Annual Spring Egg Hunt this Saturday

The City of Los Altos Spring Egg Hunt will be held this Saturday, March 31, 2018! Join us on the soccer field at Hillview Community Center (97 Hillview Avenue). Carnival games and a visit from Fun E. Bunny begin at 9:30 a.m. with the Egg Hunt beginning promptly at 10:00 a.m. Children who are walking and up to 10-years old are welcome to participate. Please be sure to bring your own baskets and stick around after the hunt to enjoy a fun show for the kids by Sean Mendelson beginning at 10:20 a.m. There will be lots of singing and dancing. Event co-sponsored by Friends of the Library. 

Assistant City Manager

Block Action Team Training

With a Block Action Team, or BAT, neighbors can better help their neighbors Connect, Care and Prepare. BATs are started by Los Altos residents who want to make their neighborhood an even better place to live. By participating in a BAT, neighbors can learn how to care for each other during emergencies, share in crime prevention efforts, and build community through block parties or other casual social events. The Block Action Team Program is a managed program of the Los Altos Community Foundation in partnership with the City of Los Altos.

Starting a BAT takes volunteer leaders who want to make a difference in their community. BAT leaders take a training class to learn how to organize and connect with their neighbors, create communications channels in their neighborhood, and plan social events. They also learn how to help their neighborhood’s emergency preparedness and raise awareness about crime prevention. Visit   losaltosbat.org/map to view the existing BATs across the City of Los Altos. If you’re not in a BAT, you can start one! The next BAT leader training is scheduled for April 19 with additional trainings taking place on May 21 and June 20. To learn more about the BAT program and sign-up for BAT Leader training, visit losaltosbat.org. 

City Clerk

City Council Open Office Hours

The Los Altos City Council is pleased to host Open Office Hours on Saturday, April 7, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Hillview Community Center, Room 2. One City Council member will be available to the public for this two-hour period to answer questions, receive input and discuss topics of interest with community members. You may drop-in anytime during the two-hour window. Everyone is welcome.

Election Officers Needed

The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters is seeking approximately 6,000 volunteers to staff over 800 County polling places for the June 5, 2018 Statewide Direct Primary Election. Volunteers who speak English, as well as those who are bilingual in 19 other languages, are needed to serve the diverse population we are fortunate to enjoy here in Santa Clara County. Anyone interested in serving the community while earning up to $200 is encouraged to contact the Registrar of Voters at (408) 299-POLL (7655) or visit sccvote.org. 

Community Development

2018 Planning Commissioners Academy

Some members of the Planning Commission are scheduled to attend the 2018 Planning Commission Academy. This Academy is sponsored by the League of California Cities and provides numerous training opportunities for both new and seasoned Commissioners. In addition to training, the Commissioners have an opportunity to talk with Commissioners from other agencies and learn how they have handled land use issues and projects. These academies are attended by Commissioners of cities from all over the State of California and the opportunities to learn and share are unlimited.

Short Term Rental Prohibition

Staff in the City Attorney’s office and the Community Development Department have been working on a draft ordinance that would prohibit the short-term rental (less than 30-days) of homes in the City of Los Altos. The draft ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing before the Planning Commission at its meeting on April 19, 2018. At this meeting, the Commission is expected to make a recommendation on the ordinance to present to the City Council.

Police

Traffic Enforcement Day

The Los Altos Police traffic team was joined by nearly 30 Officers from several Santa Clara County Police agencies for a joint traffic enforcement day in Los Altos on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. This traffic team rotates to participating jurisdictions monthly to ensure safe driving, biking and walking in the various communities served. Officers were stationed at several hotspots across the city including school sites, downtown and along San Antonio Road and El Camino Real. Enforcement efforts focused on pedestrian and bicycle violations as well as unsafe speed. Officers were also on the lookout for other violations including pedestrian right-of-way, jaywalking, bicycle lane violations, red light/stop sign violations and distracted driving. We are grateful to each of our partner agencies for their help keeping Los Altos streets safe. For more photos from the day’s event, visit our Facebook page.

Parent Project Graduation

On Thursday, March 29, 2018, Los Altos Police Agent Ryan Langone had the honor of attending a graduation ceremony for parents who completed a 12-week course designed to help them improve their relationships with their teens. Agent Langone, our School Resource Officer (SRO), partners with Palo Alto Police Department’s SRO and Palo Alto Unified School District to offer this course. Training focused on empowering parents with methods to stop arguing, improve school attendance and academic performance, reduce juvenile crime, prevent the use of drugs and alcohol, reduce bad influences from peers, and end runaways. Topics also included early teen sexuality, youth gangs, teen violence and bullying, and media influences. Congrats to each of the participants who took steps to improve their family unity and now also have a nice support network of other parents to rely on. 

