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HomeMy WebLinkAboutScene June 2022 - 06.01.2022PLUS: LATEST HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE | HELP IMPROVE THE BLOCK LEADER PROGRAM | NEW DISPOSABLE UTENSILS STATE LAW Rainbow Solidarity Observing LGBTQ+ Pride Month JUNE 2022 A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO SCENE FEATURES 3 Help Design Jollyman Park Playground Learn how you can share your input to help the City design an All-Inclusive Playground at Jollyman Park. 4 Rainbow Solidarity Learn about LGBTQ+ Pride Month and local programs and resources from the Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs. IN S I D E 10 New State Law: Utensils Only On-Demand The new State Law AB1276 requires food service providers to ask first before providing disposable utensils or condiments. 7 FY 2022-23 Proposed Budget Read the latest update on the City’s proposed budget for the upcoming Fiscal Year. 11 New Leaf Blower Regulations Cut out this section and pass along the notice to neighbors and gardeners to help limit noise disturbances. 8 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 City of Cupertino Teen Commission? Cupertino teens are encouraged to apply for four vacancies on the Teen Commission. Applications may be submitted online using the Online Teen Commission Application via cupertino.org/vacancies. The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 29. The City Council will conduct interviews beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, August 8 and Tuesday, August 9 (as needed). For more details, please see the website or email the City Clerk’s office at cityclerk@cupertino.org. 2 This is your chance to get involved with the design and construction of an All-Inclusive Playground at Jollyman Park! The project aims to incorporate the best supportive play theories and practices to appeal to people of all ages and abilities. The design will support recreation and social interaction for people with autism, sensory challenges, cognitive, developmental, and physical disabilities. We want to hear from you! Review the play area and park features, and share your feedback to help determine the final design. You can provide your input through an online survey, which will open on Tuesday, June 14 and close on Thursday, July 14 at engagecupertino.org/jollyman. You can also share your voice at an upcoming in-person comment opportunity or virtual community meeting: • In-Person Comment Opportunity – Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Cupertino Library, 10800 Torre Avenue • In-Person Comment Opportunity – Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to noon at Jollyman Park, 1000 S. Stelling Road • Virtual Community Meeting – Wednesday, June 29 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The City is pleased to provide an update on the Cupertino’s 6th Cycle Housing Element Update 2023-2031! Since the last update in The Scene the City has held several meetings on the Housing Element update. On Tuesday, March 8, the City Council voted to form the Community Engagement Plan-Strategic Advisory Committee to focus on the overall community outreach efforts for the Housing Element. The Advisory Committee is comprised of members from City Council, Planning Commission, and Housing Commission. The Advisory Committee has now met three times, on Monday, April 25, and met again on Monday, May 16. A community meeting on the Housing Element update was held on Monday, May 23 at Community Hall, the first in-person public meeting on the Housing Element. Selecting which sites are included in the Inventory is a key step in the Housing Element update process, enabling the City to define the scope of the project and begin analyzing its potential environmental issues if the Inventory sites are developed as new housing within the 2023-2031 time period. The City Council will take up the Sites Inventory issue in June. It is expected that the Council will hold several meetings in June and July to decide which properties to include on the Sites Inventory. It is the City’s goal to have a draft Housing Element ready for public comment by late summer. The draft Housing Element will then be sent to the State’s Housing and Community Development (HCD) Department for review. All cities and counties in California need HCD certification of their Housing Elements. As part of the ongoing effort to engage the public and encourage public involvement in the Housing Element update, the City would like to remind the public about the Housing Element webpage on the City’s Engagement HQ website. The page has recently been updated to allow residents to better engage with the Sites Inventory process. Residents are also encouraged to subscribe to the engagecupertino.org website for updates and to visit the webpage frequently to provide feedback, find key documents, see upcoming meeting dates and times, and learn other information. Additional in-person input on the Housing Element update can be provided at the following meeting: • Regular City Council Meeting - Tuesday, June 21 at 6:45 p.m. Lastly, the City would like to invite interested Cupertino property owners to consider completing the Property Owners Form found on the engagecupertino.org website. The City would love to hear from property owners who may be interested in future housing development on their properties. For those that complete the form, the City may reach out for further information, if necessary. We look forward to continuing to work with the Cupertino community and creating a successful 6th Cycle Housing Element Update with an approach that aligns with our community’s goals, values, vision, and priorities. Help Design the All-Inclusive Playground at Jollyman Park Housing Element Update 3 Rainbow Solidarity: Observing LGBTQ+ Pride Month 2022 June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a time for people to come together to affirm the ideals of dignity and respect for Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender, Queer, and other communities. Pride started in 1970 as a commemoration of the New York Stonewall riots the year before, when LGBTQ+ bar goers took action against the regular police raids at the Stonewall Inn. At that time, being a visible member of the LGBTQ+ community was considered a crime. 