City Manager Weekly Update
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Air Quality Advisory
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued an air quality advisory for smoke today through Sunday, August 19, for the entire the region. The Bay Area may experience smoke impacts from the wildfires burning in the northwest region of the U.S. and British Colombia. Winds are expected to blow smoke into the Bay Area on Friday, which may impact ground-level air quality through the weekend.
If the smell of smoke is present, residents are urged to protect their health by avoiding exposure. If possible, stay inside with windows and doors closed until smoke levels subside. Set air conditioning units and car vent systems to re-circulate to prevent outside air from moving inside.
Smoke can irritate the eyes and airways, causing coughing, a dry scratchy throat and irritated sinuses. Elevated particulate matter in the air can trigger wheezing in those who suffer from asthma, emphysema or COPD. Elderly persons, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses are particularly susceptible to elevated air pollution levels and should take extra precautions to avoid exposure. To view real-time air quality readings, visit
https://go.usa.gov/xUwyz.
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New Deputy City Clerk
The City is pleased to announce that Sarah Henricks has accepted the position of Deputy City Clerk with the City. Sarah has been working for the City for the last year plus as a Management Analyst Fellow. In her short time with the City, Sarah has worked on a number of projects including the City-wide smoking regulations, anti-idling campaign, the re-fresh of the City website and production of the City’s first Popular Annual Financial Report. She has also worked with numerous Commissions and Committees, including the Environmental Commission and the Hillview Community Center Project Task Force. The City is excited to have Sarah starting in this new role.
2018 City Council Election
The Nomination Period for the 2018 City Council Election closed on Wednesday, August 15. Five individuals qualified for the ballot: Nancy Bremeau, Anita Enander, Neysa Fligor, Jean Mordo and Teresa Morris. The Election will be Tuesday, November 6, 2018. For more information or to register to vote, please visit
sccvote.org.
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New!
City Council Open Office Hours
Visit Open Office Hours and personally connect with Los Altos City Council members. At each event, one City Council member will be available to the public for a two-hour period to answer questions, receive input and discuss topics of interest to community members. All are welcome.
Sunday, August 19, 2018
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Downtown Green
Third Street, Between Main and State Streets (Downtown)
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Hillview Community Center, Room 2
97 Hillview Avenue, Los Altos
Sunday, September 23, 2018
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Grant Park Community Center, Room 3
1575 Holt Avenue, Los Altos
Monday, October 1, 2018
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Hillview Community Center, Room 2
97 Hillview Avenue, Los Altos
Friday, October 19, 2018
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Grant Park Community Center, Room 3
1575 Holt Avenue, Los Altos
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Grant Park C
ommunity Center, Room 3
1575 Holt Avenue, Los Altos
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Story Poles Have Been Raised
The story poles for the five-story multi-family residential project at 4856 El Camino Real have been raised with flagging and netting suspended between the poles to indicate the upper reaches of the proposed building. The story-poles and netting will give those who travel to the site an opportunity to see how tall the proposed building will be and how much of the site it will encompass. This also serves as a notice that a project is being proposed and under consideration. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to consider the project at a meeting on September 6, 2018.
Planning Commission Reviews Housing Proposals
At its
meeting
last night, the Planning Commission held a study session to consider pre-application design review for two new multiple-family development applications. The Commission provided the applicants with constructive feedback and guidance but did not take any formal actions. The projects on the agenda included:
18-PPR-04 – Dutchints Development, LLC – 5150 El Camino Real
A new multiple-family development. The proposal includes 24 three-story townhouse units in the rear of the site and 172 condominium units in two five-story buildings along El Camino Real with one level of underground parking.
Project Planner: Dahl
18-PPR-05 – Jeff Warmoth – 425 First Street
A new multiple-family development at the corner of First Street and Lyell Street. The proposal includes 20 condominium units in a three-story building with one level of underground parking.
Project Planner: Dahl
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Back to School Safety Tips
Our local streets will soon be filled with children walking, biking and rolling back to school. Please take a few moments to review some quick tips and suggestions to help keep children safe as they begin a new school year.
Tips for Drivers
- Drivers are encouraged to leave earlier than usual, as there will likely be delays along travel routes.
- Please observe speed limits – remember the speed limit in local school zones is 15mph.
- Look out for crossing guards around most elementary schools who will be stopping traffic to help children cross the street safely.
- When dropping off children, please do so in designated school drop off areas.
- Review street safety tips with your children and newly licensed drivers. For a list of great tips, visit nsc.org.
- Above all, drivers are encouraged to remain patient and remember the goal is for everyone to arrive at their destination safely!
Topics to Discuss and Consider
If your child will be left unattended after school until adults arrive home, please consider and/or discuss the following:
- What route will your child be taking to and from school?
- Will your child be required to call an adult when they have arrived safely at the appropriate location?
- Does your child have an electronic device with GPS?
- Have you discussed a set of pre-determined rules? This may include having friends over, opening the door to strangers and use of electronics.
