Assistant City Manager

Eagle Scout Service Project on Display  

Last August, Eagle Scout candidate Isaac Conner presented the City with handmade owl boxes as part of his community service project to earn his Eagle Scout Badge. Isaac coordinated Boy Scouts from Troop 37 to design, plan, raise funds and complete the project with help from the Audubon Society. The boxes serve as owl shelters during the winter breeding season and as hawk perches the rest of the year. Two of the owl boxes were installed in Redwood Grove earlier this year and can be viewed during park hours. A third owl box was donated to Mid-Peninsula Open Space and will soon be installed at Deer Hollow Farm in Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. Both habitats are conducive to attracting owls and hawks and the City is hopeful the two species will find comfortable homes in Los Altos and the Mid-Peninsula Open Space Parklands. Many thanks to Isaac Conner, Troop 37, troop leaders, the Audubon Society, and Mid-Peninsula Open Space for supporting this great project and installation of the owl boxes.

Los Altos LEAD

The Los Altos Community Foundation’s May 30th LEAD class featured a panel presentation on “Safe and Resilient Community” with representatives from the City and several local agencies and volunteer programs. In addition to Los Altos Police Chief Andy Galea’s update on the Police Department and law enforcement in the city, the group learned about the importance of emergency preparedness and growing a sense of community by knowing and caring for your neighbors. 

Volunteer Sherie Dodsworth discussed the Block Action Team (BAT), which encourages neighbors to Connect, Care and Prepare. Groups of neighbors build connections, offer each other support and raise awareness of crime prevention and emergency preparedness activities. Sherie shared her story of how one person can affect change: she identified a need, gained support and implemented the BAT program, which is now a managed program of the Los Altos Community Foundation in partnership with the City of Los Altos. (To become a BAT leader or learn more about the program, visit losaltosbat.org. The next BAT leader training is June 20 ^th.)

Los Altos Community Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Ann Hepenstal encouraged the class to take personal responsibility to prepare for disasters while also considering the needs of their families and neighbors. She explained the Los Altos PREPARES program – which coordinates emergency preparedness activities among the City, community volunteers and Santa Clara County Fire Department – strengthens the community’s ability to respond and recover after a disaster. In addition to BAT leaders, the amateur radio emergency communications volunteers and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members support the City’s emergency preparedness and response. To learn more about emergency preparedness in Los Altos, visit  losaltosca.gov/emergencyprep. CERT class begins September 11th in Los Altos. If you haven’t already done so, sign-up now to receive emergency alerts by texting your zip code to 888-777.

City Clerk

City Council Open Office Hours This Sunday

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, June 10, 2018

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Hillview Community Center, Room 2

97 Hillivew Avenue, Los Altos

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

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

Grant Park Community Center, Room 3

1575 Holt Avenue, Los Altos

Friday, July 6, 2018

3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Hillview Community Center, Room 2

Thursday, July 19, 2018

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Grant Park Community Center, Room 3

Sunday, August 5, 2018

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Hillview Community Center, Room 2

Community Development

City Council and Planning Commission Review of Parking Code Amendments

On June 12, the City Council and Planning Commission will hold a study session to review the proposed changes to City parking regulations. The Planning Commission has spent a significant amount of time reviewing the recommendations of the former City-Wide Parking Committee and has developed recommendations to the City Council on numerous changes to the City’s parking rules. This study session will allow the City Council and Commission to meet face to face to share thoughts as well as ask and answer questions concerning the purpose behind the recommendations. If it is desired, an ordinance outlining the changes can be brought forward to the City Council at a future meeting at which time Council can consider adopting the changes and incorporating into the City’s municipal code.

Planning Commission Reviews Commercial Office Building at 40 Main Street

Following a lengthy discussion at last night’s Planning Commission meeting, the Commission voted to refer the two-story commercial building proposed for 40 Main Street back to the applicant. The Commission noted the applicant needs to evaluate the verticality of the building, distance of the building to the front property line, mix of proposed materials, mass of the building, third story, tower element and transition of this building to adjacent buildings and the downtown overall. The item will be brought back to the Commission at a future meeting once revised plans are received.

