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Commissioners ask staff to address neighborhood differences and air quality in EJ and safety elements
Summary
Commissioners asked whether the draft elements examine intra‑city disparities in park and trail access and localized air quality concerns; staff said disadvantaged‑community mapping and the vulnerability assessment can support area‑specific policies.
A commissioner asked whether the environmental justice policies examine differences within East Palo Alto, for example disparities in park access and proximity to the Bay Trail. The commissioner noted some neighborhoods have less access to parks and other amenities.
Staff responded that the general plan process includes maps of disadvantaged communities and that specific policies can be tailored to areas identified in those maps. "We do have those and do I think, we shared that an at an earlier plan on commission meeting," staff said, noting the West Side area plan had already been recognized for area‑specific policy work.
Staff also said air quality questions — while a state‑level program in some regions — will be addressed through the safety and EJ elements based on community workshop feedback. Commissioners encouraged staff to identify measurable indicators (for example, walk times to parks) where feasible.
