Dear City Council,
I am out of the country and unable to attend your Dec 22 meeting to collect input on the Housing, Safety and Environmental Justice Elements.
Today, I write briefly to share my extreme disappointment with the limited public process for the Safety and Environmental Justice Elements. These should have received equal treatment with the Housing Element and all three presented in draft versions together, especially before approving Willow Village. The Safety and Environmental Justice had basically one public meeting (described as the Aug 26, 2021 one) with a public audience mostly consisting of residents from Belle Haven. While a very important audience, especially for the EJ element, I did not consider it representative of the entire City. The surveys conducted by Climate Resilience Communities, an outside group, was limited in scope. As I understand the requirements of SB 1000, the environmental justice element is supposed to include deep and significant public engagement -- led by the community most impacted! The Safety and EJ elements also needed input from expert opinions. The Safety Element continued to skirt the major risk from the Hayward fault eruption. Council heard about this risk, in the form of the "HayWired Scenario" at a May 8, 2018 Study Session.
I have concerns about the contents of both the Safety and Environmental Justice Elements. Unfortunately, I dont have time to comment in detail until after my return, which may be too late for your approval process. I am concerned too that these plans have a high likelihood of not being put into operation. The 2013 Safety Element goals were mostly not operationalized. Meaning, we had a plan that wasnt actually implemented. Ditto the 2016 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan annex. The State requires yearly progress updates for ALL General Plan Elements -- not just the Housing Element. Can we start to follow State requirements for meaningful yearly reporting for ALL elements? The Open Space, Noise. Conservation Elements also need an at least public reporting process. You made a policy decision (thank you) requiring yearly updates for the 2021 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex. Please do the same for the Citys complete suite of General Plan Elements.
Requests:
1. Please make a policy decision requiring the City to follow State law by providing yearly updates for all General plan elements? That would start to build in annual reporting and a way that Council and the public would have at least one yearly opportunity to stay informed.
2. Consider the City of Berkeleys example in the form of their Citizen Participation Element. I think you will need to build in policy changes for the City of Menlo Park to start having meaningful public engagement for major planning efforts. This is a great idea for the future.
3. Form a Blue Ribbon Commission, with a specific charter and work plan, focused on examining the Citys planning efforts and then making a report to Council with recommendations.
Lynne Bramlett