Police

Montclaire Student Wins Ride to School with a Los Altos Police Officer

On Thursday, June 7 ^th, a very excited PTA Auction winner of a “Ride to School with a Police Officer Certificate” was escorted to her last day of school in style! Ciara Begley is the lucky student who won her certificate during a PTA fundraiser earlier in the year and decided to save it for her last day of school.

Captain Scott McCrossin picked Ciara up at her home and drive her to school in his patrol vehicle. Officer Butler and Sergeant Checke from our Traffic Division joined Captain McCrossin on their motorcycles forming a mini-motorcade, which made the ride all that more exciting for Ciara. 

Public Works

Community Center Update

The Los Altos Community Center is in the middle of the Design Development phase, the second of the three design phases. As we work to refine the Schematic Design accepted by City Council on March 13, 2018, the Design Development Working Group (DDWG) continues to provide input in the design process. The DDWG, consisting of staff, architects, engineers and community members, weighs in on flexibility and viability of design elements, provides feedback representative of the community, focuses the design toward operational and programming needs and continues to solicit input from stakeholders.

One of the team’s focus areas is on incorporating high-performing and sustainable green elements in the new Community Center. Some of the elements staff and the design team are investigating for integration include: daylighting studies to allow for ample daylight throughout the building which would also result in reducing lighting needs; study of access to quality views to increase the comfort and productivity of building occupants; CO2 monitors to allow for automated outside airflow; sun shading to reduce glare and minimize solar heat gain; reducing indoor water use and low-water native/adaptive landscaping species use; management of rain and stormwater to minimize and reduce site water run-off and increase water quality; study of the Solar Reflectance Index value of materials to reduce the heat island effect; installation of all-electric systems to minimize carbon use; and study of lighting materials and their placement to reduce or eliminate up-light, glare and light pollution.

The City Council will receive an update of the project at its July 10, 2018 Council meeting. An open house will be held prior to the Council meeting so the public will have a chance to view the current design drawings, meet the architect and city project team and ask questions on the progress of the project. More information on the open house will be provided to the public as soon as the project team finalizes all the details.

As part of the Design Development process, the Community Center Project will be brought to the Complete Streets Commission (CSC) for review at its June 27, 2018 meeting. After CSC review, the project will be reviewed by the Planning Commission. In accordance with the City’s Open Government Policy, a Public Notice sign will be posted at least 10 days before the first scheduled Planning Commission meeting, anticipated to be on August 2, 2018. The Public Notice will be maintained in-place through the Council meeting scheduled for September 11, 2018. The start of construction is anticipated in summer 2019. For more information about the Community Center project, visit the project website at  losaltosca.gov/CommunityCenter.

Park Maintenance Updates

The City’s Park Maintenance Crews have been working hard to get our parks ready for summer camps. Crews have been busy cleaning up deadwoods and low branches, chipping branches, spreading mulch, weeding and removing dead trees in Redwood Grove and other parks. The Park crews also started planting over 1,000 plants in downtown and along Homestead and San Antonio Roads. Additionally, they began preparing the site at Woodland Library for construction of a community garden. Construction of the garden is scheduled to start next week.

Arboretum Drive Speed Feedback Sign

A speed feedback sign was installed on Arboretum Drive just west of Deodara Drive and is now operational. Speed feedback signs are traffic calming devices designed to slow speeders down by alerting them of their speed. This area includes a heavily- traveled path to school for students at Montclaire Elementary School and Cupertino Union School District.

 

PG&E Gas Line Upgrades

PG&E will be upgrading natural gas lines on Grant Road (between Foothill Expressway and Thurston Avenue) up to and including some gas meters on private properties. PG&E plans to start the construction next week and anticipates construction to conclude in approximately 3 weeks. During construction, minor traffic delays may be experienced during the work hours of 9 am and 3 pm. For additional information or concerns, please contact PG&E local representative Crystal Jewel at 408-725-2240 or email gasprojectinfo@pge.com.

