (Staff Report #25-083-CC) City Clerk Judi Herren made the presentation (Attachment).
The City Council discussed a weighted-rating sheet, overall program budget and subcommittee appointments.
ACTION: Motion and second (Taylor/ Schmidt), to adopt a resolution amending City Council Policy CC-01- 1996 Community Funding Program , updating the Program's eligibility criteria, application process and funding procedures and appoint City Councilmembers Schmidt and Wise to the Community Funding Program subcommittee, passed 4-0-1 (Combs absent).
L3. Consider and adopt a resolution to approve the successor agreement between the City of Menlo Park and the Menlo Park Police Sergeants’ Association expiring Oct. 31, 2027 (Staff Report #25-075-CC)
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 menlopark.gov ACTION: Motion and second (Wise/ Schmidt), to adopt a resolution to approve the successor agreement between the City of Menlo Park and the Menlo Park Police Sergeants' Association expiring Oct. 31, 2027, passed 4-0-1 (Combs absent).
M. Informational Items
M1. City Council agenda topics: June 2025 (Staff Report #25-084-CC) M2. Update on implementation of the zero emission landscaping equipment ordinance (Staff Report #25-078-CC)
M3. Communitywide electrification program: Home Upgrade Services progress report (Staff Report #25-079-CC)
N. City Manager Report
Assistant City Manager Stolte reported out on the May 29 budget workshop and Downtown Parking Plaza request for qualifications (RFQ) item June 3.
O. City Councilmember Reports
Vice Mayor Nash reported out on the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) and Peninsula Clean Energy meetings.
P. Adjournment
Vice Mayor Nash adjourned the meeting at 11:59 p.m.
Assistant to the City Manager/ City Clerk Judi Herren
These minutes were approved at the City Council meeting July 8, 2025.
Administrative Services Director Brittany Mello made the presentation.
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
rorlamation
RECOGNIZING RUN CLUB MENLO PARK
WHEREAS, Run Club Menlo Park is non-profit, non-competitive running program for kids ages 7 - 14, with runners of all levels from first-time beginners to advanced level runners; and WHEREAS, there are three rules at Run Club: 1) Have fun, 2) More running/less walking over the course of a season and 3) When someone else is talking, everybody else is listening; and WHEREAS, the mission of Run Club is simply to give kids a positive experience with running so that they are either inclined to continue doing it or open to returning to it later in life; and WHEREAS, while the kids are having fun running they also learn practical running techniques such as pace, form, endurance and speed through running games; and
WHEREAS, Run Club also teaches social-emotional lessons. This past season, they covered topics such as compromise, cooperation, gratitude, burden vs. opportunity and many more; and WHEREAS, this year, the fifteenth season of Run Club finished with the season's final race at the Schoolhouse Rocks 5K at Hillview Middle School with 108 racers, with runners placing in all age groups; and WHEREAS, Coach Scott and Coach Kristi create a pressure-free racing environment where the kids can have fun, practice fitness and develop lifelong skills as athletes and as members of a team; and WHEREAS, Run Club is a wonderful organization that promotes the health and growth of our local youth, appreciated by kids, parents and teachers alike and ultimately benefitting our community at large; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Drew
Combs, Mayor of the City of Menlo Park, on behalf of the City Council and City, do hereby recognize and express
gratitude for the invaluable benefits that Run Club Menlo Park provides our community and children.
