Our Menlo Park Community

Our Community

History
Menlo Park’s first permanent settlers arrived in 1853. From Menlough on the outskirts of Galway, Ireland, came two Irish immigrants, Dennis J. Oliver and his brother-in-law D.C. McGlynn. They found the tree-studded pasture land reminiscent of their homeland and purchased a 1700-acre tract – at the southern end of the Pulgas Grant, along El Camino Real, Known then as County Road.

In 1854 Oliver and McGlynn erected a wooden gateway to their property. On the center main arch in foot-high letters was the name “Menlo Park.” The gates stood on the west side of El Camino Real about 500 feet south of the present-day Menlo Avenue, until demolished by a motorist in 1922. (History provided by the Menlo Park Historical Association is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to preserving the history of Menlo Park and surrounding areas. Please call 330-2522 for further information.)

Demographics
Menlo Park, Atherton, and Portola Valley are located in San Mateo County. These cities are bordered by coastal hills on the west and the San Francisco Bay on the east. This area is home to cutting edge technology and also considered one of the best areas to live.
Click here for detailed demographics

Computer Recycling
Electronic waste, consisting of discarded computers, TVs, cellular phones and other electronic equipment and gadgets, is a massive problem in California. Rapid advances in technology have created the potential for mountains of e-waste. The environmental impact of electronics disposal affects not only the volume of our landfills but also poses a significant hazardous waste problem. The State of California has banned televisions and computer monitors from landfills because of the large amounts of lead and other hazardous contents in the glass of the cathode ray tube (CRT), or visual display of the monitor. Many programs are now in place for reusing and recycling used electronics. Items less than 5 years old can often be donated for re-use. Please call the RecycleWorks hotline at 1-888-442-2666 for donation information. To find out where to recycle e-waste in San Mateo County, please see E-Waste Recycling Guidlines.

Disaster Preparation
Menlo Park is fortunate to be home to one of the best search and rescue teams in the nation. They are ready at a moment's notice when disaster strikes. View their website to learn more about them. If you want to make sure that you're prepared, also visit the fire department's website for check lists and preparedness information on earthquakes, floods, emergency, and fire.

Business Community
Menlo Park was the first city in the world to offer commerce a restricted garden-type zone for its exclusive use. The area set aside for executive-administrative offices is occupied by such desirable firms as Sunset Magazine, Merrill Lynch, Price Waterhouse, United States Geological Survey, and SRI International.

Menlo Park is a planned city; a high number of the homes are owner-occupied. Investments in home ownership are protected by strict zoning ordinances. Twenty-eight percent of the employed residents earn their livelihood in occupations carried on in San Francisco, seventy-two percent are employed on the Peninsula.

Getting a Business License – With few exceptions all businesses located within the city limits of Menlo Park are required to have a valid business license from the City of Menlo Park. Businesses located outside the City of Menlo Park conducting business activity within the City limits are required to have a City of Menlo Park business license. Businesses that operate from a residential address in Menlo Park are also required to obtain a home occupation permit from the Planning Department before business operations begin. Be aware that all cities regulate business activity by location. Check with the Planning Department to ensure that your business is permissible in the location you are considering.

The City collects a business license tax for doing business within the city limits based on the business gross receipts or the number of employees. Payment of the license tax can be made by mail with check or credit card or in person with cash, check or credit card. Applications can also be filed by FAX with credit card information. Businesses will be able to legally conduct business as soon as the license is approved. Notification of approval is normally mailed within one week. Applicants can also call the business license office to confirm the license approval. You can reach the Business License office at 650.330.6640

Menlo Park City Council

The City Council is the City's governing body. In general municipal elections, its members are elected at-large to four-year overlapping terms. The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem (vice mayor) are selected to one-year terms by the Council at its first meeting in December of each year. The Mayor, who represents the City of Menlo Park, serves as the presiding officer of the City Council and signs enacting legislation and contracts. Click here to learn more

Menlo Park Planning Commission

Established according to State law, the Planning Commission makes decisions in many areas of the land use process and also makes recommendations to the City Council in other areas. For more information on the Planning Commission meeting schedule and to confirm that the meeting will take place call the City's Planning Division 330-6702 or click here

To learn more about Menlo Park, we suggest that you visit some of the following sites:

General City Information and City Government for Menlo Park
The city’s website contains general information about the city as well as links to the police department, library and recreation center. The Menlo Park Civic Center, designed by Kingsford Jones and Associates with landscape architect Arthur Cobbledick, was built in stages beginning with the library in 1957, followed by a police station and recreation center, and ending with the administration building and council chambers in 1970. Click here

The Almanac
Our local community newspaper for Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside. New issues come out every Wednesday. Click here

Menlo Park City School District
The district operates four schools for students including: Encinal School (Grades 3-5), Hillview Middle School (Grades 6-8), Laurel School (Grades K-2), Oak Knoll School (Grades K-5). Click here

Los Lomitas School District
The district operates two schools which are La Entrada School (Grades 4-8) and Las Lomitas School (K-3). The district can be reached at 650.854.2880. Click here

Portola Valley School District
The district operates two schools which are Corte Madera School (Grades 4-8) and Ormondale School (K-3). Call 650.851.1777 or Click here

Woodside School District
The district operates one elementary school (Grades K-8). Call 650.851.1571. Click here

Sequoia Union High School District
The district operates high schools and an alternative school for students living in the southern and central portions of San Mateo County. Click here