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HomeMy WebLinkAboutScene December 2021 - 12.01.2021 PLUS: COVID-19 VACCINES FOR KIDS | REDUCE HOLIDAY WASTE | ‘TIS THE SEASON FOR HOLIDAY EVENTS A Year in City Projects Highlights from the 2020-2021 City Work Program DECEMBER 2021 / JANUARY 2022 A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO SCENE FEATURES 3 Safe Routes Video Contest Winners Hear from the student winners of the Safe Routes to School Video Contest to promote walking and biking. 6 Looking Back at the City Work Program in 2021 Check out some of the highlighted projects that were completed over the past year. IN S I D E 9 Reduce Your Holiday Waste Learn how you can shrink your carbon footprint this holiday season. 5 I Love Cupertino Community Card Give the perfect gift this holiday season while also supporting local businesses. 12 Directory and Contacts Keep this list of the most useful contacts for the City of Cupertino. 11 Parks and Recreation Updates Find upcoming holiday events, and more! Questions or comments about The Scene? Contact staff at scene@cupertino.org. CONTENTS Would You Like To Serve on a City Commission? Cupertino residents are encouraged to apply for positions on City commissions that will have vacancies in January of 2022. Commissions with upcoming vacancies include: Fine Arts Commission, Housing Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Public Safety Commission, and Sustainability Commission. The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 7, 2022. Council will conduct interviews beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 24, 2022 and Tuesday, January 25, 2022. 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 Safe Routes to School (SR2S) held a student video contest in the spring in collaboration with the Teen Commission. Contestants submitted videos to inspire their fellow students to take active modes of transportation to and from school such as walking, biking, or riding a scooter. A panel of judges reviewed the submissions over the summer and selected two winning videos, which were truly inspirational! You can view them at cupertino.org/videocontest. Sudisha Kumar won the contest at the middle school level with a beautiful animation called Safe Routes to School. The group of high school students Lindsey Tang, Avishi Trivedi, and Crystal Chen created the winning high school video called Bike or Walk to School. Here’s what the talented winning students had to say about their videos: Q: How do you get to and from school? Lindsey Tang: I get to school by car and get home by bike. My dad has a very useful bike rack he attaches to the back of the car that he can easily use to put our bikes on and bring them anywhere we want to go. In addition, most of the ride to school is uphill, so it is pretty efficient and faster for him to drive us to school and give us some time to lock our bikes. I also love biking home from school because the breeze from the downhill feels nice and it takes no longer than 10 minutes. Q: What motivated you to create a video to enter the contest? Crystal Chen: Lindsey, Avishi, and I were encouraged to enter this video contest through YEPI, the Youth Environmental Power Initiative, because it was the project the three of us chose to do. In the process of creating our video, we decided it would be interesting to add our own perspectives in the video, as Lindsey and I both use transportation other than driving when we go to school. Q: How do you feel about your video winning the contest? Avishi Trivedi: We are very thankful to have an opportunity to participate in this contest, and we are very excited to have won. Personally, I’m happy that our video will make a difference and make people more aware of the environmental problems that we face today. It feels empowering to make a difference, no matter how small it may be. We need to protect our community from all of the pollution caused by vehicles and I hope to see more people walking and biking to school! The City of Cupertino publishes a bimonthly newsletter from the City Manager’s Office to the City Council and Cupertino community. Items of Interest contains the latest on City projects, programs, services, and events. Items of Interest also includes upcoming City Council agenda items, weekly crime reports from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, and contact information for various City departments. The purpose of the Items of Interest newsletter is to keep the City Council and residents up to date on the most recent happenings and accomplishments of the City. Community members can sign up to receive Items of Interest directly in their email inboxes by signing up for the enotification on the City’s Items of Interest webpage at cupertino.org/itemsofinterest. Stay Up to Date with Cupertino News Congrats to the Safe Routes to School Video Contest Winners! Items of Interest Newsletter 3 The Housing Element, a part of Cupertino’s General Plan, is required by State law to be updated every eight years to identify where and how the City will accommodate current and projected housing needs. For the 2023-2031 Housing Element update, the City will need to plan for an additional 4,588 new housing units as required by State law. This requirement is called the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). Through a competitive process, the City selected EMC Planning