HomeMy WebLinkAboutScene April 2022 - 04.01.2022 PLUS: LEARN ABOUT CUPERTINO’S URBAN FOREST | TAKE THE CUPERTINO
CLIMATE CHALLENGE | SAVE MONEY AND WATER WITHIN YOUR GARDEN
Rebuilding Our
Community Roots
Celebrate Earth
and Arbor Day
APRIL 2022
A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO
SCENE
FEATURES
3 Earth and Arbor
Day Festival
The Earth and Arbor Day Festival has returned!
Read about the upcoming event on Saturday,
April 23.
4 Cupertino’s Urban
Forest
Read all about the different kinds of trees
that you might find in your neighborhood.
IN
S
I
D
E
7 Save Money and Water
Get rebates by converting your yard
into a Climate Victory Garden.
6 Take the Cupertino Climate
Challenge
Learn what steps you and your family can
take to help combat climate change.
12 Directory and Contacts
Keep this list of the most useful
contacts for the City of Cupertino.
11 Parks and Recreation Updates
Find upcoming events, classes, and more!
Questions or comments about The Scene? Contact staff at scene@cupertino.org.
CONTENTS
Would You Like to Serve on the
Bicycle Pedestrian Commission?
Cupertino residents are encouraged to apply for the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission. This seat is for
a partial term ending on January 30, 2025. The application deadline is Friday, April 15 at 4:30 p.m.
City Council will conduct interviews beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26.
Applications can be submitted via the Online Commission Application at cupertino.org/vacancies.
For more details, please see the website or call the City Clerk’s office at (408) 777-3223.
2
Cupertino’s 14th annual Earth and Arbor Day Festival
returns as an in-person event!
On Saturday April 23, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. join
us in celebrating our shared Earth and community roots
by attending our Earth and Arbor Day Festival.
This year, the festival is moving just down the block to
Library Park at 10800 Torre Avenue. This space will allow
more room for activities, social distancing, and bring us
closer to the trees.
While the celebration is in a new location, many of the
activities will be returning such as the 40-foot climbing
wall, the family bike ride, the tree planting ceremony,
art activities, climate action planning, and a full day of
performances on a solar powered stage.
Each year, more than a billion people celebrate
Earth Day as a way to come together and protect
the planet from things like pollution, deforestation, and
drought. By taking part in this festival, you are making
our community a happier, healthier place to live.
Avoid traffic and parking hassles by taking the
Via-Cupertino shuttle for free on April 23! Get your
free ride by downloading the Via app on your mobile
device. For more information, visit cupertino.org/shuttle
or call (669) 201-1892.
Face masks will be encouraged, and hand sanitization
stations will be located throughout the event.
Learn more about the festival at cupertino.org/
earthday.
Cupertino’s Earth and Arbor
Day Festival is Back!
Rebuild our Community Roots at Earth Day Festival
3
Cupertino’s Urban Forest
Cupertino’s trees provide extensive benefits to our community. Trees increase property values, help retain
businesses, encourage shopping, calm traffic, and even lower noise levels. They can also reduce crime, utility
costs, and air pollution. Here are a few hard-working trees that you may recognize in Cupertino. To learn more
about additional trees in Cupertino, visit cupertino.org/trees.
Help us plant a new tree at the tree planting ceremony in honor of Arbor Day! Join us at Wilson Park,
10249 S Portal Avenue, on Saturday, April 23 around 11 a.m.
Tilia Tormentosa – Silver Linden
Fun Facts:
• I am an important honey plants for beekeepers.
• I produce a very pale but richly flavoured
monofloral honey.
• People in Europe use my flowers for herbal tea
and tinctures.
• In North America, people use my flowers in herbal
medicine practices.
Quercus Frainetto - Hungarian Oak
Fun Facts:
• I am 50 feet tall and 30 feet wide with deeply
lobed leaves.
• I am native to South Central and Eastern Europe.
• My bark is gray and smooth while I am young,
and it turns brown and fissured when I get older.
• I can grow in heavy acidic soils.
Quercus Cambyi – Sierra Oak
Fun Facts:
• I naturally grow in a pyramidal shape while I am young
and develop a broader canopy after several years.
• Although I am classified as an evergreen, I shed most of
my leaves in late winter.
• I am native to Texas; therefore, I am extremely drought
tolerant.
• I have separate male and female reproductive parts.
4
Sequoia Sempervirens – Coast
Redwood
Fun Facts:
• I am resistant to oak root fungus.
• The tallest of my species measures 380 feet tall.
• My trunk can grow more than 27 feet wide.
• I can live for more than 2,000 years.
• I am one of the world’s fastest-growing conifers.
Acer Buergerianum – Trident Maple
Fun Facts:
• I am considered a highly attractive small maple
because I am effective as a lawn specimen,
patio, or shade tree.
