Menlo Park adopts 2025 General Plan APR, including housing and environmental justice elements

The Menlo Park City Council voted unanimously March 24 to accept the 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report, which includes the housing element, an environmental justice (EJ) element and the Annual Housing Successor Report.

Principal Planner Tom Smith told the council the APR summarizes 2025 implementation and statutory reporting. "In 2025 the City provided Habitat for Humanity of Greater San Francisco a $3.6 million loan to purchase the site at 335 Pierce Road for an eight-unit low-income ownership project," Smith said, and he detailed other pipeline projects and permit activity.

The nut graf: the APR documents both completed steps and work still to do on housing and equity — staff reported 102 new dwelling units received building permits in 2025 and described ongoing anti-displacement work and early EJ investments. The EJ implementation approach includes a proposed $1 million transfer from the Bayfront Mitigation Fund to an EJ Implementation Fund and interdepartmental coordination to advance the element's top priorities: safe affordable homes, food access, and pollution reduction in Belhaven and nearby neighborhoods.

What staff presented and why it matters: Smith outlined major investments and approvals that shape near-term housing production. He cited the Presidio Bay Ventures proposal for the U.S. Geological Survey site at 345 Middlefield Road — a redevelopment concept that the presenter said could include roughly 670 housing units with 101 affordable units — and that building-permit issuance is the state metric for tracking RHNA progress. Smith said the APR shows 102 permits were issued in 2025 and that the city remains behind on very-low-income targets.

EJ implementation and outreach also featured in the presentation. Rachel (Rachael) Londer, representing the interdepartmental EJ team, said staff had allocated $250,000 so far to tree planting in Belhaven and that staff are preparing recommendations for funding food-access programs. Londer said staff would return with a more detailed proposal after socializing the Environmental Quality Commission recommendations with the Belhaven Collective and community members.

Public commenters pushed for urgency and clarity. Cade Candy (public commenter) thanked staff and urged the report to show funds spent and the queue of projects so residents can see progress. Brittany B. Goodwin asked the council to "fast-track tangible renter protections" as part of the anti-displacement strategy. Adina Levin and Jocelyn Anaya Galvan urged continued focus on deeply affordable homes and renter protections tied to electrification requirements.

Council questions focused on transparency and pace. Councilmembers sought clearer reporting on the EJ fund expenditures and a more accessible format for the APR for broad community use. Staff said the anti-displacement strategy is targeted for consideration this spring and that the county-led Nexus Study will provide additional data toward inclusionary zoning and in-lieu fee options; staff expect preliminary Nexus results by year-end.

Outcome and next steps: After discussion, Councilmember Schmidt moved and Councilmember Taylor seconded a resolution to adopt the APR and associated appendices; the motion passed unanimously. Staff will incorporate Council feedback on expanding financial and timeline detail in future APR materials and continue work on the anti-displacement strategy and EJ program recommendations.

Authorities referenced in the meeting included the state reporting requirements for General Plan APRs and the statutory requirements governing Housing Element reporting. The council did not direct immediate policy or budget changes beyond returning with more detailed implementation proposals.