Public Works

Cuesta Drive Traffic Calming Plan

A Traffic Calming Plan for Cuesta Drive between El Monte Avenue and Springer Road was discussed at the Complete Streets Commission (CSC) meeting on March 28, 2018. Cuesta Drive is a two-lane road with a 25mph speed limit. In 2017, the City Council directed staff to work with the Cuesta Drive neighborhood to develop a traffic calming plan. Staff initiated discussions with neighborhood representatives and implemented some near-term improvements along this street segment. Based on these discussions, a raised intersection was identified as a possible traffic calming measure at Arboleda Drive and Clark Avenue. Other potential enhancements, such as adding gateway sign treatments/median improvements at Springer Road, and shoulder area improvements throughout the segment were also recommended.

The meeting was well attended by residents along Cuesta Drive and nearby parallel streets. While some residents expressed concerns regarding noise impacts with the raised intersection and potential impacts on side streets, most of the meeting attendees supported the recommended traffic calming measures. The CSC generally supported the implementation of the recommended traffic calming measures and suggested staff explore implementing additional measures at the intersection of El Monte Avenue and Cuesta Drive and work with residents on the nearby parallel streets to evaluate secondary impacts. Based on the Commission’s support, staff will move forward with the design of traffic calming measures.

Cal Water Upgrade at Covington Road

Cal Water continues its work to upgrade the existing 4” water main to a new 8” water main along Covington Road between Springer Road and Miramonte Avenue. They have finished potholing the area, trench excavation will begin next week, and the new 8” water main will soon be installed at the north side of Covington Road. One travel lane will be closed during construction; however, two-way traffic will be maintained at all times. Construction hours are limited between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to minimize traffic impacts to the neighborhood. However, please plan for some traffic delays during the construction period. The project is tentatively scheduled to be complete by the end of April 2018. For more information or to report a concern, please contact Cal Water at (650) 917-0152 or visit calwater.com to submit your questions or concerns online.

PG&E Gas Main Upgrades

PG&E continues to work on upgrading the gas line at the intersection of Jay Street and El Monte Avenue. The work includes replacing the existing gas pipe, underground vaults, controller cabinet and ventilations pipes. During construction, Jay Street will be closed between 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with adequate traffic control measures. It is suggested that residents who live on Jay Street gain access to their street from N. Clark Avenue. Due to the complexity of the work, the tentative schedule to complete the project has been extended to the end of June.

Public Works Officers Institute and Expo

Staff from Public Works attended the Public Works Officer Institute and Expo this week. The annual event, hosted by the California League of Cities, helps public works staff around the state get the latest information on new and innovative products and technologies, learn what services are available, and discover emerging trends. In breakout sessions, experts present on a wide-range of topics such as Public Communication, Engineering Management, Environmental Services, Solid Waste & Recycling, Transportation & Streets, Water & Wastewater and Legal Updates. 

Recreation & Community Services

Dodgeball Tournament

The 4th Annual Dodgeball Tournament is happening today, March 30, 2018 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Egan Junior High Large Gym. This activity is for middle school-aged youth and is sponsored by the Los Altos and Los Altos Hills Youth Commission. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/ladodgeball.

Summer Job Opportunities

If you are looking for a fun and exciting place to work for the summer please check out our job postings online. Individuals must be 16 years or older to apply.

Reminders

Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Event

The City of Los Altos will once again partner with the County of Santa Clara Household Hazardous Waste Program to host a recycling and disposal event in Los Altos on Saturday, April 14, 2018. Drop-off may be made by appointment only. Call (408) 299-7300 or visit  hhw.org to schedule your appointment. The drop-off location will be disclosed once your appointment is made. Acceptable items to dispose of include:

Commission Recruitments

City Council would like to invite residents to apply for appointment to openings on the Environmental, Complete Streets and Planning Commissions. Each Commission serves as an advisory body to City Council on their respective topics. Serving on a Commission provides a unique opportunity for residents to positively influence decisions made on behalf of the greater Los Altos community. Interested parties can find more information about each Commission online and must submit applications by Friday, April 20. For more information, contact the City Clerk’s Office at (650) 947-2720.

April LAYC Dance Next Friday

The next LAYC Dance for Los Altos middle schoolers is scheduled for Friday, April 6, 2018 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Dance will be held at the Los Altos Youth Center located at 1 N. San Antonio Road. Play ping pong or dance as the D.J. plays your favorite songs!