Upcoming Town Hall Closure
Town Hall will be closed Thursday November, 27th and Friday, November 28th in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Please note, per the Town's Ordinance, no construction/landscaping activities allowed on Thursday November 27th.
A Tip from the Wildfire Preparedness Committee; Learning from Zeke Lunder
Zeke Lunder is a wildfire expert who has created a very entertaining Youtube series looking at wildfire danger in Los Angeles. He and 2 retired LA fire officials ride e-bikes from the Hollywood Sign Chalet to the sites of the Eaton, the Palisades, the 1933 Griffith Park, and the 1961 Bel Air Fires. The 5 episodes average 15 minutes each, and you will enjoy the ride. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhM9lgdfXk1o-fRGipOHX3qNWXfEZu2fD The series goal is to teach the public how to view the land and development around us and how to correctly interpret the Danger in Plain Sight. Significant fires will keep happening because so much of California was built without planning for wildfires. PV residents should watch this series because the LA areas that Zeke rides through and examines have the same fire spread and evacuation issues as our neighborhoods of hills, canyons and large open spaces. In Episode 3, they do an assessment of the Chalet using Fire Aside, like WFPD does. As a reminder of our recent history, this tip attaches part of the report that Zeke Lunder, as Director of Deer Creek Resources, provided to the PV Housing Element committee in 2022. It is a brief analysis of the wildfire danger in the parts of PV that were considered for housing growth.
* Refer to word document for the photos and the rest of the tip*
Page 11 of Feb-22-2022 agenda packet
In fall of 2021, Deer Creek Resources was contracted to conduct a cursory survey of wildfire hazards to inform the update of the Portola Valley Housing Element. DCR Wildfire Analyst, Zeke Lunder, conducted a 2-day site survey of the community, and assessed existing vegetation, property ownership and building footprint maps, fire history, historic weather, and terrain mapping data. This document summarizes DCR’s observations.
What Wildfire Hazards Exist in the Project Area? Many areas of high and extreme wildfire hazard exist within the Portola Valley community. The highest-hazard areas are generally on steeper slopes of canyons or gullies, in difficult-to-access places where vegetation management is very difficult to accomplish. Hazards are amplified in east-west oriented canyon areas where the topography will funnel strong autumn winds, which tend to blow from the east or west.
Page 12 (reformatted) of Feb-22-2022 agenda packet
Wildfire Weather While many firefighting resources are available to respond to fires starting in Portola Valley, the greatest threat to the community is not the typical roadside fire or structure fire which burns into the vegetation, rather, it is a wind-driven conflagration which occurs when weather conditions are so severe firefighting will be ineffective. This low-probability/high consequence event may only happen once in a century, but when it occurs, no amount of firefighting will stop it until the winds subside. Historic weather data suggests a catastrophic fire is most likely to burn into the area from the east, in the autumn. While less common than west winds, east winds are generally drier, and the strongest winds are often preceded by days of milder offshore winds, which can create critically-dry fuel moistures. As such, they bring the greatest wildfire threat. This increases the relative hazard to areas on the east side of town, especially to mid and upper-slope areas that face east. Source for weather data: Pulgas weather station. (https://raws.dri.edu/cgi-bin/rawMAIN.pl?caCPUL) West Side of Town Wayside Road, Santa Maria Ave, and Hayfields Road all have poor access, extremely heavy vegetative fuel loads, and exposure to east winds. The recent CZU Complex showed the potential for catastrophic fires in similar coastal forests. These areas west of Portola Road also have the potential for severe wildfire losses.
Page 13 (reformatted) of Feb-22-2022 agenda packet
Mapache/Westridge/Meadowood/Shawnee/NE of Woodside Priory School While these areas still have high exposure to wildfire losses, they have a somewhat lower wildfire hazard than the steeper areas mentioned above. There are fewer deep gullies in this area, and generally safer access and better vegetation clearance along somewhat wider roads. Gentler slopes mean there is more developable land on each lot, and this may provide some opportunities for ADU development in these neighborhoods. Any future infill development in this area should be accompanied by improved vegetation management along main roads like Westridge (60-85 foot right-of-way) and Mapache (60 foot right-of-way).