AGENDA ITEM I-1
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025 Page 7 of 84
rorlamation
RECOGNIZING SCHOOLHOUSE ROCKS SK
WHEREAS, established in 1982, the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF) seeks to enable the Menlo Park City School District (MPCSD) to provide an exceptional education to students at Encinal, Laurel, Oak Knoll and Hillview schools; and
WHEREAS, working with parents, local businesses, community members and the District, the MPAEF raises
money to pay for high-quality teachers, a comprehensive educational program and teaching innovation beyond what is possible with public dollars alone, annually providing a grant to MPCSD to support key programs at all 4 district schools - Encinal, Laurel, Oak Knoll and Hillview; and WHEREAS, annually each May, MPAEF hosts a community wide celebration - the Schoolhouse Rocks 5K, Fun Run & Festival. The goal of the event is community building through celebrating joint athletic achievement and it brings together 1,400 parents, kids, teachers, students, neighbors, runners and non-runners; and WHEREAS, in the past 10 years, the Schoolhouse Rocks 5K, Fun Run & Festival has engaged over 12,000 registered runners and raised over $575,000 for the Menlo Park City School District; and WHER
EAS, this beloved event first started back in 2013, originally named the "Are You In" run, and was rebranded a couple of years later as the Schoolhouse Rocks Run & Festival. It has grown over the years to include food trucks, bounce houses, a drum circle, karaoke and more, uniting not only the Encinal, Laurel, Oak Knoll, and Hillview school communities, but also MPCSD alumni, neighbors from across Menlo Park and Atherton, 100 volunteers and over 100 enthusiastic Run Club participants who call it their favorite race of the year; and
WHEREAS, this year's run generated an estimated $65,000 in funds from sponsorships and registrants, which will go to fund various needs at MPCSD schools.; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Drew
Combs, Mayor of the City of Menlo Park, on behalf of the City Council and City, do hereby recognize and celebrate the achievements and success of the Schoolhouse Rocks
5K, as well as the excitement, joy and community building that it promotes in Menlo Pah C .... _______ _
\J-------Jrew Com
Bs, Mayor
May 27, 2025
AGENDA ITEM I-2
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025 Page 8 of 84
Tides of Change
Troop #61544 Bronze Award
I3-PRESENTATION City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
Step 1: Go on a Girl Scout Junior Journey
How did you take action? Who
did you Connect with?
To complete our Junior
Journey, we met with some TK
and Kindergarten kids and
showed them what Girl
Scouting is all about. We had
different stations that ran
multiple kinds of activities, all
based on Girl Scouting, such
as the Law. We also worked on
the “Agent of Change ” journey
workbook.
Olivia
Stations:
● GS Law Bracelets
● Get to know yourself
worksheet
● Intro to GS cookie
selling
● Paper Flower making
● Make your own
puppet
● Rubber Band
bracelets
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Step 2: Build Your Girl Scout Junior Team
Our Girl Scout team consists of the eight girls in our troop.
Our team all went to the same school, but we knew some of the other girls better than others. Throughout our years together as a Girl Scout troop, we’ve gotten to know each other more and more!
We have a similar interest in our passion for animals. We donated to an animal shelter with lots of our Girl Scout cookie money! One of the talents that we shared was painting and artistic material.
Overall, these passions and talents led us to our final idea for our Bronze Award!
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Olivia
May 27, 2025
Step 3: Explore Your Community
We explored our community and observed that there was a lot of litter scattered around the streets, so we thought that maybe we could clean up the streets. However, this simple project didn’t cover two things: none of us had much interest in it, and it didn’t express any of our talents or passions.
Our iterated version had the same
observation, and we thought that maybe
we could do something that helped the sea
animals, too.
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Kayden
May 27, 2025
Step 4: Choose Your Girl Scout Bronze Award Project
Then, we chose our Girl Scout Bronze Award Project!!
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Kayden
May 27, 2025
Tides of Change!
Introducing…
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Our Problem
Did you know that every year, 12 billion metric tons of plastic trash is thrown and littered into the ocean? Every single piece of littered garbage is a potential threat to the animals in the ocean. They could get entangled or sick from the trash.
People are littering everywhere, not knowing how much harm they’re doing.
We knew that it was nearly impossible for our small troop to clean up all of the trash around the world, but we thought that we could inspire the world to contribute just a little bit, and pick up some trash.
We instantly set our focus on helping the poor sea creatures out there.
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Quinn
May 27, 2025
Brainstorming and Planning
At our next meeting, we planned out our
entire project.
