Storm Safety and Power Outage preparedness

Prolonged power outages resulting from recent storms are possible and another atmospheric river is headed our direction next week between March 21 and 23, 2023.

Thank You 

The Town Police Department and Parks and Public Works staff worked tirelessly to swiftly respond to calls throughout Town under challenging and dangerous conditions during and after Tuesday’s fierce wind storm.  They continue to work to support the community in the recovery efforts from the various storm damages and impacts. The volume of work facing the Town team is large and crews are doing their best to keep up with the demand.  We ask for the public’s patience while the storm recovery continues. 

March 21, 2023 Town Pension and OPEB Trusts Oversight committee Agenda

The agenda and reports for the March 21, 2023 Town Pension and OPEB Trusts Oversight Committee meeting at 6:00 p.m. are available online. Among other items, the Committee will receive an actuarial presentation on CalPERS Analysis 6/30/2021 Valuation Report by Foster & Foster Actuaries and Consultants and Iientify amortization bases for future potential additional discretionary payments (ADPs)

The Town welcomes public participation. For instructions regarding how to participate in the meeting, including the Zoom link, please see the meeting agenda. 

For more information on this agenda or about Town Pension and OPEB Trusts Oversight Committee meetings, please call (408) 354-6832 or send an email to the Town Manager's office. 

March 21, 2023 Town Council Meeting

The agenda and reports for the March 21, 2023 Town Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. are available online.  Among the items on the agenda, the Town Council will consider:

• A Proposed Ordinance Amending Section 3.50.015 of the Town Code to Increase Maximum Bingo Award to $500;
• Fee and Fine Schedules for Fiscal Year 2023/24;
• A Report on Roadside Fire Fuel Reduction (Vegetation Management) (CIP 8120130) and Provide Direction on 2023 Work Plan; and
• Receive Preliminary Fiscal Year 2023/24 – 2027/28 Five-Year Capital Improvement Program Information and Provide Direction on Project Priorities.

March 22, 2023 Planning Commission Meeting

The agenda and reports for the March 22, 2023 Planning Commission meeting at 7:00 p.m. are available online. Among the items on the agenda, the Planning Commission will consider:

• Input for the draft Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Plan;
• An Appeal of a Community Development Director Decision to Deny a Fence Height Exception Request for Construction of a Six-Foot Tall Fence Located Within the Required Front Yard Setback at 16185 George Street; and
• A Request for Demolition of an Existing Single-Family Residence, Construction of a New Single-Family Residence to Exceed the Maximum Allowed Floor Area, and a Variance for the Required Front Setback and the Parking Requirements at 114 Wilder Avenue.

The live stream of the meeting may be viewed on KCAT-15 television and/or online at www.LosGatosCA.gov/TownYouTube.  

The Town welcomes public participation. For instructions regarding how to participate in the meeting, including the Zoom link, please see the meeting agenda.  For additional details on providing comments, please visit the Town Public Guide to Town Planning Commission Meetings webpage. 

For more information on this agenda or about Town Council meetings, please call (408) 354-6832 or send an email to the Planning Department.

Parks Reopened except Howes Playlot

Los Gatos Parks are reopened as of March 17, 2023 with the exception of  Howes Playlot. Howes Playlot is closed indefinitely until further notice due to storm damage.  Thank you for understanding.

Celebrate VTA Transit Driver Appreciation Day on March 18!

Transit Driver Appreciation Day on March 18 is a day to honor our hardworking operators who keep our communities moving. We'd like to give the operators of VTA Route 27 a special shout out for their contribution to our community. Thank you! Join us in letting your driver know they’re valued. You can say thank you either verbally, with flowers, a cup of coffee, or a card. You can also take photos with your transit drivers and post them on social media or email Customer.Service@VTA.org, or call 408-321-2300 and give your transit operator a little shout out of appreciation.

March 20 PLant Based Advocates Speaker Series: Heal yourself, Heal the PLanet

Curious about the role the standard American diet plays in your health and the health of the environment?

Silicon Valley Clean Energy Electric Showcase Awards - Applications open until March 20

If you have recently installed an efficient electric appliance in your home or office, you could win up to $10,000!

San Francisco Opera Free Performances of La Boheme March 24 - 26, 2023

The San Francisco Opera is bringing La Bohème to the Civic Center Lawn, with their program "Bohème Out of the Box."