- How long will your child be home alone?
- Will your child be required to prepare a snack or a meal? If so, what are the rules for using the stove, oven and microwave?
- Will your child be alone? If siblings are under their care, are they willing and capable to do so?
- How child-safe is your home (e.g. alcohol, prescription medication, tobacco, car keys, lighters/matches, guns, etc.)?
- Who can your child call in case of an emergency? Where can your child find important phone numbers?
- Does your child know what to do in the case of fire, earthquake or other disaster? Back to school is a great time to create or update your Family Emergency Communication Plan.
Finally, Los Altos Police asks all families to teach their children how to use the 9-1-1 emergency telephone system. This should include situations where it is appropriate to call 9-1-1 (e.g. lost, fire, accident, crime, very sick or hurt, etc.) and what information Dispatchers will ask of callers, such as name, address, phone number and type of emergency.
Back to School Dates for Local Schoolchildren
- Mountain View Los Altos High School District: Monday, August 20
- Fremont Union High School District: Monday, August 20
- Los Altos School District: Wednesday, August 22
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Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) Class
Sign up for a free training class in Los Altos to learn how to prepare to be self-reliant the first 72 hours following a major disaster. This class includes information on types of disasters, home and workplace preparedness, fire safety, treating life-threatening conditions, and building a disaster supply kit. Santa Clara County Fire Department will teach the class on Thursday, August 23 from 6 - 9 p.m. at Hillview Community Center. To register, visit
http://bit.ly/AugPEP.
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CalWater Upgrade at Covington Road
CalWater completed pavement restoration this week on Covington Road bringing a close to a project which upgraded existing 4” water mains to 8” between Miramonte Avenue and Springer Road. For specific project related questions, please contact CalWater at (650) 917-0152 or visit
www.calwater.com to email your questions or concern online.
Annual Concrete Repairs
The City’s Annual Concrete Repairs project is on schedule to complete base bid work by the end of next week with punch list, clean-up and added scope to follow. The project makes repairs to existing known defects in concrete sidewalks, curbs, gutters and ramps throughout the City by either replacing the section in its entirety or saw cutting offsets to remove potential hazards. Thank you for your patience in dealing with temporarily closed sidewalks while work is being performed.
Community Rating System (CRS)
The City of Los Altos, together with nine other cities, the unincorporated County of Santa Clara and Santa Clara Valley Water District have been active participants in the Community Rating System (CRS) for almost 20 years. CRS is a voluntary program of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that allows participating communities to earn flood insurance premium discounts for their residents and businesses by agreeing to adopt and enforce an ordinance that meets or exceeds FEMA’s requirement to reduce the risk of flooding. The City completed the 2018 CRS re-certification and received a notification letter stating that it maintained its CRS Class 8 rating based on the requirements of the FEMA 2017 NIFP/CRS Coordinator's Manual. This rating results in a 10% discount in the premium costs for NFIP policies issued or renewed in special flood hazard areas.
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Recreation & Community Services
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Los Altos Hills vs. Los Altos Softball Game
Come cheer on your hometown players at the 1
st Annual Los Altos Hills vs. Los Altos Adult Softball Game! The game will take place this Saturday, August 18, 2018 from 1 - 3 p.m. at Purissima Park located at 27400 Purissima Road in Los Altos Hills.
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Commission Recruitment
The Los Altos City Council invites residents to apply to open seats on the following Commissions: Design Review, Environmental, Historical, Planning and Public Arts. Each Commission contributes knowledge and expertise that helps guide and inform decisions made by the City Council. Serving on a Commission is a fantastic way to give-back to your community and residents are encouraged to take advantage of this unique opportunity. Applications can be picked-up at Los Altos City Hall (1 N San Antonio Road) or downloaded and
submitted online. The application deadline is Wednesday, August 29 and interviews are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, September 4. For more information,
click here or call (650) 947-2720.
Energy Day on the Downtown Green
Mark your calendar for Energy Day on the Downtown Green scheduled Sunday, August 19 from noon to 4 p.m. Sponsored by Silicon Valley Clean Energy, all are invited to join this fun event for an afternoon filled with electric cars, electric bikes and even a solar cooker with freshly baked cookies! Representatives will be on-hand from companies specializing in solar installations, smart energy use and our very own electricity service provider, Silicon Valley Clean Energy. Gather ideas that will save you energy and money, and learn about the GreenTown Challenge, a program to help you reduce your carbon footprint. For more information, visit
losaltosca.gov/downtowngreen.
Los Altos Has Talent
Teens in grades 6-12 are encouraged to audition for our 1
st Annual Los Altos Has Talent: Teen Talent show scheduled to take place on Friday, November 9
th from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at the Los Altos Youth Center (LAYC) located at 1 N San Antonio Road. All acts must have at least one member living or attending school in Los Altos and are required to submit a
Talent Show Application by September 14 at 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit our website at
Los Altos Has Talent.
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City of Los Altos | (650) 947-2700 | www.losaltosca.gov
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