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HomeMy WebLinkAboutScene May 2022 - 05.01.2022 PLUS: TAKE THE MAYOR’S CUP CHALLENGE | CUPERTINO LIBRARY EXPANSION IS OPEN | HELP DESIGN CUPERTINO’S NEWEST PARK Ready and Resilient Observing National Public Works Week MAY 2022 A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO SCENE FEATURES 4 Rethink Plastics: The Mayor’s Cup Challenge Join the discussion to think about different perspectives on how we can reduce the use of plastics. 5 City Plan to End Homelessness Find out how you can share your ideas to end homelessness in Cupertino. IN S I D E 9 Help Shape the Future of Parks Share your feedback on the new Jollyman Park All-Inclusive Playground and the upcoming Lawrence-Mitty park. 6 Ready and Resilient May 15 through 21 is National Public Works Week! Learn about what Public Works is and what the Cupertino Public Works team does. 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 The Summer Recreation Schedule Is Here cupertino.org/recreation 2 Cupertino City Hall Now Open to the Public Parking Enforcement to Resume Parking Enforcement will resume at Cupertino Civic Center on Monday, May 2. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Cupertino relaxed parking enforcement at the Cupertino Civic Center. However, full parking enforcement will be reinstituted beginning Monday, May 2. The Cupertino Civic Center parking lots include the spaces by: • Cupertino City Hall • Cupertino Community Hall • Cupertino Library Any parking spaces marked specifically for permit parking should only be used by individuals with those permits. Enforcement will also resume for the parking spaces along Torre Avenue and Rodrigues Avenue. The City of Cupertino is pleased to announce that Cupertino City Hall is now open to the public. The City closed its facilities in 2020 to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are excited to welcome our residents and community back for in-person services at City Hall,” said City Manager Jim Throop. “While the City had a smooth transition in providing virtual services at the beginning of the pandemic, we look forward to accommodating our community even more with our return to in-person services.” City services will be offered by walk-in only for Building, Business License, Finance, Planning, Public Works, and other services. Many virtual tools and assistance remain available at cupertino.org/online-services. The Santa Clara County Public Health Department and the California Department of Public Health strongly recommend that the public continue to wear masks in indoor public spaces. For the latest information, visit cupertino.org/reopening. 3 Saturday, May 14 will feature the inaugural Mayor’s Cup Challenge, presented in the newly-opened Cupertino Library Expansion event rooms. The half- day community event was created by the Mayor and City Council as a City Work Plan item for this year, designed to challenge invited speakers and members of the community to think about a complex social problem from different perspectives. This year will focus on plastics and what to do about the growing environmental issues associated with them through the lenses of science, policy, industry, and art. Speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been invited to participate on panels focused on science, policy, or industry, and each panel will be a 30-minute moderated discussion before a live community audience. The event will take place on Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with lunch provided for registered attendees. The art exhibit that will accompany the event is being created by participants in the Artist in Residence Program of Recology San Francisco. Their exhibits will showcase and describe pieces made from plastic materials culled from the waste arriving at the Recology San Francisco Recycling and Transfer Station. The event will also feature winning submissions from the Cupertino Library Foundation’s Super Summer Science Search (S4) 2021 challenge, which focused on the issue of plastics and yielded fun and fascinating ideas from middle school participants. The S4 challenge is organized each year by the Library Foundation’s Teen Advisory Council encouraging STEAM studies with middle schoolers through engaging activities. The hope and the more general purpose of the Cupertino Mayor’s Cup is to help bring about more effective approaches to wide-scale problems from an early stage, which is why the primary audience is focused on community, and particularly students. This inaugural topic of plastics is being approached with an eye on reaching out to our future scientists, policymakers, and members of industry to invite them to think about the various ways we can create synergies while harnessing the power of our creativity, thinking and action to support a sustainable, successful, healthy, and economically vibrant world. This should make for a thought-provoking event for everyone, and the entire community is invited to join us in person or virtually. This event is free, but registration is required. Learn more and register at cupertino.org/citycouncil. Mayor’s Cup Challenge Invites Thoughtful Discussion 4 Check Out the New Cupertino Library Expansion City Plan to End Homelessness Available for Public Comment The Cupertino Library is excited to open the addition of two new community rooms that will be used for events, study space, and community meetings. Santa Clara County Library District is committed to promoting knowledge, ideas, and cultural enrichment, and these new spaces will allow Cupertino Library to continue to provide engaging experiences to its library patrons. Both rooms will host events for library patrons of all ages, from storytime for young children to informational lectures and book discussions for adults. At times of peak use, the library’s new community rooms will function as additional study seating, allowing students to work together while gaining ready access to library resources for research. Community members will also be able to reserve the new community rooms, which can each be subdivided, for programs and meetings which are free and open to the public