Upcoming Holiday Closure

The City of Los Altos will observe the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24, 2017. City Hall and Recreation offices will be closed both days. Normal office hours will resume on Monday, November 27, 2017. Emergency services will not be impacted by the holiday. We wish you all a happy holiday. The Weekly Update will resume on Friday, December 1, 2017.

Hillview Community Center Update

The Hillview Community Center Task Force (TF) has held 12 meetings since June 2017 and will host its final meeting on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Chambers at City Hall. With a focus on gathering and providing input on the architectural design and space allocation of the new Community Center, the TF has heard from all segments of the community including seniors, teens and young families. A community survey hosted on Open City Hall gathered over 400 responses by its close date, midnight on November 13. At its meeting on November 7, the TF began the process of consolidating members’ insights, themes and considerations into a summary statement planned to accompany the staff report to be received by City Council at its December 12, 2017 meeting. This information and the input received from the public at meetings and the community survey continue to inform the Noll & Tam design force as they further develop “the Triangle” concept for review and comment at the TF meeting on November 30. The TF encourages continued dialog between the community and the design team as the project progresses. To be notified of project updates, please subscribe to the Hillview Community Center email list at losaltosca.gov/enotify .

City Welcomes Emergency Services Coordinator

The City of Los Altos is excited to welcome its new part-time Emergency Services Coordinator, Ann Hepenstal to our team! Ann’s professional certification in business continuity (CBCP), degree in engineering and her career in business continuity, emergency response, and risk management practice will support the efforts of the City’s emergency preparedness team. Ann is proud to call Los Altos home and is an active member of the Los Altos CERT and BAT programs. Some of Ann’s projects will include organizing various community stakeholders; reviewing emergency response budget projects; reviewing City ordinances, rules and regulations; enhancing emergency preparedness information on the City’s website; supporting efforts and community recruitment for BATs, CERTs, and HAMs; and providing support to City staff, Police, and Santa Clara County Fire Department for internal and community emergency preparedness matters.  

To learn more about how to prepare yourself and your family for an emergency, visit our Emergency Preparedness webpage . Here you can learn how to create your own emergency supply kit and communications plan, as well as register for Personal Emergency Preparedness training or Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. Be sure to visit Los Altos PREPARES to learn more about how Los Altos is enhancing emergency preparedness among community members and strengthening their ability to respond and recover after a major disaster.

Catch the Spirit - J. Gilbert Smith House Rings in the Holiday Season

This year's "Catch the Spirit" theme is especially festive, as part of the museum's celebration of the 40th anniversary of the J. Gilbert Smith House becoming a museum on December 1, 1977. A complimentary “Catch the Spirit” event hosted at the Smith House on Wednesday, November 15 included a tour of the home which was decorated for at traditional 1930’s Christmas party, a local authors showcase, refreshments, a pianist and the Schola Caontorum Silicon Valley Choir. Guests were encouraged to bring new, unwrapped children’s pajamas, books, and toys to fill the Community Service Agency donation box. “This is such a great opportunity for the community to get together and celebrate our local authors and the spirit of giving that marks the holiday season,” observed Dr. Elisabeth Ward, Executive Director of the Los Altos History Museum. It was also a wonderful way to honor the volunteers who make events like this possible.

The Los Altos History Museum will continue celebrating the season and its 40th anniversary on December 1, 2017, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with “Keep the Lights Twinkling”, an evening of refreshments, local wines and signature cocktails, and the music of Richard Keane on the porch of the Smith House. The event will end with an evening stroll into downtown Los Altos for the annual tree lighting ceremony. Register for the event at losaltoshistory.org . 

Community Development

Stage Two of Draeger’s Project Nears Start

The second phased of Draeger’s (located at 342 First Street) remodel and addition project is getting closer to a start. The plans for this phase of the project are being reviewed by the Building Division and are nearing the point where the building permit can be issued. This is the principal phase of the project, which will lead to the additional space the store desires.

Planning Commission Reviews Revised Accessory Structure Regulations

At its meeting Thursday, November 16, the Planning Commission considered a set of draft regulations for accessory structures. The proposed amendments include the creation of a new chapter in the Zoning Code to consolidate and clarify all accessory structure regulations; an increase in the minimum setback for accessory structures in a rear yard setback, establishment of a maximum lot coverage for accessory structures in the rear yard setback, and requiring structures to meet a daylight plane on all property lines. 

During their review, the Commission raised several questions concerning how the accessory structure rules link to the accessory dwelling unit rules and also how the non-conforming regulations would be applied. Given the recently adopted laws at the State level concerning accessory dwelling units and how these three sets of regulations could work together, the Commission has asked for advice from the City Attorney. The Commission continued their consideration of the accessory structure regulations to their December 7th meeting to allow a representative from the City Attorney’s office to be present.

Parking Committee Recommendations

At its meeting on December 7, staff will be providing the Planning Commission with information regarding the former Parking Committee recommendations and how the recommendations can be put in ordinance form. The Commission will then need to hold a public hearing on the Ordinances and develop a recommendation on the work of the Parking Committee to the City Council.

