Cupertino City Council
October 1, 2024

307 Cal Fire. (December 2022). Arson Caused Wildfires – Acres Burned. https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a- 4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/images---misc/arson-acres-burned- 2022.jpg?rev=83a9dd360a794b6cb627bdf7371f2791&hash=7F588C79EC88FF533701B966B2E0138A 308 Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. (n.d.). Fire As A Weapon. https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Fire%20as%20a%20Weapon%20Action%20Guide_Final%20508 %20%2804.12.21%29v.2_1.pdf
309 Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. (2023). Military Equipment Use Report, 6-Month Report. Military Equipment Use 6-Month Report_FINAL DRAFT (2.15.23).pdf (sccgov.org) 491
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 November 15, 2022: Suspected IED Mitigation: The Bomb Squad was called to a Lockheed Martin Facility in Santa Clara for a reported IED in the shipping and receiving room. The item was made to look like an IED but was not viable.

Other agencies responded to two other incidents involving explosives.  March 1, 2023: Explosive Material Mitigation: The City of San José bomb squad was called to a South San José home as part of an investigation into someone possessing explosives and illegal drugs.
 February 7,2020: Suspected Terrorist Attack: Assailants in a vehicle opened fire on a Sikh police officer patrolling in Morgan Hill, California, United States. A Santa Clara County Sheriff ’s Deputy was injured in the assault. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.”

These are not the first incidents in the OA. One other example includes an attack in 2014 at a PG&E Corporation’s Metcalf transmission substation in San José when an unknown person entered an underground vault and cut telephone cables. Within half an hour, snipers opened fire on a nearby electrical substation. Shooting for 19 minutes, the persons were able to knock out 17 giant transformers that funnel power to Silicon Valley. Electric-grid officials were able to reroute power around the site and requested power plants in Silicon Valley to produce more electricity, but it took utility workers 27 days to conduct repairs and make the substation functional. The Wall Street Journal reported the incident at the time was called “the most significant incident of domestic terrorism involving the grid that has ever occurred.” There have been no arrests or persons charged for the incident.309F 310

Figure 73: Weapon Types Used in Terrorist Events in California 310F 311

310 Smith, Rebecca. (February 2014). Assault on California Power Stations Raises Alarm on Potential for Terrorism; April Sniper Attack Knocked Out Substation, Raises Concern for Country’s Power Grid. Assault on California Power Station Raises Alarm on Potential for Terrorism - WSJ
311 Global Terrorism Database. (n.d.). Database Search Results. https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/search/Results.aspx?charttype=bar&chart=target&search=california 492
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Terrorist attacks can occur anywhere in the Santa Clara County OA. Past targets in California have included businesses, private citizens, government, educational institutions and many more. In California, as shown in Figure 74, businesses are the most frequent targets, accounting for 28 percent of all terrorist attacks in the state.

Figure 74: Targets of Terrorist Attacks in California 311 F 312

Severity
The severity of terrorist attacks ranges from inconsequential when the attack fails, to catastrophic. The effects of terrorism can include injuries, loss of life, property damage, or disruption of services such as electricity, water supplies, transportation, or communications. Effects may be immediate or delayed.

Terrorists often choose targets that offer limited danger to themselves and areas with relatively easy public access. Foreign terrorists look for visible targets where they can avoid detection before and after an attack, such as international airports, large cities, major special events, and high-profile landmarks. In recent months, there has been a rise in physical attacks against utility infrastructure in North Carolina and the Pacific Northwest.31 2F
313 Attackers targeted substations and used guns, fire, metal chains, and other weapons during their attack. As of this writing, the FBI is currently investigating.

312 Global Terrorism Database. (n.d.). Database Search Results. https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/search/Results.aspx?charttype=bar&chart=target&search=california 313 Oregon Public Broadcasting. (December 2022). String of electrical grid attacks in Pacific Northwest is unsolved. https://www.opb.org/article/2022/12/08/string-of-electrical-grid-attacks-in-pacific-northwest-are-unsolved/ 493
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Warning Time
For this hazard, warning time relates to warnings to local law enforcement from federal authorities and other law enforcement agencies as well as warnings to the public. In dealing with terrorism, the unpredictability of human beings must be considered. While education, heightened awareness, and early warning of unusual circumstances may deter terrorism, intentional acts that harm people and property are possible at any time. Public safety entities must react to the threat, locating, isolating, and neutrali zing further damage and investigating potential scenes and suspects to bring criminals to justice.

People with a desire to perform such acts may seek out targets of opportunity that may not fall into established lists of critical areas or facilities. First responders in the Santa Clara County OA train to respond not only to organized terrorism incidents, but also to random acts by individuals who may choose to harm others and destroy property. The Intelligence Unit of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office is comprised of a Sergeant and a Deputy that are assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC) respectively with the goal of helping safeguard the Santa Clara County community by conducting terrorism investigations, sharing criminal intelligence and threat assessment information with regional partners, and by processing and assessing Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) submitted by local law enforcement and the public.

AlertSCC is the County of Santa Clara’s official emergency alert and warning system for the most up-to- date information on emergencies and disasters happening in the area.

Critical Facilities, Infrastructure, and the Environment Critical facilities, infrastructure, and the environment are common targets of terrorist attacks. The environment may be impacted depending on the size and location of the terrorist attack. Human -caused fires pose a serious threat, as well as hazardous materials release.

Future Trends in Development
Terrorist attacks in urban areas would cause significantly more harm, injury, death, or property damage than it would rural areas. As the Santa Clara OA continues to develop, the target area for terror attacks expands as does the number of potential victims of an attack.

Cascading Impacts
A completed terror attack on critical facilities and infrastructure and the environment could involve multiple other hazards including power outage, utility failure, and hazardous materials release.

16.2.4 Cyber Threats
A cyber threat is an intentional and malicious crime that compromises that digital infrastructure of a government, person, or organization, often for financial or terror-related reasons. Such attacks vary in nature and are perpetrated using digital mediums or sometimes social engineering to target human operators. Generally, attacks last minutes to days, but large-scale events and their impacts can last much longer. As information technology continues to grow in capability and interconnectivity, cyber threa ts become increasingly frequent and destructive. In 2014, internet security teams at Symantec and Verizon indicated that nearly a million new pieces of malware—malicious code designed to steal or destroy information—were created every day. 313F
314

314 Symantec. (2015). Protection from Advanced Threats with Symantec Insight and SONAR. Broadcom. https://docs.broadcom.com/doc/protection-from-advanced-threats-with-insight-sonar-en. 494
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Cyber threats can vary in their severity, based on the systems affected by an attack, the warning time, and the ability to preempt an attack. 314F
315 They also differ by motive, attack type and perpetrator profile.

Motives range from the pursuit of financial gain to political or social aims. Types of threats include using viruses to erase entire systems, breaking into systems and altering files, using someone’s personal computer to attack others, or stealing confidential information. Municipalities and private businesses within the Santa Clara County OA are susceptible to the most current and common cyber -attacks, such as socially engineered Trojans, unpatched software, phishing attacks, network-traveling worms, and advanced persistent threats. Many of these attacks are engineered to automatically seek technological vulnerabilities. Possible cyberterrorist targets include the banking industry, power plan ts, air traffic control centers, and water systems. The spectrum of cyber risks is limitless, with threats having a wide range of effects on the individual, community, organizational, and national threat. 31 5F 316

“[The cyber threat] has exploded. It has become more diffuse, more sophisticated, more dangerous than ever before.”
Lisa O. Monaco, Deputy Attorney General (DAG)
Address at Annual Munich Cybersecurity Conference (Feb. 17, 2021) 316F 317

This risk assessment includes cyberattacks and cyberterrorism. The terms often are used interchangeably, though they are not the same. While all cyberterrorism is a form of cyberattack, not all cyberattacks are cyberterrorism.

Cyberattack
Public and private computer systems are subject to a variety of cyberattacks, from blanket malware infection to target attacks on system capabilities. Cyber-attacks seek to breach IT security measures designed to protect an individual or organization. The initial attack if followed by more severe attacks for the purpose of causing harm, stealing data, or financial gain.

One of the most common cyber threats is malware. Malware refers to malicious software that a cybercriminal or hacker has created to disrupt or damage a legitimate user ’s computer. It is often spread via an unsolicited email attachment or other legitimate-looking download. Types of malware include the following:
 Viruses: A self-replicating program that attaches itself to clean file and spreads throughout a computer system, infecting files with malicious code.
 Trojans: Programs disguised as legitimate software where the victim is tricked into uploading trojans onto their computer where they cause damage or obtain sensitive and/or valuable data.  Spyware: This malicious software is designed to enter your computer or other device, gather data about you, and forward it to a third-party without your consent. In December 2022, a U.S. lawmaker predicted spyware hacks of U.S. government employees could be in the hundreds, including diplomats. 31 7F
318

315 Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. (n.d.). Cyber Threats and Advisories. https://www.cisa.gov/topics/cyber-threats-and-advisories 316 Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2022). Cybersecurity. https://www.ready.gov/cybersecurity#:~:text=1%20Accessing%20your%20personal%20computers%2C%20mobile% 20phones%2C%20gaming,services.%205%20Impacting%20transportation%20and%20the%20power%20grid. 317 U.S. Department of Justice. (2022 July). Comprehensive Cyber Review. https://www.justice.gov/media/1232936/dl?inline=
318 Center for Strategic & International Studies. (2023). Significant Cyber Incidents. https://www.csis.org/programs/strategic-technologies-program/significant-cyber-incidents 495
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 Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware used by cyber actors to extort owners of computer systems. Since 2013, ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common. On April 22, 2021, an apparent ransomware attack on the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), paralyzed many of the agency’s computer systems for days.31 8F 319 The hacker group claimed
that it stole 150 gigabytes of data from the transit authority and threatened to post it publicly if VTA does not “cooperate.”
 Malvertising: Malware downloaded to a system when the victim clicks on an affected ad.

Other types of cyber threats include the following:
 Phishing: Malicious email messages that ask users to click a link or download a program.

Phishing attacks may appear as legitimate emails from trusted third parties.  Man in the Middle Attack: Man-in-the-Middle is a type of cyber threat where a cybercriminal intercepts communication between two individuals in order to steal data.  Denial of Service Attacks: These attacks that focus on disrupting service by flooding computer networks and servers with traffic until the network can no longer function.  Advanced Persistent Threat (APT): An attack in which the attacker gains access to a network and remains undetected. APT attacks are designed to steal data instead of cause damage.

With millions of threats created each day, the importance of protection against cyberattacks becomes a necessary function of everyday operations for individuals, government facilities, and businesses. The increasing dependency on technology for vital information storage and the often automated method of infection means higher stakes for the success of measurable protection and education.

Cyberterrorism
Cyberterrorism is the use of computers and information, particularly over the internet, to recruit others to an organization’s cause, cause physical or financial harm, or cause a severe disruption of infrastructure service. Such disruptions can be driven by religious, political, or other motives. Like traditional terrorism tactics, cyberterrorism seeks to evoke very strong emotional reactions, but it does so through information technology rather than a physically violent or disruptive action. Cyberterrorism has three main types of objectives:319F
320

1. Organizational: Cyberterrorism with an organizational objective includes specific functions outside of or in addition to a typical cyber-attack. Terrorist groups today use the internet daily for recruitment, training, fundraising, communication, or planning. Organizationa l cyberterrorism can use platforms such as social media as a tool to spread a message beyond country borders and instigate physical forms of terrorism. Additionally, organizational goals may use systematic attacks as a tool for training new members of a faction in cyber warfare.

2. Undermining: Cyberterrorism with undermining as an objective seeks to hinder the normal functioning of computer systems, services, or websites. Such methods include defacing, denying, and exposing information. While undermining tactics are typically used due to high de pendence on online structures to support vital operational functions, they typically do not result in grave consequences unless undertaken as part of a larger attack. Undermining attacks on computers include the following:

319 The Mercury News. (2021, April 22). VTA Targeted in Apparent Ransomware Attack, Hackers Threaten to Release Trove of Data. https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/04/22/cyberattack-targets-vta-unclear-if-personal- information-breached/
320 INFOSEC. (2012, December 21). Cyberterrorism Defined (as distinct from “Cybercrime”). https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/topic/cyberterrorism-distinct-from-cybercrime/ 496
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a. Directing conventional kinetic weapons against computer equipment, a computer facility, or transmission lines to create a physical attack that disrupts the reliability of equipment. b. Using electromagnetic energy, most commonly in the form of an electromagnetic pulse, to create an electronic attack against computer equipment or data transmissions. By overheating circuitry or jamming communications, an electronic attack disrupts the reli ability of equipment and the integrity of data.
c. Using malicious code directed against computer processing code, instruction logic, or data.

The code can generate a stream of malicious network packets that disrupt data or logic by exploiting vulnerability in computer software, or a weakness in computer s ecurity practices.

This type of cyber-attack can disrupt the reliability of equipment, the integrity of data, and the confidentiality of communications.

3. Destructive: The destructive objective for cyberterrorism is what organizations fear most. Using computer technology and the internet, the terrorists seek to inflict destruction or damage on tangible property or assets, and even death or injury to individuals.

