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102-Enclosures.pdfCounty of Santa Clara uNT� Office of the County Executive 70 West Hedding Street, East Wing 11th Floor San Jose, CA 95110 (408) 299-5119 www.sccgov.org Contact: Gwendolyn Mitchell/Laurel Anderson Office of Public Affairs (408) 299-5119 County of Santa Clara Appoints New Fire Chief Chief Kenneth Kehmna Brings 23 years of Fire Service Experience SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF.— Today, the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors announced the appointment of Kenneth R. Kehmna to serve as the new Fire Chief for the Santa Clara County Fire Department. Kehmna, who has 23 years of fire service experience, began his career as a firefighter with the City of Campbell in 1987. In 1993, County Fire assumed responsibility for providing fire services to Campbell, bringing Kehmna and his colleagues from the city Into the Santa Clara County Fire Department. Since 2007, Kehmna held the post of Deputy Chief, first in charge of operations and in 2009 In charge of training. As Deputy Chief of operations, he managed the four department battalions and the fire Investigation division. As Deputy Chief in charge of training, he manages all training activities to ensure firefighter readiness. From 2005 to 2007, Kehmna was Battalion Chief. From August 2004 to May 2005, he served as Training Captain and Fire Captain from February 2000 to August 2004. "Chief Kehmna brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position of Fire Chief," said County of Santa Clara Board President Dave Cortese. "He Is intimately familiar with fire service in Santa Clara County and dedicated to providing high-level quality services to our community." The Santa Clara County Fire Department is a California Fire Protection District serving Santa Clara County and the communities of Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill and Saratoga. County Fire functions as a regional emergency services delivery system, partnering with other local jurisdictions to provide a high level of service and to supplement the services of smaller communities. -more- County of Santa Clara Appoints New Fire Chief — page Z Kehmna values building and maintaining strong cooperative relationships with regional public safety partners and working closely with local governments In the county. Kehmna continues to serve on the State Training and Education Advisory Committee providing policy review for the State Fire Marshal and final review of all State Fire Training course curricula. Kehmna also serves on the FIRESCOPE CICCS Task Force assisting with continuous development of the California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS). Throughout his management career, he has provided leadership by coaching and mentoring others. He also worked closely with the recently retired Fire Chief and represented County Fire at the regional and statewide level working closely with the California Emergency Management Association and Cal Fire. Kehmna completed his Master of Science degree In Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University In 2009. He graduated with honors and received a Bachelor of Arts degree In Management from Saint Mary's College in 1999. He also has an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science from Mission College. "I will do my very best to preserve the proud lineage of leadership that has been the hallmark of this Department," he continued, "I am excited about our future and confident that the outstanding relationship we have with labor will continue as we face new challenges and opportunities together In the coming years." His appointment as Fire Chief Is effective May 16, 2011, and he will be paid $214,687. Kehmna and his wife Ginger reside in San Jose and have two children - 15 year old son John and 14 year old daughter Hannah. Concerned about added cost to residents and builders, Cupertino City Council votes 3-2 to bring the ordinance back for consideration in a year. By Pam Marino I Email the author I May 6, 2011 Cupertino's Green Building Ordinance got a yellow "slow down" light instead of a green light from a majority of the City Council on Tuesday night, delaying any action by one year. Mayor Gilbert Wong, Vice Mayor Mark Santoro and Councilwoman Kris Wang said they wanted to slow down the path to stricter green building rules to give the city time to educate the public and, perhaps, give the economy time to get a little better before imposing new fees on residents and builders. Councilmen Barry Chang and Orrin Mahoney disagreed, saying the ordinance has been under discussion by the Planning Commission and council for more than a year already. "By not taking action tonight, that's a mistake," said Chang. "A year from now, we may take no action ... we were elected to take action." The ordinance is now scheduled to go back to the council in May 2012 for reconsideration. Had it approved the ordinance on Tuesday, it would have gone into effect Jan. 1, 2012. Santoro reminded the council that builders are already forced to comply with the state's Cal Green laws, which went into effect Jan. 1. The new code requires builders to use "green" materials and building methods, and promote energy, water and resource efficiency. Cupertino's proposed Green Building Ordinance would have gone beyond the Cal Green requirements, however, imposing even stricter standards on builders. "Why do you feel