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Oct. 7, 2022

A Wildfire Prevention Funding Thank You

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, our Vice-Mayor Tom McCune and City Manager Afshin Oskoui joined leaders on the Peninsula to give thanks to Representative Jackie Speier (Pictured, middle) for earmarking federal funding for wildfire prevention efforts in our City.

City Manager Oskoui and San Bruno's City Manager Jovan Grogran (pictured here at San Bruno's Sweeney Ridge Trailhead) will share in the funding for wildfire mitigation efforts that include education and outreach.  Other Peninsula organizations that received funding for wildfire mitigations include Filoli and Mid-Peninsula Open Space District.

The Belmont Water Dog Run is tomorrow Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022 from 7 to 10 a.m., please be aware that runners will be using the routes mapped in the image below. Expect traffic delays and runners on or near our roads. Slow down and be patient.

We thank our community for their cooperation for this fun, family-friendly, local event. 

Did you know: The Belmont Water Dog Run supports local schools and youth organizations, and provides a free pancake breakfast for all participants. The event organizers thank its sponsors: City of Belmont, IHOP, Peet’s Coffee, Hobee’s, Lunardis, Mid-Peninsula Water, and the local Rotary.

Monday, Oct. 10 - Federal Holiday Observed

A reminder that our offices are closed on Monday, Oct. 10, 2022 in recognition of the federal holiday. As always, our emergency services, including Police and Fire, are fully operational. For emergencies, call 9-1-1.

For non-emergency Police matters, please call (650) 595-7400.

Public Works and Parks Department after hours and emergencies call Police dispatch (650) 595-7400.

DATE CHANGE: Community Meeting: Placemaking Guidelines Join us on Oct. 17 at 9:30 a.m. Streetscapes may seem simple – but a lot of planning goes into improving the look and feel of our streets, sidewalks, and public spaces.  We have been developing detailed design guidelines for streetscape treatments in the Belmont Village Specific Plan (BVSP) area. The guidelines will create public placemaking opportunities and ensure that incremental improvements will result in an integrated and consistently high-quality streetscape system. Priorities will center on: Street Trees Special Paving Sidewalk/Street Width Seating Bike Racks Trash Receptacles Banners/Hanging Baskets Join our City Council’s Placemaking Committee for a community meeting on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022 from at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall (second floor, EOC room) to review the "Draft BVSP Streetscape Design Guidelines" to see and comment on our streetscape plans for the future.

Stanford Moves Forward With NDNU Plans Stanford University has submitted an application to us for its Conceptual Development Plan (CDP) for the Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) campus property Stanford’s long-term plans for the campus include 700,000 square feet of space for academic uses and housing related to campus use, an increase of 265,000 square feet over what Belmont previously approved for the site. The project looks ahead 30 years, with preservation of three legacy buildings – historic Ralston Mansion, Taube Center, and the Madison Art Center, known formerly as the mansion’s carriage house.

Meeting Agendas

City Council:
Regular Meeting
Oct. 11, 2022
7 p.m. 

Planning Commission
Oct.18, 2022
7 p.m. 

Parks and Recreation Commission
Nov. 9, 2022
7 p.m.

Nov. 8, 2022 Municipal Election Information

The Nov. 8, 2022 Belmont Municipal Election includes a new Mayoral race and two councilmember races for District 1 and District 3. Election and voter information is available at www.belmont.gov/elections. 

In addition, Belmont City Council placed Measure K, a locally-controlled "hotel tax," on the ballot for voter consideration. Measure K proposes a two percentage point adjustment to the transient occupancy tax, or "hotel tax" rate which guests pay when staying at hotels or lodging facilities in Belmont for less than 30 days. Visit www.belmont.gov/MeasureK for more details. 

JOB SEEKERS: Election 2022 Hiring Alert County Seeks Reliable Candidates  Want to help on the front line of democracy? The County’s Registration and Elections Division is seeking candidates for numerous positions. Read the full news release.

Mental Health Symposium Returns
Evening of Nov. 16, 2022 

What should you expect from the Belmont Police Department during a response to a mental health crisis? Join the conversation at our second annual Community Mental Health Symposium. 

Click on the image below to add this event to your calendar. 

Flu Vaccine Clinic at the Library Saturday, Oct. 8 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Belmont Library The flu vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu. Anyone two years of age or older can get the flu vaccine. The Stanford Flu Crew is teaming up with San Mateo County Libraries to give free flu vaccines at Belmont Library. An appointment is not needed, and no identification is necessary. No fee or insurance is required. For more information, call (650) 573-2877. Ages 2 years and older are asked to wear a face covering.

Belmont Talks - Public School History What Were the Class Rules? The value of archives is that we can peek into a time gone by to learn about the values, language, and behavior of the people before us.  On Oct. 13, 2022 the Belmont Historical Society will present a special Belmont Talks that will walk the audience through the history of the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District from 1860 to today. Learn some fun facts about the schools, their names and buildings, and how the City’s commitment to education helped shaped our city.

Belmont City Council Candidate Forum

Are you more interested in Belmont's future? On Oct. 13, 2022 from 6-7 p.m., don't miss Belmont Council Candidate's Forum hosted by Chamber San Mateo County, and presented via Zoom.  

The hour-long online forum will be moderated by SAMCEDA President & CEO Rosanne Foust. 

Register here for the online forum. 

Halloween Home Decorating Contest - Open For Entries
Belmont Residents Can Get Creative

Out-BOO your neighbors by entering Belmont's third annual Halloween Home Decorating Contest!