• I feature distinctive, three-lobed leaves that are
two to four inches long and dark green color.
• My roots have a low damage potential when
I am planted near sidewalks and driveways.
Lagerstroemia ‘Muskogee’ – Muskogee
Hybrid Crape Myrtle
Fun Facts:
• I am resistant to powdery mildew.
• If I am maintained properly, in 15 to 20 years I can
reach a height of 30 feet tall and up to 20 feet wide.
• I am known for my gorgeous and abundant lavender
flowers that bloom profusely during summer.
• I am a Hybrid tree that was developed by
the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.
Koelreuteria Bipinnata
– Chinese Flame Tree
Fun Facts:
• I am an elegant tree used often in California’s
urban landscapes.
• My flowers are used medicinally and as a source
of yellow dye.
• I can withstand tough environmental conditions
such as air pollution, drought, and a moderate
amount of salt runoff.
5
In January 2021, the governor’s office released a
proposal for the fiscal year 2022-23 budget, which
includes a $45.7 billion surplus. The environmental and
climate actions are featured front and center with the
proposed expenditures. The budget proposal allocates
$22.5 billion in one-time investments to advance
climate action programs and community resilience up
and down the State of California. Highlighted below
is some of the proposed spending, and how it might
benefit local initiatives in Cupertino.
Transportation and Mobility: A total of $19.1 billion
over six years is proposed to be invested across
California’s most polluting sector – transportation.
About half of that will be put towards promoting
electric vehicles for both passenger cars and heavy-
duty trucks. Another half of the funds will be put
towards bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements
and expanding local transit options.
Clean Energy: A diverse portfolio of new clean
energy technologies will need to be developed as
quickly as possible. The budget includes $2 billion for
this sector which will benefit Cupertino’s efforts to
make our older buildings
more energy-efficient
and reduce the use of
fossil fuels in buildings.
Other investments include
upgrading the electrical
grid to be more resilient.
Sustainable Communities:
The budget proposes
$1 billion in grants and
tax credits for housing
development that furthers
the state’s climate goals. This includes funding for
infill developments, land preservation projects, and
adaptive reuse projects that reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
K-12 Schools and universities: $2.9 billion for greening
school transportation such as electric school buses,
and for workforce education in green jobs.
The budget now enters a period of negotiations and
a final budget for next fiscal year will be adopted in
the summer.
With Earth Day and Arbor Day coming up, April is a great time to take climate
action! By doing your part to stop climate change, you can protect the planet,
save the trees, and make Cupertino a safer and healthier place for your family.
Here are 10 impactful actions you can take today:
1. Sort your recyclables and compostables into the correct bins or carts.
2. Shorten your showers by one to two minutes, or even more.
3. Bring your own reusable utensils instead of using plastic single-use ones.
4. Combine your errands into fewer car trips.
5. Set up a rain barrel and use rainwater to water your garden.
6. Check and replace your air conditioner filter as needed so that your
system is running efficiently.
7. Replace meat with a healthier, plant-based protein one meal a week
or more.
8. Try to run appliances and charge devices before 4 p.m. or after 9 p.m.,
when more clean energy is available.
9. Replace shorter car trips with walking, biking, scootering, or wheelchair.
10. Let the City know your thoughts on the Climate Action Plan Update at
cupertino.org/climateaction.
For more tips and resources on how you can take climate action, join
cupertinoclimatechallenge.org.
California Takes on Climate Change
Make an Impact! Join the
Cupertino Climate Challenge
6
Local action to address the drought continues to make a difference.
In June 2021, Valley Water declared a local emergency due to the water shortage and imposed a mandatory
water usage reduction of 15% below 2019 levels. Since then, the City of Cupertino reduced municipal water
usage by 24% through actions such reducing irrigation and not turning on fountains.
Our community took action over the past several months to make homes and businesses drought-proof:
$400 to install
qualifying
Laundry to
Landscape
systems.
$70 per rain
barrel and $2
per square foot
of roof area
converted to a
rain garden.
$3 per square
foot for replacing
lawn with
drought tolerant
landscaping
Continue to fight drought with
Cupertino Water Savings
Rebates are available. Start saving today!
1. Cupertino property owners
converted over 26,000
square feet of lawn to
drought tolerant landscaping
using Valley Water rebates
2. Over 250 customers
ordered free water saving
devices from Valley Water
3. 15 residents converted
their lawn with the help of
Cupertino’s Climate Victory
Garden Program
Your actions to save water are critical during this drought emergency.
Together, we can build a drought-proof future for Cupertino.
CLIMATE VICTORY GARDEN WINS
The Climate Victory Garden Pilot Program continues for a second year after residents gave rave reviews.
Here is what Cupertino residents have to say about the program:
“I am so grateful for the hard work that was put in to convert my garden landscape. I could not have
accomplished this project and received my rebate without the City of Cupertino and Ecology Action
staff guiding me through the process.”
