The City of Menlo Park invites organizations to submit proposals for the Community Funding Grant Program. This grant will provide financial support to local nonprofit agencies whose programs respond to the human service needs of Menlo Park residents.

Grant details:

• The funding will help subsidize any recipient agency and not be the sole support of any organization
• All recipients of the grant will enter into a contractual agreement with the City that will have specific objectives
• Grant recipients must fully use all funds by June 30, 2022
• A City Council subcommittee will review all applications.

Using the community funding program policy, the City Council will allocate the limited resources to invest in community needs. Requests are for consideration only and in no way guarantees funding for a particular agency.

Complete the application online by 5 p.m., Nov. 12, 2021.

The proposed Menlo Flats project in the Bayfront Area reached a milestone with the release of its draft environmental impact report Oct. 25, 2021. The draft EIR is available on the City’s environmental documents webpage. A hard copy is available for review in the Main Library at 800 Alma St. Interested parties should inquire at the library information desk.

Residents are encouraged to review the draft EIR and participate in the Nov. 15, 2021, Planning Commission meeting, to provide comments on the draft EIR and the proposed project. The comment review period for the draft EIR is happening now through Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. Written comments must be submitted no later than 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021.

The proposed project at 165 Jefferson Drive includes: 

• Redevelopment of an existing parcel with approximately 158 multifamily residential units
• Approximately 13,400 square feet of office space
• Approximately 1,600 square feet of café space
• Community amenities in-lieu fee (proposed as the applicant’s community amenity in exchange for bonus level development) 

Written comments must be submitted by email to Contract Principal Planner Payal Bhagat or by letter to Payal Bhagat, Community Development, 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025. 

More details on the proposed project are available on the Menlo Flats project page. The proposed project would be developed using bonus level provisions for increases in density, intensity (square footage) and height, in exchange for community amenities. 

The following supporting documents are also available on the project page: 

• Community amenities appraisal
•  Fiscal impact analysis

Following the close of the draft EIR public review period on Dec. 9, 2021, the staff will prepare a final EIR that will include responses to all substantive comments received on the draft EIR.

The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration project is the largest tidal wetland restoration project on the West Coast. When complete, the project will restore 15,100 acres of industrial salt ponds to a rich mosaic of tidal wetlands and other habitats.

A key part of the project is currently in construction at the Ravenswood Ponds portion of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The Ravenswood Ponds are adjacent to Bedwell Bayfront Park. At this location, the project is restoring or enhancing three types of habitats and adding a half-mile public access trail to connect the Bay Trail to Bedwell Bayfront Park. A viewing area at the center of the trail will provide views of the restored areas. 

The restoration project regularly holds a stakeholder forum to share information and discuss project progress, science, funding and other restoration-related topics. All interested stakeholders and members of the public are invited to a virtual meeting of the Stakeholder Forum Wednesday, November 3, from 1–3:30 p.m. 

There will be an initial set of presentations, followed by breakout groups for focused conversations with project management and staff. At 3:30 p.m., the meeting will shift to an informal open house for those who would like to continue discussions.

For more information, sign up to the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project newsletter.