December 17, 2024 Town Council Meeting

The agenda and reports for the December 17, 2024 Town Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. are available online.  Among the items on the agenda, the Town Council will consider:

• A public hearing for appeal of an administrative citation at 16660 Cypress Way for violations of the Town Code related to grading and building;
• An appeal of a Planning Commission decision to approve an Architecture and Site application for construction of a single-family residence and site improvements requiring a grading permit on vacant property at 15411 National Avenue;
• Introducing an ordinance amending Town Code regarding Buildings and Building Regulations to add the definition of qualifying alterations and introducing an ordinance establishing air quality and NOx emissions regulations;
• Options for a new annual Town event for Fall 2025;
•  A third amendment to the employment agreement between the Town and the Town Attorney; and
• Proposed modifications to Council Policy 2-11 “Commission Appointments, Residency, and Attendance Requirements, and Establishing a Quorum” as recommended by the Council Policy Committee.

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.

Upcoming Board, Commission, and Committee Meetings

To view upcoming Town Board, Commission, and Committee meeting agendas, visit the Town's Agendas and Minutes webpage. Next week's scheduled meetings include:

• December 18, 2024 Special Historic Preservation Committee at 4:00 p.m.

December Events at NUMU

New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) has some exciting events scheduled for December!

Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvement Project

The Town of Los Gatos has contracted Sposeto Engineering for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvement Project, which began in September 2024.

The Town is hiring!

The Town is hiring for various positions including: 

• Environmental Programs Specialist
• Maintenance Assistant (Temporary/Hourly/Unbenefited)
• Police Community Services Officer Intern
• Police Officer 
• Police Trainee

For more information on both of these positions and to apply, visit the Town website at www.losgatosca.gov/1696/Employment. 

Senate Bill 330 Development Applications

Senate Bill 330 expands or amends Sate legislation, including the Permit Streamlining Act and Housing Accountability Act, with the broad goals of facilitating increased production of new residential units, protecting existing units, and providing for an expedited review and approval process for housing development projects through submittal of a “preliminary application.”

Sign Up for AlertSCC

AlertSCC is Santa Clara County's official Emergency Alert System.

Why sign up for AlertSCC?

• Stay ahead of emergencies and protect yourself and your loved ones. 
• Receive vital alerts directly to your device ensuring you're informed and prepared when it matters most. 
• Your information in AlertSCC is confidential and secure, used only for alerting purposes.

How are alerts received?

• AlertSCC is free for everyone and easy to set up.
• Alerts are sent directly to your mobile device, landline, and/or email.
• You can decide how you want to receive alerts and set up alerts for loved ones. 

Types of alerts include fire, earthquake, severe weather, public safety, and instructions during a disaster. 

Visit www.AlertSCC.org to sign up! 

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.

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 the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department 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."