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In This Issue
Expansion of COVID-19 Vaccinations
As of Sunday, February 28, many healthcare providers in Santa Clara County have expanded vaccination to workers in education and childcare, food and agriculture, and emergency services.
Residents without internet access or who need additional assistance can call 211 for assistance in multiple languages. Appointments fill up quickly, but new appointments will be regularly released as vaccine supply allows, and community members are encouraged to check regularly.
The County’s COVID-19 vaccine website will include updated information and links to healthcare providers. The County's allocation of vaccine will determine appointment availability.
Even if you've been fully vaccinated, you may still be able to spread COVID-19. A person's vaccination status does not exempt them from State and County public health orders and directives. It is important for everyone to continue following the recommended guidelines to help stop this pandemic, including:
- Wearing face masks
- Washing hands often
- Keeping your distance and avoiding crowds
Continue getting tested regularly if you are an essential worker in order for the County to continue tracking case counts and positivity rates. As these numbers continue to drop, the County may move to less restrictive tiers on the State's Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
Public health officials warn that loosening restrictions does not mean the community can let its guard down, particularly as variants continue to pose a threat to the area’s progress in this pandemic.
We all need to do our part to stay safe while we wait for vaccines to be widely available, and for a sufficient portion of the population to be vaccinated. Our county, like everyone else, has received a limited supply to start. More will come over time.
Santa Clara County Enters Red Tier
On Wednesday, March 3, Santa Clara County entered the Red Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The County also lifted local activity-specific health directives, effective Wednesday, March 3.
Although more activities are allowed under the Red Tier, the County Health Officer urges everyone to remember that indoor activities are much higher risk than outdoor activities and to take every step to reduce your risk as much as possible. To keep yourself, your family, your friends and neighbors, and our broader community safe, follow these core principles:
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Stay outdoors. Outdoor activities are far safer than indoor ones.
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Stay masked. Consistent use of face coverings both indoors and outdoors, especially double-masking, is very effective at preventing spread of the coronavirus.
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Maintain at least a six-foot distance from others. Social distancing from those who do not live with you is effective at keeping the coronavirus away.
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Avoid crowds. The fewer people you encounter and the fewer interactions you have, the lower the chance the virus will spread.
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Get vaccinated when it is your turn. All federally approved vaccines work well and will help keep you, your family, and your friends safe.
The following changes are effective, Wednesday, March 3:
- All activities authorized under the State’s Red Tier, including indoor dining, can resume in accordance with State capacity limits and safety protocols, including:
- Indoor dining at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
- Retail stores at maximum 50% capacity
- Gyms and fitness centers at maximum 10% capacity
- Movie theaters at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
- Zoos, museums, and aquariums at 25% maximum indoor capacity
- Sector and activity-specific local directives will no longer be in effect.
- The Mandatory Directive on Travel will no longer be in effect.
For more information on what the State allows in the Red Tier, please visit covid19.ca.gov.
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Take the Pledge
The City of Cupertino is calling on you to reaffirm your commitment to protect yourself, your neighbors, and our community by signing a pledge to continue wearing masks, physically distance, wash your hands, avoid gatherings, and more.
Join the #CupertinoCares team in continuing to keep our community safe and healthy by taking the pledge now. Have your household take the pledge any time from now through March 31 at bit.ly/CupertinoPledge. Taking the pledge enters you into a raffle to win a free family care package from the City.
The family care packages include:
- Four branded reusable face masks
- Keychain hand sanitizer
- Sanitizing wipes
- Sidewalk chalk
- Crayons
- Coloring pages
- Heroes Wear Masks children's book
- #CupertinoCares mug
Winners will be notified by Tuesday, April 6 and will be contacted to pick up their care packages at the Quinlan Community Center on Thursday, April 8 or Friday, April 9. Find more details at cupertino.org/cupertinocares.
Separated Bike Lane Project Nearing Completion
A significant portion of the work for Phase 1 of the Stevens Creek Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Installation Project is complete. This phase included constructing separated bike lanes along Stevens Creek Boulevard between Wolfe Road and Tantau Avenue.
This phase had two interesting features:
First, the City used precast concrete islands for the bike lane buffers, which were cast off-site and delivered complete. This allowed for efficient installation without the traffic control disruption that would typically be necessary for a concrete, cast-in-place operation.
Second is the unique traffic signal phasing, which provides a complete separation between through bicycles and right-turn vehicles at the westbound approach to Wolfe Road and eastbound approach to Finch Avenue. This is accomplished by providing a dedicated traffic signal phase to bicyclists, communicated through bike signal heads, and a dedicated traffic signal phase to vehicles turning right. These are communicated through separate signal heads with right-pointing arrows. These two phases alternate, ensuring that conflicts between vehicles and bicycles are minimized. Additionally, right-turning vehicles are given a flashing yellow arrow when a pedestrian is crossing, providing a visual warning for the vehicle to yield to the crossing pedestrian. This signal phasing operation is unique and is an example of Cupertino's commitment to be an innovative national leader for the encouragement of safe, sustainable, and multi-modal transportation options.
This project was fully funded by a generous donation of $1.8 million from Apple in 2017.
Design for Phase 2 will begin soon. The next phase will continue the separated bike lanes west to Highway 85. Construction is likely to start in Fiscal Year 2022 and will be completed in segments. The first segment will be Wolfe Road to De Anza Boulevard, with De Anza Boulevard to Highway 85 following once the first segment is complete. Designs for both of these segments are fully funded. The Stevens Creek Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Installation Project is the highest-ranking priority project in the 2016 Cupertino Bicycle Transportation Plan.