Categories include 'Too Cute To Spook' and 'Scare-Tastic.'

Winners will receive a lawn sign displaying their achievement and a chance to be featured on Parks and Recreation's social media.

Deadline to sign up is Oct. 16, 2022; entries are limited. 

Launching High School Fair 2022 Mid-October Event Showcases Options Belmont’s Youth Advisory Committee invites all local middle schoolers and their families to Belmont’s first High School Fair on Wednesday, Oct.19, 2022 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at the Twin Pines Community Center. This is a great opportunity for families to learn about what local public and private high schools have to offer in terms of academics, arts, athletics, student resources, and more. Attendees will be provided with a list of recommended questions to ask schools, and can enjoy light refreshments and fun interactive activities provided by the Youth Advisory Committee and V.O.I.C.E.S. team. The wonderful high schools attending are Carlmont, Compass, Crystal Springs Uplands, Design Tech, Menlo School, Mercy, Notre Dame, Serra, Summit Prep, and The Nueva School.   We hope you stop by for this free, educational community event!

Trick or Treat at City Hall Join us 3-6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022 We're counting the days until our first-ever City Hall Halloween -- open to all ages -- and doggies, too. Come in costume (or not) and enjoy the one-of-a-kind, friendly, fun haunted hallways of City Hall.  Click on the image above to add the event to your calendar or find the event on our Facebook page.  But that's not all, we have a number of Halloween events planned in Belmont, scroll down to our In Your Community section for more information.

Hideout Had a Creative and Busy Week The Hideout had a jampacked week full of outdoor games, crafts, and cooking! The teens brought their competitiveness in a free throw contest and home run derby. They also got creative and crafty by making art using water guns filled with paint. To end the week, they donned their chef hats by making French toast and pinwheels with sun butter, jelly, and strawberries. The teens are looking forward to many more fun activities to make this school year one to remember! Click here, for more information about our Hideout.

Award Nomination Season is Here
Sustainable San Mateo County & Peninsula Clen Energy Seek Award Nominations

Sustainable San Mateo County (SSMC) is now accepting nominations for its 2023 awards program, which honors those who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to sustainable practices in San Mateo County.

Applications must be received by Nov. 18, 2022. SSMC will celebrate the awardees at its 24th annual Awards Celebration during the spring of 2023.

Sustainability Award nominations may be made in five categories: individuals, nonprofits, businesses, educational institutions and government agencies. In addition, SSMC is accepting nominations for its 21st annual Green Building Award, which it cosponsors with the American Institute of Architects San Mateo Chapter. Application forms and criteria for the awards are available on SSMC’s website at https://sustainablesanmateo.org/awards.

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Peninsula Clean Energy is also announcing its 2023 All-Electric Awards program today, which recognizes builders, property owners and design teams on the forefront of building electrification in San Mateo County. 

Winners will be honored during SSMC’s Awards Celebration. For more information, visit Peninsula Clean Energy’s website at https://www.peninsulacleanenergy.com/all-electric-awards-program.

For more information about Sustainable San Mateo County, visit https://sustainablesanmateo.org or email advocate@sustainablesanmateo.org.

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month

In recognition of National Pedestrian Safety Month, we like to share some tips specific to making Belmont safer for all. 

Drivers: 

• Put the phone down and watch out for pedestrians. Sending or reading a short text takes your eyes off the road for almost five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
• Driving a few miles over the speed limit might not feel like a big deal, but in a collision with a pedestrian, it can be the difference between life and death.
• Do not block crosswalks when you stop at intersections.
• Take extra care while driving around schools, playgrounds and neighborhoods.

Pedestrians also have a responsibility on the roads. During October's Pedestrian Safety Month, we remind all to follow these road rules when using Belmont's streets and sidewalks. 

Pedestrians:

• Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals.
• Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.
• Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Nationally, most pedestrian fatalities occur at mid-block locations.
• Look for cars in all directions, including those turning left or right. If a crosswalk or intersection is not available, locate a well-lit area where you have the best view of traffic. Wait for a gap in traffic that allows enough time to cross safely and continue watching for traffic as you cross.
• Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways or backing up in parking lots.

Need resources to share? Visit this website. 

Employers: Minimum Wage Updates New Rules Effective in the New Year Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, all employers of employees who perform at least two (2) hours of work per week within the geographical boundary of Belmont must pay those employees minimum wages of not less than $16.75 per hour. More information available at www.belmont.gov/minwage

We invite your opinion of our top City-wide priorities for a proposed community benefits program. Popular examples include sidewalk improvements, bike lanes, new parks, public parking, and the development of affordable housing. Tell us what you want to see in Belmont. 

Did you know? 

The City of Belmont's Planning Commission meets every first and third Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, One Twin Pines Lane, Belmont. Sign up to receive meeting notifications and agendas. 

Paratransit Seeks Qualified Riders Secret-Shopper Style Program San Mateo County Paratransit Coordinating Council (PCC) represents Redi-Wheels and RediCoast riders. Its Consumer Corps is a secret-shopper program where customers provide anonymous feedback about their rides. The program collects data on service quality, telephone wait time, on-time performance, etc.   Earn FREE TICKETS on REDI-WHEELS & REDICOAST!   By completing and submitting at least eight ride evaluation forms in a quarter, Corps members receive one Redi-Wheels ticket book = 10 tickets.  All forms and stamped envelopes supplied or complete evaluations online.   To join the Consumer Corps call (650) 299-1442 or email sanmateopcc2@gmail.com To attend a meeting or join the PCC, visit sanmateopcc.org or call (650) 299-1442.

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