Reducing risk. Strengthening resilience.
Disasters cannot always be prevented, but their impacts can be reduced. Menlo Park’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies community risks and actions to protect lives, property, infrastructure, and essential services before disasters happen.
Status checked: September 29, 2026. Menlo Park is participating in San Mateo County’s coordinated plan update. The County reports that the draft is undergoing review by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The City submitted the updated plan to Cal OES on June 30, 2026. City Council consideration is anticipated in fall 2026, subject to the review process. Submission and review do not mean the plan has received final approval or been adopted.
View the 2026 draft plan, Menlo Park annex, and approval updates.
The public comment period ran from May 15 through June 15, 2026, and is now closed. The County will post the final version after the review and approval process is complete.
The plan evaluates natural and human-caused hazards that could affect Menlo Park, including:
It also considers how climate change may affect the frequency, severity, and consequences of hazards over time.
Hazard mitigation means taking long-term steps to reduce future damage. Potential actions include:
The plan helps connect these priorities with the City’s Safety Element, climate adaptation efforts, and emergency planning. Individual projects may require additional funding, design, review, and approval.
Regular updates help the City account for changing conditions, new risk information, and progress on mitigation actions. The updated plan is intended to guide priorities over the next five years.
An approved plan also helps maintain eligibility for certain state and federal mitigation grants. Grant funding can support projects that reduce future disaster losses, but plan approval does not guarantee funding.
These documents belong to the 2021 plan. They are separate from the 2026 update under review.
Visit the County’s 2021 plan page.
Community planning and household preparedness work together. Learn about local hazards, make an emergency plan, prepare supplies, and discuss how you will support family members and neighbors during an emergency.