Accepting Environmental Quality Commission applicants through June 12

Published on June 01, 2026

The City is actively seeking applicants for a vacancy on the Environmental Quality Commission. 

What is the Environmental Quality Commission?

The Environmental Quality Commission is an advisory body charged primarily with advising the City Council on matters involving climate change, environmental protection and sustainability.

Environmental Quality Commission priorities include:

Climate Action Plan - Advise and recommend on the implementation of the climate action plan.

Climate Resilience and Adaptation - Ensure that our most vulnerable communities have a voice in policies and programs to protect their communities from environmental impacts.

Urban Canopy - Leverage best practices to advise/recommend on the preservation of heritage trees, city trees and expansion of the urban canopy; and make determinations on appeals of heritage tree removal permits.

Green and Sustainable Initiatives - Support sustainability initiatives, as needs arise, which may include city-led events, habitat protection, healthy ecology, environmental health protection, healthy air, surface water runoff quality, water conservation and waste reduction.

What is an advisory body?

Advisory bodies examine issues of community interest and make recommendations to the City Council on policy matters. Each advisory body reviews specific subjects, carries out assignments as directed by the City Council and establishes an annual work plan that aligns with the City Council's goals and guides the commissions' activities and projects.

Why serve on an advisory body?

Serving on an advisory body or commission is an opportunity to actively participate in the growth and development of the Menlo Park community. Commissions engage the citizenry on important topics, conduct thorough reviews of various projects, initiatives and policies and provide valuable insight to the City Council.

Who can serve on an advisory body?

All applicants must be 18 or older, a resident of Menlo Park and committed to attending scheduled (monthly) meetings.

Term length will vary for each advisory body.

Learn more on the commissions and committees webpage.