● Trash Clean-Up
○ Collect litter from Pillar
Point, Half Moon Bay
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Eliana
May 27, 2025
Brainstorming and Planning
● Painting
○ Dark side
○ Light side
○ Canvas Connection
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Eliana
May 27, 2025
Brainstorming and Planning
● Materials
○ Trash collected
○ Canvases and paint
○ Glue and wood
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Eliana
May 27, 2025
Step 5: Make a Plan
What is the goal of your project?
● To inspire other people to help clean up the beaches
○ Also help save some sea creatures
What special talents can each girl use to help make the project a success? ● Painting and artistic talents
○ Help with making it look nice
● Innovative and creative minds
○ Make ours all look unique
● Collaborative mindsets
○ Work as a team
○ Combined animals and things in the
mural so it fit together
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Catherine
May 27, 2025
Trash Clean Up
Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay
At Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay, we spent about
two and a half hours picking up trash around
the ocean.
Not surprisingly, but still devastatingly, we
spotted three dead seagulls and storks
surrounded by trash. This made us even
more determined to help.
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Catherine
May 27, 2025
Trash Clean Up
Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay
Our Girl Scout Troop
cleaning out the area
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Catherine
May 27, 2025
Mural Painting
Menlo Park, CA
We took a few steps to paint our canvases.
First, we took inventory of all of the trash we
had collected, and marked which pieces we
were and weren’t going to use in our
painting.
Then, we glued down the trash on our
canvases with hot glue.
Finally, we painted everything!
Glueing trash pieces
(Left) and taking
inventory (Above)
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Ania
May 27, 2025
Spread the Word
Half Moon Bay Coffee Company, Half Moon Bay
To spread the word, we hung up our mural at
Half Moon Bay Coffee Company, which was a
local cafe in Half Moon Bay.
We choose this location since it’s a
frequently visited public cafe. We knew that
the many people who come here will see our
art piece.
Our mural inspires people to take action and
contribute to help clean up the bay.
Our Girl Scout Troop at
the cafe, ready to hang
up the mural!
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Emma
May 27, 2025
Spread the Word
Half Moon Bay Coffee Company, Half Moon Bay
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
Emma
May 27, 2025
Any Questions?
Thank You for
listening!
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
+
President’s
Volunteer
Service Award
Recognition by City Council of Menlo Park
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Presented by:
Mora Oommen, Executive Director
I4-PRESENTATION City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
● Founded in 1990
● Grateful for support from the City of Palo Alto
● Programs in San Mateo and Santa Clara County
● Support service learning in over 65 Bay Area schools
● Partner with over 250 local community organizations
● Join us for Summer of Service
○ High School Students
○ Free
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Let’s Celebrate our Youth!
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Ashwin Raj
Pre sid e ntia l Gold Se rvice Awa rd
Ha ving se rve d m y com m unity in so m a ny d iffe re nt wa ys, from youth m e nta l he a lth p rog ra m s to the a te r g roup s to b e a ch cle a nup s a nd working with Me nlo CERT, I ha ve re a lize d how com p le x the p rob le m ’s in the world a re , b ut a lso tha t so m a ny p e op le a re working p a ssiona te ly to fix the m a nd tha t we ca nnot g ive up hop e !
Me nlo Pa rk
De sig n Te ch Hig h School
Cla ss of 2026
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Erin Mak
PVSA Gold Le ve l
Am e rica n Ca nce r Socie ty -
Discove ry Shop Volunte e r
I fe e l p rivile g e d to ha ve ha d the
op p ortunity to volunte e r for the
Am e rica n Ca nce r Socie ty Discove ry
Shop for the pa st thre e ye a rs, a s I
not only ha ve contrib ute d to the
fund ing of ca nce r re se a rch, b ut a lso
ha ve found a com m unity of
ind ivid ua ls tha t I will fore ve r che rish.