 

Creek Clean-up

This week, members of the City’s Engineering and Municipal Services divisions conducted a creek cleanup in Stevens Creek to remove and categorize litter. Prior to Countywide efforts in 2013 and 2014 to pass reusable bag ordinances and polystyrene foam container bans, plastic bags and Styrofoam containers were the top pollutants of our local creeks and streams. Following cleanup and analysis of litter from this week’s effort, staff are happy to report that no plastic bags or Styrofoam containers were found. This is a testament to the efforts and compliance of residents in Los Altos and beyond.

South Sewer Main Replacement

The City is beginning construction for the South Sewer Main Replacement along Fremont Avenue. Work consists of replacing two sanitary sewer segments between Fallen Leaf Lane and Truman Avenue using a trenchless method. These two segments were identified for replacement in the Sanitary Sewer Master Plan. Mobilization and preparation for the work will begin at the end of this week and will continue next week. The sewer main replacement is estimated to begin the following week. Both traffic lanes on Fremont Avenue will remain open during construction as most of the work will occur in the dirt shoulder. Two-way traffic will be maintained on Truman Avenue, however no left turns will be allowed from Truman Avenue onto Fremont Avenue during limited work activities. 

Recreation & Community Services

Sign-up for Summer Fun

Still thinking about fun activities for the children this summer? The City of Los Altos offers wonderful summer camps. Camps will be starting the week of June 18th. There are several camps available for children ages 3 through 11 years. For more details visit LosAltosRecreation.org or call 650-947-2790.

Senior Program Updates

Hillview Senior Program

Art on the Patio : Enjoy summer by strolling through our patio and viewing artwork created by our own ArtVentures participants. Join us on June 13 ^th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hillview Community Center on the Senior Center Patio. Refreshments will be available with a suggested donation of $3.00. For more information or to sign-up, call (650) 947-2797.

 

Intergenerational Game Days: Looking for ways to exercise and stimulate your mind? Join us for an intergenerational workshop where we will be learning and enjoying strategic, engaging and fun board games. Come and sign-up with your friends and have some brain stimulating fun. This workshop will be held every Wednesday, starting June 20 ^th through August 1 ^st from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. in Room 10. Cost: $1/members; $3/non-members. 

Reminders

Community Survey: Should the City allow commercial marijuana businesses in Los Altos?

The Los Altos City Council is interested to know if residents support allowing commercial marijuana businesses to operate in Los Altos. Please share your thoughts on our Open City Hall survey by Monday, June 11, 2018.

North County Library Authority Library Redevelopment Task Force

Applications for the North County Library Authority (NCLA) Library Redevelopment Task Force are due by Friday, June 15 and interviews are tentatively scheduled during the week of June 18. Applications can be picked up at Los Altos City Hall (1 N San Antonio Road) or completed online. The mission of the Task Force is to hold public meetings to gather community input and provide a recommendation to the NCLA Board on options for redevelopment of the Main Library. Applications are open to residents of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. For more information, call 650-947-2720.

Los Altos PREPARES Inspiration Session

Join emergency preparedness volunteers of the City of Los Altos for the quarterly Inspiration Session on Tuesday, June 12 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at Grant Park Community Center (1575 Holt Avenue). Pamela Perdue from PG&E will provide information about safety around electric or gas utility equipment in a disaster event. Los Altos PREPARES will share updates and present some exciting preparedness-related door prizes. All are welcome to attend, meet emergency preparedness volunteers and learn from PG&E! Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP on Eventbrite.

Summer Concerts

Our 16 ^th Annual Summer Concert Series will be starting soon. Summer concerts provide a great opportunity for the entire family to join us for an evening of fun. Below is the lineup for this year’s concerts. Note: concerts are held on Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and rotate between Hillview Park and Grant Park.