2022 marks the 52nd anniversary of Pride. On June 24, 2019, Cupertino raised the LGBTQ+ Pride flag at City Hall for the first time in honor of Pride month, and brought back the ceremony on June 15, 2021. This ceremony included speeches by our local elected leaders and the County of Santa Clara Office of LGBTQ Affairs. Recent ceremonies have included speeches from community members and mayoral proclamations. As another way to show support for the LGBTQ community, in April of 2021 the City unveiled a rainbow stripe on the crosswalk at Stevens Creek Boulevard and Finch Avenue, done with support from the Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs. While acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals has grown across the nation, there are many issues that members of the community still face today. The Office of LGBTQ Affairs was created in 2016 as the first County-level office in the nation to address these issues through research, policy guidance, programs, and new initiatives. The Office also hosts the annual LGBTQ+ Summit to highlight issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community, hear from the lived experience of LGBTQ+ community members, and share LGBTQ+ equity best practices and initiatives. Past themes featured LGBTQ+ Wellness, Support Out - The Youth Wellness Initiative, and Transgender Economic Empowerment. Though these Summits, and through data and research that inform initiatives focused on improving the lives LGBTQ+ community members, the County looks to create better outcomes for all that live and work here. 4 There are also many community-based organizations across the County that the Office of LGBTQ Affairs collaborates with: • The VMC Gender Health Center: scvmc.org/health- care-services/gender-health-center • The Q Corner Behavioral Health Drop-in Center: bhsd.sccgov.org/information-resources/peer- support/q-corner • The New Haven Inn LGBTQ+ focused transitional housing program through LifeMoves: lifemoves.org • The LGBTQ Youth Space provides mental health and wellness services to youth and young adults: youthspace.org • The Avenidas Rainbow Collective helps with case management and social opportunities for older adults as well as cultural competency training for other organizations: avenidas.org/programs/lgbtq- seniors-initiative/ • The Bill Wilson Center is a drop-in space providing services to LGBTQ homeless youth: billwilsoncenter.org The Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs is committed to creating strong bridges and inclusive systems throughout the County that affirm and embrace LGBTQ individuals and their families, and work to create a social climate with institutional backing that offers multiple pathways for LGBTQ individuals and communities to thrive here and everywhere. For more information on programs and resources, visit lgbtq.sccgov.org. 5 Food Waste at Home: A little action with a big impact According to a study done in 2018-19, Cupertino residents threw away 3,104 tons of potentially donatable food and 2,260 tons of additional food waste. We all need to play our role in helping to prevent, donate, and sort food waste so it doesn’t end up in the waste stream. Preventing Food waste is at the top of the pyramid because it helps save our environment along with financial resources. Below are three easy strategies to prevent food waste: 1. Planning: shopping with meals in mind is a good way to save money and reduce uneaten items. By thinking ahead and estimating household needs, you can eat all food purchased. 2. Storing: Did you know that storing your potatoes next to your onions causes them go bad faster? Or that putting soft carrots in water makes them crisp again? Storing food properly helps to prolong produce life and can reduce food waste. 3. Creative cooking: Do your carrot tops go straight for the waste bin? You could cook creatively and turn those carrot tops into a fresh pesto or garnish. There are many creative recipes to make with food that is less commonly eaten. Donating food to a food rescue organization is a great way to help reduce food waste and hunger in the community. Check West Valley Community Services Food Pantry for a local donation option. Food to compost is the next best management practice. If you end up with food scraps, make sure they end up in the curbside organics cart or home composting pile. By following these simple strategies, you will be surprised by how empty your trash can will be. Not only will you help the environment, preventing waste will come with financial savings too. Cost savings can occur through reduced purchasing and lower hauling costs. Find out more at savethefood.com or email us at environmental@cupertino.org with any questions. 