For more information,visit cupertino.org/drought
7
Extremely Concerned
Drought Wildfires &
Smoke
“How concerned are you about the
following events taking place in Cupertino?”
Extreme
Heat
Sea Level
Rise
Extreme
Precipitation
and Flooding
Pe
r
c
e
n
t
a
g
e
Moderately Concerned
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
When the City Council initiated the process to update the Cupertino Climate Action Plan in 2021, it was with
a recognition that Cupertino, and every other community, faces a new set of challenges from a climate that has
already warmed an average of 1.1 degrees Celsius since the 19th century.
The Cupertino Climate Action Plan will include an assessment of which climate hazards are predicted to impact
Cupertino more in the future, how well we can react to these hazards, and actions that we can take to protect
our most vulnerable neighbors.
Using a planning framework provided by the State, the project team has identified six climate hazards of
concern. In order of most vulnerable to least, they are adverse air quality, extremely hot days, drought,
storm flooding, wildfire, and sea level rise. A recent poll of 107 Cupertino residents shows a high level of
concern about these hazards.
Climate hazards are increasingly considered in daily life, such as with insurance premiums. We invite you to visit our
site at Cupertino.org/climateaction and leave us a comment about how your family and business plan to become
more resilient.
Community resilience – what
does it mean for Cupertino?
8
Compost
Organics
Recycling
Garbage
Waste Materials Destination Map
SMaRT Station
(301 Carl Road,
Sunnyvale)
Starting Monday, March 21,
Cupertino residents can pick up
finished compost from Sunnyvale’s
SMaRT Station during open business
hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days
per week.
Stevens Creek Quarry
(12100 Stevens Canyon Road)
Cupertino residents can pick up finished compost
at Stevens Creek Quarry. It is scheduled to open
on Friday, March 25 and close for the season on
Saturday, October 29. Pickup hours are Friday and
Saturday between 8 a.m. and noon
Rogers Avenue Transfer Station
(1675 Rogers Avenue, San Jose)
Organics first get dropped off at
Rogers Avenue Transfer Station
before being transported to the
organics processing facilities,
Blossom Valley Organics and
South Valley Organics.
South Valley Organics
(3675 Pacheco Pass Highway)
South Valley Organics, located in
Gilroy, CA receives approximately
40,000 tons of yard trimmings
from residents in the South Bay
Area, which include single-family
homes in Cupertino.
Blossom Valley Organics
- North Composting Facility
(3909 Gaffery Road, Vernalis)
Commercial and multi-
family organics get taken
to Recology Blossom
Valley Organics in Vernalis,
California. Blossom Valley
is a 216 acre composting
facility that produces finished
compost.
GreenWaste
(625 Charles Street, San Jose)
GreenWaste takes residential and business mixed recyclables and
separates them into individual commodities, including cardboard, glass,
aluminum and a variety of plastics. These materials are baled and sent to
processors to produce new products. Operating at over 45 tons per hour,
GreenWaste will recover up to 85% of the material it processes.
Newby Island Sanitary Landfill
(1601 Dixon Landing Road, Milpitas)
Items that are put into the garbage are
taken directly to Newby Island Landfill,
which is a 342-acre landfill facility.
Have you ever wondered where your waste goes after it leaves the curb? Learn more about each process below
after Cupertino’s waste hauler, Recology, picks up your waste. Visit cupertino.org/nowaste to learn more.
9
Protecting Our Creeks:
Trash Capture Devices
Below the City’s streets is a labyrinth of interconnected pipes
designed to carry storm water away from homes and businesses
and out to one of the four primary creeks that flow through
Cupertino and end in the San Francisco Bay. Rainwater enters
these underground pipes through storm drains that are located
along the street gutters. The pipes and drains make up what is
called our stormwater system, and it is maintained by the City’s
Public Works Streets and Medians Division. Because water that
enters a storm drain goes directly into the nearest creek without
any cleaning or treatment, the City is required by a permit issued
by the State Regional Water Quality Control Board to keep
pollutants from getting into that system.
One important pollutant is trash. To help keep trash and litter
from reaching our creeks, the City uses two special devices:
Auto-retractable Curb Inlet Screens (ARS) and Full Trash Capture
devices (FTC).
ARS devices are easy to see, and you might notice them as
you travel along Stevens Creek Boulevard or even in your
neighborhood. An ARS is a spring-loaded, stainless-steel plate
covering the large opening of the storm drain to keep big items
of trash from going into the drain. When it rains, a special spring
opens with the water pressure. This keeps streets from flooding
when needed but keeps trash at street level for the street
sweeper to remove when it’s dry.
FTC devices are harder to see because they are installed inside
of the storm drain to catch trash and small pieces of litter. This
keeps litter from entering the network of pipes so it cannot reach
the creeks.
