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City Manager Weekly Update
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Hillview Community Center Project Architect Selected
The City of Los Altos is pleased to announce Noll & Tam Architects has been selected to lead the design of a new community center for Los Altos. Eight architectural firms responded to the City’s RFP for the Hillview Community Center redevelopment project. Staff and three members of the Hillview Community Center Project Task Force shortlisted four firms from the eight that applied, held interviews on July 11th and selected Noll & Tam. Noll & Tam were introduced to the public and Task Force at-large at the Task Force meeting held Tuesday, July 25th at the Los Altos Youth Center. Task Force members provided a warm welcome and expressed their excitement to work with Noll & Tam to develop a quality recommendation for a new community center, which they will bring to City Council in December. The next meetings of the Hillview Community Center Project Task Force will be held August 8 and 26 and September 11. For more information, visit the project webpage.
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Community Emergency Preparedness Volunteers
Last Saturday, volunteer CERTs and Hams filled ten new first aid packs with the latest emergency supplies purchased by the City. There are now a total of 25 first aid packs ready to use by trained volunteers in the event of an area disaster. The City of Los Altos currently dedicates approximately $40,000 a year to prepare its citizens for emergency situations. This amount is expected to increase over time as the community grows and the City’s supply stock increases. The City also provides emergency backpacks to all full-time employees, who are designated disaster service workers, to ensure they are prepared to respond in the event of an emergency.
City staff and community volunteers from the CERT, BAT, and Ham radio groups met with a representative from the Santa Clara County Fire Department on Tuesday, July 25th to offer guidance and insight on how to successfully expand CERT operations at both neighborhood and city levels. The City of Los Altos has made great strides in its emergency preparedness program over the past several years and residents are encouraged to take advantage of its emergency preparedness training programs.
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Leaving for Mountain View
Today, we bid Associate Planner Sierra Davis farewell, as it is her last day with the City of Los Altos. She is leaving for a new position in the Community Development Department with the City of Mountain View. Sierra has worked for the City for over five years and has been the key planner on numerous projects. She recently guided the Larkellen one-story overlay district through the City’s review process. Sierra has been a positive force in the Community Development Department and her skills as a planner will be missed.
Density Bonus and CT Zone District Regulations to be Reviewed
At its regular meeting next Thursday, the Planning and Transportation Commission will review the latest drafts of the Density Bonus and CT (Commercial Thoroughfare) Zone District regulations. Updating these regulations has been a priority of the City Council and the Commission has been working on finalizing the wording of these land use rules over the past couple of months. The review of these codes was started in response to projects being proposed on lots with frontage on El Camino Real and a desire to see appropriately scaled and designed buildings.
Building Inspector Recruitment
Once more there is a vacancy among the ranks of building inspectors in the Community Development Department. The recruitment process is underway to identify a new inspector that will provide the high level of customer service the community expects. The building inspectors are diligently working to keep up with the large volume of inspection requests.
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Downtown Green
The Downtown Green’s summer festivities are in full swing! The Green has hosted live concerts, tomato testing, and movies in the park!
Mark your calendars with these events that are coming soon:
July 30: Belly Dancing Class - 2:00 p.m
July 31: Vinyl on the Green - 6-8:00 p.m.
August 1: The Underground - 6-8:00 p.m. & Shark Cops Performance - 8:00 p.m.
Teens are invited to come rock out to local bands, play ping pong and enjoy a place to hang out in Downtown Los Altos.
August 2: Pop-Up Mini Camp - 6-8:00 p.m.
Space is limited to first 15 drop-ins. Cost is $20 per child.
August 2: Community Supper - 6-8:00 p.m.
Break bread with friends and neighbors in a communal outdoor dining experience. Bring your own dinner or buy from a local restaurant.
July 27: Farmer’s Market - 5-7:00 p.m.
August 4: Club 55 - 6-9:00 p.m.
August 5: Saturday Cinema: One Big Home (Documentary) - 6-8:00 p.m.
For more information, visit www.downtowngreen2017.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram @DowntownGreen2017.
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Los Altos High School Traffic Updates
Effective August 1, 2017, traffic changes are being implemented to increase the safety of students walking and biking to school, and to address neighborhood traffic concerns around Los Altos High School (LAHS).
The following changes reflect NEW traffic and student pick up/drop off rules:
- There will be NO stopping on Almond Avenue in front of LAHS. New city signage will emphasize that it is not permitted to stop and drop off or pick up students on Almond Avenue in front of LAHS.
- The U pass-through (off of Almond in front of the library) will be open one way for drop off and pick up 6:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Drivers should pull all the way up to create maximum space for pick up and drop off.