Economic Development

Furniture Placed Downtown

Several pieces of furniture purchased as part of the Downtown Green are being repurposed and have been strategically placed throughout downtown. Organized into small vignettes on Main and State Streets, the furniture provides more dynamic places for people to sit, lounge and enjoy casual gathering space downtown.  

New City Banners on El Camino Real

New city identifier banners have been placed along El Camino Real from Los Altos Avenue to Rengstroff Avenue. The new banners provide a visual cue to drivers on El Camino of their location while also encouraging them to “Shop, Dine, Explore and Discover Los Altos!” The banners were commissioned and designed by local graphic artist Jan Davis and printed by a shop in nearby Mountain View.

Police

Prevent Package Thefts by the Holiday Grinch

Although we haven’t seen a large uptick in package thefts, residents are reminded to minimize their risk of package theft by avoiding having packages delivered to your front door while no one is home to receive deliveries. There are several alternatives now available to ensure your online shopping deliveries make it securely into your home.

Remember to report suspicious activity right away to Police by calling our non-emergency number at (650) 947-2770. No one knows your neighborhood better than you, so if someone or something gives you pause, err on the side of caution and contact us to report the suspicious person or activity. 

Public Works

Safe Routes to School Coordination

Staff participated in City of Sunnyvale Safe Routes to School Collaborative meeting led by Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. One of the topics involved developing suggested school route maps across city borders, which is still in the initial stages of discussion. Staff will continue to pursue this topic with neighboring agencies.

Miramonte Avenue Path Project

The City’s Bicycle Transportation Plan places a high priority on upgrading the existing bicycle route on Miramonte Avenue between Foothill Expressway and the Mountain View city limit. Staff conducted public outreach for this project in 2016 and presented several design concepts at a special joint Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (now Complete Streets Commission in Los Altos) and a public meeting on August 5, 2016. Residents along the project site, the school, and the PTA groups were notified of the meeting. At the meeting, preferred options were selected by the Commission based on input from meeting attendees. The City has since been advancing the design of the preferred option which include bike lanes on both sides of the street and a pedestrian path on one side. Comments from the meeting were taken into consideration during design.  

The City recently received $1 million from the State One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) for Phase I of this project (between Covington Road and Berry Drive). Construction for Phase I is anticipated to begin in summer 2018. Staff is working on finalizing the design and plan to hold another public information meeting in early 2018 with property owners/residents impacted by the project. At the meeting, we will provide information regarding the design of the project, discuss project impacts, and address any concerns residents may have.

Stormwater Green Infrastructure Update

This week engineering staff attended an American Public Works Association (APWA) luncheon to receive an update on current efforts on local green infrastructure planning and the ongoing development of a Storm Water Resource Plan (SWRP) for Santa Clara Valley. A SWRP is a non-regulatory, watershed based and stakeholder driven plan that builds on local storm water management objectives and identifies and prioritizes projects that capture, treat or reuse storm water runoff.

PG&E and AT&T – Joint Trench Relocation Project

This week PG&E worked on pulling cable through the conduits that were installed earlier this year when their joint trench was relocated on Fremont Avenue (between Truman Avenue and Fallen Leaf Lane). The work on this project is anticipated to be completed by mid-December.

Maintenance Updates

In addition to routine maintenance activities, maintenance crews attended safety training on personal protective equipment and worked on updating emergency action plan for maintenance related activities this week. The entire group was on storm patrol during this week’s storm and reported no major incidents.

Reminders

Commissions Now Accepting Applications

The Los Altos City Council invites residents to apply for appointment to the Financial Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission. 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. Applicants must be residents of the City of Los Altos to be considered for an appointment. Applications are due by Wednesday, November 29, 2017 and interviews are tentatively scheduled to take place Tuesday, December 12, 2017. Applications can be picked-up at Los Altos City Hall, downloaded as a PDF, or submitted online. Submit completed applications to the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall. For more information about any open recruitment, call (650) 947-2720 or visit losaltosca.gov/cc. 

Downtown Vision Community Workshop

A second Downtown Vision Community Workshop will take place Wednesday, November 29, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Los Altos Youth Center, 1 N San Antonio Road. Community members are invited to review and provide input on the four future scenarios for the Downtown. The consultant team will conduct a number of activities with the workshop participants that are intended to elicit which, or which combination, of the four scenarios best represent how the Downtown should evolve over time.

Winter Wonder Coming to Hillview Senior Program

Join us for a Holiday Tree Lighting Event on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will be caroling, refreshments and fun activities. Festivities will take place on the Senior Center Patio at the Hillview Community Center (97 Hillview Avenue). There is a $4.00 donation requested for the refreshments.

City Council Open Office Hours

The Los Altos City Council will host Open Office Hours on the following dates and times:

Monday, November 20, 2017

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Grant Park (Room 3)

1575 Holt Avenue, Los Altos

Thursday, December 7, 2017

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Hillview Community Center, Room 2

97 Hillview Avenue, Los Altos

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Los Altos Main Library, Orchard Room

13 S. San Antonio Road, 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.