For more information about the other ways the City works
to prevent stormwater pollution, please visit cupertino.org/
cleanwater.
Calling All
Teens!
Are you passionate about
sustainable transportation? Would you
like to make a difference reducing
traffic congestion and enhancing
safety around your school? Would
you like more people to understand
the needs of people in wheelchairs?
If you will be in high school next year
and answered yes to any of these
questions, we need you!
Cupertino Safe Routes to School (SR2S)
is currently recruiting students to be on
the SR2S Working Group next school
year. The Working Group meets monthly
to share ideas about how to implement
the goals of the Safe Routes to School
program in Cupertino. Input from High
School Student Representatives has
been invaluable to the Working Group
since 2018.
Every year we select two high
schoolers to represent each high
school. The selection process has
become extremely competitive in
the last couple of years. If you are
selected, in addition to other great
opportunities you will be given the
opportunity to work with the other high
school representative at your high
school to apply for our new SR2S High
School Grant Program to bring SR2S
programming to your school and make
a difference at your school. We hope
you’ll apply!
Applications are
due Monday, May 30.
Apply at cupertino.org/saferoutes/
hsrep
10
The Cupertino Senior Center has extended its hours of
operation and is now open Tuesday through Thursday
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Senior Center is also expanding
its programming, including socials such as card playing,
bingo, lunch events, and more.
Visit bit.ly/50Scene to see the latest newsletter and
additional information on current activities.
Make a Cupertino summer camp part of your
child’s summer.
This summer, the City of Cupertino is offering more
than 100 summer camps covering a variety of interests.
Camps are available for ages three to 17 and include
enriching programs such as culinary, art, dance, music,
education, STEM, nature, and sports.
Find a camp at cupertino.org/camps.
The City of Cupertino is excited to announce the 2022
Big Bunny 5K and Kids Fun Run is back to an in-person
run! This year’s run will be Saturday, April 16, at the
Cupertino Civic Center.
Register today at cupertino.org/
bigbunny5k and join the City for a
bunny-themed run through the
streets of Cupertino.
Cupertino
Senior Center
Cupertino
Summer Camps
Your Favorite Local 5K
And Kids Fun Run Is Back!
11
The Cupertino Scene is printed on post-consumer waste recycled paper with soy ink.
The newsletter is produced by a certified Bay Area Green Business and is recyclable.
For information on becoming a certified Green Business, visit cupertino.org/GreenBiz.
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POSTAL CUSTOMER
City of Cupertino
Department Phone / Email
Building Department ...................................(408) 777-3228
Building@Cupertino.org
Business License ...........................................(408) 777-3221
BL@Cupertino.org
City Clerk ......................................................(408) 777-3223
CityClerk@Cupertino.org
City Manager ..............................................(408) 777-3212
Manager@Cupertino.org
Code Enforcement .....................................(408) 777-3182
Code@Cupertino.org
Planning Department .................................(408) 777-3308
Planning@Cupertino.org
Recreation ...................................................(408) 777-3120
Recreation@Cupertino.org
Senior Center ...............................................(408) 777-3150
SeniorCntr@Cupertino.org
Sports Center ...............................................(408) 777-3160
Recreation@Cupertino.org
Street Light Maint. .......................................(408) 777-3342
StreetDivision@Cupertino.org
Street Sweeping ..........................................(408) 777-3269
Public_Works@Cupertino.org
Tree Maint. ...................................................(408) 777-3410
Public_Works@Cupertino.org
Other Agencies
Organization Phone Number
Animal Control ........................................................(408) 794-7297
AT&T ..........................................................................(800) 331-0500
California Water Service .........................................(650) 917-0152
Chamber of Commerce ........................................(408) 252-7054
Comcast ..................................................................(800) 945-2288
Cupertino Library .....................................................(408) 540-3947
Cupertino Sanitary District ......................................(408) 253-7071
Cupertino Union School District .............................(408) 252-3000
Fremont Union High School District .......................(408) 522-2200
Hazardous Waste Drop-off .....................................(408) 299-7300
PG&E .........................................................................(800) 743-5000
Project Sentinel (Landlord/Tenant Issues) .............(408) 720-9888
Recology (Garbage & Recycling) ........................(408) 725-4020
San Jose Water Company .....................................(408) 279-7900
Santa Clara Registrar of Voters ..............................(408) 299-6863
VTA (Transportation Authority) ...............................(408) 321-2300
Vector Control, Santa Clara County ....................(408) 918-4770
First Responders
Emergency Calls ...................................911 or (408) 299-3233
(Police, Fire, Medical)
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office ..............(408) 299-2311
(Non-Emergency)
Santa Clara County Fire Department ...........(408) 378-4010
(Non-Emergency)
Need to report an issue or have a City-related question?
Visit: cupertino.org/cupertino311 or call (408) 777-3200.
City Directory