Portola Valley Update December 5, 2024

This week's update:

• Town Hall Closed for the Winter Holiday
• Reminder; Send Letter of Interest for Architectural and Site Commissioners and Planning Commissioner Openings
• Online Registration for the Winter Session Community Classes are now Open
• Has your Home Insurance Premium Increased in the Last 3 years?
• Winter Storm Preparedness and Sandbag Station in Portola Valley
• Wildfire Preparedness Committee Tip -A Call for Innovation in Wood Products
• Conservation Committee Tip - What's Blooming Now? - Fall Berries
• Home Safety Tips During Holiday Season
• Upcoming Events

Town Hall Closed for Winter Holiday

Town Hall will be closed Tuesday, December 24th through Wednesday, January 1st. Staff will return to work on Thursday January 2, 2025.

For Emergencies, please call 911.

Please note, per the Town's Noise Ordinance, no construction/ landscaping activities allowed on

• Christmas Day, Wednesday December 25, 2024
• New Year's Day, Wednesday January 1, 2025

For non-emergencies here is a list of helpful phone numbers. If you need to report any issues that you would like Town Hall Staff to look at you can report it on PV Connect.

Reminder; Send Letter of Interest for Architectural and Site Commissioners and Planning Commissioner Openings

Applicants must be Residents of Portola Valley.

ASCC NOTICE

The Portola Valley Town Council is seeking four volunteers to serve on the Town's Architectural and Site Control Commission (ASCC). Three terms expire in December 2028 and one term expires in December 2027. The ASCC consists of five members appointed by the Town Council, and meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. Meeting attendance is expected at designated times. The ASCC is charged with the review and approval of design review applications and site development permits, including applications for new homes, second units, larger additions, second-story additions, and commercial buildings. In addition, the ASCC provides comments on conditional use permits, subdivisions, variances, and other matters referred by the Town Council, the Planning Commission, or Town Staff. To apply, please submit a letter of interest to tgrindall@portolavalley.net by 5:00 pm on December 13, 2024.The applications will be distributed to the Town Council.

The Town Council will conduct interviews and appoint new members, meeting date to be determined and expected to be scheduled in January 2025. Once the date is confirmed, all applicants will receive notice. This date may change, dependent on the number of interviews to be conducted. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Terrence Grindall, Interim Planning and Building Director.

PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE

The Portola Valley Town Council is seeking three volunteers to serve on the Town's Planning Commission. All of these terms expire in December 2028. The Planning Commission consists of five members appointed by the Town Council, and meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. Meeting attendance is expected at designated times. The Planning Commission is responsible for addressing policy matters related to general land use and development in Town. Sitting as the Board of Adjustment, the Commission reviews applications for variances, and appeals from decisions made by town officials administering zoning and subdivision ordinances. Its decisions may be appealed to the Town Council. To apply, please submit a letter of interest to tgrindall@portolavalley.net to be distributed to the Town Council by 5:00 pm on December 13, 2024.

The Town Council will conduct interviews and appoint new members, meeting date to be determined and expected to be scheduled in January 2025. Once the date is confirmed, all applicants will receive notice. This date may change, dependent on the number of interviews to be conducted. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Terrence Grindall, Interim Planning and Building Director.

Online Registration for the Winter Session Community Classes are now Open

We have a great line-up of classes this quarter! Online registration for the Winter Session is now open, for more information regarding class offerings and how to register please click here, to find out more information!

Has your Home Insurance Premium Increased in the Last 3 years?

If so, please take 10 minutes to participate in the Portola Valley Insurance Survey and help the town to track changes in home insurance policies within the community. This initiative aims to gather data on home insurance cancellations, premium changes, and coverage adjustments that affect Portola Valley residents.

Additionally, residents can provide information on their current insurance policies or indicate if they lack insurance. By participating in this survey, you contribute valuable information that helps the Town understand the landscape of home insurance in Portola Valley.

Winter Storm Preparedness and Sandbag Station in Portola Valley

As the rainy season starts it is good to be prepared for winter storms. The town has resources to help. You can review the Winter Storm Preparedness page for tips on how you can protect your home. Click here to view the page.

The Town of Portola Valley provides a complimentary emergency supply of sandbags to help its residents protect property from flooding during the rainy season.

The self-serve sandbag station is located at Portola Valley Town Center along the southern driveway, across from the basketball courts. The station is accessible daily and will remain available through the end of the rainy season. Learn more about the sandbag station here.

Emergency Contact Information

This is also an advisory to Town residents to please notify Town Staff if you see a downed tree, or other hazard, that blocks a trail or a roadway. During regular business hours, use PV Connect or call 650-851-1700 (8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday). On weekends or outside business hours, please call the County Dispatch at 650-363-4000, who will then alert Town staff, authorized members of the Public Works Committee, or the Fire Department. For additional important contact information, please visit the Town’s website.

Up-to-Date Weather Forecasts

For up-to-date weather forecasts and weather-related advisories, please visit the National Weather Service website at www.weather.gov.