Trivia Night Recap
On Saturday, November 8th, Portola Valley enjoyed another fun Trivia Night at Community Hall. A beautiful evening, incomparable contestants, and fabulous fun! Parks & Recreation would like to thank all our wonderful residents for their can-do attitudes, great minds, and being gamers on Saturday. Ten teams battled for the brainiac bragging rights, and true to form, we have some amazing brains in town :-) Who won, you ask? Team Wayside came ready for the three-peat, and squeaked out the Ormondalers by just one point. We couldn’t have done it without our volunteers - Jon Myers as emcee extraordinaire, Cindy and Steve Rowe on set-up and collecting answer sheets, and Patty Dewes, Karen Askey, and Bonnie Crater handling the scoring. The Parks & Rec Committee needs a few new members on the team. If you enjoy organizing, running, or thinking of new recreational events that build community, please join us! More info here: https://www.portolavalley.net/government/town-committees/parks-and-recreation-committee Enjoy the photos, and until next time! Happily Brought to You by the PV Parks & Rec Committee :-)
TEAM WAYSIDE Left to Right - Chris Buja, Katherine Maslyn, Marcel Fafchamps, Andrew Suciu, Phil Barth, Leslie Field, Joey Pritikin, Naomi Pritikin, Molly Pritikin
Portola Valley Local Road Safety Plan
Portola Valley Local Road Safety Plan Released for Public Review The Portola Valley Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) provides the Town with a clear and proactive roadmap for strengthening safety on our roads, trails, and pathways in a way that reflects the community’s values and long-standing commitment to preserving our rural character. Developed by the Bicycle, Pedestrian and Traffic Safety (BPTS) Committee with support from Town staff, the plan evaluates more than a decade of crash data, extensive public feedback, and current transportation trends. The LRSP acts as a strategic framework for making informed, long-term investments in safety. The plan also positions Portola Valley to pursue state and federal funding opportunities that require an adopted LRSP. For example, grant funding through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) OBAG 4 County & Local Program, as well as for future funding opportunities under the Caltrans Highway Safety Improvement Program and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Program. The findings in the plan underscore both the opportunities and challenges ahead. The LRSP identifies several key intersections for closer study and outlines practical strategies to reduce conflicts, improve visibility, and support safer travel for everyone using our roadways and trails. These strategies include targeted speed management measures, upgraded signage, improved pedestrian and cyclist crossings, and enhanced trail connectivity. The plan also integrates wildfire and seismic considerations to help ensure that roadway improvements support emergency preparedness and evacuation planning. Looking forward, the LRSP highlights a set of project concepts that will help the Town maintain safe, resilient, and accessible transportation corridors as Portola Valley continues to evolve. From intersection improvements and expanded crosswalk enhancements to school-area circulation projects and continued outreach to the cycling community, the plan provides a thoughtful menu of options that can be pursued over time as resources allow. Adoption of the LRSP demonstrates the Town’s commitment to public safety, responsible stewardship of our transportation network, and ongoing collaboration with residents, partner agencies, and visitors who rely on Portola Valley’s roads and trails every day. Town Council consideration of the LRSP is tentatively scheduled for the regular meeting on December 10th. Public comment will be accepted before in writing to the Town Clerk, and in person at the meeting.
Thanksgiving Safety Tips
Winter Storm Preparedness and Sandbag Station
As the rainy season begins 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.
Midpen Planned Pile Burns
Upcoming Town Events
Councilmember Hufty Office Hours
Councilmember Hufty holds office hours in the Heritage Room every 2nd and 4th Wednesday 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Come bring your thoughts on Town governance and/or on the Town Council agenda.
Town Hall Closed November 27-28
Town Hall will be closed Thursday November 27 - Friday November 28 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The lobby will reopen Monday December 1 at 8:30am.
Farmers Market every Thursday 2-5:00PM
The next Farmers market on 11/27 has been moved to Wednesday 11/26. The Portola Valley Farmers Market will be held rain or shine. The market is open from 2PM-5PM each Thursday!