City Hall Holiday Hours

City Hall will observe reduced public counter hours over the upcoming holidays in addition to office closures. Please be sure to check our schedule below prior to visiting City Hall for service.

Monday, December 24:               10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 25:               CLOSED (Christmas Day)

Wednesday, December 26:          10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 27:              10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Friday, December 28:                   CLOSED (Defined 9/80 Schedule)

Monday, December 31:                10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 1:                     CLOSED (New Year’s Day)

Additionally, the Recreation & Community Services Department and Maintenance Services Center front offices will be closed on Monday, December 24. Normal business hours will resume on Wednesday, January 2, 2019. Police and Fire services will not be impacted by the holidays.

No Weekly Update Next Week

Due to the upcoming holidays, there will be no Weekly Update published for the week of December 24. The City of Los Altos wishes you safe and happy holidays.

City Clerk

Community Survey: 2019 City Council Priorities

Each year, City Council discusses and decides upon its annual priorities at its Council Retreat. A Council priority is defined as a topic that will receive particular, unusual and significant attention during the year. What are the top 3-5 priorities you would like to see the City Council address in 2019? Please submit your suggestions by January 16, 2019 via our Open City Hall survey. Suggestions and feedback will be incorporated into the information that the City Council considers at its retreat in early 2019.

Bike to the Future $16,000 Scholarship Competition

High schoolers are encouraged to sign up for Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s Bike to the Future 2019! Registration for high school teams is open until January 8, 2019 and spots are filling up fast. Bike to the Future is a high school electric bike building scholarship competition in which teams build and design an electric bike from scratch with a given budget of $1000. Teams will be tested on the efficiency and design of their e-bikes at the competition on April 27 and winners will receive $16,000 in scholarship awards. Bike to the Future is open to high school students with all levels of experience in engineering and bicycling. Check out the competition web page to sign-up and for more information. 

Community Development

170 State Street Building Renovation Approved

This week, the Planning Division approved an exterior remodel and interior renovation of the existing commercial building at 160 and 170 State Street. The building will be repurposed to include a food hall with restaurants and retail uses on the ground floor and office uses on the second floor. The project will now move forward with the submittal of plans to the Building Division to obtain a building permit that will allow work on the building to commence.

Upcoming Meetings Cancelled

Due to their proximity to the holidays, the following meetings have been cancelled:

Regularly scheduled meetings for each Commission will be held later in January 2019.

Solar Power Requirement for New Homes

California has become the first state in the nation to require homes built in 2020 and later to be solar powered (photo-voltaic panels installed). On Wednesday December 5, 2018, the Building Standards Commission, which is responsible for mandating the most sophisticated codes and standards, unanimously finalized a previous vote by the Energy Commission. This decision fulfills a decades-old goal to make the state reliant on cleaner energy. 

Police

Drive Safe this Holiday Season

As you celebrate the holidays with loved ones in the coming weeks, please remember there is no excuse for driving under the influence of alcohol. We’d like to be sure you and all others traveling this holiday season arrive alive, so please, don’t drink and drive. Officer Miguel Wong lost a close friend to a drunk driver – this season he has some safety tips and reminders to share with you all. Please watch our Drive Safe this Holiday Season video and commit to always having a designated driver or another safe ride home if partaking in alcoholic beverages during your holiday celebrations. 

Public Works

Foothill Expressway Tree Planting

As part of the City’s Foothill Expressway Median Tree project, City crews completed the installation of 24 new trees in the median of Foothill Expressway between W. Edith Avenue and San Antonio Road. The project fills gaps in the existing street tree pattern in the median providing additional screening. The trees include varieties of olive, crepe myrtle, and Chinese pistache.

Annual Street Resurfacing

The City continues to perform various street treatments as part of its Annual Street Resurfacing Project. This week, the City’s contractor completed work on the following streets:

No work is scheduled for the week of December 24. 

Holiday Solid Waste Collection and Tree Composting

Christmas and New Year’s week will result in a shift in service collection for most of Los Altos. Please see the attached schedule to see how your service may be adjusted. Additionally, at no extra cost, Mission Trail Waste System will compost Christmas trees. Please follow the guidelines below:

Recreation & Community Services

Recreation Administration Office

Please note the following office closures and reduced office hours for the upcoming holidays:

Monday, December 24:               CLOSED (Christmas Eve)

Tuesday, December 25:             CLOSED (Christmas Day)

Wednesday, December 26:         10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 27:             10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Friday, December 28:                  CLOSED (Defined 9/80 Schedule)

Monday, December 31:               10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 1:                     CLOSED (New Year’s Day)

Normal business hours will resume on Wednesday, January 2, 2019.

Hillview & Grant Senior Programs

Both the Hillview and Grant Park Senior Programs will be closed Tuesday, December 25 ^th through Tuesday, January 1 ^st. The City of Los Altos Senior Center programs will reopen on Wednesday, January 2, 2019.

Winter 2019 Activity Guide Now Available

Just in time to review with your family over the holidays, the Winter Activity Guide is now available on our website. Be sure to keep an eye out for your copy in the mail. Registrations for the 2019 winter season begin Thursday, January 3, 2019. 

Reminders

Minimum Wage Rate Increases in 2019

As of January 1, 2019, the minimum wage rate in the City of Los Altos is increasing from $13.50 per hour to $15.00 per hour. The Los Altos Minimum Wage Ordinance applies to adult and minor employees who work two or more hours per week, tips not included. Under the Ordinance, employees who assert their rights to receive the City’s minimum wage are protected from retaliation. Employees may file a civil lawsuit against their employers for any violation of the Ordinance or may file a complaint with the City of Los Altos. The City will investigate possible violations and will enforce violations of the minimum wage requirements by ordering reinstatement of employees, payment of back wages unlawfully withheld, and penalties. If you have questions or need additional information, call (650) 947-2620 or email info@losaltosca.gov.

Holiday Camps All Season Long!

There are a variety of Holiday Camps available before and after the holidays designed for youth ages 3-13. Holiday Camps include Coding 1-2-3, Mining & Crafting, Model Design(STEM), Camp Candy Cane, New Year’s Adventure Camp and more! For more information, please visit our website .

2019 Fun Run

Start your new year off with a brisk 5k (3.1 mile) walk, run or roll (strollers or wheelchairs) through Downtown Los Altos at our New Year’s Day Fun Run! Participate in the run or cheer on your family and friends. It’s a great way to welcome 2019! The Fun Run is held rain or shine and begins at 9 a.m. at the corner of Main and State Street. This free event is open to all ages, and pre-registration is not required. All participants must sign-in the day of the event. Dogs must be on a leash, and please, no bikes! Contact the Recreation & Community Services Department for more details at (650) 947-2790.