16.2.5 Hazard Profile
Past Events
Previous cyberattacks have occurred against the local government, critical infrastructure, and businesses in the OA. For example, in 2021, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority experienced a ransomware cyberattack, with the intention of obtaining data and disrupting essential services.

The location of Silicon Valley within the OA also makes the area a significant target to major cyberattacks on businesses. In 2022, Nvidia, a major chip manufacturer based in Santa Clara, experienced a cyberattack in which valuable data was stolen. The attackers demanded a ransom to protect Nvidia’s data.

Location
Cyberattacks are local in nature. They can occur from anywhere.

Severity
A cyberattack, even a successful one, could have a minor impact on the victims or it could be catastrophic, depending on the situation.

Warning Time
The severity and timing of cyber threats are impossible to predict. There may be no warning. Some cyber incidents take weeks, months, or even years to be discovered and identified. 32 0F 321
Critical Facilities, Infrastructure, and the Environment Critical facilities and infrastructure are common targets of cyberattacks. There is not expected to be significant environmental impacts.

321 Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2022). Cybersecurity. https://www.ready.gov/cybersecurity#:~:text=1%20Accessing%20your%20personal%20computers%2C%20mobile% 20phones%2C%20gaming,services.%205%20Impacting%20transportation%20and%20the%20power%20grid.. 497
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Future Trends in Development
Future development is unlikely to be significantly influenced by cyber-attacks. However, cyberattacks that could impact larger populations could cause significantly more harm, injury, death, or property damage.

Expanding the local economy also presents additional targets for cyber-attacks.

Cascading Impacts
Cyberattacks can have many cascading impacts depending on the target, timeframe, and success of the attack. As stated in the 2018 State of California Hazard Mitigation Plan, “Computer system failures have the potential to result in cascading hazards such as energy outages, hazardous materials releas e, oil spills, transportation accidents, or dam failure.” 32 1F 322

16.3 Technological Incidents
Technological hazards are associated with human activities such as the manufacture, transportation, storage, and the use of hazardous materials. Incidents related to these hazards are assumed to be accidental with unintended consequences. Given the complex system of transportation networks, the large population, and the number of businesses in California, incidents occur on a regular basis throughout the state, as reported by the news media. Technological hazards can be categorized as follows:
 Hazardous materials incidents
 Transportation incidents
 Pipeline and tank hazards
 Utility failure
Hazardous Materials Incidents
A hazardous material is any substance that is flammable, combustible, corrosive, poisonous, toxic, explosive, or radioactive. Hazardous materials are present across the United States in facilities that produce, store, or use them. For example, water treatment plants use chlorine on-site to eliminate bacterial contaminants, and dry-cleaning businesses may use solvents that contain perchloroethylene.

Even the natural gas used in homes and businesses is a dangerous substance when a leak occurs.

Hazardous materials are transported along interstate highways and railways daily. The following are the most common types of hazardous material incidents:
 Fixed-Facility Hazardous Materials Incident: This is the uncontrolled release of materials from a fixed site capable of posing a risk to health, safety, and property. It is possible to identify and prepare for a fixed-site incident because laws require those facilities to notify state and local authorities about what is being used or produced at the site.  Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident: This is any event resulting in uncontrolled release during transport of materials that can pose a risk to health, safety, and property.

Transportation incidents are difficult to prepare for because there is little if any notice about what materials could be involved should an accident happen. These incidents can occur anywhere, although most occur on major federal or state highways or major rail lines. In addition to materials such as chlorine that are shipped throughout the country by rail, thousands of shipments of radiological materials (mostly medical materials and low-level radioactive waste) take place via ground transportation across the United States.

322 California Office of Emergency Services. (2018). 2018 State of California Hazard Mitigation Plan. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/office-of-the-director/operations/recovery-directorate/hazard-mitigation/state-hazard- mitigation-planning/
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 Many incidents occur in sparsely populated areas and affect few people. However, hazardous materials have been involved in accidents in areas with much higher population densities, as shown in Figure 74.

Figure 75: Highly Populated Areas with Hazardous Material Incidents Within Santa Clara County 322F
323
 Pipeline Hazardous Materials Incident: Numerous natural gas pipelines, heating oil, and petroleum pipelines run through the Santa Clara County OA and surroundings. These are used to provide these products to utilities in the region and to transport the materials from production facilities to end users.

Federal regulations govern the transportation of hazardous materials in all modes of transportation: air, highway, rail, and water (Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations; Transportation, Code of Federal Regulations, Hazardous Materials Regulations). Title 49 CFR lists thousands of hazardous materials, including gasoline, insecticides, household cleaning products, and radioactive materials. California regulated substances that have the greatest probability of adversely impacting the community are listed in state code (Title 19, Division 2, Chapter 4.5, Sections 2735-2785; Hazardous Material Management Plan/Hazardous Material Inventory).

Even though information for 2022 is not complete, it appears that the total number of hazardous material incidents in Santa Clara County has decreased in the last few years. The number of injuries and fatalities has also decreased. The total incidents are outlined in Table 120.

323 National Pipeline Mapping System. (n.d.). NPMS Public Viewer. https://pvnpms.phmsa.dot.gov/PublicViewer/ 499
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Table 120: Santa Clara County Hazardous Materials Spills 2019–20223 23F 324
Year Total
Incidents
Type
Injuries Fatalities Petroleum Chemical Sewage Railroad Railroad Derailment
Vapor Other
2019 196 22 13 27 24 4 9 4 11 12
2020 153 76 11 17 20 2 3 19 10 7
2021 157 70 13 20 20 2 7 18 9 11
2022 87 42 8 14 13 3 3 13 6 8

Santa Clara County has four Certified United Program Agencies that administer hazardous materials, hazardous waste , and underground storage tank programs within their jurisdictions:
 Hazardous Materials Compliance Division of the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health (for all areas of Santa Clara County other than the cities of Santa Clara, Gilroy, and Sunnyvale)  Santa Clara City Fire Department
 Gilroy Building, Life, and Environmental Safety to Community Development Department, Fire Prevention Division  Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety

Participating Agencies are local fire agencies that coordinate their activities under a memorandum of understanding with Sant a Clara County Department of Environmental Health:
 Milpitas Fire Department
 Mountain View Fire Department
 Palo Alto Fire Department
 Santa Clara County Fire Department

324 California Office of Emergency Services. (n.d.). Spill Release Reporting. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/office-of-the-director/operations/response-operations/fire- rescue/hazardous-materials/spill-release-reporting/
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Transportation Incidents
Transportation incidents are those involving air, road or rail travelers resulting in death or serious injury.

The potential for transportation accidents that block movement through the OA is significant, as is the likelihood of hazardous material incidents resulting from a traffic or rail accident.

The Bay Area has a number of airports, including the San Francisco International Airport, Oakland International Airport, and San José International Airport, as well as San Martin Airport and Reid Hillview Airport, which are smaller municipal airports that enhance the potential for an air disaster. Major transportation routes in the OA include the following:
 Major highways include Interstates 880 (Nimitz Freeway) and 280; U.S. Highway 101 and Highway 237; and State Routes 87, 85, and 17.
▪ The 49 miles of light rail serving Santa Clara County is operated by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), which oversees public transit services in the county. The Santa Clara VTA is continuing development for Phase II of its BART Silicon Valley Extension.

The project is planning four stations: 28th Street/Little Portugal Station, Downtown San José Station, Diridon Station, and Santa Clara Station. Construction of Phase II is estimated to carry 54,600 passengers each weekday to destinations throughout the Bay Area by 2040.324F 325
 Amtrak has a train station in San José at Santa Clara University.  The Santa Clara Depot, in the City of Santa Clara, is served by the Caltrain from San Francisco and the Altamont Corridor Express from Stockton.
 The Great America station in the City of Santa Clara hosts Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor trains and Altamont Corridor Express trains. The station is close to Levi’s Stadium and California’s Great America.
 There are 15 Caltrain stations in the OA. Caltrain is a commuter rail between San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
 The Santa Fe railroad has a right of way that parallels U.S. Highway 101 through the eastern edge of the county.
 Daily commuter traffic is very high in the OA due to Silicon Valley’s dense-employment population.

Pipeline Hazards
Approximately 300,000 miles of gas transmission pipelines and 170,000 miles of hazardous liquid pipelines move their products throughout the United States every day. Transmission pipelines connect urban areas, and only occasionally traverse highly populated areas. Numerous natural gas pipelines, heating oil, and petroleum pipelines run through the Santa Clara County OA and surroundings ( see Figure 76).

325 Valley Transportation Authority. (n.d.). VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II. https://www.vta.org/projects/bart-sv/phase-ii
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Figure 76: Gas and Hazardous Liquids Pipelines in Santa Clara County 32 5F 326
Pipeline Systems and Risks
Around 1945, the United States invested in the development of a nation-wide system of pipelines for the purpose of transporting natural gas and petroleum products. Most of these materials are moved by hazardous liquid and gas transport operators through a system of pipelines ranging in diameter from 20 to 42 inches. These pipes reach from the material origin wells to their destination in refineries that further process the material. Although pipelines are the safest and most reliable way to transport natura l gas, crude oil, liquid petroleum products, and chemical products, there is still an inherent risk due to the nature of the hazardous materials.

Transmission pipelines are those that transport raw material for further refinement. These pipes are large and far reaching, operating under high pressure. Distribution pipelines are those that provide processed materials to end users. Distribution pipelines serve homes and businesses and thus are located where people live and work. These are smaller in diameter, some as small as a half an inch, and operate under lower pressure. Because of the extensive reach of the distribution system, incidents have the potential to be far reaching. For example, a pipeline leak may release material into a migration pathway, such as a sewer line, and reach an ignition source far from the location of the actual leak. Due to the far-reaching underground and unpredictable nature of the pipeline failure hazard, it is difficult to gauge the extent to which the hazard affects the Santa Clara County OA. Minor pipe leaks may remain undetected for years until identified during renovation, excavation, or maintenance. In some scenarios, such leaks may go undetected until the severity has increased, resulting in a noticeable smell or, in the worst-case scenario, an explosion.

Incident causes are grouped as follows:
 Corrosion: Incidents caused by galvanic, atmospheric, stray current, microbiological, or other corrosive action.
 Excavation Damage: Incidents resulting directly from excavation damage by operator’s personnel (oftentimes referred to as "first party" excavation damage), by the operator ’s contractor (oftentimes referred to as "second party" excavation damage), or by people or contractors not

326 National Pipeline Mapping System. (n.d.). NPMS Public Viewer. https://pvnpms.phmsa.dot.gov/PublicViewer/ 502
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associated with the operator (oftentimes referred to as "third party" excavation damage). This cause type also includes those incidents determined to have resulted from previous damage due to excavation activity.
 Incorrect Operation: Incidents caused by operating, maintenance, repair, or other errors by facility personnel, including but not limited to improper valve selection or operation, inadvertent over pressurization, or improper selection or installation of equipment.  Material/Weld/Equipment Failure: Incidents in main or service pipe, or in welds, joints, or connections joining main pipe or service pipe due to faulty manufacturing procedures; defects resulting from poor construction, installation, or fabrication practices; and in-service stresses such as vibration, fatigue, and environmental cracking. also included are incidents resulting from equipment failures such as: malfunction of control/relief equipment (valves, regulators, or other instrumentation); failures of the body of equipment, vessel plate, or other material; and all other equipment-related failures.
 Natural Force Damage: Incidents resulting from earth movement, earthquakes, landslides, subsidence, lightning, heavy rains/floods, washouts, flotation, mudslides, scouring, temperature, frost heave, frozen components, high winds, or similar natural causes.  Other Outside Force Damage: Incidents caused by non-excavation-related outside forces, such as fire or explosion; damage by vehicles or other equipment; nearby industry; failures due to mechanical damage; and intentional damage including vandalism and terrorism.

The greatest risk to the public regarding pipelines is the unintended release of a material being transported through the system. These materials are hazardous and have the capability to severely impact the surrounding environment, population, and property. These impacts may lead to severe injury or death. Combustible material transported through these pipelines may ignite or explode. Hazardous liquids may contaminate water systems. Families that rely on the transported material to heat their households may experience disruption of service. Pipeline failures also have the potential to negatively impact the economy, causing business interruptions or severely damaging vital infrastructure.

Depending on the pipeline material, age of the system, and transported product, pipelines may experience one or more general types of corrosion. Table 121 identifies corrosion types and a description of each.

Table 121: Corrosion Type
Corrosion
Type Description
External External corrosion occurs due to environmental conditions on the outside of the pipe.

Internal Corrosion on the internal wall of a natural gas pipeline can occur when the pipe wall is exposed to water and contaminants in the gas, such as O2, H2S, CO2, or chlorides.

Atmospheric Atmospheric corrosion occurs on a steel surface in a thin wet film created by the humidity in the air in combination with impurities.

Stress
Cracking
Stress corrosion cracking is the initiation of cracks and their propagation, possibly up to complete failure of a component, due to the combined action of tensile mechanical loading and a corrosive medium.