Me nlo Pa rk
Crysta l Sp ring s Up la nd s Hig h School
Cla ss of 2028
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Abd El Kareem (Kareem)
Ga b a re e n Mokhta r
Pe e r Le a d e r for Civic Eng a g e m e nt
a nd Ed uca tion Tra ck
We le a rne d . We b roug ht. We e d uca te d . We g a ve the com m unity a n e ye into the e le ctions, cre a ting vote r m a nua ls a round the tim e of the e le ction. We a lso ta ug ht young e r d e m og ra p hics a b out civic e ng a g e m e nt. We ’re now m ore e d uca te d on the fie ld of p olitics a nd com m unity e ng a g e m e nt, a nd we re g ra te ful for the op p ortunity to sha re the
sa m e with othe rs.
Me nlo Pa rk
He nry M. Gunn / PAUSD
Cla ss of 2026
Logo of non profit
(optional)
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Ravenswood Promise
Community Action Plan
City Council Update
AGENDA ITEM I-5 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
1) What is the Ravenswood Promise?
Recap on the Ravenswood Promise journey
2) What is a Community Action Plan?
Overview of the CAP purpose and contents
3) How will we use our CAP?
Roadmap for implementation
4) What comes next?
Community Action Plan
Spring 2025 City Council Presentation
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
What is the Ravenswood Promise?
RECAP: Our Journey
Over the last 18+ months, our entire community has come together to define the Ravenswood Promise: our shared vision of what we want to be true for students and a community action plan to help us get there.
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
4 Nuestra
Promesa
Estamos construyendo
una experiencia educativa
que es excepcional y
transformadora para
TODOS los estudiantes de
Ravenswood
Our
Promise
We are building
an educational experience
that is exceptional and
transformative for ALL
Ravenswood students
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
What is the Ravenswood Promise?
RECAP: Key Priorities
Language
& Literacy Attendance Talent
These district-wide priorities were identified based on… Student Data
(street, map, satellite)
Collaboration with
Instructional Leaders
Observation Data (incl.
Promise Walks)
Student and Family
Engagement
Staff Listening
Campaign
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
What is the Community Action Plan?
Purpose
The CAP is a living document that tells the story of where we started, where we want to go, and how we plan to get there together The purpose of our Community Action Plan is to…
Celebrate community voice and power
Chart out our path towards transformation
Commit to taking collective action
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
● Promise Walk school
observations and rootcause analysis of other
district data
● Community input
What is the Community Action Plan?
Contents
Reckon &
Rally
● Student data that
inspired our call for
change
● Community empathy
interviews to begin
building a coalition
Set the
Vision
Identify the
Priorities
Make the
Change
Create the
Roadmap
● Deep community
engagement (including
student leadership)
● Research from other
successful districts
● Working sessions with
Community Action
Teams
● Benchmarks and
evidence-based best
practices
● Alignment across
school and district
leadership teams
● Deep partnership with
families and
community members
Ravenswood
Promise launch
Learner
Profile
Our 3
Priorities
Short- & LongTerm GoalsKey Results &
Early Wins
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
What is the Community Action Plan?
Contents
Our Community Action Plan includes...
● A visual timeline highlighting our journey so far
● A clear roadmap of focused, measurable goals:
○ Near-term goals for SY25-26
○ Long-term goals for SY28-29 and SY33-34
○ SY24-25 key results (KRs) to ensure we are on track
● Data snapshots from pre- and post-pandemic, and our progress to date ● Suggested action steps for our community to continue supporting this effort City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
What is the Community Action Plan?
Roadmap of Goals
1-year goals 3-year goals 10-year goals Our Promise
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
What is the Community Action Plan?
SY24-25 Key Results
1-year goalsSY24-25 key results 1-year goals
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
What is the Community Action Plan?
SY24-25 Key Results
1-year goalsSY24-25 key results 1-year goals
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
How will we use our Community Action Plan?
Roadmap for Implementation
School & District
Leadership
➔Aligned goal-setting,
planning, and actioning with
leaders and educators across
the district
Data Infrastructure &
Progress Monitoring
➔Scorecard of goals/KRs
➔Regular data step-backs
➔Transparent reporting for
shared accountability
Family Engagement &
Community Partnership
➔Ongoing opportunities for
community voice, action, and
partnership to achieve our
goals
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
What comes next?