Group to guide the City in preparing this Housing Element update. For the past 43 years, EMC Planning Group has worked with many California jurisdictions successfully preparing Housing Element updates. Currently, in the “Data and Background” stage of the process, data related to demographics, housing needs, and housing constraints is being gathered. Work will concurrently focus on “Sites Analysis” - preparing an inventory of potential sites that demonstrate Cupertino’s capacity to accommodate its RHNA. Since there are few vacant, developable properties in Cupertino, a change to the City’s regulations to allow increased residential development on a property may be needed to increase densities. We invite community members to participate by visiting the project website site (engagecupertino.org). The website is available in multiple languages and will continually be updated with polls, surveys, maps, events, and other ways to learn about the process and to provide feedback. The community is also encouraged to attend a virtual Community Workshop on Thursday, December 9 at 6 p.m. to learn more and participate in the Balancing Act, an online tool that allows you to indicate where and how you would like to see development occur on an interactive map. Additional information will be available on the project website. We look forward to working 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. The City of Cupertino is proud to announce that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has identified Cupertino as having the best street network conditions out of 109 Bay Area agencies. Cupertino received the highest Pavement Condition Index (PCI) score of 85, which is considered “very good.” The City’s street network is an essential asset to residents, businesses, and visitors and is among the most valuable assets maintained by the City. Well maintained streets create a better community by conserving the consumption of fossil fuels and helping to reduce noise pollution. Cupertino’s street network is more than 138 miles in length and covers approximately 26 million square feet (8% of the total area of the City). Spending $1 on pavement preservation saves between $6 to $10 in future rehabilitation and reconstruction costs. Continuing to maintain City streets helps extend the life and improve the condition of Cupertino’s street network, while also saving the City millions of dollars into the future. For more information on the City’s Pavement Management Program, and explore the condition of City streets, visit gis.cupertino.org/webmap/pci/. Contribute to the Future of Housing in Cupertino Cupertino Has the Best Streets in the Bay Area 4 COVID-19 Vaccinations for Kids: What to Expect Try a Free Online Class Today! COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5-11 have been authorized by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here is what you can expect with your child’s appointment. Your child will need two shots: • The second shot is three weeks after the first shot • Your child will get the Pfizer vaccine • This is the vaccine that will be available for kids ages five to 11. • It is a smaller dose than the Pfizer vaccine for adults, one-third of an adult dose. Your child will get a white CDC COVID-19 vaccine record card. Bring your child’s yellow childhood immunization card if you have one, and it will be updated too. For more information and to book an appointment, talk to your primary care provider or visit sccfreevax.org. The Cupertino Library Foundation has partnered with GetSetUp to provide free virtual classes for older adults taught by peers. Ask questions, make friends, learn new things, and have fun! Take classes from the comfort of your own home by using your computer, iPad or tablet, or your smart phone. Some of the most popular classes include Basics of Zoom, Virtual Travel, Food and Nutrition, and Core Fitness and Yoga. Classes are free until July 2022. For more information and to register, visit getsetup.io/partner/CLF and use coupon code “CLF”. For assistance, call 1(888) 559-1614 or email info@getsetup.io. Support local businesses and give an e-Gift Card to family and friends! Five easy steps to buy an I Love Cupertino Community Card: • Go to http://bit.ly/CupertinoGiftCard • Choose an amount to put on the card • Add the recipient name, email, or phone number • Personalize your message and schedule the gift delivery • Finalize your purchase For more information and to view participating businesses, visit ilovecupertino.com. Spread Joy and Support Local 5 Looking Back at the CITY WORK PROGRAM in 2021 The City of Cupertino’s Work Program guides many of the major efforts of the City for the upcoming fiscal year. The Work Program ensures that staff efforts are aligned with the goals set by the Mayor and City Council, and thus, the community. This approach keeps the City transparent and holds us accountable to focusing resources on strategies to best serve our community’s needs and aspirations. The City Council led the City in a wide variety of projects, focusing on different aspects to improve the quality of life for the Cupertino community. Take a look at some of the highlights from the past year: TRANSPORTATION Via-Cupertino, the City’s on-demand shuttle that will take you anywhere you want to go in Cupertino, was relaunched this year. The service was missed during the pandemic, and is now back on the roads. To learn more on how to ride with Via, including getting discounted fares, and weekly or monthly passes, visit cupertino.org/shuttle. HOUSING: The City collaborated with De Anza College and West Valley Community Services to develop the Cupertino Housing Program for De Anza Students. Funds were allocated to two new programs— Housing Assistance Grants to provide students with monetary assistance for housing and move-in costs, and the Housing Sharing Program which recruited Cupertino homeowners to match with eligible De Anza student renters. 