Pipeline material plays an important role in the possibility of experiencing a pipeline failure. The main causes for both hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipelines failure are corrosion, material or welding 503
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failure, or damage due to excavation. 3 26F
327 Plastic pipes installed for natural gas distribution systems from the 1960s through the early 1980s may be vulnerable to cracking, resulting in gas leakage and potential hazards to the public. Hundreds of thousands of miles of plastic pipe have been insta lled, with a significant amount installed prior to the mid-1980s. While distribution systems may widely vary in terms of construction material, nearly all transmission pipeline systems are constructed from high -strength steel treated with an anti-corrosive chemical.3 27F
328

Pipeline incidents may lead to severe injury or death. Combustible material transported through these pipelines may ignite or explode. In the case of a spill, the released product becomes a hazard by dispersing in the environment, contaminating water bodies, soil, and potentially affecting people and wildlife. Families that rely on the transported material to heat their households may experience disruption of service. Pipeline failures also have the potential to negatively impact the economy, causing busine ss interruptions or severely damaging vital infrastructure.

Pipelines are monitored by system control and data acquisition systems that measure flow rate, temperature, and pressure. These systems transfer real-time data via satellite from the pipelines to a control center where valves, pumps, and motors are remotely operated. If tampering with a pipeline occurs, an alarm sounds. The ensuing valve reaction is instantaneous, with the alarm system isolating any rupture and setting off a chain reaction that shuts down pipeline pumps and alerts pipeline operators within seconds.

Pipeline Oversight
Pipelines are regulated in California by the Office of the State Fire Marshal Pipeline Safety Division.

CERCLA, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, and California law require responsible parties to report hazardous material releases if certain criteria are met. CERCLA requires that all releases of hazardous substances exceeding reportable quantities be reported by the responsible party to the National Response Center. If an accidental chemical release exceeds the Right -to-Know Act applicable minimal reportable quantity, the facility must notify state emergency response commissions and local emergency planning committees for any area likely to be affected by the release and provide a detailed written follow-up as soon as practicable. Information about accidental chemical releases must be made available to the public.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) serves as the state regulation authority regarding pipeline operations. The CPUC conducts operation and maintenance compliance inspections and accident investigations. It reviews utilities’ reports and records, conducts construction inspections, conducts special studies, and acts in response to complaints and inquiries from the public on issues regarding gas pipeline safety. The CPUC also endorses the system safety approach embodied in feder al government regulations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is responsible for providing federal regulatory oversight of transmission pipelines. The agency ’s Integrity Management Program is a transmission pipeline program started in 2000. This program focuses on regulations for transmission pipelines in high consequence areas, such as pipelines passing through high population centers or particularly sensitive ecological areas.

327 Pipeline Association for Public Awareness. (2023). Pipeline Safety Facts and Statistics. https://pipelineawareness.org/safety-information/pipeline-safety-facts- statistics/#:~:text=According%20to%20government%20and%20industry,failure%2C%20human%20error%20and%20 corrosion.
328 Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. (2023, May 4). Pipeline Safety: Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair. https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2023- 05/Gas%20Pipeline%20Leak%20Detection%20and%20Repair%20NPRM%20-%20May%202023.pdf 504
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The Integrity Management Program specifies how pipeline operators must identify, prioritize, assess, repair, and validate the integrity of their pipelines through comprehensive analysis.

PHMSA’s 2005 Distribution Integrity Management Program Phase One report found a lack of risk-based assessment in managing distribution pipeline systems. A guidance document was developed to assist operators in deciding what actions are needed to comply with standards of the distribution integrity management program. 3 28F
329

In 2002, PHMSA released control guidelines for gas leakage. The guidelines included a regulatory classification for leakage severity, as shown in Table 122.

Table 122: Leak Classifications
Grade Description Examples Action Criteria
1 A leak that represents an
existing or probable
hazard to persons or
property and requires
immediate repair or
continuous action until the
conditions are no longer
hazardous.

Any leak which, in the
judgment of operating
personnel at the scene is
regarded as an immediate
hazard.

Escaping gas that has
ignited.

Any indication of gas which
has migrated into or under a
building or into a tunnel.

Any reading at the outside
wall of a building or where
gas would likely migrate to
an outside wall of a building.

Any leak that can be seen,
heard, or felt and which is in
any location that may
endanger the general public
or property.

Requires prompt action to protect
life and property. Action may
require one or more of the
following:
 Implementing a company
emergency plan
 Evacuating premises
 Blocking off an area
 Rerouting traffic
 Eliminating sources of ignition
 Venting the area
 Stopping the flow of gas by
closing valves or other means
 Notifying police and fire
departments
2 A leak that is recognized
as being non-hazardous
at the time of detection,
but requires scheduled
repair based on probable
future hazard.

Any leak which, under
frozen or other adverse soil
conditions, would likely
migrate to the outside wall of
a building (Note: This type of
Grade 2 leak must be
repaired ahead of seasonal
freeze/thaw conditions).

Any leak which, in the
judgment of operating
Leaks should be repaired or
cleared within one calendar year
but no later than 15 months from
the date they were reported. In
determining the repair priority,
criteria such as the following
should be considered:

329 Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. (2005). Gas Distribution Integrity Management Program (DIMP) Integrity Management for Gas Distribution: Report of Phase 1 Investigations.https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/dimp-integrity-management- gas-distribution-report-of-phase-1-investigations-2005
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Grade Description Examples Action Criteria
personnel at the scene, is of
sufficient magnitude to
justify scheduled repair.
 Amount and migration of gas
 Proximity of gas to buildings
and subsurface elements
 Extent of pavement
 Soil type and soil conditions
such as frost cap, moisture,
and natural venting
3 A leak that is non-
hazardous at the time of
detection and can be
reasonably expected to
remain non-hazardous.

Because petroleum gas is
heavier than air and will
collect in low areas
instead of dissipating, few
leaks can safely be
classified as
Grade 3.

Any reading under a street
in areas without wall-to-wall
paving where it is unlikely
the gas could migrate to the
outside wall of a building.

These leaks should be re-
evaluated during the next
scheduled survey, or within 15
months of the date reported,
whichever occurs first, until the
leak is re-graded or no longer
results in a reading.

Source: PHMSA, 2002

16.3.2 Hazard Profile
Past Events
PHMSA records of natural gas pipeline events in the State of California do not include any events in Santa Clara County. The Bay Area has not experienced a hazardous materials release event with a regional impact. Hazardous material releases are often localized due to the limited release of such events.329F
330
Location
All technological hazards including hazardous materials incidents, transportation incidents, pipeline hazards, and power failure are local in nature, but may cross jurisdictional lines.

Severity
The impact of leaks or spills of hazardous materials on the environment depends on the scale of the incident, the materials involved and the location of the spill. Spills along the California coast are well documented.

Warning Time
There is rarely any warning time before a leak or spill of hazardous materials. Explosions or fires associated with pipeline incidents can occur instantly and escalate quickly.

330 California Office of Emergency Services. (2018). 2018 State of California Hazard Mitigation Plan. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/office-of-the-director/operations/recovery-directorate/hazard-mitigation/state-hazard- mitigation-planning/
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Critical Facilities and Infrastructure
It is unlikely that an oil spill will have a direct impact on most critical facilities and infrastructure. An important exception would be an oil spill near the intake of a water treatment plant, a power plant that uses water for cooling, or an industrial facility that uses water in its processing.

Environment
The impact of leaks or spills of hazardous materials on the environment depends on the scale of the incident, the materials involved and the sensitivity of the spill location. Spills can impact air quality, waterways, fish, and wildlife as well as damage habits.

Future Trends in Development
The anticipated additional development in the county’s urban areas, which are already near the pipelines (see Figure 75), will increase the number of people and businesses exposed to this hazard.

Cascading Impacts
Cascading impacts associated with the pipeline hazard include:
 Urban structure fires;
 Public health consequences for pipeline failures; and  Potential significant environmental impacts both long and short term, depending on the pipeline location.

16.3.3 Utility Failure, Power Outages, and Public Safety Power Shutoff Utility Failure
Utility failure is defined as any interruption or loss of utility service due to disruption of service transmission caused by accident, sabotage, natural hazards, or equipment failure. A significant utility failure is defined as any incident of a long duration, which would require the involvement of the local and/or state emergency management organizations to coordinate provision of food, water, heating, cooling, and shelter. Widespread outages can occur without warning or as a result of a forecasted event.

Generally, warning times are short in the case of utility failure. In cases where a failure is caused by natural hazards, greater warning time is possible.

Except for the cities of Palo Alto and Santa Clara, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) is responsible for operating and maintaining the electrical transmission and distribution system in the OA. The utility supplies electricity to an approximate population of 1.7 million residential and business customers in 1,260 square miles of the OA. PG&E has both overhead and underground lines throughout the OA. The Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority was created to help generate electricity from clean sources in the OA and currently serves 270,000 residents and businesses.

Wastewater and potable water utility restoration are essential to community continuity and recovery.

Interruption of these services may have cascading economic and environmental impacts.

Utility failure can cause cascading impacts including:
 Chemical accidents can occur after power is restored to industrial facilities. Power interruptions at chemical handling plants are of particular concern because of the potential for a chemical spill during restart (EPA, 2001).
 Without proper procedures for backup of data and systems, the loss of data, systems, and telecommunications is a risk incurred by utility failure. Data and telecommunications provide a primary method for service to the community by the government and the p rivate sector. A loss of 507
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data or a system could result in loss of emergency dispatch capabilities, emergency planning services, infrastructure monitoring capabilities, access to statistical data, and loss of financial and personnel records. Loss of communication capability by first responders could have negative impacts on public safety. Backup systems such as amateur radio operators may be required during disaster to augment communications capabilities. Power outages can also lead to instances of civil disturbance, including looting.

Power Outages
Power outages are defined as any electrical system failure due to an unplanned disruption of service transmission caused by natural hazards, cyber-attacks, transportation accidents, accidental construction- related damage, sabotage, equipment failure or an intentional interruption through rolling blackouts or power shutoffs.

A significant outage is an incident of a long duration, which would require the involvement of the local and/or state emergency management organizations to coordinate provision of food, water, heating, cooling, and shelter. Widespread outages can occur without warning or as a result of a forecasted event.

Generally, warning times are short in the case of utility failure. In cases where a failure is caused by natural hazards, greater warning time is possible. In the OA, electric power is provided to the cities by ten utilities, as shown in Table 123.

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Table 123: Electric Providers in Santa Clara County 3 3 0F 331
Jurisdiction
Commercial
Energy of
California
Freedom
Energy
Hudson
Energy
Pacific
Gas and
Electric
Company
Palo Alto
Utilities
Pilot
Power
Group
Public
Power &
Utility of
Maryland
San José
Clean
Energy
Silicon
Valley
Power
StateWise
Energy
Campbell 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Cupertino 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Gilroy 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Los Altos 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Los Altos
Hills

14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Los Gatos 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Milpitas 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Monte
Sereno

14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Morgan Hill 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Mountain
View

14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Palo Alto 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% 90.88% 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% San José 12.52% 12.52% 12.52% 12.52% 12.52% 12.52% 12.52% 12.38% 12.52% 12.52% Santa Clara 49.92% 50.08%
Saratoga 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% Sunnyvale 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29% 14.29%

331 Find Energy LLC. (2022 August 9). Santa Clara County, California Electricity Rates and Statistics. https://findenergy.com/ca/santa-clara-county-electricity/#city- coverage
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16.3.4 Hazard Profile
Public Safety Power Shutoff
In 2012, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ruled that the California Public Utility Code gives electric utilities the authority to shut off electric power to protect public safety, since power supply systems have the potential to ignite wildfires.

These shutoffs typically end within 24 hours after the weather conditions have subsided but may extend beyond the 24-hour timeframe, depending on conditions. An extended power outage due to a power shutoff, is likely to have the same impacts on a community as described above for an unplanned power outage.

Past Events
The California Public Utilities Commission collects and compiles data on public safety power shutoffs Their records from 2019 through October 2021 show that the number of days with power shutoffs anywhere in the system has increased each year (see Table 124).

Table 124: Power Shutoffs Statewide 331F
332
Year
Calendar Days
with a Power
Shutoff
Anywhere in
California
Power Shutoff Duration
Shortest Longest
2019 26 0 days, 1 hr., 19 min. 5 days, 21 hr., 0 min.
2020 31 0 days, 0 hr., 16 min. 5 days, 10 hr., 32 min.
2021 (through 10/22/21) 42 0 days, 2 hr., 52 min. 4 days, 18 hr., 38 min.

Location
Each power shutoff is linked to a specific circuit, but on many days, multiple circuits experience shutdowns, resulting in widespread power outages. Power loss from other causes is typically limited to local areas but could also affect larger regions.

Severity
The severity of power loss of any type relates to the number of days without power and the situation of the population and businesses without power. A 16-minute power loss is not significant to most, but to a person with a critical electrical medical device the loss would be severe. A loss of power for four days would be considered severe by all.