Wildfire Preparedness Committee Tip -A Call for Innovation in Wood Products

Do you get tired of seeing piles of wood chips illegally dumped on our streets and highways? If only there were a way for people to easily recycle wood chips and earn money from diverting the waste… At the US Forest Service and CAL FIRE, it was more than wishful thinking. They have encouraged entrepreneurs and researchers to develop new wood or forest products. In Oct-2024, the USFS held 4 SCIENCEx webinars hosting 16 speakers for Forest Products Week.

• Forest Products 101 – Learn about the many wood products, including: packaging materials, nanomaterials, mass timber (for tall wood buildings), biochar, bioenergy and sustainable aviation fuel.
• Bigger than a Woodchip – Small diameter (4-5”) logs can be used in cross-laminated timber panels (CLT). The US Military’s use of 1 million board feet per year of Indonesian Apitong wood has led to deforestation and near endangerment. Thus, the military is testing use of CLT to replace this tropical wood.
• Smaller than a Woodchip – Everything you ever wanted to know about nanocellulose. A nano fibrile coating for bananas is just coming to market.
• New Horizons – Wood pellets are primarily produced in the Southern states and are a renewable biofuel popular in Europe. In 2017, a forester tried but failed to coordinate the salvaging of fallen trees in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Irma. In 2023, researchers edited the genome of the Poplar tree to decrease lignin content 49%, making the wood pulp easier to process.

The USFS has a Wood Innovations Grant application which closes Dec-11-2024. Hopefully the above webinars inspire you to put on your thinking cap!

Conservation Committee Tip What's Blooming Now?

Fall is for Berries

Most plants are done flowering by this time of year, but there is a wonderful display of berries if you look.

Most prominent locally are Toyon and Snowberry, but many other locally native shrubs sport late summer/fall berries. These include Currant/gooseberries (Ribes spp), Wild rose (Rosa spp.), Blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp), Oregon grape (Mahonia spp), Grape (Vitus californica) and Holly-leaf cherry (Prunus illicifolia). Many of these can be seen in the Town Center native plant garden.

Think about adding several to your landscape –they provide year-round habitat, nectar for insects in the spring and the berries provide food for birds and small mammals throughout the fall and winter – they’ll love you for it and you’ll love watching them.

Home Safety Tips during Holiday Season

Safety Tips

Residents are the extra "eyes and ears" for SMC Sheriff's Office. If you "see something, say something." Promptly report suspicious behavior or noise to 9-1-1 (or non-emergency 650-363-4911, ext. 1). Make home security a daily habit.

Away on a Trip

Alert your immediate neighbors about your absence and submit a house watch request with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. To schedule, call 650-363-4911, ext. 1 or file by online SMCSheriff.com>Services>Vacation House Checks. Ask neighbors to bring in your mail, packages, and garbage cans promptly.

For transport to the airport, use a trusted service or friend. Options such as Uber and Lyft may not be secure.

Be cautious about sharing your holiday travel plans publicly, especially on social media.

Homes

Lock all doors and windows, even when you are home. Make sure to keep all valuables out of your master bedroom and adjoining bedrooms. If you use a safe, do not keep it in the master bedroom.When you leave the house turn on the TV and or Radio, put interior lights on a timer. Use outdoor lighting with motion sensors.

Most home burglaries occur between 9 am and 3 pm during the work week when no one is home. Burglars will knock and, if someone answers, pretend to be looking for someone or say they must have the wrong address. They’ll watch a home for movement or noise. They’ll be on the lookout for neighbors who might see them. Use deadbolt locks and consider installing a security system that captures comings and goings and alerts you when someone comes to the door.

Alarm Systems

For systems connected to a service, such as ADT or Bay Alarm, set your alarm to go directly to 9-1-1 Dispatch instead of your mobile phone. The delay in checking with the homeowner to see if it’s a false alarm is enough for a burglar to easily get in and away. SMC Sheriff's Office direct deployment by 9-1-1 enables a prompt response. SMC Sheriff's Office does not charge for false alarms.

Vehicles

Remove garage remotes or spare house keys from a car you regularly park outside. Don’t label your residence as “Home” on your GPS. Always lock your car and remove all valuables.

Garage Doors

Close and lock your garage doors. An open door is a visual invitation to come in. Be sure to lock the connecting door from the garage to the house if you have one.

Deliveries and Packages

Avoid leaving packages visible on your porch. Request delivery services to leave items in secure locations. Installing a locking mailbox for incoming mail adds another layer of security. Collecting your mail promptly-- or asking a neighbor if you cannot -- is key

Door-to-Door Soliciting

If a solicitor comes to your door, ask them for their Town permit. If they do not have one, call the SMC Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number 650-363-4911, ext. 1, with a description of the person and vehicle. SMC Sheriff's Office will want to come out immediately to talk to them. For more information or to put your address on the Do-Not-Solicit list, see Soliciting in Portola Valley.

Partner with Your Neighbors

Let trusted neighbors know if you’ll be away and ask them to keep an eye on your property.

More Safety Information

Frequently asked questions, home security tips, and much more at Town Safety/Crime on the Town website. For crime statistics, see San Mateo County Sheriff | Portola Valley, CA .