6 ENVIRONMENTAL: Over the past year, the City has been working to update the Climate Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy on how the City can best combat Climate Change. Getting feedback from the community on the Climate Action Plan was one of the many ways the City has been implementing robust engagement tools for two-way communication with Cupertino residents. EngageCupertino.org allows project managers to host surveys, Q&As, and project details all in one place, while also providing residents with the opportunity to ask questions, make comments, and engage directly with the City. HEALTH AND SAFETY: Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 34,000 heart disease-related and 7,300 lung cancer- related deaths among adult nonsmokers each year. To combat this issue, the City Council developed a new ordinance to reduce the exposure to secondhand smoke, protecting Cupertino residents, employees, and visitors from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. The new ordinance requires many outdoor areas and other locations be smoke-free including in multi-unit housing, smoke-free service areas, and smoke-free public events. While these are just a few of the major projects included in the City Work Program, the City has accomplished many more across a wide variety of areas. Under the guidance of the City Council, this year also saw the Climate Victory Gardens program, the Bird Safe/Dark Sky ordinance, the Art in Unexpected Places program, outreach for a Single-Use Plastics ordinance, and so much more. To learn more about the projects from the City Work Program, visit cupertino.org/cityworkprogram. 7 In 2016, the City Council took the step of enacting an ordinance to increase the minimum wage in Cupertino beyond that required by the State of California. The City Council recognized that families and workers need to earn a living wage, which helps them meet basic needs and avoid economic hardship. Beginning January 2022, Cupertino’s minimum wage will increase to $16.40 per hour. Employers: •Post official notice in the workplace informing employees of the rate increase and their rights. •Must document all hours worked and keep records for four years. •Retaliation against employees exercising their rights is unlawful. Employees: •Covered employees include anyone who performs two hours or more of work per week in Cupertino. •Covered employees are entitled to these rights regardless of immigration status. For more information and resources, please visit cupertino.org/ wagewatch. Food waste is over 25% of the waste generated in Cupertino. We can all do our part to divert food waste, including children! If you have kids or grandkids in your life, share this poem with them as a fun way to learn about reducing waste and sorting food scraps into the organics bin instead of the trash. Save the Food! Citrus, citrus all around, Don’t let it rot on the ground. Pick it when it is nice and ripe, There is a recipe for every type. Natural cleaning solution from lemon peel, Or squeeze a little on every meal. Juice or cook a pie to serve, When there’s too much: preserve! Shop the fridge first and save on cash, Food waste doesn’t go in the trash. In the green cart or bin it should be placed, No food in the landfill means no waste! Good food in your belly, food scraps in the green cart or bin, Means less methane gas and more compost: a climate win-win! Learn more about food scrap diversion in Cupertino at cupertino.org/foodscraps. Minimum Wage Increases to $16.40 in Cupertino Save the Food! 8 Americans create 25% more trash during the holiday season, enough to fill 140,000 garbage trucks weekly just between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. 30 million trees are cut down to wrap gifts, and 38,000 miles of ribbons are trashed each year—that’s enough ribbon to wrap a bow around the planet! Holiday lights also use enough energy to power 400,000 homes for an entire year. You can follow some of these tips to reduce your carbon footprint and help fight climate change. Sustainable Gift-Wrapping Tips • Festive fabric can be used and re-used for wrapping presents for years. • Wrap your gift in another gift like shirts, scarves, or bandanas. • Paper grocery bags make great craft paper for wrapping small presents. • Repurpose reusable containers like cookie tins instead of cardboard boxes. • Dried flowers or fresh herbs make great décor instead of bows and ribbons. Holiday Trees: Fresh or Fake? Decorative trees are a big part of the holidays, but consider if a fresh or fake tree might be better for the environment. Waste Sorting Tips Remember when you are unwrapping presents to separate cardboard boxes and wrapping paper (without tape or plastic) into the recycle bin. Bows, ribbons, packing pillows all go in the trash. When the celebration is over, the remaining food