332 Union of Concerned Scientists. (2022, February 2). California Utilities Shut Off Power for Fewer People, But Too Many Are Still in the Dark. https://blog.ucsusa.org/mark-specht/california-utilities-shut-off-power-for-fewer-people-but- too-many-are-still-in-the-dark/
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Warning Time
Warning time for power outages will depend on the cause. An outage caused by hitting a distribution line or by an accident at a substation will occur without warning. However, an outage caused by weather conditions may come with some advance notice. Public safety power shutoffs are intended to provide adequate warning time.

Critical Facilities and Infrastructure
The impact of power outage on the facilities themselves is likely to be minimal but disruption of critical services would be significant.

Environment
The impact of power outage on the environment is unlikely but not impossible.

Future Trends in Development
In a growing community, more people and more businesses mean more are inconvenienced and/or negatively impacted by power outages.

Cascading Impacts
A county or city in the dark because of a power outage or shutdown could see an increase in crime.

Other impacts could include the following:
 Individuals would not have use of power-dependent medical equipment.  Chemical accidents can occur after power is restored to industrial facilities. Power interruptions at chemical handling plants are of particular concern because of the potential for a chemical spill during restart. 3 32F
333
 Disrupting communications.
 Without proper procedures for backup of data and systems, the loss of data, systems, and telecommunications is a risk incurred by power outages. Data and telecommunications provide a primary method for service to the community by the government and the private sector. A loss of data or a system could result in loss of emergency dispatch capabilities, emergency planning services, infrastructure monitoring capabilities, access to statistical data, and loss of financial and personnel records. Loss of communication capability by first responders could have negative impacts on public safety. Backup systems such as amateur radio operators may be required during disasters to augment communications capabilities.  Closing retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks, and other services.  Causing food spoilage and water contamination.
 Discomfort for those living without heat or without cooling during the outage.  Power outages can also lead to instances of civil disturbance, including looting.

333 Environmental Protection Agency. (2021, February). Risk of Chemical Accidents During Process Startup. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/documents/ncistartupsafety-enforcementalert.pdf 511
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16.4 Epidemic and Pandemic
An outbreak occurs when there are more cases of a particular disease than expected in each area, or among a specific group of people, over a particular period of time. Epidemic has a similar definition, but generally refers to when a larger number of people or larger geographic area are experiencing an outbreak. In an outbreak or epidemic, it is presumed that the cases are related to one another or that they have a common cause. 333F
334 A pandemic then refers to an epidemic which has spread over a large area such as an entire country, or even a continent, usually affecting a larger number of people.

The Santa Clara County Department of Public Health is responsible for protecting and improving the health of the community within the OA. The public health department responds to public health related emergencies and disasters and supports field responders at medical and rescue incidents. The OA has numerous health care facilities within its borders, including the following:
 The Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital in Stanford  El Camino Hospital in Mountain View
 Santa Clara Medical Center, in Santa Clara
 Good Samaritan Hospital in San José
 Kaiser Permanente San José Medical Center
 Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford

The following sections describe commonly recognized human health hazards that are a concern in the OA.

COVID-19
In late 2019, patients were reported exhibiting symptoms of an abnormal flu-like illness. The initial outbreak rapidly expanded across the world over the next few months and became known as COVID -19, a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a type of coronavirus. The disease spreads from person- to-person, usually through close contact such as when someone in conversat ional distance coughs, sneezes, speaks, sings, or breathes.334F
335 The disease can also spread through the air in congested areas where people tend to conjugate and through touching surfaces contaminated by the virus.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fevers, chills, and sore throat. Other symptoms include muscle aches, severe fatigue or tiredness, headache, new and persistent cough, shortness of breath, and loss or change of sense of taste or smell. Symptoms usually begin within 5-6 days from the time of exposure.

However, some people with the disease remain asymptomatic. It is believed that some asymptomatic people may have been able to transmit the disease to others, but further research is needed. Everyone is able to be infected although older people, people with pre-existing conditions, and people who are pregnant are more likely to be infected or have a serious infection.

By March 4, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency to make additional resources available, formalize emergency actions already underway across multiple state agencies and departments, and help the state prepare for broader spread of COVID-19. The proclamation came as the number of positive California cases rose and following one official COVID-19 death. Since then, cases

334 Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Lesson 1: Introduction to Epidemiology. https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson1/section11.html 335 World Health Organization. (December 2021). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): How is it transmitted? https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus- disease-covid-19-how-is-it-
transmitted?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_oSJxvnq_gIVFdiGCh2sYQe4EAAYASAAEgJByfD_BwE 512
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continued to rise and over 1.1 million people died of COVID-19 in the United States alone. Measures were implemented to reduce the rapid spread including social distancing, mandatory testing, and isolation and quarantine policies.

Figure 77 illustrates the course of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County from onset through January 2023. As this plan is being prepared, the California COVID-19 State of Emergency ended on February 28, 2023, and the COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency is scheduled to end on May 11, 2023.

Figure 77: Santa Clara COVID Cases 2020–2023335F
336
Almost 7,000 cases of COVID-19 per day were recorded across the county at the peak of the pandemic, as shown in Table 125, but the percentages of each city’s population that were infected ranged from 9.6% in Monte Sereno to 37.3% in Gilroy.

336 Santa Clara County Public Health. (2023). COVID Cases and Deaths Dashboard. https://covid19.sccgov.org/dashboard-cases-and-deaths
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Table 125: COVID-19 Cases Countywide and by City of Residence 3 36F 337
County/City Cases Population Rate City Cases Population Rate Santa Clara
Countya
496,338 1,885,508 26.3% Monte Sereno 331 3,492 9.5%
Campbell 10,005 42,470 23.6% Morgan Hill 13,696 43,876 31.2% Cupertino 8,523 60,614 14.1% Mountain
View
13,885 80,993 17.1%
Gilroy 20,715 55,525 37.3% Palo Alto 10,714 67,019 16.0% Los Altos 4,913 30,588 16.1% San José 285,709 1,026,658 27.8% Los Altos
Hills
1,231 8,517 14.5% Santa Clara 27,388 126,209 21.7%
Los Gatos 6,805 30,922 22.0% Saratoga 4,540 30,886 14.7% Milpitas 17,293 77,457 22.3% Sunnyvale 27,079 152,323 17.8% a Countywide total (includes city cases).

The spread and scope of COVID-19 was more than sufficient for it to be declared a pandemic. The only comparable outbreak in modern times could be the 1918 flu pandemic which affected an estimated one third of the world’s population. The two pandemics shared similar characteristics; their exact origins are unknown, it took multiple years for the diseases to run their course, and they required significant local, regional, and global efforts to respond and recover from.

Today, COVID-19 still represents a series threat however, some of that threat has been mitigated by the development of COVID testing capabilities and vaccines. COVID vaccines have been shown to effectively decrease the severity and likelihood of infection. COVID-19 is expected to be endemic, meaning that it will remain present in certain parts of the world with relatively low spread except for occasional outbreaks.

For this reason, it will continue to be a challenge that public health professionals will hav e to prepare for and respond to. There are still many unknowns about the disease as well. One significant threat is being referred to as “long COVID” or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC). Some people who develop the disease are experiencing long-term symptoms that continue or develop after the initial infection. These symptoms can include a wide range of problems including tiredness, fatigue, fever, difficulty breathing, coughing, difficulty thinking of concentrating, and more. While scientists work to develop ef fective treatment, the public, government, and private sector should be aware of this poorly understood condition .337F 338
Disease Outbreaks
In addition to COVID-19, there have been other major disease outbreaks within Santa Clara County since 2018 (see Table 126).338F
339

337 Santa Clara County Public Health. (2023). COVID Cases and Deaths Dashboard. https://covid19.sccgov.org/dashboard-cases-and-deaths
338 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (December 2022). Long COVID. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-
effects/index.html?s_cid=11841:%2Blong%20%2Bcovid:sem.b:p:RG:GM:gen:PTN:FY23 339 California Office of Emergency Services. (2023). California State Hazard Mitigation Plan – Part 3. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/Hazard-Mitigation/Documents/California-SHMP_PublicReview_Vol1- Part3.pdf
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Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by certain bacteria (called Borrelia burgdorferi) that can spread from the bite of an infected western blacklegged tick. Lyme disease may start as a mild illness that begins 3 to 30 days after a tick bite and might easily be mistaken for other common illnesses like a cold or flu. Signs and symptoms also can include a red, painless rash that may spread over time. If Lyme disease is not treated, it might develop into more severe health problems. 339F 340
Valley Fever
Valley fever (also called coccidioidomycosis or “cocci”) is a disease caused by a fungus that grows in the soil and dirt in some areas of California and the southwestern United States. People and animals can get sick when they breathe in dust that contains the Valley fever fungus. This fungus usually infects the lungs and can cause respiratory symptoms including cough, fever, chest pain, and tiredness. 340F 341
West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne disease that was first detected in the United States in 1999. WNV first appeared in California in 2003, and by 2004, WNV had spread to all 58 counties. In 2022, there was one human case, 26 dead birds and 23 mosquito samples taken. 341F 342

Risk of infection is reduced through the coordinated efforts of local and state public health and vector control agencies. People can protect themselves from WNV by taking precautions to prevent mosquito bites.3 42F
343
Table 126: Disease Outbreaks Identified in Santa Clara County, 2018–202234 3F 344
Disease Outbreaks 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
COVID-19 x x x
Lyme Disease x x
Valley Fever x x x x x
West Nile Virus x x x x
Other Diseases of Concern
Influenza
Epidemics of the flu typically occur in the fall and winter. Because flu seasons fluctuate in length and severity, a single estimate cannot be used to summarize influenza-associated deaths. Figure 78 depicts the weekly percentage of emergency department visits for influenza-like illness in Santa Clara County by influenza season. The most recent reports are for February 22, 2023.

340 California Department of Public Health. (n.d.) Lyme Disease. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/LymeDisease.aspx 341 California Department of Public Health. (n.d.). What is Valley Fever? https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/pages/Coccidioidomycosis.aspx 342 California Department of Public Health. (n.d.) 2022 West Nile Virus Activity in California. West Nile. https://westnile.ca.gov/
343California Department of Public Health. (n.d.) West Nile Virus. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/WestNileVirus.aspx 344 California Department of Public Health. (n.d.) Diseases and Conditions. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/allDiseases.aspx
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Figure 78: Weekly Percentage of Emergency Department Visits for Influenza-Like Illness in Santa Clara County, 2019, to February 22, 2023 34 4F 345
H1N1
In April 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a health advisory on an outbreak of influenza- like illness caused by a new subtype of influenza A (A/H1N1) in Mexico and the United States. The disease spread rapidly, and in June the WHO declared an H1N1 pandemic, marking the first global pandemic since the 1968 Hong Kong flu. In October, the U.S. declared H1N1 a national emergency. In August 2010, the WHO declared an end to the pandemic globally. H1N1 viruses and seasonal influenza viruses are co-circulating in many parts of the world. It is likely that the 2009 H1N1 virus will continue to spread for years to come, like a regular seasonal influenza virus.

H5N1/H7N9
The highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus is an influenza A subtype that occurs mainly in birds, causing high mortality among birds and domestic poultry. Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 among poultry and wild birds are ongoing in a number of countries.

H5N1 virus infections of humans are rare, and most cases have been associated with direct poultry contact during poultry outbreaks. Rare cases of limited human-to-human spread of H5N1 virus may have occurred, but there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission. Nonetheless, because all influenza viruses have the ability to change and mutate, scientists are concerned that H5N1 viruses one day could be able to infect humans more easily and spread more easily from one person to another, potentially causing another pandemic.

345 Santa Clara County Public Health. (2023). Influenza Report. https://publichealthproviders.sccgov.org/diseases/influenza/influenza-report 516
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While the H5N1 virus does not now infect people easily, infection in humans is much more serious when it occurs than is infection with H1N1. More than half of people reported infected with H5N1 have died.

Infections in humans and poultry by a new avian influenza A virus (H7N9) continue to be occasionally.

The last outbreak was in 2017 in China. Another case was reported in Malaysia. While mild illness in human cases has been seen, most patients have had severe respiratory illness, and some have died.

Source investigation by Chinese authorities is ongoing. Many of the people infected with H7N9 reportedly have had contact with poultry. However, some cases reportedly have not had such contact. Close contacts of confirmed H7N9 patients are being followed to determine whether any human-to- human spread of H7N9 is occurring. No sustained person-to-person spread of the H7N9 virus has been found at this time. However, based on previous experience with avian flu viruses, some limited human - to-human spread of this the virus would not be surprising.

As of the time of this writing, there is currently an outbreak of avian flu in birds. Over 58 million birds have been impacted, primarily in North and South Dakota 3 45F 346. Santa Clara County has not reported any cases
of avian influenza. The first case of influenza A (H5N1) in humans was reported in the U.S. in April 2022.

Despite the unlikely transmission of the bird flu to humans, the CDC still recommends preventative measures for those exposed to infected birds. No cases of H7N9 have been detected in people in the United States.