compelled to add on additional cost to the industry again and again and again?" asked Myron Crawford of the building firm, Berg and Berg. "Stick with the California green building codes, let it do its job; let's see how it works out within industry. Other cities have said, no, we're not going to impose more." A main sticking point was the increased fees and deposits. Fees could increase 1-2.2 percent, depending on the type of project, which could mean thousands for individual single-family homes and up to hundreds of thousands for commercial developments. A consultant for the city hired to help craft the ordinance said that while green building can cost more, over the long term the costs are balanced by increased savings in energy and water usage, as well as providing environmental benefits to the community and planet. The new required deposits would ensure adherence to green building standards. Builders would have to show verification performed by certified consultants, in order to get the deposits back. There are two types of verification —formal and informal. Formal verification would require seeking an official LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or GPR (Green Point Rated) certification. Informal verification would require a consultant to verify that a project meets certain green building standards. For example, a single-family home project seeking formal verification would require a $2-per-square-foot deposit, up to $1,000. Informal verification would require a $500 deposit; that money would be returned once verification is made. For commercial projects, it would cost a developer a minimum of $35,000 and maximum of $75,000 for a formal verification deposit. The deposit for informal verification would be $1,500. The plan before the City Council on Tuesday had already been scaled back from when the ordinance was considered in February. Originally the plan called for builders to acquire 85 points on the LEED or GPR rating scales, reflecting the number of green building products and practices they were using. Three local cities —Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and Morgan Hill —require 70 points; Cal Green requires 50, which is what the council said it would support. The deposits for verification amounts were also adjusted downward. In the case of single-family homes, the verification amount was cut in half from $2,000 to $1,000. "I think we've come to a good middle ground here," Orrin Mahoney said of the scaled -back version. It was still too much for the council majority, however. They stated they support green building standards but wanted more time for the public to get used to them. "I think we're all a little bit concerned about what it will cost our residents if we just drop this bomb on them," Santoro said. Wang added, "Don't label that we don't support this ... I want to make sure that we're going toward the green building, but it's in a slow and steady way. We don't want to increase any living cost for anybody, and that's the whole reason." Chang added a parting shot before the vote, "But Council member Wang, actions are speaking louder than words." Format Dynamics:: CleanPrint :: http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_18053763?... Page 1 of 2 14CACtvurg No$ MercuryNews.com Cupertino City Council votes to put a stop to smoking in recreational areas By Matt Wilson mwilson@community-newspapers.com Posted: 05/12/2011 08:00:57 PM PDT Updated: 05/12/2011 08:00:57 PM PDT Want to light up in a Cupertino park? Think again. The Cupertino City Council unanimously amended a city ordinance on May 3 that now prohibits smoking in recreational areas such as city parks. The ordinance states that recreational areas include streets and sidewalks adjacent to recreational areas owned and operated by the city. Places where puffing is now prohibited include parks, picnic areas, playgrounds, sports fields, golf courses, walking paths, gardens, hiking trails, bike paths, horseback riding trails, swimming pools, and roller skating and skateboard parks. Blackberry Farm is already a non-smoking environment, according to city staff. According to the ordinance, smoking includes a lighted pipe, lighted hookah, cigars and cigarettes. State law already prohibits smoking within 25 feet of playgrounds and tot lots, and the law also authorizes local communities to enact additional restrictions. The state law applies only to parks designed specifically for use by children and does not apply to smokeless tobacco products. The law also prohibits smoking within 20 feet of public buildings. City staff proposed an amended ordinance that would have also prohibited other smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco. However, the proposal was not adopted, as some council members believed that the city should only prohibit tobacco products that could adversely affect others around them. Speakers at last week's public hearing voiced support for the amended ordinance. One speaker expressed a desire to adopt a prohibition on chewing tobacco to keep the habit out of the minds of little ones. "In parks you have all ages of children and teens, and the younger children are always looking to the cool teens to see what they are doing," said Janet Ghanem, a representative of Breathe California. "If they are chewing tobacco and spitting it out, you know the 6, 7 and 8-year-olds are going to say, 'Wow that's cool. Maybe I'll do that.' I don't think that is the