6 Cupertino Publishes Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 Proposed Budget Cupertino Block Leaders are volunteers with the City of Cupertino and work to keep our community connected, informed, and safe. They help keep residents informed on City news and communicate the needs and concerns of their neighborhood to the City. In an emergency, Block Leaders assess and report on the condition of the neighborhood. They also work to build a sense of community and belonging. Why? A connected neighborhood is a prepared and resilient neighborhood! How can we better serve that role? How can we improve? By filling out this survey, you will help shape the future of the Block Leader Program and help us help you. To complete the survey by phone rather than online, please email Community Relations Coordinator Marta Drown at martad@cupertino.org. Take the survey at: https://forms.office.com/r/vTN1eCYQ9H A Connected Neighborhood is a Safe Neighborhood On Friday, April 29, the City published its Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 Proposed Budget, a $125.5 million balanced budget funded by $128.8 million in revenue. The General Fund, the City’s largest tax-supported fund, is recommended at $93.0 million and funded by $93.7 million in revenue. The budget recommends funding 12 new positions to meet service expectations as the City grows from a small to mid-size City. Investments in the City’s aging infrastructure will be considered in the Capital Improvement Program budget. Cupertino’s top three revenue sources continue to be Sales, Property, and Transient Occupancy taxes (TOT, or Hotel Taxes). Sales and property taxes continue to do well post-pandemic, and TOT has rebounded to around 37% of pre-pandemic levels. While sales tax was anticipated to decrease during the pandemic, it increased significantly due to positive impacts from online sales. Overall, most sales tax sources have recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The City is also in the midst of a California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) sales tax audit, which may significantly affect the City’s sales tax revenue. The proposed budget considers a potential reduction in sales tax revenue as the City takes a conservative stance on financial matters. This budget reflects the invaluable input provided by City Council, department heads, and other City stakeholders. Despite challenges and uncertainty in the State, Nation, and globally, the City’s fiscal outlook remains strong. The City has a solid financial foundation to build upon for the successful future of Cupertino. City staff presented the Proposed Budget to City Council at a study session on Tuesday, May 17. In June, City Council will consider adopting the budget at a public hearing. The FY 2022-23 Proposed Budget is available on the City’s website at cupertino.org/budget and the City’s interactive financial transparency portal at cupertino. org/opengov. 7 Summer Concert Series Memorial Park Amphitheater 6:30 to 8 p.m. June 16 - Phil n’ The Blanks Phil ‘n The Blanks is a San Francisco Bay Area cover band, specializing in high energy classic rock, modern rock, and country rock dance music. Phil ‘n The Blanks will get you up from your seat and dancing! June 23 - Complications Band Old school soul, funk, and R&B, delivered in high- energy fashion. Dance, sing, and have a great time! June 30 - Mercy and the Heartbeats Mercy will be playing all of your favorite songs - 70s and 80s classics, 90s singalongs, and the most current radio hits. A band not to be missed! July 4 - Arena Band* (*10:30 a.m. to noon) Arena performs Arena rock classics and R&B dance music from the 70s to today’s latest hits – older songs that are already classics and new ones that will be. July 7 - Mixed Nuts Mixed Nuts plays hits from the 40s to the present and plays varied styles such as Classic Rock, Motown, Funk, R&B, Disco, Modern Rock, Blues, Jazz Standards, and even Country. July 14 - Billy Martini The Billy Martini Show! Rockin’ original tunes and a groovy 70s band! Independence Day Celebration Returns to Cupertino this July 4 Join the City of Cupertino this July 4 for a full day of activities, including the pancake breakfast, children’s activities, concert, swimming, and fireworks. For more information, visit cupertino.org/4thofjuly. 8 Blackberry Farm Family Swim Start June 13 Health Insurance Counseling (HICAP) Monday, June 13 and June 27 • 1 to 3 p.m. May 7 to September 4 Cupertino Senior Center Summer Camps Visit blackberryfarm.org for pool schedules, fees, and how to make a reservation. Everyone who enters the pool gates must have a pre-paid reservation, even if they will not be swimming. Children under the age of two are free and do not need a reservation. Pool reservations are non-refundable and non-transferable. Learn about your Medicare options and what will work best for you or your loved ones. The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program provides one-on-one assistance for one hour to help you fully understand your Medicare options so you may be better informed in making the right choices while navigating the Medicare maze. Appointments are available in Mandarin on June 13. Stop by the Senior Center front desk or call the Senior Center front desk at (408) 777-3150 to schedule an appointment. cupertino.org/camps 9 State Law AB 1276 now requires that food service providers ask first before providing any utensils, straws, stirrers, splash sticks, or common condiments with takeout orders. No more throwing a handful of unwanted utensils and sauce packets in with your takeout food order! It’s about time – a survey in summer 2021 showed that 88% of respondents had received unwanted utensils