Smallpox
Smallpox is a sometimes-fatal infectious disease. There is no specific treatment, and the only prevention is vaccination. Symptoms include raised bumps on the face and body of an infected person. The oldest evidence of smallpox was found on the body of Pharaoh Ramses V of Egypt who died in 1157 BC.

Outbreaks have occurred from time to time for thousands of years, but the disease is now eradicated after a successful worldwide vaccination program. The last case of smallpox in the United States was in 1949. The last naturally occurring case in the world was in Somalia in 1977. As of the publication of this document, there are no cases of smallpox in the world. Currently only two locations in the world have samples of smallpox: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta and the Ivanovsky Institute of Virology in Russia.

After the disease was eliminated, routine vaccination among the general public was stopped. Therefore, any cases of smallpox in the world would be considered an immediate international emergency. In 2003, the Wisconsin Division of Public Health conducted an investigation of state residents who became ill after having contact with prairie dogs. The cases appeared in May and June of 2003, and symptoms in the human cases included fever, cough, pox-like rash and swollen lymph nodes. CDC laboratory test results indicated that the cause of the human illness was Monkeypox, an orthopox virus that could be transmitted by prairie dogs. This outbreak, and the potential use of smallpox as a weapon of bioterrorism, brought the fear of smallpox back to the forefront of the population. A detailed nationwide smallpox response plan created at the end of 2002 is designed to quickly contain a potential outbreak and vaccinate the population.

346 U.S. Department of Agriculture. (May 2023). 2022-2023 Confirmations of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial and Backyard Flocks. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease- information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks 517
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Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a group of illnesses caused by several distinct families of viruses.

VHF describes a multisystem syndrome (multiple systems in the body are affected). Characteristically, the overall vascular system is damaged and the body’s ability to regulate itself is impaired. These symptoms are often accompanied by hemorrhage (bleeding); however, the bleeding itself is rarely life - threatening.

While some types of hemorrhagic fever viruses can cause relatively mild illnesses, many ca use severe, life-threatening disease.

The viruses that cause VHFs are distributed over much of the globe. However, because each virus is associated with one or more particular host species, the virus and the disease it causes are usually seen only where the host species live. Some hosts, such as the rodent species carrying several of the New World arenaviruses, live in geographically restricted areas. Therefore, the risk of getting VHFs caused by these viruses is restricted to those areas. Other hosts range over continents, such as the rodents that carry viruses that cause the Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in North and South America, or the rodents that carry viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Europe and Asia.

Ebola
The 2014 Ebola virus outbreak was unprecedented in geographical reach and impact on health care systems across the globe. This was the largest and deadliest Ebola virus outbreak ever recorded. It was the first time the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Mali, and Senegal saw the virus. Ebola is more common in Central African countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, where it was first discovered in 1976. It was also the first time that Ebola made it to the United States and Europe, prompting world-wide preparedness and response efforts. The outbreak was closely monitored, and traveler screenings were developed for those returning from West Africa.

In August 2014 two U.S. healthcare workers returned to the United States for treatment for Ebola. The case that most impacted the health care system in the United States was a patient diagnosed with Ebola in Dallas, Texas who died due to Ebola in October 2014. The nurse who provided care for him later tested positive for Ebola. This caused responses across the country from hospitals, emergency medical teams, fire departments and public health agencies to enhance isolation precautions, develop emergency policies, train with personal protective equipment, and conduct multi-agency emergency exercises in case the spread of Ebola became a pandemic.

Before the 2014 outbreak, only 2,200 cases of Ebola had been recorded and 68 percent were fatal.

Twenty percent of new Ebola infections were linked to burial traditions in which family and community members wash and touch dead bodies before burial. In Guinea, 60 percent of Ebola infections were linked to traditional burial practices.

Plague
Plague is a potentially fatal infectious disease of animals and humans caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium. People usually get plague from being bitten by a flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an infected animal. Today, modern antibiotics are effective against plague, but if an infected person is not treated promptly, the disease is likely to cause illness or death.

Plague is an ancient disease but outbreaks throughout the world continue. Major plague epidemics occurred in the middle of the sixth century in Egypt, Europe, and Asia; during the 14th century in Europe, following caravan routes; in the 18th century in Austria and the Balkans; and in the late 19th century worldwide (but mostly in China and India). Manchuria in 1910–1911 witnessed about 60,000 deaths due to pneumonic plague with a repeat in 1920–1921. A minor outbreak occurred as recently as the summer of 1994 in Surat, India, closely following an earthquake in September 1993. Globally, the WHO reports 1,000 to 3,000 cases of plague every year.

In North America, plague is found in certain animals and their fleas from the Pacific Coast to the Great Plains, and from southwestern Canada to Mexico. The last urban plague epidemic in the United States 518
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occurred in Los Angeles in 1924–25. Since then, human plague in the U.S. has occurred as mostly scattered cases in rural areas (an average of 10 to 15 persons each year per the CDC). Most human cases in the United States occur in northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, southern Colorado, California, southern Oregon, and far western Nevada.

Zika Virus
Zika is a disease transmitted by yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). An Aedes mosquito can only transmit Zika virus after it bites a person who has this virus in their blood. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild, with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito. People usually do not get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they rarely die from the Zika virus. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected. However, Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly (abnormally small head and brain), as well as other severe fetal brain defects. Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections. Zika virus is not spread through casual contact but can be spread by infected men to their sexual partners. There is a growing association between Zika and Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a disease affecting the nervous system.

The mosquitos that carry Zika are not native to California and from 2015 to the publishing of this document, there has been no local mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus in California. 34 6F 347 However,
infestations have been reported in multiple counties in California. Most cases were documented in people who were infected while traveling outside the United States. The CDC maintains a list of countries where zika has been reported. Required reporting for Zika in California began in 2016. These numbers may be underestimated given multiple factors, including the fact many people are asymptomatic. Currently, the represent a decrease in cases in Santa Clara County. Thirty-six cases were reported from 2015 to 2016, 14 in 2017, 8 in 2018, 3 in 2019, and no cases since.

16.4.2 Hazard Profile
Location
These diseases are a worldwide threat, occasionally increasing in severity in some locations. Areas with higher concentrations of vulnerable populations are more likely to experience a serious outbreak.

Severity
The severity can range from very localized, in just case of just a few infected, to severe with widespread infection and complications. Widespread sickness and loss of life have resulted from the COVID -19 Pandemic. The most recent totals available as this plan is being written show a total of 496,338 confirmed cases and 2,714 deaths in Santa Clara County.

Warning Time
The first human cases of the diseases discussed in this MJHMP appeared with very little warning, as did the start of recent outbreaks. Air travel radically increases the speed at which disease spreads around the world. Today’s communication does provide warning to local communities of diseases which could be a problem for them in the future.

347 The Mercury News. (2016, March). Four Zika virus cases reported in Bay Area. https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/03/03/four-zika-virus-cases-reported-in-bay-area/ 519
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Critical Facilities and Infrastructure
No direct impact is expected on the facilities, but the operation of medical-related facilities can and have been overwhelmed. The operation of critical infrastructure can be impacted by employee absence due to illness.

Environment
Epidemic, pandemic, and vector-borne diseases can be directly or indirectly tied to environmental impacts. Air pollution in California dropped suddenly during the COVID-19 lockdown between March 19 and May 7, 2020. Changes in the environment, due to human stressors or climate change, may increase vector-borne diseases and drive disease emergence in wildlife which could be transmitted to humans .3 47F 348
Future Trends in Development
Future development in Santa Clara County is not anticipated to have any direct impact on the risk of epidemic/pandemic disease. There could be an indirect impact from the development of buildable lands in that the population that could be exposed to this hazard would be increased. However, no direct impact is expected.

Cascading Impacts
In general, cascading impacts are not anticipated. A widespread pandemic like COVID -19 could threaten global supply chains and the local economy due to disruptions, delays, and shutdowns due to preventative employee health measures and lack of healthy workers.

16.5 Fog
The National Weather Service describes nine types of fog. 34 8F 349 Fog in the Santa Clara County OA has
different origins depending on the time of year. In summer, fog forms when warm, moist, and stable air is blown across a cooler surface (land or water). The air temperature falls until the dew point is reached and condensation occurs. Fog typically occurs in the Bay Area in June, July, and August. It is usually foggy in the morning, with fog burning off as the temperatures rise.

In winter, fog typically originates from the Great Valley. Radiation (ground) fog forms in the moist regions of the Sacramento River Delta and arrives to the region via Suisun and San Pablo Bays and San Francisco Bays on cool easterly winds. While this type of fog is less frequent than summer fog, appearing one winter and not again for years, it is typically denser and more likely to lead to significantly reduced visibility.3 49F
350

The fog typical for the San Francisco Bay Area is known as advection fog. This type of fog forms when warm, moist, and stable air is blown across a cooler surface (land or water). The air temperature falls until the dew point is reached and condensation occurs. Fog typically occurs in the Bay Area in the June, July , and August. It is usually foggy in the morning, with fog burning off as the temperatures rise.

348 Semenza JC, Rocklöv J, Ebi KL. (May 2022). Climate Change and Cascading Risks from Infectious Disease. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9334478/
349 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). National Weather Service Glossary. https://w1.weather.gov/glossary/index.php?word=fog
350 L.A. Times. (n.d.). Inside the return of Tule fog in California’s Central Valley. https://www.latimes.com/projects/return-tule-fog-california-central-valley 520
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16.5.1 Hazard Profile
Past Events
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Storm Events Database reports 5 events of dense fog since the last plan update. Dense fog means the visibility was limited to a quarter of a mile or less.

However, this database does not account for the more common fog events in the OA, which typically occur in the morning when the temperatures are cool, and the relative humidity is high.

Location, Frequency, and Warning Time
Fog can occur almost anywhere during any season and is classified based on how it forms, which is related to where it forms. Certain seasons are more likely to have foggy days or nights based on a number of factors, including topography, nearby bodies of water, and wind conditions. Fog can form overnight. Local National Weather Service offices issue a Dense Fog Advisory when widespread dense fog develops. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has implemented a fog detection and warning system that uses speed and visibility detectors to assess road conditions, traffic management software to process data and control the field devices, and changeable message signs to provide information to the traveling public. 3 50F
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Severity
Heavy fog is particularly hazardous when it reduces visibility to ¼ mile or less. Although fog seems like a minor hazard, it can have significant impacts. Severe fog incidents can close roads, cause vehicle accidents, cause airport delays, and impair the effectiveness of emergency response. The California Highway Patrol records and news reports describe highway accidents, many with serious injuries or deaths, due to low visibility in dense fog. Many of those accidents involve chain reaction crashes including recent crashes in Santa Clara County. Financial losses associated with transportation delays caused by fog have not been calculated in the United States, but it is likely to be substantial.

Critical Facilities and Infrastructure
Critical facilities and infrastructure in the Santa Clara County OA would only be impacted indirectly by the fog hazard.

Environment
In the context of the MJHMP Update, fog is considered to be a hazard, but fog plays a key role in California’s ecosystems and agricultural sector.

Future Trends in Development
As more lands are developed in the Santa Clara County OA and more people use the area ’s highways, the fog hazard’s impact will increase.

Cascading Impacts
Potential cascading impacts of dense fog involve delays in response to all other hazard events in the vicinity and relate to highway accidents, some of which could involve hazardous materials.

351 Berman, M., Liu, J., and Justison, L. (2009). Caltrans Fog Detection and Warning System. https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/27652
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Scenario
The worst-case scenario for the fog hazard is probably the situation today. The negatives of delays, inconvenience, and potential traffic accidents are clear. Increases in temperatures in the Santa Clara County OA and likely related decreases in fog could have a more long-term negative impact on the environment and agriculture.

16.6 Identified Needs
This assessment of the other hazards of interest led to identification of the following needs throughout the Santa Clara County OA:
 Continue regular and redundant emergency preparedness training for field level responders (police, fire, and public works) and public information staff in order to respond quickly in the event of a disaster associated with the identified hazards of interest. Enhance awareness training for all local government employees to recognize threats or suspicious activity in order to prevent an incident from occurring.
 Continue all facets of hazardous materials team training and response through commitment of resources from the Environmental Health Department, local fire departments, and potential funding through homeland security budgets.
 Continue to improve response times for public safety throughout the Santa Clara County OA so as to reduce exposure to human-caused incidents. Maintain appropriate staffing levels of public safety personnel to address vulnerabilities identified in this section.  Continue to implement the hazardous materials business plan with enhancements, as warranted by the type of uses in the Santa Clara County OA and innovative technologies in preventing hazardous materials incidents.
 Continue to work proactively with industrial businesses regarding placards and labeling of containers, emergency plans and coordination, standardized response procedures, and notification of the types of materials being transported through the Santa Clara County OA. On at least an annual basis, conduct random inspections of transporters as allowed by the business; install mitigating techniques at critical locations; implement routine hazard communication initiatives; enhance security along the transportation corridors; and continuously look to the use of safer alternative products to conduct all business and transportation operations.  Participate in regional, state, and federal efforts to gather terrorism information at all levels and keep public safety officials briefed at all times regarding any local threats. Further develop response capabilities based on emerging threats.
 Commit support to the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative by dedicating fire, emergency medical services, emergency management grant managers, and police personnel to the program as funded with Homeland Security grants.
 Participate in the Cal OES Disaster Resistant California annual conference and other training sessions sponsored by regional, state, and federal agencies.  Use Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design in future planning efforts as well as enhancing existing infrastructure and buildings to prevent or mitigate human -cause incidents.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design is an urban planning design process that integrates crime prevention with neighborhood design and community development. The process is based on the theory that the proper design and effective use of the built environment can reduce crime and the fear of crime and improve the quality of life. It creates an environment where the physical characteristics, building layout, and site planning allow inhabitants to become key agents in ensuring their own security.
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 Participate in regional training exercises per the requirements of Homeland Security Presidential Directive #8 in support of national preparedness. These training exercises may be sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security San José office, the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative, local government offices of homeland security, grant funds through Cal OES, or FEMA.

