Town warns of shifting pavement on Shannon Road
A recent shifting of pavement along Shannon Road near Diduca Way and Santa Rosa Drive could create a hazard for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, town officials warned.
Residents may have noticed electronic message boards along Shannon Road advising users of “Uneven Pavement Use Caution.”
The shifting of pavement occurred in the westbound lane. While town engineers do not believe that failure of the road is imminent, the increasing unevenness of the pavement creates a potential hazard.
Town officials had warned they were working on additional precautions.
And on Aug. 10 just after 10am, a spokesperson for the municipality announced a partial closure on Twitter. “Following a review of Shannon Rd pavement condition, Parks & Public Works Dept has made the decision to temporarily close the westbound lane (heading into the Town) of Shannon Rd between Santa Rosa Dr & Diduca Way,” the post reads.
The move comes after the Town sued the County over the problem, which came to light after Los Gatos annexed the area into the community a few years back.
Design of a permanent repair is scheduled to be finalized in September with construction expected later this year depending on the weather.
Community Innovation Grant applications now open
The Town of Los Gatos is seeking applications for the Community Innovation Grant program.
The Town is offering four grants of $1,500 each to kick-start grassroots ideas that would benefit schools, neighborhoods or community. Town officials listed examples of past projects, which have included developing neighborhood communication tools for wildfire preparedness, creating a platform for connecting excess household items to people and organizations that could use them, attempting new methods to reduce plastic waste in community spaces, dance programs for people with visual and hearing impairments, and public speaking workshops for elementary school students.
The application period for individual community members and students closes on Sept. 4 at 5pm. Applicants must be Los Gatos residents, or students attending a school in Los Gatos.
For information, visit losgatosca.gov/318/Community-Grant-Programs.
Wildfire Protection Plan meeting set in Los Gatos
A public outreach meeting for the Santa Clara County Community Wildfire Protection Plan will be held Aug. 30 from 6-7:30pm at the Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road.
Cal Fire awarded a $250,000 grant to Santa Clara County FireSafe Council to lead the 2022-2023 Community Wildfire Protection Plan update. The council assembled a management team comprised of county agencies and a management advisory committee with more than 70 representatives from across the county, with expertise in fuels management, technology, utilities, staff of elected officials, previous CWPP planning, and various other groups to help guide the process and provide input into the development of the plan.
By having this strategic plan for all local agencies, they are able to prioritize forest health projects, shaded fuel breaks, escape routes and public education campaigns. The CWPP aims to further wildfire preparedness initiatives throughout the county, and provide support for residents seeking resources to be better prepared for wildfire.
For information, visit sccfiresafe.org/cwpp.
Unsecured Property Taxes are due Aug. 31
The County of Santa Clara’s Department of Tax and Collections has mailed out the 2023-2024 unsecured annual property tax bills to all property owners at the addresses shown on the tax roll. The property tax payment is due on Aug. 31.
Unsecured properties are those not secured by real estate, such as land. Some examples of unsecured property include (but are not limited to) boats and jet skis, aircraft, business machinery or business furniture.
Property owners who have not received a bill by Aug. 4 are urged to call the Tax Information line at 408.808.7900 to request a copy of the Annual Unsecured Property Tax Bill. Property tax bills are also available online at sccdtac.org.
Unpaid property taxes will become delinquent if not paid by 5pm on Aug. 31. At that time, a 10% penalty and a $50 collection fee will be added to the unpaid balance.
The collection of property taxes is critical for the ongoing support of various essential services, such as public health, fire protection, education, parks and law enforcement, county officials stated in a press release.
Property owners should mail tax payments along with the tax bill coupon using the return envelope provided to: Department of Tax and Collections, 70 W. Hedding St., San José, CA 95110.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) postmark must be Aug. 31, or earlier, to avoid penalties. Keep in mind that the USPS postmarks mail depending on the type of postage used and may not postmark mail on the same day it was deposited in a mailbox.
For information, visit sccdtac.org or call 408.808.7902.