Feedback Requested on City Athletic Fields
The City is in the process of updating the Athletic Field Use Policy that governs the use of City-managed fields throughout Cupertino. Currently, sports groups are generally not allowed to use the fields on Sundays for regular practice or games. The City is considering expanding field use for these purposes on Sundays. In addition, the City is also considering an annual field closure of one to two months to allow the fields to rest and receive additional maintenance.
You can review the current Athletic Field Use Policy, see the fields included in the Athletic Field Use Policy, and take the survey at cupertino.org/fielduse. The City will be collecting community feedback through March 21.
Calling on You for the Cupertino Climate Challenge
The City's Sustainability Division has launched Cupertino Climate Challenge, a free web-based application that guides residents on specific environmentally friendly actions. This tool is designed to make it easy for anyone to track their progress, connect with neighbors, and discover actions that have the biggest impact. The menu of actions is tailored to your household based on answering a few simple questions as you build your profile. The Challenge works equally well for renters or for home owners. The Challenge is designed to foster healthy competition and align our efforts towards a common goal.
Many Cupertino residents are excited about new opportunities to build a healthy future with renewable energy, greater resilience, more comfortable homes, reduced waste, clean mobility, and more. As of this month, we have 60 households signed up for the Challenge and a number of groups have been formed, including Cupertino’s Rotary Club and students at Hyde Elementary. Our participation goal is to have 250 households sign up, so please spread the word.
As we transition towards a carbon-free City, changes in lifestyle can all add up to meaningful impact. Your support in the Cupertino Climate Challenge is an important part of demonstrating leadership to other communities around the globe.
Join for free by going to cupertinoclimatechallenge.org.
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Big Bunny 5K Goes Virtual
The 2021 Big Bunny 5K is going virtual! This year’s 5K will take place from April 3 to 11.
You can choose to run, walk, or hop the race from home, your local park, or favorite trail. Each registration includes a t-shirt, race bib, water bottle stickers, bunny ears, and an enormous sense of accomplishment as you cross your homemade finish line.
For more information and to register, visit cupertino.org/bigbunny5k.
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Cupertino's Hidden Heroes
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A full year into the COVID-19 pandemic, life has changed for many of the frontline workers who have been serving our communities in a multitude of ways. |
During the month of March, #CupertinoCares is highlighting a few Hidden Heroes by sharing their personal stories. The first week, #CupertinoCares highlighted Ken Mitchell, a Courier for FedEx.
Read Ken’s story and what he has experienced in Cupertino during this pandemic at cupertino.org/cupertinocares. Ken's story is the first of four. Stay tuned as we share the personal stories of three other Hidden Heroes.
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Cupertino Community Roundtable with
Vice Mayor Chao and Councilmember Willey
Vice Mayor Liang Chao and Councilmember Jon Willey held another Cupertino Community Roundtable event on Friday, March 5. Thirteen residents attended and a great discussion lasted more than two hours.
Discussion topics included all-inclusive playgrounds, addressing climate change, gas leaf blowers, quarry pollution, 5G cell antennas, and more.
The next event will be held in April and residents are invited to participate. A notice will be sent out through Nextdoor, the City website, and eNotification system.
Spring 2021 Recreation Schedule Available
The Parks and Recreation Spring 2021 Recreation Schedule is here! Registration began on Thursday, March 4 with classes beginning on Saturday, March 13.
View the schedule at cupertino.org/recreation.
Cupertino Volunteers and Staff Receive State Parks and Recreation Awards
Every year, the California Parks and Recreation Society (CPRS) recognizes outstanding accomplishments of Parks and Recreation Professionals and Departments throughout the State. The City of Cupertino falls under District 4 of CPRS, and is excited to share the multiple awards of the City's Parks and Recreation Department, volunteers, and staff.
The Award of Excellence recognizes outstanding projects or programs in the categories of Recreation Programming, Promoting Healthy Communities, Park Planning, or Facility Design. Congratulations to TEDxYOUTH @Torre Ave for winning the Award of Excellence. This award celebrates agency successes, new creative approaches, and best practices.
The Volunteer and Sponsor Citation recognizes individuals and organizations whose voluntary contributions of time and effort to recreation, parks, and human services programs have significantly impacted their communities. Congratulations to Maria Lopez, Jim Cunningham, and Tim Petersen on their awards for contributing as volunteers at the Cupertino Senior Center.
The Key to the Community Award celebrates the inspiring ways parks and recreation professionals rose to the occasion when faced with the unprecedented times of a global pandemic. Congratulations to #CupertinoCares and the many staff who have contributed to the program.
The Professional Merit Award honors employees who have made significant contributions to their agency in the field of parks, recreation, and human services. Congratulations to City of Cupertino staff members Barbara Banfield, Brian Gathers, and Gail Seeds on their Professional Merit Awards.
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City Communications Regarding COVID-19
The City of Cupertino continues to monitor the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) as the safety of our residents remains our highest priority. All City facilities remain closed until further notice. While City Hall is closed to the public, the City continues to provide essential services online at cupertino.org and by phone at (408) 777-3200. These essential services include responding to 311 requests and maintaining the City’s infrastructure, among others. For detailed and up-to-date information regarding COVID-19, visit U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Santa Clara County Public Health Department.
The City continues to provide essential services by phone or online. Find more details here.
City Hall Contact Information
*Please note some lines may be unattended from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
The Scene
More than a full year into the COVID-19 pandemic and staying at home, life looks very different for many of us. The March edition of the Cupertino Scene reflects on the past year by honoring those who have stepped up to help, and through the language of art.
Check out the 2020 Artist Awards winners by downloading the March Scene at cupertino.org/scene.
Upcoming Agenda Items and Law Enforcement
View attachments here, which include the City Council agenda forecast through April 20 and the Sheriff’s weekly reports for February 22 – March 7.
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