Training exercises test and evaluate the ability to coordinate the activities of local and state government first responders, volunteer organizations and the private sector in responding to terrorism and technological hazards. The trainings enhance interagency coordination, provide training to staff, test response and recovery capabilities, and implement the Standardized Emergency Management System, the National Incident Management System, and the California and national mutual aid systems.
 Work with the private sector to enhance and create business continuity plans to be followed in the event of an emergency.
 Review existing automatic aid and mutual aid agreements with other public safety agencies to identify opportunities for enhancement.
 Identify, relocate, or construct a redundant Emergency Operations Center in a location away from hazards.
 Maintain an emergency services information line that the public can contact 24 hours a day during an emergency to ask questions of emergency staff.  Coordinate with all school districts in the OA and individual cities to ensure that their emergency preparedness plans include preparation for human-caused incidents.  Encourage local businesses to adopt information technology and telecommunications recovery plans.
 Promote 72-hour self-sufficiency through the United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County and other neighborhood associations, emergency preparedness efforts through local governments, emergency preparedness websites of local governments, civic organizations and the private sector, public outreach, and other means. Ensure inclusion of program information for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.  Prepare and present the human-caused hazard risk and preparedness program to the public through meetings, town hall gatherings, and preparedness fairs and outreach.  Maintain any and all citizen advisory groups and periodically e-mail emergency preparedness information including human-caused hazard preparedness instructions and reminders.  Support disease prevention through vaccination and personal emergency and disaster preparation to help reduce the impacts of human health hazards.  Integrate medical and response personnel in a unified command to provide care when needed in response to human health hazards.
 Adequately train and supply medical and response personnel.  Carry out up-to-date and functional all-hazard contingency planning.  Develop a system for informing the public with a unified message about the human health hazard.  Provide health agencies and facilities with surge capacity management and adaptation to the rising number and needs of the region.
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16.7 Related Plans
The following plans also address issues related to the “other hazards,” including response priorities.

Santa Clara County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan and Annexes
The Santa Clara County OA Emergency Operations Plan is an all-hazards document describing the OA’s Emergency Operations organization, compliance with relevant legal statutes, other guidelines, and critical components of the Emergency Response System. The Emergency Operations Plan consists of threat summaries based on a Santa Clara County OA hazard analysis. This hazard analysis was conducted by Santa Clara County OEM staff, providing a description of the local area, risk factors and the anticipated nature of situations that could occur in the Santa Clara County OA. The Emergency Operations Plan is activated during extraordinary emergency situations associated with large-scale disasters or emergencies affecting the Santa Clara County OA.

Santa Clara County Public Health Department Plan
This Santa Clara County Public Health Department Plan outlines the efforts to prepare for response to a disaster that has a medical/health component. The Countywide Medical Response System plan is focused on the goal of terrorism preparedness, and addresses topics such as risk communications, decontamination, personal protective equipment, mass prophylaxis, education, training, and exercises.

Each topic identifies participating agencies, including fire, law enforcement, hospitals, emergency management, schools, the medical examiner, mental health services, and many others. The plan further enumerates a list of responsibilities to the Countywide Medical Response System for each identified agency, as well as a list of public health commitments through the system that will assist those agencies.

Hazardous Materials Business Plans
Hazardous materials business plans are implemented by Certified Unified Program Agencies within their jurisdictions, along with local fire departments to protect human health and the environment from hazardous materials incidents.

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17 Mitigation Strategy

17.1 Goals and Objectives
Hazard mitigation plans must identify goals for reducing long-term vulnerabilities to identified hazards (44 CFR Section 201.6(c)(3)(i)). A guiding principle, a set of goals and measurable objectives for this plan were reviewed and approved by the larger Planning Team based on data from the preliminary risk assessment and updates to mitigation priorities since the previous MJHMP. The guiding principle, goals, objectives, and actions in this plan all support each other. Goals were selected to support the gui ding principle. Objectives were selected that met multiple goals. Actions were prioritized based on the action meeting multiple objectives.

17.1.1 Guiding Principle
A guiding principle focuses the range of objectives and actions to be considered. This is not a goal because it does not describe a hazard mitigation outcome, and it is broader than a hazard -specific objective. The guiding principle for this hazard mitigation plan is as follows:

To equitably reduce risk and increase resilience by establishing and promoting a comprehensive mitigation program and efforts to protect the Whole Community and environment from identified natural and human- induced hazards.

17.1.2 Goals
The following are the mitigation goals for this plan:

1. Actively develop community awareness, understanding, and interest in hazard mitigation and empower the Operational Area to engage in the shaping of associated mitigation policies and programs.

2. Minimize potential for loss of life, injury, social impacts, and dislocation due to hazards.

3. Minimize potential for damage to property, economic impacts, and unusual public expense due to hazards.

4. Minimize likelihood and impact of hazards causing environmental damage or damaging open space/nature preserves in the County and preserving ecological connectivity in the region and by working with residents to help build community capacity to respond and adapt to hazards and emergencies.

5. Effectively deliver essential information to the whole community that promotes personal preparedness and includes advice to reduce personal vulnerability to hazards.

6. Encourage programs and projects that promote community resiliency by maintaining the functionality of critical Operational Area resources, facilities, and infrastructure.

7. Pursue feasible, cost-effective, grant eligible, and environmentally sound hazard mitigation measures.

8. Increase adaptive capacity to reduce risk from hazard impacts that stem from a changing climate. 525
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9. Remove barriers for local governments to access mitigation funding (broad vs. specific) and reduce the administrative pain points to recipient agencies during the project deployment and auditing phases.

The effectiveness of a mitigation strategy is assessed by determining how well these goals are achieved.

17.1.3 Objectives
Each selected objective meets multiple goals, serving as a stand-alone measurement of the effectiveness of a mitigation action, rather than as a subset of a goal. The objectives also are used to help establish priorities and have been reviewed and approved by the Mitigation Strategy Working Group, and the larger Planning Team. The objectives are as follows:

1. Establish and maintain partnerships in the identification and implementation of mitigation measures in the Operational Area.

2. Implement hazard mitigation programs and projects that protect life, property, and the environment.

3. Develop and provide updated information about threats, hazards, vulnerabilities, and mitigation strategies to state, regional, and local agencies, as well as private sector groups, community - based organizations, and non-profits.

4. Improve understanding of the locations, potential impacts, and linkages among threats, hazards, vulnerability, and measures needed to protect life, property, and the environment.

5. Encourage the incorporation of mitigation best management measures into plans, codes, and other regulatory standards for public, private, and non-governmental entities within the Operational Area.

6. Inform the public on the risk exposure to natural hazards and ways to increase the public ’s capability to prevent, prepare, respond, recover, and mitigate impacts of these events.

7. Advance community and natural environment sustainability and resilience to future impacts through preparation and implementation of state, regional, and local projects.

8. Reduce repetitive property losses from all hazards.

9. Where feasible and cost-effective, encourage property protection measures for vulnerable structures located in hazard areas.

10. Improve the process on how public agencies select systems that provide warning and emergency communications for a broad array of agencies. This includes improving the selection process and ensuring warning and emergency communications processes are effective and accessible.

11. Partner with educational institutions that provide research, case studies and the like to help bolster agency communication that demonstrates the value of hazard mitigation.

17.2 Mitigation Alternatives
Catalogs of natural hazard mitigation alternatives were developed that present a broad range of alternatives to be considered for use in the OA, in compliance with 44 CFR (Section 201.6(c)(3)(ii)). One catalog was developed for each natural hazard of concern evaluated in this plan. The catalogs present alternatives that are categorized in two ways:
 By who would have responsibility for implementation:
▪ Individuals (personal scale).
▪ Businesses (corporate scale).
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▪ Government (government scale).
 By what the alternative would do:
▪ Manipulate the hazard.
▪ Reduce exposure to the hazard.
▪ Reduce vulnerability to the hazard.
▪ Increase the ability to respond to or be prepared for the hazard.

Hazard mitigation actions recommended in this plan were selected from among the alternatives presented in the catalogs. The catalogs provide a baseline of mitigation alternatives that are backed by a planning process, are consistent with the established goals and objectives, and are within the capabilities of the planning partners to implement. Some of these actions may not be feasible based on the selection criteria identified for this plan. The purpose of the catalog was to provide a list of what could be considered to reduce risk of the flood hazard within the OA. Actions in the catalog that are not included for the partnership’s action plan were not selected for one or more of the following reasons:
 The action is not feasible.
 The action is already being implemented.
 There is an apparently more cost-effective alternative.  The action does not have public or political support.

The catalogs for each hazard are presented in Table 127 through Table 134.

Table 127: Alternatives to Mitigate the Dam and Levee Failure Hazard What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Manipulate the
Hazard
None. Remove dams.

Remove levees.

Harden dams.

Remove dams.

Remove levees.

Harden dams.

Reduce Exposure to
the Hazard
Relocate out of dam
failure inundation
areas.

Replace earthen
dams with
hardened
structures.

Replace earthen dams with
hardened structures.

Relocate critical facilities out of
dam failure inundation areas.

Consider open space land use
in designated dam failure
inundation areas.

Reduce
Vulnerability to the
Hazard
Elevate home to
appropriate levels.

Flood-proof
facilities within
dam failure
inundation areas.

Adopt higher floodplain
standards in mapped dam
failure inundation areas.

Retrofit critical facilities within
dam failure inundation areas.
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Increase the Ability
to Respond to or Be
Prepared for the
Hazard
Learn about risk
reduction for the dam
failure hazard.

Learn the evacuation
routes for a dam failure
event.

Educate yourself on
early warning systems
and the dissemination
of warnings.

Educate
employees on the
probable impacts
of a dam failure.

Develop a
continuity of
operations plan.

Map dam failure inundation
areas.

Enhance emergency
operations plan to include a
dam failure component.

Institute monthly
communications checks with
dam operators.

Inform the public on risk
reduction techniques.

Adopt real-estate disclosure
requirements for the re-sale of
property located within dam
failure inundation areas.

Consider the probable impacts
of climate in assessing the risk
associated with the dam failure
hazard.

Establish early warning
capability downstream of listed
high hazard dams.

Consider the residual risk
associated with protection
provided by dams in future
land use decisions.

Table 128: Alternatives to Mitigate the Drought Hazard
What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Manipulate the
Hazard
None. None. Groundwater recharge
through stormwater
management
Reduce Exposure to
the Hazard
None. None. Identify and create
groundwater backup
sources.

Reduce Vulnerability
to the Hazard
Drought-resistant
landscapes.

Drought-resistant
landscapes.

Water use conflict
regulations.

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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Reduce water system
losses.

Modify plumbing
systems through water
saving kits.

Reduce private water
system losses.

Reduce water system
losses.

Distribute water saving
kits.

Increase the Ability to
Respond to or Be
Prepared for the
Hazard
Practice active water
conservation.

Practice active water
conservation.

Public education on
drought resistance.

Identify alternative
water supplies for times
of drought and create
mutual aid agreements
with alternative
suppliers.

Develop drought
contingency plan.

Develop criteria
“triggers” for drought-
related actions.

Improve accuracy of
water supply forecasts.

Modify rate structure to
influence active water
conservation
techniques.

Table 129: Alternatives to Mitigate the Earthquake Hazard What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Manipulate the
Hazard
None. None. None.

Reduce
Exposure to the
Hazard
Locate outside of hazard
area (off soft soils).

Locate or relocate
mission-critical
functions outside
hazard area where
possible.

Locate critical facilities
or functions outside
hazard area where
possible.

Reduce
Vulnerability to
the Hazard
Retrofit structure (anchor
house structure to
foundation).

Build redundancy for
critical functions and
facilities.

Harden infrastructure.

Provide redundancy for
critical functions.
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Secure household items that
can cause injury or damage
(such as water heaters,
bookcases, and other
appliances).

Build to higher design.

Retrofit critical buildings
and areas housing
mission-critical
functions.

Adopt higher regulatory
standards.

Increase the
Ability to
Respond to or Be
Prepared for the
Hazard
Practice “drop, cover, and
hold.”

Develop household
mitigation plan, such as
creating a retrofit savings
account, communication
capability with outside, and
72-hour self-sufficiency
during an event.

Keep cash reserves for
reconstruction.