We invite the entire Ravenswood community to join us during our Ravenswood Promise Walks.
Improving our schools is a team effort!
School Canvass Promise Walk
An opportunity for families, community
members, and school and district staff to
observe classrooms together and share ideas
for continuous improvement
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Thank you!
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
AGENDA ITEM I-6
Proclamation
AFFORDABLE HOUSING MONTH – MAY 2025
WHEREAS, housing affordability in San Mateo County and the greater Bay Area is a critical issue; and WHEREAS, a 2025 San Mateo County Affordable Housing Needs Report prepared by California Housing Partnership cites that approximately 23,000 low-income renter households in San Mateo County do not have access to an affordable home; and
WHEREAS, locally, rents have increased by 6.7% between 2019 and 2024 and renters need to earn more than 3.7 times the minimum wage to afford the average asking rent of $3,463 for a two-bedroom unit; and WHEREAS, adequate housing opportunities for people at all income levels enhance community life and vitality by providing a stable living environment, which is important for both personal and communal growth; and WHEREAS, the City of Menlo Park continues to prioritize the production of new affordable housing development as well as the preservation and rehabilitation of existing affordable homes in our community to meet the needs of our residents and region; and
WHEREAS, Menlo Park has taken meaningful actions towards the preservation and production of affordable housing by recently committing over $6.6 million from the City’s Below Market Rate Housing (BMR) Fund for various affordable housing activities including, an affordable housing development for teachers, housing rehabilitation for low-income homeowners, and ownership opportunities for low-income households; and WHEREAS, Menlo Park is dedicated to advancing the preparation and implementation of an anti-displacement strategy, a key program in the Housing Element and Environmental Justice Element, to ensure that community members can stay in their homes and neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, throughout Affordable Housing Month, City staff participated in a series of workshops hosted by San Mateo County housing organizations to promote local housing solutions in collaboration with other Bay Area jurisdictions; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Drew
Combs, Mayor of the City of Menlo Park, on behalf of the City Council and City, do hereby proclaim and celebrate May 2025 as Affordable Housing Month in Menlo Park.
Drew Combs, Mayor
May 27, 2025
Page I-6.1 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
AGENDA ITEM I-7
Proclamation
AAPI HERITAGE MONTH – MAY 2025
WHEREAS, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, is a time to reflect and celebrate the important role that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have played in our shared history; and WHEREAS, California is home to more than 7 million individuals of Asian or Pacific Islander descent, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders hold the fastest population growth rate among all racial and ethnic groups in our country; and
WHEREAS, the AAPI community has a long and rich history in California, migrating during the Gold Rush era and planting their roots in the San Francisco Bay Area ever since, brave immigrants who, motivated by the promise of possibilities, picked up their lives and built new communities; and WHEREAS, we must recognize that throughout history AAPI communities have been the target of violence, disenfranchisement, and other xenophobic policies such as the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, the internment of Japanese Americans and the “alien ineligible for citizenship” status imposed on Asian immigrants into the 1950s and 1960s – all of which have been systemic and wrongful violations of their rights; and WHEREAS, the perseverance, hope and hard work of the APPI community as educators and entrepreneurs, athletes and artists, scientists and entertainers, public officials and activists, labor and community leaders, diplomats and military service members, and more, have enriched our communities through their ingenuity and creativity while navigating significant cultural and systemic barriers; and WHEREAS, despite the immeasurable ways Asian American and Pacific Islanders enrich this country, we continue to see persistent racism, harassment, and hate crimes that have left too many families afraid to leave their homes and too many loved ones traumatized; and
WHEREAS, we must all confront past and present racism and fight for the safety and inclusion of our APPI friends and neighbors and acknowledge that AAPI communities are an invaluable part of the rich fabric of our communities at large; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Drew
Combs, Mayor of the City of Menlo Park, on behalf of the City Council and City, do hereby proclaim and celebrate May 2025 as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage
Month in Menlo Park.