- The student parking lot and the administration parking lot will be CLOSED to drop off and pick up during school hours 7:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
To make these transitions easier and safer, families are encouraged to pick up and drop off students in unrestricted parking areas in close proximity to the Los Altos High School campus. Families can also pick up and drop off a block or two from campus in permitted areas to avoid traffic congestion.
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Sewer Rate Study Kickoff
Engineering staff met this week with the City’s consultant, NBS, to kick off a project to prepare a new 5-year rate study for sanitary sewer charges. Every 5 years the City studies its 20-year plan for ongoing maintenance and operation needs, capital infrastructure needs, reserves needs and costs associated with treatment at the Palo Alto Joint Treatment Plant (both operating and capital). The City then makes recommendations for the upcoming 5-year period. The study will conclude with a Proposition 218 rate adjustment process anticipated to occur in spring of 2018.
Green Gardner Training Fall 2017
The Watershed Watch Outreach Program has partnered with the Santa Clara Valley Green Gardeners program to host a 10-session Green Gardening Training program beginning in September. The classes are offered in both English and Spanish. For more information visit mywatershedwatch.org or call (408) 522-2700 to register.
Training will include instruction on:
- Designing and fixing sprinklers and drip irrigation systems
- Selecting the right plants to save water and reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers
- Solving pest problems without using toxic pesticides
- Pruning, mulch and compost
Maintenance Updates
A city-wide street improvement project is currently underway and approximately 18 miles of streets will be treated. Prior to receiving new surface treatments, the cracks on these streets need to be sealed. Crack sealing is being led by our Street Crews with assistance from all other maintenance crews; together they completed over 110,000 feet of crack sealing in preparation of the city-wide street improvement project. In addition to completing this significant assignment, the Street Crews continued to perform routine maintenance throughout the City. This week, they worked on a small drainage project and supported the Police Department with traffic control in response to an area-wide power outage.
The Parks Crew performed general maintenance and supported the Downtown Green this week. The Sewer Crews performed routine sewer pipe cleaning and serviced a pump station that has been experiencing alarm issues. The Facilities Crews performed routine building maintenance and supported a City Hall remodeling effort focused on creating additional work spaces for new staff.
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Recreation & Community Services
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Downtown Green Mini Pop-up Camp
If you missed it or loved it so much you want to do it again – here’s another chance to participate in our Mini Pop-Up Camp! Come join us on Wednesday, August 2nd from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the Downtown Green located on Third Street between State and Main Streets. Take a night off and enjoy a nice summer night in downtown Los Altos, shopping and dining out. Let the Recreation & Community Services Department entertain your children while you take a break. There will be all types of fun activities to take part in such as group games, crafts, classic board games and more. This program is for ages 5 – 11, there is a maximum of 15 participants for this activity and the fee is $20.00 per child. (Note: This drop-in program is first come first serve).
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Redwood Grove in the News
The wondrous Redwood Grove Nature Preserve was highlighted in a magazine created by the San Francisco Chronicle. This magazine, Destinations, features Redwood Grove on pages 59 – 62 in its “20 Perfect Weekend Escapes” article. The article gives a brief history of the park and highlights it as a great destination for people to find a way to escape and unwind.
Farewell Summer Concert
Join us for our FINAL Summer Concert of the season on Thursday, August 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Grant Park Soccer Field! Lyin’ I’s, the Bay Area Premiere Eagles Tribute Band, will have you dancin’ the night away! Pack a picnic dinner and bring your friends and family so you can enjoy the warm temps, groovin’ music and have big time fun!
For more information about Recreation programs, please visit www.LosAltosRecreation.org or call (650) 947-2790.
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Reminders
City Council Open Office Hours
The Los Altos City Council will host Open Office Hours on the following dates and times:
Saturday, August 5, 2017
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Downtown Green
Third Street between State and Main Streets
Sunday, August 20, 2017
12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Downtown Green
Third Street between State and Main Streets
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Hillview Community Center, Room 2
97 Hillview Avenue, Los Altos
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Grant Park (outside picnic tables)
1575 Holt Avenue, Los Altos
One City Council member will be available to the public for these two-hour periods to answer questions, receive input and discuss topics of interest with community members. Everyone is welcome.
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Coffee on the Patio
The last Coffee on the Patio of the summer will be held on Friday, August 4, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. outside room 10 of the Senior Program at the Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Avenue. Delicious coffee beverages will be provided by Café Carrello. Bring a friend and join us for this great social event!
Silicon Valley Clean Energy
Silicon Valley Clean Energy will be providing an update and informational session on Friday, August 4th, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 11 of the Senior Center at Hillview Community Center. This discussion is open to anyone interested in learning more about Los Altos’ new Community Choice Energy program.
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City of Los Altos | (650) 947-2700 | www.losaltosca.gov
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