in accordance with library district policy. New audio-visual systems will be offered in rooms on both floors, which provide views of the City’s redwood Memorial Grove and interior library courtyard. On Friday, April 29 elected officials joined library staff to celebrate the opening of the Library Expansion with a gala and ribbon Cutting event. Thank you to all of the community members who joined us to celebrate this momentous occasion. You can watch a recording of the ceremony on the City’s YouTube Channel or on the webpage linked below. Read more about the new Cupertino Library expansion at cupertino.org/libraryexpansion. The City of Cupertino’s Community Development Department is underway with the community engagement process for the upcoming City Plan to End Homelessness (City Plan). The City Plan is an implementation plan to address the needs of the unhoused residents of Cupertino as identified in the Santa Clara County Community Plan to End Homelessness, which you can find at osg.sccgov.org. The City Plan will help direct the decisions that will be made about funding, program, and needs. After a comprehensive community engagement effort that included focus groups, stakeholder interviews, and surveys, the City will be releasing the Draft City Plan on the City Plan website for a 30-day public comment period beginning May 3 through June 3. Comments may be submitted to housing@cupertino.org. The Draft City Plan will be reviewed by the Housing Commission and City Council in late Spring. Over 100 people attended the Community Kick-Off Meeting on Thursday, February 10. The recording is available now for viewing on the City’s YouTube page, along with a Frequently Asked Questions document for those interested. The meeting focused on introducing the City Plan process, providing an overview of homelessness in Cupertino and Santa Clara County, and highlighting the City’s efforts and needs in supporting the unhoused residents in our community. For more information and to subscribe to email updates about the draft plan and future Housing Commission and City Council dates, visit cupertino.org/ cphomelessness. 5 THE THEME FOR PUBLIC WORKS WEEK 2022 IS “READY AND RESILIENT”. The City’s Public Works professionals are committed to providing the citizens of Cupertino exceptional service, ensuring that current and future generations will enjoy the City’s safety, integrity, beauty, and innovation. Take a look at what Public Works is doing in the community. TRANSPORTATION • Oversees the operation and maintenance of the City’s 60 traffic signals, including eight traffic signals owned by the State of California • Maintains the fiber optic traffic signal communication infrastructure, which allows monitoring of the street network from the City’s Traffic Operations Center • Regularly coordinates with the Cupertino Union School District, the Fremont Union High School District, and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department to focus efforts on student safety and congestion relief around the City’s 14 public schools through the Safe Routes to School Program TREES AND RIGHT-OF-WAY (MEDIANS AND PUBLIC PEDESTRIAN AREAS) • Maintains 27,000 trees and 53.5 acres of medians and right-of-way areas. They are also responsible for median renovations • The team of 16 also coordinates with the Streets Maintenance Division on root inspections of effected trees • Actively engages in community outreach, including tree planting events STREETS • Maintains 142 center lane miles of streets • The 11-person team maintains sidewalks, curbs, and gutters - including 2,200 storm drain inlets • They maintain 9,700 traffic-related signs in addition to 3,200 streetlights and 480 park and parking lot lights • Manages the street sweeping contract and maintains all environmental compliance materials FACILITIES AND FLEET • Maintains 51 buildings (221,000 square feet), 103 vehicles and 700 pieces of equipment • The team of 11 maintains the Blackberry Farm pool, Civic Center fountains, and coordinates small tenant improvement projects • Supports maintenance operations, Parks and Recreation and programs, and Corporation Yard programs CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS (CIP) • Consists of a nine-person team and is responsible for delivering all Capital Improvement projects 6 • Capital projects can be new construction or renovation of existing improvements or buildings. Projects range in size from small ADA Improvements to large multi-million projects • This division delivers over $10 million worth of projects on an annual basis GROUNDS • 19-person team responsible for maintaining 19 parks and open space areas • Maintains nine Cupertino Union School District Athletic Fields for youth sports programs as well as all playgrounds in accordance with California Playground Safety Requirements • Responsible for water fowl management and provides ongoing support to park and community services programs ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS • The team manages compliance with a variety of environmental laws pertaining to stormwater pollution prevention, creek eco-system protection, recycling, composting, and reduction of waste going to landfill • Both the stormwater and resource recovery programs involve extensive outreach, education, and monitoring, including creek cleanups, tabling events, inspections, hazardous spill and discharge response, code enforcement, and waste audits • The team manages the City’s largest contract, its waste hauling franchise agreement with Recology South Bay. This contract includes collecting trash, recycling, and organics from 14,000 single-family homes, 60 multi-family properties, and 408 commercial properties • Staff conducted 161 site visits to assist businesses with recycling and composting in 2021 • Arrange for operation and staffing of the compost site, where residents of Cupertino can pick up compost at no cost from spring through fall each year. The compost is made from residential food scraps and yard waste collected from Cupertino’s citywide organics recycling program, bringing the process full circle ENGINEERING • Provides engineering support and oversight on