Drew Combs, Mayor
May 27, 2025
Page I-7.1 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
AGENDA ITEM I-8
Proclamation
JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH – MAY 2025
WHEREAS, every May since 2006, Jewish American Heritage Month has been recognized annually in the United States; and
WHEREAS, for centuries, Jewish refugees fleeing oppression and discrimination abroad have fought for religious freedom, defining bedrock principles upon which America was built; and WHEREAS, Union soldiers celebrated Passover in the midst of the Civil War, Jewish suffragists fought to expand freedom and justice, and Jewish faith leaders linked arms with giants of the Civil Rights Movement to demand equal rights for all; and
WHEREAS, Jewish Americans enrich every part of American life as educators and entrepreneurs, athletes and artists, scientists and entertainers, public officials and activists, labor and community leaders, diplomats and military service members, and more; and
WHEREAS, despite this we still see racism, bigotry, and other forms of injustice towards Jewish Americans, including attacks on synagogues, bricks thrown through windows of Jewish businesses, swastikas defacing cars and cemeteries, students harassed on college campuses and antisemitic conspiracy theories online; and WHEREAS, our communities strive to heal these acts of hatred, acknowledging the crucial contributions that Jewish Americans have made to our collective struggle for a more just and fair society; and WHEREAS, the City of Menlo Park recognizes both the continuity of the Jewish people and the intergenerational responsibility we have to heal the community for our children; and WHEREAS, during Jewish American Heritage Month, we honor Jewish Americans who, inspired by Jewish values and American ideals, have engaged in the ongoing work of forming a more perfect union; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Drew
Combs, Mayor of the City of Menlo Park, on behalf of the City Council and City, do hereby proclaim and celebrate May 2025 as Jewish American Heritage Month in Menlo
Park.
Drew Combs, Mayor
May 27, 2025
Page I-8.1 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
Parkline Master Plan Project
201, 301 & 333 Ravenswood Ave.
555 & 556 Middlefield Rd.
Draft Development Agreement terms
Corinna Sandmeier, Principal Planner
K1-PRESENTATION City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
Introduction
Study session on draft development agreement (DA) terms A DA establishes vested rights to develop in exchange for community benefits
Staff requests feedback on several items
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Proposed Project
Up to 800 dwelling units
1.1 million new square feet
of office/R&D buildings
3 existing bldgs. to remain
No net new non-residential
square footage
Publicly-accessible open
space
Bike/pedestrian connections
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Draft DA Terms – Community Benefits
Affordable housing
City recreation area and park
Publicly accessible open space
Sustainability benefits
Transportation/City shuttle
PILOT (payment in-lieu of property taxes) agreement
Other benefits
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Draft DA Terms – Project Phasing
Point system
Residential component
Assigned points at
commencement of
construction
R1 – 300 Apartments 1
R2 – 300 Apartments 1
TH 1 – 19 Detached townhomes 0.5
TH 2 – 27 Attached townhomes 0.5
R3 – 154 Affordable units 2
· 77 Units 1
· 77 Units 1
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
City Council Feedback Requested
Confirmation of point system
Definition of “TCO” (temporary certificate of occupancy) for townhomes
Financial contributions
- City’s shuttle system
- Park maintenance
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Next Steps
Applicant and staff will work to draft DA
Staff continues to:
- review applicant’s project materials
- prepare FEIR
- draft regulatory agreements and governing documents
Planning Commission tentatively scheduled for July
City Council will review final actions later in the summer City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
COMMUNITY BENEFITS REVIEW
MAY 27, 2025
K1-APPLICANT PRESENTATION City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
• Update research and development campus with modern sustainable facilities to further SRI’s mission. • Consolidate SRI campus and provide for expansion ability in new facilities that will attract the best and the brightest.
• Plan for continuous operations of SRI during construction.