Become a CERT Member or learn how to help in a disaster!

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is one of the most visible Town emergency preparedness programs, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

County Fire Community Wildfire Preparedness Webinars

The Santa Clara County Fire Department is offering a variety of community wildfire preparedness webinars in April and May.

Santa Clara County FireSafe Council Community Chipping Program

The County FireSafe Council Chipping Program is a free program that assists residents and communities in their efforts to create and maintain adequate and safe defensible space by processing or disposing of vegetation such as brush and tree branches.

Make Sure You Can be Reached in an Emergency,
Sign Up for AlertSCC

Recently, the Town participated in an earthquake drill organized by the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The drill served as a good reminder for all of us to be prepared in case of an emergency or natural disaster.  One powerful emergency preparedness tool is AlertSCC - make sure you are signed up to receive alerts! 

AlertSCC is the official emergency alert and warning system for Santa Clara County and the Town of Los Gatos.  This is how the Town will contact you in the event of an emergency or service delivery interruption.  

It is free for everyone and easy to set up. Alerts are sent directly on your mobile device, landline, and or email.

Having the RIGHT information, at the RIGHT time, will help you make the RIGHT decisions in an emergency or disaster.

Visit www.AlertSCC.org to sign up!

Adopted 2040 General Plan & FAQs Now Available!

On June 30, 2022, in accordance with State law (Gov. Code Section 65300), the Town Council voted to adopt the Draft 2040 General Plan with modifications after several public hearings at both the Planning Commission and Town Council.  This process is a responsibility of each planning agency and Council in California.

The adopted 2040 General Plan and an FAQ document are now available at www.LosGatos2040.com. An interactive version will be posted in the coming months. 
 
The adopted 2040 General Plan retains the Town’s Low Density neighborhoods as is, allows more housing types in High (formerly known as Medium) Density Residential (i.e., small, multi-unit housing), does not allow new housing potential in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and focuses the majority of the growth in the Community Growth Districts with mixed use and higher density developments. 
 
Please note that the Medium Density Residential designation was renamed High Density Residential and the High Density Residential designation was renamed Very High Density Residential.  As a result, there is no Medium Density Residential designation in the adopted 2040 General Plan. 
 
The projected number of housing units is 3,160 over the next 20 years. Subtracting 475 previously-approved units (“pipeline projects”) and 500 anticipated accessory dwelling units, the projected total is 2,185 units over the next 20 years.

More specifically, the approved Plan:

• Keeps the Low Density Residential density at the 2020 density level (0-5 units per acre);
• Endorses the Planning Commission recommendation for High (formerly known as Medium) Density Residential (14-22 units per acre) except in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone where the density remains at the 2020 level (5-12 units per acre);
• Retains the existing housing potential in Office Professional at the 2020 level (10-20 units per acre);
• Removes housing from the Service Commercial designation; and
• Includes the other designation changes contained in the Draft 2040 General Plan.

An Implementation Program in the Land Use Element requires that the Town Council review the General Plan Land Use Element if 1,000 housing units are approved or after five years, whichever comes first. This provides the Council an opportunity to make any needed adjustments, in accordance with State law, based on actual development activity.

A referendum to repeal the Land Use and Community Design Elements of the adopted 2040 General Plan has been received and the referendum signatures have been verified by the County Registrar, therefore the 2040 General Plan Land Use and Community Design Elements were suspended in accordance with Elections Code Section 9237. On October 4, 2022, Town Council adopted a resolution to provide that the 2020 General Plan Land Use and Community Design Elements will govern during the period of suspension.
 
The General Plan currently in effect is available online at https://www.losgatosca.gov/2138/General-Plan.

Community Policing

The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department is initiating specific events and programs throughout 2022 to enhance community policing. Community Policing has been a long-standing framework for establishing trust, exchange of information and transparency, and a positive engagement between law enforcement and the community. Community policing is used to involve the community in public safety and gain an understanding of specific community concerns and create a positive, proactive policing method to meet the needs of the community.

 The community policing programs include Coffee with a Cop, the Therapy Dog Program, a Community Police Academy, Walk with a Cop, and staff Support of Special Olympics activates. These engagements are identified on the lower portion of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Community Policing logo to promote these events throughout the year on the department website, social media, and other communications. These engagements are integral to build respect, community - police partnerships, and developing a better-informed vision of public safety needs and responses.

