Boards and Commissions Recruitment

The City of Palo Alto has eight Boards and Commissions appointed by the City Council. The Boards and Commissions focus on specific areas of discussion. Members volunteer their time and expertise to review items and make recommendations before they are reviewed by the City Council.

Submit an Application

Apply to interested Board/Commission through the online forms listed below. Applications are accepted continuously. Several questions on an applicant's background and Board/Commission-specific insights will be asked. We strongly encourage filling out the forms thoroughly.

Recruitment Status

Per Ordinance 5529(PDF, 478KB) and Resolution 9969(PDF, 469KB), the City Council adopted a regular annual spring recruitment for all Board, Commission and Committee openings. All term dates are now set to expire on March 31st. As such, the next regular recruitment opens in Spring 2023.

We continuously accept applications, regardless of current openings. Subscribe to our Board and Commissions Email Newsletter to receive recruitment updates.

Board or Commission	Application
Architectural Review Board	Architectural Review Board Application
Historic Resources Board	Historic Resources Board Application
Human Relations Commission	Human Relations Commission Application
Parks and Recreation Commission	Parks and Recreation Commission Application
Public Art Commission	Public Art Commission Application
Planning and Transportation Commission	Planning and Transportation Commission Application
Storm Water Management Oversight Committee	Storm Water Management Oversight Committee Application
Utilities Advisory Commission	Utilities Advisory Commission Application

Resources

For more informational resources, visit our Board, Commissions, and Committees Webpage.

Please contact the City Clerk's Office at City.Clerk@cityofpaloalto.org for further inquiries.

Maddy Act

The City of Palo Alto complies with the Maddy Act(PDF, 111KB) (Government Code Section 54970). As such, all scheduled vacancies on the City Boards and Commissions for the following year are listed and posted annually by December 31st.

Other Ways to Volunteer

Become an Emergency Service Volunteer

Other City Volunteer Opportunities