Lane’s As s ignm ent from SRI Introduction
LANE’S ASSIGNMENT FROM SRI
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
• Significant requests to maximize housing at 800 homes with focus on affordability • Desire to keep heights and density as low as possible, especially on Laurel and to place buffers against neighboring properties • Ensure planned bike paths connect with surrounding trail networks and offer access through the community • Agreement that site plan respect heritage trees
• Strong preference for research campus approach over traditional commercial/tech office feel • Near unanimous support for opening campus and adding field and community places in the plan 12 Com m unity Meetings s ince 2021 | 1005 Survey Res pons es | 45 Site Tours What we heard
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Improve bike
and pedestrian
access and
safety.
Provide
housing that
emphasizes
affordability.
Share the SRI
campus with
the
community.
Respect
neighborhood
edges and
aesthetics.
Promote
sustainability
and carbon
reduction.
Parkline's principles
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Plan Evolution 2021-2024
2021-2022: 400-800 units 2023: 650 units 2024: 800 units City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Community priorities
support 40 units/acre
(Jun.)
Initial proposal includes 400
units (Nov.)
Council directs study of 600 units
max (Jun.)
Increased base housing to 550
units, including land dedication
for 100% affordable stand-alone
project (Oct.)
Planning Commission directs study
of at least 700 units (Dec.)
Agreement to study up to
800 units max
(Feb.)
Community feedback
supports townhomes,
more affordable housing,
broader range of
affordability
Church site secured for 100%
affordable project on NE corner,
achieving desired height/density on
Laurel and increasing residential
footprint to 12+ acres.
3Q-4Q 2021 3Q-4Q 2022 1Q 2023 2Q-3Q 2023 4Q 2023-1Q 2024 KEY ISSUES: - Housing density and building heights
- Amount, level and mix of affordable housing
- Residential buffer for existing homes
Plan Evolution 2021-2024
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Opens SRI’s 63+ acre campus for the first time
in a generation, with amenities for the entire
community.
Integrates and adds to City’s open space
network with 20 acres of new open space,
including 12 acres dedicated to public access,
connecting parks and trails.
Community gathering spaces will include:
• event pavilion
• community parks
• active and passive recreation areas
• retail amenities
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
• 20 acres open space with 12
acres dedicated to public access.
• Publicly available restroom near
public park.
• Subsidy for ground floor bike
repair station with food/beverage
service.
• 2.5 miles of bike paths.
Share the Campus
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Over 12 acres of the 63+ acre site are
dedicated to housing, increased with the
option to purchase the Ravenswood church
site.
Delivers 800 units with record setting 31.3%
affordability level — doubling the City’s
requirements.
Includes:
• 549 market rate units
• 7 BMR for-sale units
• 244 Affordable rental units, including
154 units at 60% AMI
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
• 800 Market Rate & BMR units
• $19.2M land dedication of 1.63-
acre parcel and 60-year ground
lease to nonprofit affordable
developer for 154 units at 60%
AMI.
Hous ing
With an Em phas is on Affordability
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Parkline’s Balanced Plan includes miles of bike &
pedestrian paths designed to enhance connectivity
through Menlo Park:
• Bike lane improvements along Laurel, Burgess and
Ravenswood.
• New bike lanes incorporated within the site and on
city streets.
• Fiscal support of the new Middle Ave tunnel
development which will offer safe crossing of the
Caltrain railroad for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Bicycle repair kiosks distributed throughout the
Project site.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
• $2M contribution to the City of Menlo Park for nearby transportation improvements
• $31.86M Land dedication, multi use public purposes of a 2.65 acre parcel for future park and recreational area dedicated to the City • $100Kto support city-led outreach re recreation programming • $5M design/construction costs
Bike & Pedes trian
Im proved Safety and Connectivity
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
• Decommission existing natural gas co-generation
power plant (equivalent to eliminating 61Mmiles
of driving annually).
• LEED certification or equivalent for all land uses.
• Sustainable all-electric 100% carbon-free design
for all new buildings.
• Electric vehicle charging spaces.
• 30 acres of drought-tolerant landscaping and
bioretention improvements and heritage tree
preservation & replacement program.
