Los Altos Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

EOC Background

On January 9, 2018, the City Council adopted Resolution 2018-01 accepting all of Volume 1 and the city of Los Altos portion of Volume 2 of the Santa Clara County Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan recognized that the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) needs to be replaced. 

EOC Descriptions

The purpose of an EOC is to provide a centralized location where emergency management coordination and decision making can be supported during a critical incident, major emergency, or disaster.  The EOC will provide essential services to the public after a natural disaster as well as support a number of critical tasks such as monitoring activities related to emergency preparedness and provide a location for collecting and analyzing data to help make decisions that protect the City of Los Altos.  

The proposed building is located a considerable distance away from the street, so it will not be highly visible to the general public.  The design of the proposed EOC building will have a similar appearance to the existing Police Station building and the architectural features and materials will integrate well.  The proposed building will have a similar building height, scale and massing of the Police Station and will enhance the existing design by adding additional articulation.

As part of the project, a generator is proposed to service the proposed EOC and is located south of the Police Station in between the existing building and the proposed EOC.  The Mechanical equipment is located along the back side (east) of the building and is screened from public view.  The trash bin enclosures are located west of the Police Station building, along the back side of the Los Altos Youth Center and are screened from public view. Additionally, the facility will have external antennas that support HAM radio operations. 

EOC Operations

The primary function of the EOC facility is to serve as the operations center for City emergency operations personnel during a citywide emergency or disaster.  If the police station becomes disabled or structurally unsafe during an event like an earthquake, Police Department dispatch operations would move into the building.

The new EOC will displace the trailer that currently houses Police Department’s Traffic and Parking Enforcement Officers. Those operations will be moved into the existing Briefing Room of the police station and the EOC facility will be configured to accommodate the day-to-day Patrol Division and briefing room functions, and Police Department training. The facility will also provide Police Department with additional space for report writing, meetings, personnel training, and overflow storage for Police Department since they have functionally outgrown the current police station.

EOC Location

The proposed EOC building is located on an approximately five-acre parcel on the northeast corner of North San Antonio Road and West Edith Avenue in the Public and Community Facilities Zoning District.  The site is bounded by Los Altos City Hall and Los Altos Youth Center to the west, the Los Altos History Museum to the south, and single-family residences to the north and east.  The properties to the north and east are zoned R1-10 Single-Family District.  The proposed building will be located at the east side of the existing Police Station.

The site is accessible through the main entrance located east of North San Antonio Road, just north of Los Altos City Hall.  The driveway extends east past the Los Altos City Hall parking lot and through the existing private and secured Police Station access gate.  The parking is located behind the existing Police Station and north of the EOC building.

Previous Public Meetings 

• January 9, 2018 – Adoption of the Santa Clara County Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan Update

  • Staff Report

  • Meeting Minutes

• September 25, 2018 – Professional Services Agreement: Police Station EOC and restrooms, and HVAC upgrades

  • Staff Report

  • Meeting Minutes

• February 25, 2020 – EOC/Police Station Status Update for Emergency Operations Center (EOC) & Police Station Building Upgrades (Project CF-01003)

  • Staff Report

  • PowerPoint Presentation 

  • Meeting Minutes

• October 13, 2020 - Los Altos Emergency Operations Center (D20-0001): Hold Public Hearing to consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation for Design Review

  • Staff Report

  • Meeting Minutes

Supporting Documents

• City of Los Altos Emergency Operations Plan (Basic Plan)
   
• City of Los Altos Emergency Operations Plan Attachments (Redacted)
   
• EOC Proposed Design Options Exhibits 1-4 (4/15/2021)
   
• Santa Clara County Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan (Volume 1)
   
• Los Altos Annex of the Santa Clara County Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan (Volume 2)