April 17, 2023 Finance Commission Special Meeting

The agenda and reports for the April 17, 2023 Finance Commission meeting at 5:00 p.m. are available online. Among other items, the Finance Commission will begin discussion on the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24 Operating Budget and proposed FY 2023/24 – 2027/28 Capital Improvement Program.

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

For more information on this agenda or about Finance Commission meetings, please call (408) 354-6832 or send an email to the Town Manager's office.

April 18, 2023 Town Council Meeting

The agenda and reports for the April 18, 2023 Town Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. are available online.  Among the items on the agenda, the Town Council will consider:

• The Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project;
• Direction for the Potential Disposition and Use of Calfhill Court;
• Direction for the Potential Disposition and Use of 224 W. Main Street; and
• Rescission of the Planning Commissioner Censure. 

This is a hybrid meeting and will be held in-person at the Town Council Chambers at 110 E. Main Street and virtually through the Zoom webinar application.

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 Council Meetings webpage. 

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

April 20, 2023 Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan Community Workshop

The Town is working to co-create with the community an actionable Plan for the Town of Los Gatos to become a more inclusive place and where all community members feel welcome and a sense of belonging.

Overnight Closures of One Lane on Hwy 17 for Pavement Rehabilitation

CalTrans will perform overnight lane closures of one northbound and one southbound lane of Hwy 17 at Hebard Road to Hwy 9 for pavement rehabilitation, highway striping, guardrail repair and highway maintenance.

April 23, 2023 Spring Into green Event

Mark your calendar for the Town's annual Spring Into Green event on Sunday, April 23, 2023 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in Town Plaza Park.

April is Keep Los Gatos Beautiful Month! 

April is Keep Los Gatos Beautiful Month! To celebrate, the Town Parks and Public Works Department created the Keep Los Gatos Beautiful Activity Book!

Utilize this book for sustainability tips, activities, resources, and events for April! Access it on the Town website at www.losgatosca.gov/2154/Growing-Greener-Program. 

May 6, 2023 Los Gatos Monte Sereno CERT Earthquake Drill

On Saturday, May 6, 2023, the Los Gatos Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will hold an earthquake drill from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Lyndon Avenue.

The 2023 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Survey is now open to the Public!

Santa Clara County, including the Town of Los Gatos and other nearby cities and special districts, are working together to update the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) which is now open for public participation.

Library Survey

Please take a few minutes to answer a few questions about your experiences at Los Gatos Library

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.

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."