COVID-19 Information

Changes to Town Operations:

Based on the State improving the risk tier in Santa Clara County, the updated County Health Officer Order and the colder inclement weather that comes with fall and winter, the Town has opened up an indoor public counter at Town Hall starting on Monday, November 2, 2020.  The front counter reopening plan, which provides the blueprint for how our indoor public counter will operate to minimize risk to Town employees and members of the public who visit Town Hall. 

Town Hall Public Counter Plan

If you have any special requests or needs, please let Town Staff know. We will try our best to get the assistance that you need to the extent possible. Please call the at 650-941-7222.

PUBLIC SAFETY

  •  Law enforcement services from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office will continue as normal. Emergency number 911; Non-emergency number: (408) 299-2311. Sheriff patrols have been increased during the emergency.

BUILDING

  • Public Counter Hours for the Building Department are 9-11 am and 2-4 pm, Monday through Thursday, in the courtyard behind the main entrance to Town Hall. 
  • Permit issuance and submittals can be done without an appointment, on a walk-up basis, during the Public Counter Hours. Partial submittals or applications without a fee will not be accepted.
  • To schedule a Building Inspection, call 650-947-2501 and leave the following information: site address, name, contact number, permit number, requested day, morning or afternoon preference, and type of inspection.  The Building Tech will confirm the date/time of your inspection within 24 hours. Unconfirmed appointments do not guarantee an inspection. 
  • Construction projects are REQUIRED to comply with the County of Santa Clara’s Mandatory Directive for Construction Projects (PDF). Failure to comply with this Directive will result in the cancellation of any inspections and potential issuance of a Stop Work Notice.
  • All other Building related inquiries, please call (650) 947-2501 or email building@losaltoshills.ca.gov 

PUBLIC WORKS & ENGINEERING

  • Counter hours to speak face-to-face with an engineer have resumed: 9-11 am and 2-4 pm, Monday through Thursday, in the courtyard behind the main entrance to Town Hall.
  • Queue up on the dots during the designated counter hours and a staff member will step outside to assist.
  • To allow staff to better assist you and to ensure staff availability, please complete the online appointment request form.
  • Permits are still being issued. Please call (650) 941-7222 to schedule an appointment.
  • Public works and engineering inspections will continue as normal. Please call (650) 941-7222 to schedule.
  • All essential public works related construction is exempt from the shelter in place order.

PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE

  • The Town crew will continue to respond to Town maintenance requests.

PARKS & RECREATION

  • Visit the Virtual Recreation Resource page!
  • Video conference and in person activities are available.  Questions about your activity call: 650-947-2506.
  • Westwind Community Barn is closed to the public. Victoria Dye Equestrian has limited hours for boarders 8 am-6 pm. 
  • Playgrounds, Dog Park, and public exercise equipment have reopened. Guidelines posted onsite. 

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

  • Finance is continuing to operate as normal including paying invoices among other daily finance duties.

CODE ENFORCEMENT

  • The code enforcement officer is on duty receiving and investigating municipal code violations.

ANIMAL CONTROL

  • Animal control officers from the Palo Alto Animal Control will continue to provide service with altered procedures.
    1. No self-initiated activity from officers except for emergency aid situations
    2. No impounding of dead-on-arrival animals on private property unless resident moves animal to the curb
    3. Dispatch will request that any reporting party bring any found animals directly to shelter if possible.

GARBAGE SERVICE

  • Greenwaste garbage service will continue as normal.
  • Brush and Yard Trimmings Clean Up will continue to take place monthly on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 9am-2 pm at Purissima Park with social distancing protocols in place. 

  • With the Shelter-in-Place Order in effect, more residents are shopping from home than ever before. GreenWaste reports a significant increase in cardboard set out for pick-up. In order to ensure the prompt collection of your scrap cardboard, please follow instructions below:How to Property Prepare Cardboard for Collection

Ongoing Actions

  • Town has participated in daily conference calls with the Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Management, as well as attended the White House Briefing Calls throughout the pandemic.
  • The Town’s website has information for the public from the County Health Department, California Department of Public Health, and the CDC.
  • Public information was sent out to all subscribed users of the Town’s website sharing up-to-date information regarding the virus and what the public can do to stay healthy. [View messaging (PDF)].
  • We have kept employees informed of all updates from the County Health Department, California Department of Public Health, and the CDC.
  • Increased sanitation efforts, janitorial services and added sanitizer  

Management Actions

  • The City Manager/Emergency Services Director has signed a Proclamation of Local Emergency for the Town of Los Altos Hill
  • Public records requests may need additional time to complete as they are not an essential function.
  • Per the Governor’s Executive Order Number N-25-200, the Town is assisting the Standing Committees in setting up teleconferencing for their monthly meetings. Committee meetings not using teleconference capabilities have been cancelled.
  • We have prepared a local emergency proclamation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and have placed the item on the March 19 City Council meeting agenda. [View Council Meeting Agenda].
  • We will continue to monitor the situation and will keep the public and employees informed about any changes.

Meetings and Travel

  • We asked our staff to work with customers to mutually determine which in-person meetings are essential and to consider using teleconferencing when possible. We realize this may not be ideal, however, we know that many members of the public are already dealing with similar situations and this decision is a precautionary measure that we believe is in the best interest of everyone.
  • We instituted a 14-day self-quarantine period where recommended by the CDC for Town employees during which the employee will work from home.

April 29th - Virtual Town Hall on COVID-19

On April 29, 2020 Mayor Michelle Wu hosted the Town’s first Virtual Town Hall meeting to discuss questions that the residents of Los Altos Hills had regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the Video:

  • Residents chatted with the Mayor regarding the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • Learned what steps our Town is taking to make sure we can continue to serve; and
  • Find out about resources available in the community for our residents
  • April 29 Virtual Town Hall from Town of Los Altos Hills on Vimeo.

Regarding the Shelter-In-Place Order:

Residents may continue to employ qualified businesses or workers to perform brush and vegetative growth clearance from their properties and along abutting roadways consistent with the Town’s Fire Prevention Code, Section 4-2.116

The Governor’s shelter in place order (N-33-20) specifically exempts fire mitigation activities and services necessary to maintain the safety of residences.

A Message from the Santa Clara County Public Health Department

The County would like to acknowledge that as new directives and updates are being provided by our health officials about COVID-19, a natural reaction may be to worry, which may leave us feeling vulnerable and helpless. In addition to following the advice and orders of our Public Health Officer, here are some tips to help you practice self-care during this time:

  • Healthy habits. While this may seem simple, any health care provider will tell you that getting good sleep, eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly can help boost your immune system. Consider our Public Health Officer’s guidance and practice social distancing while taking care of your physical and mental health.
  • Digital detox. Continuous watching or listening to media reports, reading online news or social media can lead to unintended fear and anxiety. Try to limit your intake of news to a couple of key reliable sources and remember to check our Public Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites for key COVID-19 updates.
  • Mindfulness. Being present and living in the moment can help you reduce anxiety. If you need help calming your mind, try listening to mindfulness apps or listening to visualization resources. And, remember to access your health plan’s mental health and behavioral health services if you start to feel overwhelmed. Mental health and behavioral health providers are essential services.
  • Hand awareness. In addition to frequent proper handwashing, be aware of what you touch, and clean and disinfect throughout the day since your hands are a key way germs get into our body.
  • Normalize new salutations. Elbow bumps, a head nod, a virtual high five or a nice smile are the new ways to greet others without having to shake hands. Give it a try and others will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

While this is not meant to be an all-inclusive list, these tips will hopefully provide some actions you can control during this time.