The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department is committed to enhancing community policing efforts through these specific engagement opportunities. Police presence and trust is fundamental to maintaining peaceful order to the community. It is the realization of public and police sharing a space in congruence, building relationships, with a focus on common goals. These community - police interactions help to bridge the gap and implement the LGMSPD mission to be a collaborative problem solvers. 

For more information, please visit the Police Department's Community Policing webpage. 

County of Santa Clara Launches 

988 Phone Number Dedicated to 

Crisis Mental Health Services

Santa Clara County has launched a lifeline phone number for people to call in times of mental health or substance use crisis, with teams of trained counselors available 24/7 to offer support by phone or in-person, depending on the nature of the situation.

The lifeline – reached by dialing 9-8-8 – is the result of a push to make similar crisis and suicide prevention services available across the country starting July 16, 2022. The County of Santa Clara’s 988 operation includes an array of mental health services designed to de-escalate crisis situations.

The County’s new lifeline is designed to provide support for those experiencing emotional or mental health distress, including thoughts of suicide, fearfulness, or other mental health or substance use crises. Loved ones and others can also call 988 if they are concerned for someone else.
  
The lifeline will also serve as a connection point for County Behavioral Health Services and community-based organizations. The various onsite mobile response teams are made up of crisis clinicians and peer outreach specialists; services that both involve or do not involve law enforcement are available. The goals of 988 are de-escalation, stabilization, and referral to continued services.

County Behavioral Health Services staff are thoroughly trained on the new system, and the 988 line went live in a soft launch in May. The service is free, anonymous, and confidential, with no information shared unless in-person dispatch is required. Language interpretation is available in more than 200 languages. Calls to 988 are routed by area code; if the phone used does not have a 408, 650 or 669 area code, the Santa Clara County service can be accessed by calling 1-800-704-0900 and pressing 1. The same 800 number can be used for non-emergency calls to County Behavioral Health Services regarding general mental health and substance use treatment services information and referrals.

Becoming an Inclusive Community

Visit the Town's webpage, Becoming an Inclusive Community to find information about the Town's commitment to inclusivity, equity, justice, and diversity, including related Town Council actions, Council action on Police reforms, an overview of Police Department community policing, and a dedicated email for comments and inquiries regarding these important issues.

If you have concerns, experiences, questions, or ideas regarding how Los Gatos can be more welcoming for all, please let us know by sending an email to Community@losgatosca.gov.

Lifesaving Information For Emergencies (L.I.F.E.) File

Emergencies can happen when we least expect them to and many of the requests for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) happen within the home. The Town of Los Gatos is partnering with the Santa Clara County Fire Department to promote their new L.I.F.E. file program. The L.I.F.E. File is a simple tool individuals and families may use to assist emergency responders during a medical emergency.   First Responders rely heavily upon the patient, and/or the patient’s family members, to provide information used to help in the treatment and care of the patient. However, there are times when the patient is unable to provide this information and family members may not be present or available to assist First Responders during a medical emergency. The L.I.F.E. File information includes past pertinent medical history, allergies to medications, medications currently prescribed to the patient, advanced medical directives and any additional information. The L.I.F.E. File pouch is a vinyl magnetic pouch that is placed in an easily seen location on the front or side of the refrigerator.

You may pick up L.I.F.E. Files from Town Hall and local fire stations. If you, or anyone you know, would like additional information on the L.I.F.E. File program please contact Jackie Rose, Community Outreach Coordinator at JRose@losgatosca.gov

How can we help you if we can't reach you?  While you have signed up to receive these weekly "What's New" emails, many of your neighbors may have remained in the dark because they did not receive current information from the Town.  In addition to emergency communications, you may sign up for Town notifications regarding infrastructure projects in your neighborhood, Town events, meetings, and other topics of community interest. 

Please encourage your friends and neighbors in Los Gatos to sign up for Town communications through "Notify Me" at: www.losgatosca.gov/notifyme. Type your email address in the box and select "sign in."  From there, you can subscribe to the topics you wish and you are able to unsubscribe at any time.

If you need help, call the Town Manager's Office at (408) 354-6832 during business hours or email engage@losgatosca.gov with subject "Sign Me Up."