• Provide land to City for a 2-3M gallon water
reservoir for long-term emergency
preparedness.
Achieves
emission
reductions
equivalent to
61M miles of
driving annually
Sus tainability
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Snaps hot of Com m unity Benefits
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Commercial $ 1.293B*
Multifamily $ 525M*
Townhomes $ 115M
$2.5M per unit;
below median home
value
Current
Property Tax
FY 2024-25
As s es s ed
Property Value
Additional fis cal cons iderations
$1.93B as s e s s ed future prope rty value
44.5x increase
in tax basis
$ 43.4 M $ 1.93 B
Entire campus
Commitment to Pilot Program
to ensure Menlo Park receives
100% of expected tax revenue
*Source: Economic Planning Systems, Inc.
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Master Plan
Project approval
Residential
Close on church
site
Master Plan
Design guidelines
Residential
Architectural review
Residential
Permitting for R1
and R2
Res idential
Begin construction
Commercial
Begin architecture review
Q2-Q3 2025 Q3-Q4 2025 Q1 2026 TBD
What's To Com e
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Thank You
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Habitat for Humanity Greater San
Francisco Home Preservation Program –
Requested Modifications
Adam Patterson, Management Analyst
L1-PRESENTATION City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
Program Background & Details
City Council authorized the execution of a $1.2M community funding agreement
- Home rehabilitation projects for low-income homeowners in Belle Haven
- 30-year loans, 0% interest, deferred until sale or transfer - Goal of up to 20 rehab projects between $40,000 - $75,000 - Repayments placed into a revolving loan fund
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Program Status & Outreach
Robust marketing and outreach
Limited program interest
Approximately $785,000 remaining for additional rehab projects City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Proposed Program Modifications
Extend the program funding term by an additional 12 months Expand the geographic eligibility area to all of Menlo Park - 70% of the funds remain allocated to Belle Haven until June 30, 2026 Increase the eligible Area Median Income (AMI) from Low (80% AMI) to Moderate (120% AMI) for Belle Haven homeowners
Make future revolving loan funds exclusively available to Belle Haven households for six months
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Recommendation & Next Steps
Housing Commission recommended approval of the proposed modifications
Staff recommends that the City Council approve these
modifications
Next steps:
- Staff will process the amendment to the funding agreement - Habitat will implement and market the modified program soon after City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Thank You
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Amending City Council Policy CC-01-
1996 Community Funding Program
Judi A. Herren, Assistant to the City Manager/ City Clerk L2-PRESENTATION City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes May 27, 2025
Background
Established and last updated 1996
Aug. 13, 2024, study session
- Staff to review program and provide updates
May 13 information item
- Retain the City Council standing subcommittee
- Include senior and youth civic engagement in eligible priorities City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Previously funded agency/organization feedback
Prioritizing organizations with smaller budgets and Menlo Park-based nonprofits Increasing transparency and oversight.
Involving more local groups in future planning to better match the program with resident’s needs.
Including a funding release date to the timeline
Requiring financial review opposed to full audit biennially. Increasing proposed minimum to $5,000 from $3,000.
Establishing a community foundation.
Including “public safety” as an eligibility priority. Engaging city advisory bodies for applicant review, scoring and recommendation. Prioritizing one program/service is difficult.
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Policy amendments
Eligibility criteria priority areas
- Consistency with Environmental Justice (EJ) Element
- Simplify the application process
Application procedure
- One application per funding cycle and focus on a single program City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Policy amendments (continued)
Funding allocation and timeline
- Align with fiscal year funding
- Rating sheet
- Funding range $3,000 - $15,000
- Adjust cap from 1.7% to 1% of general fund property tax revenue per fiscal year
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
City Council options and considerations
Adopt the resolution
- Appoint City Councilmembers and amend the name of the standing subcommittee
Adopt the resolution with amendments
Discontinue the program
Begin fiscal year 2025-26 program
- One-time modified timeline
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025
Thank you
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2025