or napkins with their takeout orders. And no more “bundling” of utensils either - say goodbye to the fork-knife-spoon- napkin sealed in a plastic pouch. Exceptions are made for safety in drive-through ordering situations to prevent spillage, but this applies to online ordering and delivery as well, so get ready to opt-in only for what you need. Customers don’t want those packets piling up, restaurants won’t lose money giving out unwanted things, and the resources used to make the items and dispose of them are not wasted either. It’s a win-win-win! Questions? Contact environmental@ cupertino.org. Do You Need a Fork With That? State Law AB1276 Says Utensils and Condiments Are Now On-Demand Only Registration is open for summer bike safety workshops! Middle School Bike Skills As children enter middle school, they are developmentally ready to spread their wings of independence and get places on their own, but still need to learn how to keep themselves safe on the road. Also, middle school is often farther from home than a student’s local neighborhood elementary school, so they need to travel a longer distance, and possibly cross bigger roads to get there. Middle School Bike Skills is a one-day bike workshop that prepares students to ride to middle school and beyond on their own safely. The program includes a classroom safety presentation, on- bike skills drills on a blacktop, and a group ride through the neighborhood to put the lessons into practice. Lessons include: • Basic traffic laws • How to position yourself on the road • How to navigate intersections • The most common types of bike crashes and how to avoid them • Proper hand signals and how to let drivers know your intentions • How to check that your bike is functioning properly • How to adjust your helmet One parent or guardian is required to attend with each student. Student and guardian both need to bring a bike and helmet. These workshops take place at the Cupertino Senior Center, 21251 Stevens Creek Boulevard, on Saturdays, 8:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Choose between the following dates: • June 11 • July 16 • August 6 • August 20 • August 27 Give your child (and yourself) the gift of bike safety skills and independence this summer! Please sign up four weeks in advance to receive instructions on how to prepare for the workshop. Brought to you by Cupertino Safe Routes to School in collaboration with Wheel Kids. Learn more and sign up at cupertino.org/msbs10 As COVID-19 continues to impact our community, getting boosted is essential to keeping everyone safe. Boosters build on the immune response from the primary dose and help people maintain their immunity longer. Even mild cases of COVID can be spread to others, such as children too young to be vaccinated, the elderly, or people who are immunocompromised. Eligibility Guide: • Five months after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna • Two months after a Johnson & Johnson dose Who should get a second booster? • People aged 50 and older, four months after their first booster dose • People who received both a primary and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson are eligible for a second booster dose of a mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) When will my children be vaccinated? The FDA plans to meet June 7, 21, and 22 to discuss vaccines for those under five years old and the meetings will be livestreamed on the FDA YouTube channel. New leaf blower regulations will go into effect starting Sunday, November 6 to improve quality of life by limiting noise disturbances. Leaf blowers within City limits must be: • Certified by the manufacturer to produce no more than 65 decibels at a distance of 50 feet, identified in the owner’s manual or manufacturer’s website. • Show compliance with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard B175.2 sticker (as shown) affixed to the device. Property owners are responsible for ensuring compliance on their property regardless of who is using the leaf blower. Level Up Your Immunity with Vaccine Boosters New Leaf Blower Regulations Nueva Regulación de Sopladores de Hojas: 新吹葉機法規 Nuevas reglas de sopladores de hojas entrarán en vigencia el 6 de noviembre de 2022 para mejorar la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos de Cupertino y disminuir la contaminación acústica. Sopladores de hojas dentro de la ciudad deben: • Estar certificados por el fabricante que no produzcan más de 65 decibeles de sonido (a una distancia de 50 pies) indicado el manual de instrucciones, o en una página web del fabricante. • Mostrar cumplimiento con regla B175.2 del Instituto Nacional Estadounidense de Estándares (ANSI por sus siglas en ingles) y que esté mostrado en algún lugar del dispositivo. Los propietarios son responsables para cumplir con esta ordenanza, independientemente de quién esté usando el dispositivo. 為了提高生活品質和限制噪音干擾,新的吹葉機規定將於 星期日,11月6日生效。城市範圍內的吹葉機必須: • 經過製造商的認證，在50英尺的距離,不超過65分貝, 必 須在所者手冊或製造商的網站上確定此評級。 • 機上必須貼有符合美國國家標準協會（ANSI）B175.2標 準（如圖)。 地主有責任確保合規, 無論是誰在地主土地內使用吹葉機。 For more information, visit sccfreevax.org. Cut Here Cut Here Cu t H e r e Cu t H e r e Cut Here Cut Here 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. PRSRT-STD U.S. Postage PAID Cupertino, CA Permit No. 239 CUPERTINO SCENE Cupertino City Hall 10300 Torre Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 *******ECRWSSEDDM******* POSTAL CUSTOMER New Leaf Blower Regulations Nueva Regulación de Sopladores de Hojas 新吹葉機法規 (408) 777-3308 cupertino.org/leafblowers 65 Category 1 Measured at 50 ft (15m) per ANSI B175.2 dB ( A )