waste goes in the green organics cart or bin. Real trees can be cut shorter than five feet and placed on the curb on your service day during the month of January. Make sure to remove all decorations and bring your nonworking string lights to the Santa Clara County Hazardous Waste Program for proper disposal. For more information about waste sorting in Cupertino, visit cupertino.org/nowaste. Fresh Trees • Produces oxygen and cleans the air • Accepted in curbside organics bin to be composted • Supports local tree farmers • Provides habitat for wildlife Real Tree Facts: • A six-and-a-half-foot real tree produces over seven pounds of carbon dioxide if composted • Absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen throughout life cycle • Often grown on rolling hills unsuitable for other crops Tips for Having a Real Tree: • Seek out potted trees or trees that can be replanted instead of composted • Check out local tree growers in your area • Compost your single-use tree by cutting it smaller than five feet and placing it on the curb for waste collection Keep Your Holiday Waste in Check Fake Trees • Made from oil-based PVC plastic • Stays in landfill for centuries • Creates carbon dioxide emissions when shipped overseas Fake Tree Facts: • Production of a six-and-a-half-foot artificial tree produces almost 90 pounds of carbon dioxide, and must be used for 12 years to offset its footprint • Impossible to recycle without special equipment Tips for Having a Fake Tree: • If you have one, keep using it for as long as you can! • Instead of trashing it, donate it to a thrift store, charity, or nursing home vs. 9 Cupertino Holiday Light Map There’s a chill in the air, and neighborhoods are full of holiday spirit! Take a moment this month to step away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy the 2021 Cupertino Holiday Light Map. Neighbors have thoughtfully decorated their homes with holiday decor for all of Cupertino to enjoy. Download the map at cupertino.org/cupertinocares. Tree Lighting Friday, December 3 at 6 p.m. Quinlan Community Center Ring in the holiday season with the City of Cupertino as we light up the community tree! Tree Lighting is an outdoor event and may be canceled due to weather. Admission is free, but pre-registration is required. Register at bit.ly/treelighting21. Breakfast with Santa Saturday, December 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Quinlan Community Center You and your family are invited to Breakfast with Santa! The elves will be cooking up some delicious North Pole Pancakes and providing fun holiday crafts kits for kids. This event will look a little different to ensure the safety of our participants and Santa. Register at cupertino.org/breakfastwithsanta. Signing with Santa Saturday, December 11 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Quinlan Community Center Deaf and hard of hearing children, along with their families, are invited to spend time and share their wish list with a Santa who’s fluent in sign language. Register at bit.ly/3BgEmxX. Santa Visits December 11, 12, 17, 18, and 19 Santa and his elf have decided to take a break from the North Pole and visit the beautiful City of Cupertino – this special opportunity is sure to be a treasured family memory. This event will look a little different to ensure the safety of our participants and Santa. Registration must be done in-person at the Quinlan Community Center. For more information on Santa Visits, please call (408) 777-3120. These events are subject to change based on local, state, and federal direction related to COVID-19. Upcoming Parks and Recreation Events 10 Spelling Bee Saturday, January 22 Community Hall Do you have what it takes to be the 2022 Cupertino Spelling Bee Champion? Find out at the fourth annual Cupertino Spelling Bee! Grades 2 to 3 compete between 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and grades 4 to 5 compete between 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Register at bit.ly/spellingbee22. Holidays in Hawaii Wednesday, December 15 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sway along with the Cupertino Senior Center’s Lei Nani Hula dancers and the Pilo Ho’ okani band as they celebrate the holidays with Hawai’ian songs and dances. Sing along with the band from the comfort of your home. The program will be presented live on Zoom. Register at bit.ly/3pYFqns Contact the Cupertino Senior Center for more class and program offerings at (408) 777-3150 or view the most recent newsletter at cupertino.org/senior. 21251 Stevens Creek Boulevard Phone: (408) 777-3150 Email: senior_center@cupertino.org Website: cupertino.org/senior Current Hours The Cupertino Senior Center is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for classes and front desk assistance. The front desk is available to assist with in-person registration, membership, and general questions. Stop on by to sign up or to receive more information of on-going activities. It’s Easy To Become An Adult 50+ Member Membership includes access to Adult 50+ programs, services, classes, socials, and mailing of the newsletter It’s Easy To Become An Adult 50+ Member • Be at least 50 years or better • Register for membership (available at the Senior Center or online) • Cupertino resident price $25. Non-Cupertino resident price $30. Cupertino Senior Center 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