City Manager Weekly Update |
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Winter Holiday Closures
City Hall, the Maintenance Services Center, and the Recreation & Community Services front office will be closed December 24-25 in observation of Christmas and the Defined 9/80 Schedule. Due to the short week, the next weekly update will return December 31.
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Bay Area's ICU Availability Decreasing Rapidly
The Bay Area's ICU availability fell under 15% this past week causing the State to enact the Regional Stay Home Order across the Bay Area. The order went into effect last night at 11:59PM. To further stress the importance of our actions, local hospitals are reporting approximately 1086 new cases daily and a total of 13 ICU beds remaining. Now more than ever it is important that we do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 because what you do this holiday season will determine if we have enough capacity in the coming weeks. Continue to wear a face covering, maintain a physical distance, wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, and refrain from gathering and traveling.
California's New COVID-19 Exposure Alerts
You have the power to help your friends, family, and community by adding your phone to California’s exposure notification system. Once CA Notify is activated, the system will send alerts through your phone if you were in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Participation is entirely voluntary; users can opt in or out at any time. For more information on how to receive alerts, visit www.canotify.ca.gov.
COVID Vaccine Arrives in Santa Clara County
The first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine arrived earlier this week in Santa Clara County and are being offered to 6,000 skilled nursing facility staff, and the elderly and vulnerable patients in their care. The County noted in their press release that the vaccine has been rigorously evaluated for safety and efficacy by the Federal government and the state of California. The County expects 11,700 doses from Pfizer-BioNTech today and 39,300 doses from Moderna around December 22, 2020. It will take several months for our community to reach a level of vaccination to protect our population as a whole, so it important to keep following COVID guidance as vaccines are distributed.
Where to Get Tested
If you missed the Los Altos COVID pop-ups, El Camino Health's Mountain View Hospital is offering COVID testing Monday through Friday from 7:30AM – 4:00PM at 2500 Grant Rd, Mountain View, CA 94040. Schedule an appointment online or call (650) 940-7022 and select option 4. Tests at this location are for individuals who do not have COVID-19 symptoms. There are plenty of other opportunities to get tested throughout Santa Clara County. For testing locations, please visit sccfreetest.org and schedule an appointment.
10 Ways to Safely Bring in the Holiday Season
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Take a socially-distant walk around our business districts to view the community decorated holiday trees a part of the new program, Trim a Tree @LosAltos.
- Have an ugly sweater virtual get-together. Play holiday-themed trivia, guess the lyric, or charades; make sure to vote on the ugliest sweater!
- Shop for holiday gifts in one of our charming business districts. Then grab some take-out before heading home.
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Relive the 2020 Los Altos Festival of Lights Float Display through the televised production, Homage to the Holidays.
- Cozy up with your household, and play a board game, make cookies, or watch a holiday-themed movie. Don't forget the hot cocoa!
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Out of ideas for your gingerbread house? Look through the virtual Gingerbread House Exhibit.
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Grant a wish for a community member in need by donating to the Youth Commission's Wish Drive; they're only $185 away from granting all the wishes!
- Get your crafting scissors ready and create paper snowflakes, reindeer, or snow globes.
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Create an a unique piece of art for the Public Arts Commission's Paint the Pandemic.
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Register for the 19th Annual Virtual Fun Run and bring in the new year with a bang!
For more information on Los Altos' precautionary measures implemented to mitigate coronavirus, please visit losaltosca.gov/covid19.
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City Council Meeting Summary
Did you miss this past Tuesday's City Council meeting? Council approved additional funds to maintain Halsey House to fix the roof and keep the weather out. They also deferred the creation of Bocce Ball courts at Grant Park until after the Grant Park Master Plan has been finished.
Council Approves Reach Codes
On November 10, 2020, the Los Altos City Council approved the Building Electrification and EV Infrastructure reach codes, requiring new construction to be all-electric, with certain exemptions for residential and non-residential building types and electric vehicle (EV) charging reach codes that will increase the number of chargers in new construction.
It is anticipated the codes will be effective January 14, 2021, pending the California Energy Commission’s approval. All projects submitting for a building permit following this effective date will need to comply with these new requirements. All four ordinances can be viewed here. Additional information will become available on the Planning and Building Division webpage.
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Sewer System Repair Program and Structural Reach Replacement Projects
The City’s contractor, EPS Inc., completed the replacement of sewer pipelines at eight of the fourteen locations included in the construction contract. The completed sewer main replacements are on Julie Lane, Ranchita Drive, Marlbarough Avenue, Richardson Avenue, Nightingale Court, Grant Road, St. Joseph Avenue, and Laver Court. There will be no work between December 24, 2020, and January 3, 2021. The contractor will perform work on Highlands Circle once construction resumes on January 4, 2021. The replacement of the remaining sewer segments in the project will be completed sequentially, completing the work at one location before proceeding with work at the next location. Efforts are being taken to minimize the impact on residents and the public, and provide access during construction. The project is anticipated to be completed in spring 2021.
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It's Not Easy Being Green: Holiday Edition
These are just a few simple ways to ensure your holidays are kind to the environment with creative ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle:
- Make your own wrapping paper by using newspaper, shopping bags, biodegradable wrapping paper and reuse shipping boxes.
- Shop locally and purchase gifts from green companies that are eco-friendly; there are many gift options with a low carbon footprint.
- Choose eco-friendly decorations. Instead of using plastic disposable decorations, choose natural materials such as wood or bamboo that will last.
- Add more organic plant-based foods to your holiday meals, and remember to compost any leftover food scraps.
- Donate - there are many organizations that need volunteers during the holidays, or donate unwanted items to those in need.
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After the holidays make sure to put your Christmas tree out for collection, Mission Trail Waste Systems will compost trees that have not been flocked.
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Downtown Los Altos for the Holidays
The Los Altos Village Association, which hosts the annual holiday tree lighting in Downtown, is proud to bring the community a virtual tribute: Downtown Los Altos for the Holidays, featuring Trim a Tree @LosAltos. Be sure to shop and order take-out as you enjoy the sparkle of the season in Downtown Los Altos!
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Run, Walk, and Roll into 2021
The Recreation and Community Services Department is eager to host for the first time the 19th Annual Virtual Fun Run. This is a 5k race that will take place between January 1 to January 8, 2021. All ages are welcome. If you have questions about this event, feel free to give us a call at (650) 947-2790 or reach out to us at LosAltosRecreation.org.
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TIS' THE SEASON FOR GIVING |
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Share the Holiday Cheer
Community Services Agency (CSA) is holding its annual holiday food and gift card distribution from December 7 to December 23, 2020. CSA is accepting $25 Target gift cards and/or $50 Safeway gift cards to help those within our community purchase basic goods. Share the cheer and donate today. For more information or to arrange contactless drop-off, call CSA at (650) 968-0836 ext. 100.
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6 Holiday Safety Tips from SCC Fire
- Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn, or even safer, use battery-operated flameless candles.
- Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, space heaters, and radiators.
- Don't let your tree dry out, keep your indoor evergreen safe by watering it every day.
- Check the manufacturer's instructions on holiday lighting before connecting multiple light strands. Turn off holiday lights before going to bed or leaving your home.
- Smoke alarms save lives! Have working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
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Stay cozy and safe this holiday season by inspecting and maintaining your furnaces, fireplaces, and wood stoves.
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City of Los Altos | (650) 947-2700 | www.losaltosca.gov |
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