Boards, Commissions, Committees

All Board/Commission/Advisory Committee appointees must be residents of the City of East Palo Alto.

Boards & Commissions Openings

Planning Commission

This Commission is organized according to State Statute. The Planning Commission reviews development proposals on public and private lands for compliance with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance. The Commission reviews all development proposals requiring a use permit, architectural control, variance, minor subdivision and environmental review associated with these projects. The Commission is the final decision-making body for these applications, unless appealed to the City Council. The Commission serves as a recommending body to the City Council for major subdivision, re-zonings, conditional development permits, planned development permits, Zoning Ordinance amendments, General Plan amendments and the environmental reviews associated with those projects. In addition, the Commission works on special projects as assigned by the City Council.

Meeting Dates: Second and Fourth Monday
Number of Members: 7
Number of Alternates: 1

Rent Stabilization Board

The Rent Stabilization Board is organized according to City Ordinance as approved by the voters. The Board is composed of three tenant, two landlord and two homeowner representatives who do not own rental property in East Palo Alto. The Rent Stabilization Board is responsible for carrying out the provisions of the Rent Stabilization Ordinance including: (a) protecting residential tenants in the City from unreasonable rent increases by discouraging speculation in rental property and stabilizing rent increases; (b) protecting tenants from arbitrary, discriminatory or retaliatory evictions; and (c) assuring landlords both a fair return and rental income sufficient to cover costs of maintenance and operating expenses, as well as, the costs of capital improvements to their rental properties.

Meeting Dates: Second and Fourth Wednesday
Number of Members: 7
Number of Alternates: 3

Click here to visit the Rent Stabilization page.

Transportation Advisory Committee

This Advisory Committee is charged with advising the City Council on matters related to the adequacy and improvement of all types of public and private transportation within and cross the Planning Commission City, including the best approaches to establishing and maintaining systems and facilities for the transport of people and goods around the City; the coordination of motor vehicle, bicycle, mass transit, and pedestrian traffic facilities; the development and encouragement of the most efficient and least detrimental overall transportation system for the City supporting the goals of the General Plan; coordination with regional transportation systems; and serving as an appeals board for appeals from staff determinations concerning establishment of traffic signs, pavement markings, speed zones, parking regulations, traffic signals, bike lanes, bus stops, etc.

Meeting Dates: First and Third Wednesday
Number of Members: 7
Number of Alternates: 1

Senior Advisory Committee (expanded from the Community Services Commission)

The purpose of the Senior Advisory Committee is to encourage, foster, facilitate, establish and purpose programs and services which enhance the social, economic, recreational, cultural, and personal well being of the City's senior population. The City Council has asked the Senior Advisory Committee to (a) recommend the establishment of programs which stimulate and encourage the development and maintenance of senior programs and services in the City and to review such programs as are established; (b) review and make recommendations regarding the funding of senior programs and services that operate within the City for the benefit of the City's senior population; (c) review and make recommendations regarding seniors' special housing needs; and (d) advise the Council and other boards and committees of the City regarding matters that affect the City's senior populations.

Meeting Dates: First Monday of each month
Number of Members: 9
Number of Alternates: 2

Youth Advisory Committee (expanded from the Community Services Commission)

The Youth Advisory Committee is formed to foster greater involvement of youth in municipal government, specifically to study any problems, activities and concerns of youth relating to municipal policies, programs or projects of the City of East Palo Alto. The Youth Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the City Council and to the Community Services Department on these issues and conducts forums to involve youth in the governmental decision-making process.

Meeting Dates: First Thursday of each month
Number of Adult Members: 4
Number of Youth Members: 5