City Manager Weekly Update - June 2, 2017
City Clerk
Parks and Recreation and Senior Commissions Now Accepting Applications
The Los Altos City Council invites residents to apply for membership on the Senior Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission. Senior Commission members must be 55+ or have special skills or experience which may benefit seniors. Each Commission advises the City Council on matters pertaining to their respective topic, with the Senior Commission also advising the Los Altos Hills Town Council. Applicants must be residents of the City of Los Altos to be considered for an appointment and must apply by Friday, June 23, 2017. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Applications can be picked-up at Los Altos City Hall, downloaded as a PDF, or submitted online. Return completed applications to the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall. For more information, call (650) 947-2720.
Community Development
New Three-Story Office Building Proposed in the Downtown
The Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) was introduced to a proposed three-story office building at 40 Main Street at its meeting on Thursday, June 1, 2017. The project has gone through an environmental analysis, which identified some potential areas of concern; however, measures were developed to minimize and mitigate the concerns. The project is seeking the approval of exceptions to the height limit, on-site parking requirement, and rear yard setback in return for a public paseo that provides pedestrian access between Main Street and Public Parking Plaza 10 in addition to the proposed office spaces that will have frontage along this side of the building. The PTC will review the project at a public hearing on June 15, 2017.
Density Bonus Ordinance
At its meeting last night, the Planning and Transportation Commission took its first look at the draft Density Bonus regulations. Density Bonus rules allow for additional market rate housing units if a project provides affordable units as part of the project. In addition, developers can request exceptions to site development standards found in the zoning code. The draft ordinance includes limits on the extent of the exceptions, which are intended to guide projects in a manner that makes them compatible with the neighborhood within which they are proposed. The Commission recommended several modifications to the ordinance and requested that staff return with a revised density bonus ordinance draft and the amendments to the CT Zone district regulations at a future meeting.
Downtown Vision
The Consulting team is putting the final touches on a community-wide questionnaire that will provide another opportunity to weigh-in on the vision for Downtown Los Altos. Responses to this survey and the feedback that has been collected at the workshops will help form the basis for the future scenarios that will display what the Downtown could look like in the future. Each scenario will be vetted by the community at future outreach events before a final scenario is presented to the City Council. Stay tuned for the questionnaire release date.
Police
D.A.R.E. Graduations
On May 26, 2017, Los Altos Police celebrated two D.A.R.E. graduations. In the morning, three fifth grade classes from Montclaire Elementary School received their certificates for successful completion of the program. The afternoon graduation was for students at Los Altos Christian School. School Resource Officer Ryan Langone led students through the ten week comprehensive education program that is taught in thousands of schools in America. D.A.R.E. curricula address drugs, violence, bullying, and internet safety. It teaches students how to make good, informed decisions about tough situations youth are often faced with. Congratulations to the graduates and to Agent Langone for another successful program!
Public Works
My Watershed Watch Campaign Outreach
Earlier this week, Aida Fairman, Associate Civil Engineer recorded interviews in both English and Spanish as part of an outreach program to promote the Watershed Watch Campaign. The Campaign is a public education initiative of the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP), an association of fifteen government agencies in Santa Clara Valley. The Campaign is dedicated to raising awareness about protecting watersheds and preventing storm water pollution. The campaign website provides free resources and easy, everyday ways to prevent pollution in your neighborhood, local creeks and the Bay. Look for Aida this Sunday, June 4, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. on KSTS Telemundo and at 4:00 p.m. on KNTV 11. More information on the Watershed Watch Campaign can be found at mywatershedwatch.org.
PG&E Gas Line Extension Project at Grant Road and Fremont Avenue
PG&E is currently working on a gas line extension project at Grant Road and Fremont Avenue and will be performing welding to the gas transmission lines for the next few weeks. The work will require lane closures on Grant Road. Due to the nature of welding and working with gas transmission lines, PG&E must complete certain steps and safety checks in a specific order from start to finish within a specific work day. These steps are time intensive and require a series of PG&E and third party inspectors checking key steps in the process; these actions cannot be broken into smaller steps nor spread across multiple work days. As a result, extended working hours will be required on specific days. PG&E will work until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, 2017. Traffic control measures and personnel will be in place to assist drivers and PG&E will send notification to residents within a 500-foot radius.
Illuminated Crosswalk Replacement Project
This project will replace three existing non-functioning in-pavement illuminated crosswalk systems at Almond Avenue and Forway Court, Grant Road and Morton Avenue, and Springer Road and Rose Avenue. The City has awarded this project to Tennyson Electric Company. Construction is scheduled to begin on June 12, 2017 and will continue until mid-July. It is anticipated that traffic in these areas will be impacted during construction. Traffic control measures will be in place to assist drivers and a notification letter will be sent to affected residents.
Covington Road Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvement Project
This project will provide ADA compliant ramps, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, signs, and striping along Covington Road between Miramonte Avenue and Eastwood Drive. The City has awarded the project to Wattis Construction Co. and construction will last from mid-June to the end of July. It is anticipated that traffic in this area will be impacted during construction. Traffic control measures will be in place to assist drivers and a notification letter will be sent to affected residents.
Reminders
Public Art Master Plan Survey
Please be sure to complete the Public Art Master Plan Questionnaire to share your input as the City works to develop a plan for public art in the City.
City Council Open Office Hours
The Los Altos City Council will host Open Office Hours on the following dates and times:
Sunday, June 11, 2017
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Shoup Park
400 University Avenue, Los Altos
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Grant Park Community Center, Room 3
1575 Holt Avenue, Los Altos
Friday, July 7, 2017
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Hillview Community Center, Room 2
97 Hillview Avenue, Los Altos
Thursday, July 20, 2017
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Grant Park Community Center, Room 3
1575 Holt Avenue, 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.
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