Become informed on the
hazard and risk reduction
alternatives available.

Develop a post-disaster
action plan for your
household.

Adopt higher standard
for new construction;
consider “performance-
based design” when
building new structures.

Keep cash reserves for
reconstruction.

Inform your employees
on the possible impacts
of earthquake and how
to deal with them at
your work facility.

Develop a continuity of
operations plan.

Provide better hazard
maps.

Provide technical
information and
guidance.

Enact tools to help
manage development
in hazard areas (e.g.,
tax incentives,
information).

Include retrofitting and
replacement of critical
system elements in
capital improvement
plan.

Develop strategy to
take advantage of post-
disaster opportunities.

Warehouse critical
infrastructure
components such as
pipe, power line, and
road repair materials.

Develop and adopt a
continuity of operations
plan.

Initiate triggers guiding
improvements (such as
<50% substantial
damage or
improvements).

Further enhance
seismic risk
assessment to target
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale high hazard buildings
for mitigation
opportunities.

Develop a post-
disaster action plan
that includes grant
funding and debris
removal components.

Table 130: Alternatives to Mitigate the Flooding Hazard What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Manipulate the
Hazard
Clear storm drains and
culverts.

Use low-impact
development techniques.

Clear storm drains
and culverts.

Use low-impact
development
techniques.

Maintain drainage system.

Institute low-impact
development techniques on
property.

Dredging, levee construction,
and providing regional
retention areas.

Structural flood control, levees,
channelization, or revetments.

Stormwater management
regulations and master
planning.

Acquire vacant land or
promote open space uses in
developing watersheds to
control increases in runoff.

Reduce
Exposure to the
Hazard
Locate outside of hazard
area.

Elevate utilities above
base flood elevation.

Use low-impact
development techniques.

Locate critical
facilities or functions
outside hazard area.

Use low-impact
development
techniques.

Locate or relocate critical
facilities outside of hazard
area.

Acquire or relocate identified
repetitive loss properties.

Promote open space uses in
identified high hazard areas
via techniques such as:
planned unit developments,
easements, setbacks,
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale greenways, sensitive area
tracks.

Adopt land development
criteria such as planned unit
developments, density
transfers, clustering.

Institute low impact
development techniques on
property.

Acquire vacant land or
promote open space uses in
developing watersheds to
control increases in runoff.

Reduce
Vulnerability to
the Hazard
Raise structures above
base flood elevation.

Elevate items within
house above base flood
elevation.

Build new homes above
base flood elevation.

Flood-proof structures.

Build redundancy for
critical functions or
retrofit critical
buildings.

Provide flood-
proofing when new
critical infrastructure
must be located in
floodplains.

Harden infrastructure, bridge
replacement program.

Provide redundancy for critical
functions and infrastructure.

Adopt regulatory standards
such as freeboard standards,
cumulative substantial
improvement or damage, lower
substantial damage threshold;
compensatory storage, non-
conversion deed restrictions.

Stormwater management
regulations and master
planning.

Adopt “no-adverse impact”
floodplain management
policies that strive to not
increase the flood risk on
downstream communities.

Increase the
Ability to
Respond to or
Be Prepared for
the Hazard
Buy flood insurance.

Develop household plan,
such as retrofit savings,
communication with
outside, 72-hour self-
sufficiency during and
after an event.

Keep cash reserves
for reconstruction.

Support and
implement hazard
disclosure for sale of
property in risk
zones.

Produce better hazard maps.

Provide technical information
and guidance.

Enact tools to help manage
development in hazard areas
(stronger controls, tax
incentives, and information).
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Solicit cost-sharing
through partnerships
with others on
projects with multiple
benefits.

Incorporate retrofitting or
replacement of critical system
elements in capital
improvement plan.

Develop strategy to take
advantage of post-disaster
opportunities.

Warehouse critical
infrastructure components.

Develop and adopt a continuity
of operations plan.

Consider participation in the
Community Rating System.

Maintain and collect data to
define risks and vulnerability.

Train emergency responders.

Create an elevation inventory
of structures in the floodplain.

Develop and implement a
public information strategy.

Charge a hazard mitigation
fee.

Integrate floodplain
management policies into
other planning mechanisms
within the OA.

Consider the probable impacts
of climate change on the risk
associated with the flood
hazard.

Consider the residual risk
associated with structural flood
control in future land use
decisions.
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Enforce National Flood
Insurance Program.

Adopt a Stormwater
Management Master Plan.

Table 131: Alternatives to Mitigate the Landslide/Mass Movement Hazard What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Manipulate the
Hazard
Stabilize slope (dewater,
armor toe).

Reduce weight on top of
slope.

Minimize vegetation
removal and the
addition of impervious
surfaces.

Stabilize slope (dewater,
armor toe).

Reduce weight on top of
slope.

Stabilize slope (dewater,
armor toe).

Reduce weight on top of
slope.

Reduce Exposure
to the Hazard
Locate structures
outside of hazard area
(off unstable land and
away from slide-run out
area).

Locate structures outside
of hazard area (off
unstable land and away
from slide-run out area).

Acquire properties in
high-risk landslide areas.

Adopt land use policies
that prohibit the
placement of habitable
structures in high-risk
landslide areas.

Reduce
Vulnerability to the
Hazard
Retrofit home. Retrofit at-risk facilities. Adopt higher regulatory standards for new
development within
unstable slope areas.

Armor/retrofit critical
infrastructure against the
impact of landslides.

Increase the
Ability to Respond
to or Be Prepared
for the Hazard
Institute warning system
and develop evacuation
plan.

Keep cash reserves for
reconstruction.

Educate yourself on risk
reduction techniques for
landslide hazards.

Institute warning system
and develop evacuation
plan.

Keep cash reserves for
reconstruction.

Develop a continuity of
operations plan.

Produce better hazard
maps.

Provide technical
information and
guidance.

Enact tools to help
manage development in
hazard areas: better
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Educate employees on
the potential exposure to
landslide hazards and
emergency response
protocol.
land controls, tax
incentives, information.

Develop strategy to take
advantage of post-
disaster opportunities.

Warehouse critical
infrastructure
components.

Develop and adopt a
continuity of operations
plan.

Educate the public on
the landslide hazard and
appropriate risk
reduction alternatives.

Table 132: Alternatives to Mitigate the Inclement Weather Hazard What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Manipulate the
Hazard
None. None. None.

Reduce Exposure
to the Hazard
None. None. None.

Reduce
Vulnerability to
the Hazard
Insulate house.

Provide redundant
heat and power.

Insulate structure.

Plant appropriate trees
near home and power
lines (“Right tree, right
place” National Arbor
Day Foundation
Program).

Relocate critical
infrastructure (such as
power lines)
underground.

Reinforce or relocate
critical infrastructure
such as power lines to
meet performance
expectations.

Install tree wire.

Harden infrastructure such as
locating utilities underground.

Trim trees back from power
lines.

Increase the
Ability to
Respond to or Be
Prepared for the
Hazard
Trim or remove trees
that could affect power
lines.

Trim or remove trees
that could affect
power lines.

Create redundancy.

Support programs such as
“Tree Watch” that proactively
manage problem areas
through use of selective
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Promote 72-hour self-
sufficiency.

Obtain a NOAA
weather radio.

Obtain an emergency
generator.

Equip facilities with a
NOAA weather radio.

Equip vital facilities
with emergency power
sources.
removal of hazardous trees,
tree replacement, etc.

Increase communication
alternatives.

Modify land use and
environmental regulations to
support vegetation
management activities that
improve reliability in utility
corridors.

Modify landscape and other
ordinances to encourage
appropriate planting near
overhead power, cable, and
phone lines.

Provide NOAA weather radios
to the public.

Table 133: Alternatives to Mitigate the Tsunami Hazard
What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Manipulate the
Hazard
None. None. Build wave abatement
structures (e.g., the
“Jacks” looking
structure designed by
the Japanese).

Reduce
Exposure to the
Hazard
Locate outside of hazard
area.

Locate structure or
mission critical functions
outside of hazard area
whenever possible.

Locate structure or
functions outside of
hazard area whenever
possible.

Harden infrastructure
for tsunami impacts.

Relocate identified
critical facilities
located in tsunami
high hazard areas.

Reduce
Vulnerability to
the Hazard
Apply personal property
mitigation techniques to your
home such as anchoring
Mitigate personal
property for the impacts
of tsunami.

Adopt higher
regulatory standards
that will provide higher
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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale your foundation and
foundation openings to allow
flow through.
levels of protection to
structures built in a
tsunami inundation
area.

Utilize tsunami
mapping once
available, to guide
development away
from high-risk areas
through land use
planning.

Increase the
Ability to
Respond to or
Be Prepared for
the Hazard
Develop and practice a
household evacuation plan.

Support/participate in the
Redwood Coast Tsunami
Working Group.

Educate yourself on the risk
exposure from the tsunami
hazard and ways to minimize
that risk.

Develop and practice a
corporate evacuation
plan.

Support/participate in the
Redwood Coast Tsunami
Working Group.

Educate employees on
the risk exposure from
the tsunami hazard and
ways to minimize that
risk.

Create a probabilistic
tsunami map for the
OA.

Provide incentives to
guide development
away from hazard
areas.

Develop a tsunami
warning and response
system.

Provide residents with
tsunami inundation
maps.

Join NOAA’s Tsunami
Ready program.

Develop and
communicate
evacuation routes.

Enhance the public
information program to
include risk reduction
options for the
tsunami hazard.

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Table 134: Alternatives to Mitigate the Wildfire Hazard What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Manipulate the
Hazard
Clear potential fuels on
property such as dry
overgrown underbrush
and diseased trees.

Clear potential fuels
on property such as
dry underbrush and
diseased trees.

Clear potential fuels on
property such as dry
underbrush and diseased
trees.

Implement best
management practices on
public lands.

Reduce Exposure
to the Hazard
Create and maintain
defensible space around
structures.

Locate outside of
hazard area.

Mow regularly.

Create and maintain
defensible space
around structures and
infrastructure.

Locate outside of
hazard area.

Create and maintain
defensible space around
structures and infrastructure.

Locate outside of hazard
area.

Enhance building code to
include use of fire resistant
materials in high hazard
area.

Reduce
Vulnerability to
the Hazard
Create and maintain
defensible space around
structures and provide
water on site.

Use fire-retardant
building materials.

Create defensible
spaces around home.

Create and maintain
defensible space
around structures and
infrastructure and
provide water on site.

Use fire-retardant
building materials.

Use fire-resistant
plantings in buffer
areas of high wildfire
threat.

Create and maintain
defensible space around
structures and infrastructure.

Use fire-retardant building
materials.

Use fire-resistant plantings in
buffer areas of high wildfire
threat.

Consider higher regulatory
standards (such as Class A
roofing).

Establish biomass
reclamation initiatives.

Increase the
Ability to
Respond to or Be
Prepared for the
Hazard
Employ techniques from
the National Fire
Protection Association’s
Firewise Communities
program to safeguard
home.

Identify alternative water
supplies for firefighting.

Support Firewise
community initiatives.

Create /establish
stored water supplies
to be utilized for
firefighting.

More public outreach and
education efforts, including
an active Firewise program.

Possible weapons of mass
destruction funds available
to enhance fire capability in
high-risk areas.

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What Alternative
Would Do Personal Scale Corporate Scale Government Scale Install/replace roofing
material with non-
combustible roofing
materials.

Identify fire response and
alternative evacuation
routes.

Seek alternative water
supplies.

Become a Firewise
community.

Use academia to study
impacts/solutions to wildfire
risk.

Establish/maintain mutual
aid agreements between fire
service agencies.

Create/implement fire plans.

Consider the probable
impacts of climate change
on the risk associated with
the wildfire hazard in future
land use decisions.

17.3 Santa Clara County 2023 Mitigation Action Plan
An action plan is a detailed document that identifies specific steps required to achieve a particular goal.

The document breaks down the goal into actionable and measurable tasks that can be easily followed and tracked. These actions are determined by the risk of natural hazards impacting a community and the identifying solutions. The purpose of an action plan is to define specific steps necessary for achieving a certain goal, including required resources and a timeline for completing tasks.

The 2017 Santa Clara County MJHMP included action items for the entire Operational Area. The participants did not choose to continue to identify area-wide actions and opted for actions by jurisdiction only. The area-wide actions were integrated as appropriate in the Santa Clara County Annex and their status is summarized in Volume II Section 13. Each individual jurisdictions and special districts information can be found in each annex in Volume 2.