message you want to give them." John Zwaanstra, a 30-year Cupertino resident and retired physician urged the council to adopt the ordinance based on his history of dealing with the aftereffects of patients who smoked throughout their lives. "In the park, you're not worried about the long-term consequences, but children from secondhand smoke can be triggered to have an asthma attack," h e said. "Plus anything we can do to keep people from smoking is potentially beneficial for them, even though they don't always agree with this." San Jose, Milpitas, Saratoga, Sunnyvale and unincorporated parts of the county have adopted ordinances restricting smoking in recreational areas, according to Mark Linder, Cupertino's director of parks and recreation. City staff added that Campbell and Los Gatos are also considering bans on smoking in recreational areas. The Cupertino ordinance is also an attempt to cut W_J DIRS want to Switch today! Print Powered By ormat nam►cs`- http://www.mercurynews.com/fdcp?unique=1305763153289 5/18/2011 Format Dynamics :: CleanPrint :: http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_18053763?... Page 2 of 2 Pea cutir MercuryNews.com g News down on cigarette -related litter in recreational areas, according to a city staff report. On Jan. 10 the city entered into an agreement with the county of Santa Clara for the purpose of preventing tobacco use. The agreement made the city eligible to receive $23,387 in grant funds from the Centers for Disease Control. The city's amended ordinance allows the grant to help the city implement signs and educational material for the anti -smoking policy in recreation areas. Secondhand smoke recently became a target of Santa Clara County once again. On April 26, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department unveiled a new ad campaign to draw attention to the dangers of secondhand smoke. The campaign features a television commercial airing in English, Spanish and Vietnamese that graphically depicts the impact of secondhand smoke on children. The commercial will air through July, full -page print ads will be featured in Santa Clara County newspapers and outreach materials will be distributed at community events. Survey The Santa Clara County Public Health Department is also doing a survey on the opinions and health practices of county residents regarding their behaviors and beliefs about cigarette smoking and tobacco use. Residents can take the survey by visiting the city of Cupertino's website, www. cupertino.org. For more information on the county's INSPIRE Tobacco Prevention campaign, visit www. yousmoketheysmoke.org. Call Now! 1- 77-835- 37 SECURITY CHOICE 'x'"IraritowVrr,)i3w,ICt+drga,}5h4itlhMONIV) I`H;A;1` (k1M1M.A1idl,'11599Na3[21ISINSd-0 ii ";Tp3riwi ivi t*mheft at1 uekxfr0li!¢i33}kr,{TCitrrtwitiq im.43.icahl Ire, imn 1: Iwdaeratl5gtlFF Ltull tlrrit(miuT,ett3pkturd #pp+;l',&rhltld h� the Sevrr;Tildfk- AnADT,W'3rdtixI;IS9tl ca+lamnsialF 3161tiU a tpa¢tlt!t•3 iret i�lT Sts�dl Seltites,lr.IllhereairplarsaaaiaWr,CacrnlFrcurhnddwi°1:rh�ulknor�r.'"�a7S•415,1'8I1Fae� Otka:AYsttlitCar�bpa�kitrt;HedtStM.keudtlut�pm�reihlA?Tr;�Smtga.Potga[ rrUrnx:etcf4�.CaiA.l Cdd. 1?.733hhrcmpetreifdrh acm&Iedem;Wnrm6ftnud, Print Powered By r I FormatD namics" http://www.mercurynews.com/fdcp?unique=1305763153289 5/18/2011 Format Dynamics:: C1eanPrint :: http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_18053764 Page 1 of 2 theAcrourg News MercuryNews.com Cupertino adopts plan to make it a more bicycle - friendly city By Matt Wilson mwilson@community-newspapers.com Posted: 05/12/2011 08:01:01 PM PDT The city of Cupertino has a long-range plan for how to better integrate bicycling around town. The city council at its latest meeting unanimously adopted an updated Cupertino Bicycle Transportation Plan that focuses on creating bikeways and promoting bicycling in the city. The long-range planning document is designed to encourage bicycling as a safe, practical and healthy alternative to the motor vehicle, according to a city staff report. The city council adopted the current plan in December 1998 and the document has been getting an update the past two years by city staff and the Cupertino Bicycle Pedestrian Commission. "It's a document that has been a lot of work [and] a lot of time for a lot of people, and we are very proud of it and happy to bring it forward," said Timm Borden, director of public works. The bulk of the plan focuses on each of the 17 proposed bikeways throughout the city. "It is essentially a bike route that has been taken one step further to be bike -friendly to encourage bicycling," said David Stillman, senior civil engineer. "For example, it can be by removing impediments to bike travel such as stop signs and it can be taken further to make vehicle travel difficult." Proposed improvements on bikeways range from small, low-cost items such as installing bike route signs to large-scale projects such as adding a grade -separated railroad crossing. The updated plan is divided into five main chapters focusing on the environment, engineering needed for bicycle routes, how to encourage bicycling in the city, educating the community about bicycle safety and enforcing rules associated with bicycling. The adoption of the plan is also a requirement for the city to be eligible for outside funding from the Transportation Development Act administered through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Bicycle Transportation Account money administered through Caltrans. City staff said that the city has seen an increase in bicycle usage and interest in alternative transportation as a way to reduce traffic congestion and help the environment. Bicycling remains a popular issue and priority in Cupertino. The city completed the Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge on April 30, 2009, and is working to complete a trail through Blackberry Farm from McClellan Road to Stevens Creek Boulevard. Stillman told the council that the city received Bicycle Friendly Community status from the League of American Bicyclists. The city earned the award at the bronze level, which is presented only to communities with strong commitments to bicycling, according to city staff. Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Santa Clara have also achieved the honor. The city also participated in the 17th annual Bike to Work Day on May 12. The Cupertino Bicycle Pedestrian Commission worked with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition to get commuters and students to leave their cars at home and bike to work or school. The city set up morning "energizer stations" in front of the Quinlan Community Center to serve hot coffee and coffee cake to passing cyclists. The 2010 event saw 140 cyclists pedaling north and Print Powered By ( dI�©rmatDynamics"J http://www.mercurynews.com/fdcp?unique=l 305763214647 5/18/2011 Format Dynamics:: CleanPrint :: http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ei_18053764 Page 2 of 2 1 je �CCCttC, Ntwo MercuryNews.com 96 traveling south on N. Stelling Road past the energizer station for a total of 236 passers-by. Nearly 100 cyclists stopped for coffee, cake and a chat about their commute. The city said that the event saw a 9 percent increase over the 2009 Bike to Work Day. Results from the 2011 event were not available as of the Courier's deadline. For more information about Bike to Work Day, visit www.bikesiliconvalley.org/btwd. €}M Fi fit STEAKS SAVE to 0/0 .tr. Plus, get 3 FIDE, Gifts Special 'ode; 450ffZWN Print Powered By Forma-LDynamics" http://www.mercurynews.com/fdcp?unique=1305763214647 5/18/2011 Page 1 of 1 0Ca murg News MercuryNencom Cupertino adopts green building standards By Matt Wilson mwilson@community-newspapers.com Posted: 05/12/2011 08:02:21 PM PDT Greener building requirements are coming to Cupertino in a year. After more than a year of discussion, the Cupertino City Council at its latest meeting voted 3-2 to adopt a green building ordinance 12 months from now. The proposed green building ordinance is intended to guide the design, construction, retrofit, operation and demolition of new and existing commercial and residential buildings. The rules will not take effect for another 12 months as the council wants to give the public more time to digest the changes. In the meantime, the council plans to educate residents, builders and the business community on how the ordinance could affect them. "We're going to spend 12 months educating," Councilwoman Kris Wang said. "I want to make sure that we are going towards green building in a slow and steady way. We are not harsh and we do not want to increase any living costs for anyone. That is the reason." Since late 2009, Cupertino city staff has been working with the community to craft the ordinance, using a set of policy recommendations by the Santa Clara County Cities Association's Green Building Collaborative as a starting point. The requirements aim to be in line with the new state green building code called CALGreen, which currently sets the threshold of building codes at a higher level by requiring development projects to incorporate green building practices. CALGreen, a statewide mandate that took effect on Jan. 1, will require all new residential projects of three floors or fewer and all non-residential projects to comply with the code. The standards are the de facto rules in Cupertino until the city adopts its ordinance next year. "What we are suggesting is something above and beyond," Mayor Gilbert Wong said at the May 3 meeting. Councilmen Barry Chang and Orrin Mahoney cast the dissenting votes, saying they want the ordinance to take effect much sooner. "I think the green building ordinance has been going for a long time already; even before I ran for city council the planning commission was discussing it back and forth," Chang said. "By not taking action tonight, I think that is a mistake." The council will make a final vote on adoption during a public hearing in 12 months. Further study of the issue could be done by the city staff and at the commission level over the course of the next year. For more information about green initiatives in Cupertino, visit www.cupertino.org/green. SECURITY CHOICE 1$W1.0CvfsrWhwho10[trayt,35-PAIIIM11ill10;,:rwroIlt'tYfmIIM9fWIWIIiIN5641 F,I*srpflrP lZid�.CV:3iCtl6l!tif* itj♦•?Fidw4lu.riiaj[h"i IrXIMIAr'+ iWitlU fi4irskieli 4P! ti#�I�sutlltrt �r5r';e lc���.5�71�G;laf'neEi6flsuly teq�irad, 4e+t>;M iesuk,�ni upp�j.Crica ral d FN rr!r! ixwh!'�htick•.k+,1DT,tuflaiiWJF.+e31s+ ois�nel�6+ItbIPtr115RltitlhelC riatrs �1 Small Senirezrns:.OtterraleOars mfikAe6rrnitecmbnedva.! ulkerufl:r."It#?1�.:k8flCr� uk'; tW Ira 11tti;al 6pvrdaitrpSeseliq' r erred mtapu uuihffi�l5eutpSean..tks�a6es rzsL'-nmCer€ptm.Cdtt:lSd.A7?.:33Cfircmp'strrc�triclArsn;?Irdan:tN€��oeels. Print Powered By (NdFQrmatOynamics` I http://www.mercurynews.com/fdcp?unique=l 305763285270 5/18/2011