Extreme Weather Expected through February 25
The National Weather Service anticipates cold, wet, and windy weather this week, with dangerously cold temperatures anticipated each night and morning from Wednesday, February 22 through Saturday, February 25. Rain is expected Thursday night into Friday. Snow may impact commuters traveling over Highway 17 on Thursday and Friday. Snow and freezing rain in other parts of the region are likely to impact travel Thursday through Saturday.
Cold impacts include hypothermia with elevated risk to children, the elderly, and those sleeping in cars or outdoors. Make sure to check on those most vulnerable to the impacts of cold weather. If you smell natural gas, see downed power lines, or are in any other emergency, call 9-1-1.
Take the necessary precautions to stay safe:
- Stay warm: Avoid unnecessary travel, being outside during the coldest part of the night, or for extended periods of time in cold weather. Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol if you will be staying outside. Dress in layers. Wear a hat and gloves. Get out of wet clothes as soon as possible to avoid hypothermia.
- Register to receive emergency alerts at AlertSCC.org.
- Report downed trees or debris by calling 3-1-1 or submit a request at cupertino.org/311.
- Pick up free, filled sandbags outside the Cupertino Service Center, 10555 Mary Avenue, or find a Valley Water Sandbag Distribution Site at valleywater.org/sandbags.
- VTA is offering free rides to shelters for the unhoused. Cupertino Library is open as a warming location during regular business hours.
For more information, visit cupertino.org/emergency.
Parking Enforcement to Resume at Cupertino Civic Center on March 1
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Cupertino relaxed parking enforcement at the Cupertino Civic Center. However, Code Enforcement will resume parking enforcement by issuing warnings through Tuesday, February 28. Full parking enforcement will be reinstituted beginning Wednesday, March 1.
The Cupertino Civic Center parking lots include the spaces at:
- 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.
Quarterly Sales Tax Update
The City receives 1% of proceeds from sales and use taxes imposed within the boundaries of Cupertino. Cupertino’s receipts for July 2022 through September 2022 were 12.2% below the same period in 2021. Net of the Countywide pools, place of sale collections dropped 12.6%. While positive results in some tax groups reflected the return to more in-person work and activities, other sectors slowed.
For the sixth consecutive quarter, casual dining contributed to double-digit increases in restaurant revenues as residents and visitors enjoyed the experience of dining out, regardless of increased menu prices. The cost of crude oil kept fuel prices high during the third quarter, and with more drivers on the road, service station receipts skyrocketed 39%. Revenues remained elevated in the autos-transportation group as well.
The general consumer goods group saw a decline in revenue for most retail sectors, which may have been due to economic pressures on purchasing decisions. In addition, revenues from the business-to-business industry group decreased as online sales fell from historic highs. As a result of these declines, the City's share of the Countywide use tax pool decreased by 13%.
Further details on the top businesses in Cupertino, revenue comparisons, and other relevant data can be found in the attachments link below. However, confidentiality requirements defined by State sales tax regulations restrict data-sharing in certain areas.
To keep the City Council and public informed, City staff plans to provide an update on the City's revenues and expenditures for the mid-year of fiscal year 2022-2023 as part of the Mid-Year Financial Report on March 7.
City Receives Grants for Clean Energy Technologies
The City's Sustainability Division has recently received two grants from Silicon Valley Clean Energy, the local community-choice electricity provider. Both grants are intended to increase adoption of clean electric technologies in Cupertino, and advance the carbon reduction goals that are set out in the City's Climate Action Plan. The grants total $110,000 and are intended to support implementing clean energy provisions in the building code for new construction, as well as development of new and innovative ways to educate and engage with the community using technology-enhanced communications tools. More information on these two projects will be posted to the Sustainability Division webpage as the projects progress over the next year.
Silicon Valley Clean Energy also recently released their annual results for the City of Cupertino and the 12 other communities who purchase clean electricity supply from this provider. In Cupertino, 22,780 households and businesses collectively saved $348,000 compared to PG&E retail electricity rates. The City of Cupertino avoided 82% of the emissions totaling 16.5 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions compared to purchasing electricity from PG&E.
More information on Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s progress report can be found in the attachments link below and at svcleanenergy.org.
City of Cupertino Launches New Cupertino Store
The City of Cupertino is proud to announce the launch of its new online Cupertino Store. The Cupertino Store offers residents, visitors, or anyone who loves Cupertino a convenient way to shop for City-branded products, including coffee mugs, bamboo utensil sets, t-shirts, water bottles, and more.
The online store has been designed with an easy-to-use interface, allowing community members to browse and purchase products with ease. The store features secure payment options and reliable, local shipping or the option for pickup at City Hall.
The launch of the Cupertino Store is part of the City of Cupertino’s larger effort to use technology to improve and enrich residents’ lives. With an offering of many eco-friendly products, such as solar power banks and reusable utensils and straws, the store also advances the City’s sustainability goals.
Check out the Cupertino Store online and start ordering Cupertino swag today at cupertinostore.com.
Submit Nominations for the 2023 CREST Awards
Do you know someone who should be recognized for their efforts in volunteering, sustainability, or public safety?
For more than 30 years, the City of Cupertino has recognized its outstanding community members with an awards program. Hundreds of residents and community organizations have been honored with the award, now known as the CREST (Cupertino Recognizes Extra Steps Taken) Awards.
For the past four years, the City has presented awards in six categories to best reflect the Cupertino community. The categories are:
- Lifetime Achievement Award (Volunteer) – Recognizes a member of the community who has volunteered in the City of Cupertino for 10+ years.
- Volunteer of the Year – Recognizes individuals who have made a difference to the Cupertino community through volunteer service.
- Organization of the Year – Recognizes organizations that have made a difference to the Cupertino community through volunteer service.
- Rising Star Award (Volunteer) – Recognizes an individual who has volunteered in Cupertino for three or less years but shows a continued commitment to the future of the Cupertino community.
- Public Safety Champion of the Year – Recognizes an individual or group that has made an outstanding contribution to the safety of Cupertino.
- Sustainability Champion of the Year – Recognizes a person or group committed to maintaining a sustainable and healthy place to live, work, and play in Cupertino.
Award criteria and nomination requirements are on the application form, which can be found at cupertino.org/crest. The nomination form is now 100% online to make it easier and more convenient for the public to nominate their candidate. Please be as detailed as possible. Nominations are due by Sunday, March 12.
Food Scrap Collection Cart Distribution Complete
In January, Recology and the Environmental Programs Division of Public Works coordinated to distribute organic waste carts to 1,473 residential addresses who did not previously have one.
These individuals can now send their food waste to be composted instead of going to the landfill. Sorting food waste and yard waste into the organics cart avoids methane emissions that would be created if that same material decomposed in the landfill. Additionally, composting food waste meets the requirements of State regulations mandating that all residents and businesses have an organics collection service.
While most single-family homes have had green carts for yard waste since the 1990s, this smaller group of 1,473 condominium-style homes never received a green cart because of having smaller yards. In 2010, the homes with yard waste carts were told they could start adding food into their green cart and the name changed from Yard Waste Cart to Organics Cart.
The regulations of the Short-Lived Climate Pollution Act, SB 1383, requires everyone to separate yard waste, food waste, and food-soiled paper into a green cart or bin to keep it from going to landfill. For more information, visit cupertino.org/sb1383.
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