both public and private improvement projects within the public right-of-way • Provides engineering review and permitting of projects in the public right of way, including work related to utility company operations. They also provide inspection services to ensure improvements are installed and facilities are restored to City standards • Supports all City Departments that work on construction and maintenance-related activities within the City, including the Capital Improvement Program, Community Development, Transportation, Streets, Grounds, Trees and Right- of-Way, Facilities, Building Department, and Environmental Services ASSET MANAGEMENT • The Asset Management team has identified and logged over 105,000 assets maintained by Public Staff - and they’re still counting • The sophisticated system is also capable of tracking work orders • Public Works staff completed 9,085 work orders and responded to 704 Cupertino 311 requests submitted in 2021 7 Museum docents are an essential part of life at the Cupertino Historical Museum. They open and close the museum, greet visitors, answer questions, lead tours, and sell merchandise from the gift shop. Docents typically work two-hour shifts, and volunteers are asked to commit to at least four hours per month. If you enjoy . . . • Telling and listening to a good story. • Meeting new people and interacting with diverse audiences, age groups, and learning styles. If you have . . . • An interest in American history and culture. • Strong interpersonal and communication skills. If you can . . . • Communicate effectively with people of all ages and backgrounds. • Commit to a regular schedule for at least six months (one day per week for the weekday pro-gram or two days per month for the weekend program). Volunteers must be at least age 16 and must complete a two-hour training before signing up to be on the schedule. Email: jennifer@ cupertinohistoricalsociety.org for more information, or to schedule your training. Fill out the online volunteer application at https://form.jotform. com/83057234084152 Museum Docent Volunteers Needed May is Bike Month! The days are getting longer and the weather is practically perfect, which makes May a great month to dust off your bike and ride to work, dinner, to run errands, or wherever! Biking increases your physical and mental health, helps you focus, and is good for the planet. The Bay Area’s annual Bike to Work/Wherever Days will be three days long this year: Friday, May 20 through Sunday, May 22. Organizations all over the Bay Area will host energizer stations to fuel your ride with encouraging smiles and nourishing refreshments. To get a signature musette bag this year, you’ll need to sign up and pledge to ride. Check out the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition’s website to learn how to sign up, find energizer station locations, and see what other bike events are happening during the month of May: https://bikesiliconvalley.org/events/btwd Make sure to stop by the energizer station the Cupertino Bicycle Pedestrian Commission is hosting on Friday, May 20 from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the corner of Stelling Road and McClellan Road. Students: your biking day of glory is Wednesday, May 4: National Bike to School Day. We hope to see you on the road! 8 The City of Cupertino has been awarded a grant to replace the existing play equipment at Jollyman Park with a new all-inclusive park and playground, designed for people of all ages and abilities. The design will support recreation and social interaction for individuals with autism, sensory challenges, cognitive, developmental, and physical disabilities, and those without special needs. To learn more about this project, visit engagecupertino.org/jollyman. A new 7.83-acre park is coming to east Cupertino! The Lawrence-Mitty Park and Trail will provide open recreation space along Saratoga Creek and a connection to Sterling Barnhart Park. The future park will also include an extension of the San Tomas Aquino - Saratoga Creek Trail. This project is currently in the conceptual design phase, and your ideas will help shape the upcoming design. To learn more about this project, visit engagecupertino.org/lawrencemitty. Help Design the New Lawrence-Mitty Park An All-Inclusive Playground Is Coming To Jollyman Park 9 Sourcewise Sourcewise offers resource information on a variety of topics including housing, nutrition, health insurance, transportation, and more. Through a comprehensive network of resources, Sourcewise strives to educate, prepare, support, and advocate for all adults, their families, and their caregivers within Santa Clara County. (408) 350-3200 mysourcewise.com 211 Receive free, non-emergency community, health, and disaster information in Santa Clara County. 211 is confidential and available in over 170 languages. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dial 2-1-1. 211bayarea.org Health Insurance Counseling (HICAP) Receive consultation on Medicare and Medicare-related health insurance. To schedule an appointment, visit us online or call. (408) 350-3200 mysourcewise.com/medicare-options Senior Adult Legal Aid (SALA) Provides free assistance to elders for basic legal matters in public benefits, long-term care, elder abuse, housing, consumer issues, incapacity planning, probate alternative, and simple wills. Must be 60 or older and live in Santa Clara County. sala.org (408) 295-5991 Senior Resources 10 Older Americans Month: Age My Way May is Older Americans Month and a special time to recognize and celebrate older adults in communities nationwide. The national observance is led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and looks to provide resources to help older adults stay healthy and independent. This year’s theme, Age My Way, encourages all to explore the various ways older adults can remain in and be involved with their communities. Shown are how members of the Cupertino Senior Center are celebrating. What does Aging My Way look for you? 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. 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 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