CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER From the Office of the City Manager 11.17.17 Updates and information on programs and projects at the City of San Carlos. City Manager New Sustainability Coordinator Fanny Yang is excited to join the City of San Carlos team as the part time Sustainability Coordinator! She grew up in San Francisco and holds a Bachelor s degree in Environmental Economics and Political Economy from UC Berkeley. Right after graduation, she spent a year in a climate change focused AmeriCorps Fellowship, gaining experience in Climate Action Plan implementation and environmental programs support. During her free time, Fanny enjoys eating good food, exploring new places and relaxing with her tabby cat, Jack. Fall Citizens Academy Graduates In September 2017, the City began its third session of the Citizen s Academy. The class included approximately 35 community members who participated in our nine-week program. Sessions were held each Wednesday evening, with a different department or topic being discussed each week. Participants had the opportunity to visit Fire Station #13 and the Public Works Corporation Yard and participate in a variety of fun activities including budget Family Feud, a land-use planning game and a traffic case study. The Citizens Academy culminated with a graduation ceremony on November 1, 2017 that recognized participants for volunteering their time to participate in the program to become more informed community members. The goal of the academy was realized in the comments received from a member who stated, This has been such a great experience. I feel more informed and aware as a citizen and community member. Twice since I ve started, I've been able to discuss concerns/complaints with neighbors and friends and give them correct information to help stop the spread of dis-information as a result of these classes.
The next session of the Citizens Academy is planned for fall 2018. Administrative Services Here are some quick updates from the Human Resources Division of the Administrative Services Department on recruitments to fill vacant positions at the City. Recruitments in Progress Fire Prevention Officer The second round of interviews were held during the week of October 9 th Accounting Technician I A background check is in progress Recreation Coordinator (Youth Development) 2 nd interviews will be held on November 17 th Maintenance Worker A background check is in progress New Hires Economic Development Coordinator The new hire will start on November 20 th City Clerk Recently Adopted Ordinances: Ordinance 1524 Removal of Founders Tree After holding a public hearing on this item on October 9, 2017, the City Council adopted Ordinance 1524 on October 23, 2017 updating the Zoning Ordinance to remove Founders Tree from the definition of protected trees. Staff will now be preparing plans and specifications and solicit bids for the tree removal work. Questions relating to this Ordinance should be directed to Lisa Costa Sanders, Planning Consultant, at LCostaSanders@cityofsancarlos.org. Ordinance 1525 Regulating Commercial Cannabis Activities On November 13, 2017, the City Council adopted Ordinance 1525 regulating commercial cannabis activities within the city. The regulations adopted permit the following use types in the city: distribution, manufacturing, testing, and cultivation (nursery and up to 10,000 SF). The City did not authorize retail establishments at this time; however, delivery of cannabis from licensed facilities outside the City limits may be delivered to residents of San Carlos. Additionally, the City opted to ban all commercial cannabis-related activity within 600 feet of all residential zoning districts and ban cannabis plants from being visible from the right
of way. Ordinance 1525 is set to take effect on December 13, 2017 in time for the State to begin issuing licenses in January 2018. Please contact Martin Romo, Economic Development Coordinator, at MRomo@cityofsancarlos.org with any questions pertaining to this Ordinance. Ordinance 1526 Urgency Ordinance Moratorium on Firearms or Ammunition On November 13, 2017, the City Council adopted Ordinance 1526 imposing a moratorium for forty-five (45) days prohibiting new retail establishments selling ammunition or firearms. This Urgency Ordinance was effective immediately. Staff will be recommending an extension to this Ordinance at the November 27, 2017 Council meeting. Questions related to this Ordinance should be directed to Lisa Costa Sanders, Planning Consultant, at LCostaSanders@cityofsancarlos.org. Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission Recruitment Due to his recent election to the San Carlos School Board, Neil Layton has resigned from his seat on the Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission. The City will begin the recruitment process to fill the vacant seat for the remaining term, expiring June 30, 2020. Applications will be available online in the coming weeks. Residential Design Review Committee Recruitment Update The City has not received any qualified applications for the Residential Design Review Committee (architect/design) seat. The recruitment will remain open until filled. Fire Limited EOC Activation Due to the nationwide outage that affected much of AT&T s Cellular services on Wednesday, the fire department activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on a very limited basis to determine the scope and duration of the communication interruption. The concern was that members of the community would not be able to call 911 if needed. Contingency plans were developed along with messaging to the public to inform them of the issue. AT&T was able to provide information about the cause and once recovery of services began the EOC was closed.
Parks & Recreation Goblin Walk Recap This year s Goblin Walk was another huge success! There were over 40 businesses in the downtown area that participated in the event. Thousands of costumed toddlers, parents and visitors trick-or-treated and strolled down Laurel Street. Many businesses, such as Ten Toes, Le Boulanger and Patxi s Pizza, took this opportunity to hand out a coupon with the kid s treats for a return visit to their store. The Goblin Walk provides merchants with an opportunity to engage new patrons and continue to bring business to Laurel Street. Viewing of Screenagers This past week, the Youth Center, in partnership with the San Carlos PTA Coordinating Council and San Carlos Library, hosted parents in the community for a showing of Screenagers. This film addresses the most pervasive parenting issue of this era depicting teen struggles over social media, video games and internet addiction. The film empowers kids to best navigate the digital world and provides practical resources to help them do it. The event was a huge success with over 200 attendees. To conclude the evening, a local pediatrician facilitated a Q&A session with attendees. 8 th Annual Night of Holiday Lights Mark your calendars for Friday, December 1 st from 5:00-8:30 p.m. as the City of San Carlos kicks off the holiday season with the lighting of Laurel Street. The event stage will be located at the Laurel Street & Cherry Street intersection and the show will begin at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy a festive holiday show with the Grinch and Santa, carnival rides, carolers, arts & crafts, hot chocolate for kids, beer/wine for adults, and to conclude the night, a performance by Dutch Uncle. The event is sponsored by the Parks & Recreation Foundation of San Carlos in its continued support of the community. Police Shoplifting Incident On October 20 th at approximately 1:00 p.m., an unknown suspect walked into Accent on Jewelry located at 643 Laurel Street and asked the employee to view a gold chain. The employee handed the suspect the chain and the suspect then ran from the store with the chain. The store employee was not injured and no weapons were seen. The incident was reported to the Sheriff s Office on October 27 th and has been forwarded to the Detective Bureau for further investigation. Vehicle Burglaries On October 29 th between approximately 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., unknown suspect(s) entered a vehicle at 24 Hour Fitness at 1650 Industrial Road via a front passenger window smash. The unknown suspect(s) removed a wallet and a purse with a total estimated value of $200.
On November 2 nd between approximately 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., unknown suspect(s) entered a vehicle at TJ Maxx at 1251 Industrial Road vehicle via a front passenger window smash. The unknown suspect(s) removed a laptop bag with an estimated value of $1,200. On November 15 th between approximately 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., unknown suspect(s) entered two vehicles at Izzy s Chop House at 525 Skyway Road via front passenger window smashes. The unknown suspect(s) removed various items with a total estimated value of $2,400. In all of the vehicle burglary cases reports were taken, surveillance video was obtained where available, and all information was forwarded to the Detective Bureau for further investigation. Jeff Maltbie, City Manager November 17, 2017 jmaltbie@cityofsancarlos.org 600 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070 (650) 802-4228