The planning partners utilized the following criteria to prioritize action items into the categories of high, medium, or low.
 High Priority— A project that:
▪ Meets multiple goals and objectives (i.e., multiple hazards); ▪ Addresses multiple hazards;
▪ Has benefits that exceed cost;
▪ Has funding secured or is an ongoing project;
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▪ Meets eligibility requirements for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants; ▪ Can be completed in the short term (1 to 5 years);
▪ Addresses immediate short-term impacts of climate change; ▪ Benefits underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND ▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
 Medium Priority— A project that:
▪ Meets multiple goals and objectives;
▪ Addresses multiple hazards;
▪ Has benefits that exceed costs;
▪ Has funding has not been secured, but that is grant eligible under Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants or other grant programs;
▪ Project can be completed in the short term (1-5 years), once funding is secured. Medium priority projects will become high priority projects once funding is secured; ▪ Addresses immediate short-term impacts of climate change; ▪ Benefits underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND ▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
 Low Priority— A project that:
▪ Will mitigate the risk of at least one hazard;
▪ Has benefits that do not exceed the costs or are difficult to quantify:
▪ Does not have secured funding;
▪ Is not eligible for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant funding; ▪ Has a timeline for completion that is long term (greater than 5 years). Low priority projects may be eligible for other sources of grant funding from other programs; ▪ May address impacts of climate change;
▪ May benefit underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND ▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
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Table 135 County of Santa Clara 2023 Action Items
Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-1* Maintain, implement, and update as
appropriate, the County
unincorporated CWPP, while
expanding the planning scope to
integrate all of the Operational
Area’s jurisdictions. Create
defensible space programs on a
county-wide basis. Using the 2023
Santa Clara County CWPP as a
guide, implement fuel management
and fuel reduction treatment
throughout the county specifically
adjacent to areas classified as high
and extreme risk to structures to
reduce the potential for catastrophic
wildfire.

Wildfire Santa Clara County
Fire Department- or-
FireSafe Council
SCCFD
General
Budget;
County OEM
General
Budget;
HMGP;
PDM; EMPG
Ongoing Low
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-2* CAL FIRE, South County Fire, and
the Santa Clara County Fire
Department should prepare for
coordinated wildfire response
operations through the
development of a Wildfire Annex to
the County's Emergency
Operations Plan. In August 2020 in
response to the SCU Lightning
Complex, the Wildfire Annex was
used to shed light into the response
and recovery activities that
unfolded.

Wildfire County OEM SCCFD
General
Budget;
County OEM
General
Budget;
HMGP;
EMPG
Short-term Low
SCC-4* Continue to promote programs that
mitigate vegetation fire, such as
diseased tree removal, creating
defensible space, and FireWise
community programs. In
accordance with the 2023 CWPP,
promote public education and
outreach to engage citizens in
helping to reduce risk around
individual property, particularly in
areas with larger drive times from
fire response. Utilize Fire Safe
Councils free chipping programs,
teach Firewise landscaping
techniques, and organize
community cleanup and green
waste removal in high risk areas to
reduce ignitability.

Wildfire Santa Clara County
Fire Department
SCCFD
General
Budget;
County OEM
General
Budget;
South
County Fire
General
Budget;
HMGP; and
EMPG
Ongoing Low
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-8* Develop, update, and maintain GIS
inventories of essential facilities, at-
risk buildings and infrastructure and
prioritize mitigation projects. Ideas
for Implementation: • Identify critical
facilities at risk from natural hazards
events. • Develop strategies to
mitigate risk to these facilities, or to
utilize alternative facilities should
natural hazard events cause
damage to the facilities in question.
• Identify bridges at risk from flood
or earthquake hazards.

All Hazards, Flood,
Earthquake, Wildfire
ISD (GIS) County ISD
Budget,
County
OEM
Budget,
Emergency
Management
Performance
Grant
Program,
HMGP;
PDM;
FMA; EMPG
Long-
term/Ongoing
Medium
SCC-9* Maintain the WebEOC system so
that it is up to date. For example,
review the WebEOC vendor's Road
Map, assess the vendor
technology's fitness relative to the
needs of the County's situational
awareness process and IT
infrastructure; consider upgrading
to a new system if necessary.

All Hazards, Wildfire,
Flood, Inclement
Weather – Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River, Inclement Weather
– High Winds
ISD (GIS) County ISD
Budget,
County
OEM
Budget,
Emergency
Management
Performance
Grant
Program,
HMGP;
PDM;
FMA; EMPG
Short-term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
10*
Participate in statewide effort to
collaborate on spatial data
standardization, data sharing
platform, common operating
procedures.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
TSS (GIS) County ISD
Budget,
County
OEM
Budget,
Emergency
Management
Performance
Grant
Program,
HMGP;
PDM;
FMA; EMPG
Ongoing Medium
SCC-
11*
Develop and provide the Indoor
Mapping, Evacuation Routing to
Emergency Response Personnel.

All Hazards, Wildfire TSS (GIS) County ISD
Budget,
Emergency
Management
Performance
Grant
Program,
HMGP;
PDM; FMA;
EMPG
Long-term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
13A*
Identify county facilities vulnerable
to earthquakes and develop
appropriate actions.

Identify county facilities vulnerable
to earthquakes (may include
building age, soft story structures,
building materials more vulnerable
to earthquake damage). Consider
options to retrofit, relocate or
consider alternate methods to
minimize earthquake damage and
maintain response functionality.

Earthquakes ISD (GIS) County ISD
Budget Fleet
and Facilities
Budget
Emergency
Management
Program,
HMGP;
PDM; FMA;
EMGP
Long-term Medium
SCC-
13B*
Identify the most seismically
vulnerable bridges on county roads.

Establish priorities for repair,
retrofit, or other efforts to harden
bridges against earthquake damage
to maintain transportation
functionality and facilitate
emergency response.

Earthquakes ISD (GIS) County ISD
Budget Fleet
and Facilities
Budget
Emergency
Management
Program,
HMGP;
PDM; FMA;
EMGP
Long-term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
15*
Deploy plume modeling software
and enable OEM staff to manage
data input to assess hazardous
materials atmospheric risk. Due to
the COVID-19 global pandemic
there has been no progress on this
ongoing capability.

All Hazards, Wildfire,
Climate Change,
Inclement Weather –
High Wind
County Fire, Consumer
and Environmental
Protection Agency
(Department of
Environmental Health)
County ISD
Budget,
County
OEM
Budget;
County
Public
Health
Budget;
SCCFD;
EMPG; the
State
Homeland
Security
Grant
Program
Long-term Medium
SCC-
18*
Miguelito Road Repairs for two road
sections (located in east side of
San Jose): Section 1, located near
the intersection of Camino Vista
Way and Miguelito Road, would
replace the current soldier pile wall
with a new retaining wall and
repave the roadway. Section 2,
located near the intersection of Rica
Vista Way and Miguelito Road,
would repair the slope failure.

All Hazards, Landslide Roads and Airports County
Roads and
Airports
Budget;
County OEM
Budget;
HMGP;
PDM; FMA
Long-term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
21*
Alma Bridge Road Slide Repair
(located in Los Gatos): Project site
is 0.75 mile south of the Los Gatos
Rowing Club @ Lexington
Reservoir
Dam Failure,
Landslide
Roads and Airports County
Roads and
Airports
Budget;
County OEM
Budget;
HMGP;
PDM; FMA
Long-term Medium
SCC-
23*
Review and implement selected
recommendations detailed in the
Loma Fire Watershed Emergency
Response Team Final Report,
October 25, 2016 (CA-SCU-
006912). Potential actions may
include, but are not limited to
deployment of an early warning
system, infrastructure
improvements, establishment of a
Firewise community program,
waterway clearance, general
watershed restoration, etc.

Wildfire County OEM County
Roads and
Airports
Budget;
County OEM
Budget;
HMGP;
PDM; FMA
Long-Term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
24*
Review critical facilities and capital
projects for mitigation project
potential- including, but not limited
to: water drainage, power
production maintenance/ upgrades,
etc.

Review flood risk assessment of
critical facilities at risk to 100 and
500 year flood. Initiate further study
to determine appropriate methods
to reduce flood risk, which might
include stormwater capture or
drainage, use of permeable
surfaces, changes to landscaping,
flood control structures, relocation,
or alternatives.

All Hazards
Flood
Fleet and Facilities County
Roads and
Airports
Budget,
County OEM
Budget,
County Fleet
and Facilities
Budget,
County
Roads and
Airports
Budget,
County
Planning &
Development
Budget;
HMGP;
PDM; FMA;
EMPG; the
State
Homeland
Security
Grant
Program
Short-term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
25*
Provide technical information and
guidance to public on individual risk
identification using information
sharing/ GIS platforms.

Use GIS tools such as StoryMaps
or other GIS platforms or web
applications for public education
and outreach. Provide a method for
residents to understand where they
are in relation to potential hazards,
and educate them on what actions
they can take to reduce their
personal risk.

All Hazards, Wildfire,
Drought, Climate
Change, Flood
ISD (GIS) County ISD
Budget,
County OEM
Budget,
SCCFD;
EMPG; the
State
Homeland
Security
Grant
Program
Short-term High
SCC-
26*
Develop strategy to take advantage
of post disaster opportunities
through the development of
Disaster Recovery Planning,
Disaster Cost Recovery Planning,
etc.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
County OEM County OEM
Budget;
SCCFD;
County
Finance
Agency
Budget;
EMPG; the
State
Homeland
Security
Grant
Program;
HMGP
Long-term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
27*
Develop and adopt a COOP for
County Departments, as
appropriate.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
County OEM County OEM
Budget;
SCCFD;
County ISD;
EMPG; the
State
Homeland
Security
Grant
Program;
HMGP
Short-Term Medium
SCC-
28*
Maintain existing data and gather
new data needed to define risks
and vulnerabilities impacting the
County. New data should be
integrated into County policies,
including but not limited to
stormwater management, post-
disaster recovery, real estate
disclosures, environmental
protection, climate change, fire
suppression, and seismic activity.

All Hazards, Climate
Change, Wildfire,
Earthquake
County OEM County OEM
Budget;
SCCFD;
County ISD;
EMPG; the
State
Homeland
Security
Grant
Program;
HMGP
Ongoing Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
29*
Maintain existing data and gather
new data needed to define risks
and vulnerability impacting the
County. New data should be
integrated into County plans,
including but not limited to the
County's General Plan, Capital
Improvement Plan, Stormwater
Plan, Habitat Conservation Plan,
Community Wildfire Protection
Plan, Forest Management Plan,
Climate Action Plan, Emergency
Operations Plan, Threat & Hazard
Identification & Risk Assessment,
Post-Disaster Recovery
Framework, Continuity of
Operations Plan, and Public Health
plans.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
County OEM County OEM
Budget;
SCCFD;
County ISD;
EMPG; the
State
Homeland
Security
Grant
Program;
HMGP;
BRIC
Ongoing Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
30*
Develop a Debris Collection and
Management Plan.

Earthquake, Wildfire,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/ /High Winds,
Dam/Levee Failure,
Flood, Landslide/Mass
Movement
County Roads and
Airports
County OEM
Budget;
SCCFD;
County ISD;
County
Roads &
Airports
Budget;
County
Public Health
Budget;
EMPG; the
State
Homeland
Security
Grant
Program;
EMPG
Short-term High
SCC-
32*
Integrate the hazard mitigation plan
into other plans, ordinances, and
programs that dictate land use
decisions within the community.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
County OEM County OEM
Budget,
SCCFD
Budget,
County
Planning &
Development
Budget
Ongoing Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
33*
Development and implement a
program to capture perishable data
significant events (e.g. high water
marks, locations of poor draining
following heavy rain, roadways or
culverts that have been damaged in
flood events, damage from high
wind events, preliminary damage
estimates, damage photos) to
support future mitigation efforts
including the implementation and
maintenance of the hazard
mitigation plan.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
County OEM County OEM
Budget,
SCCFD
Budget,
County

ISD/GIS
Budget,
County
Finance
Agency
Budget
Long-term Medium
SCC-
34*
Actively participate in the plan
maintenance protocols outlined in
Volume 1 of the hazard mitigation
plan.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
County OEM County OEM
Budget,
HMGP,
BRIC

Ongoing Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
SCC-
35*
Coordinate with the private sector
on prioritization of critical facilities
before and during restoration of
utility services.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
County OEM County OEM
Budget
Ongoing Medium
1 Address gaps in data and missing
information within this Annex for the
next plan update.

All Hazards, Earthquake,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality,
Inclement Weather –
Heavy
Precipitation/Atmospheric
River/Extreme
Temperatures/High
Winds/Space Weather,
Drought, Climate
Change, Dam/Levee
Failure, Flood,
Landslide/Mass
Movement
All Departments General
fund,
Short term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
2 Maintain a coordinated, multi-
lingual public awareness campaign
to educate and engage the public
about hazard risk, preparedness,
and safety to provide real-time
health related information during
extreme heat and poor air quality
warning days and information on
cooling center, resiliency hubs,
emergency shelters, and other
preparedness and post disaster
resources for the region.

Inclement Weather –
Extreme Temperatures,
Wildfire/Wildfire
Smoke/Air Quality
County OEM General fund Ongoing Medium
3 Consider nature-based solutions
such as a goal to plant 1,000 trees
annually Countywide in areas to
address issues such as urban heat
islands, low tree canopy, poor air
quality and stormwater
management. Work with local
governments, agencies, and
nonprofit partners to build a
comprehensive urban forest.

Inclement Weather –
Extreme Temperatures,
Flood
Office of Sustainability General
fund, BRIC
Medium-term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
4 In coordination with SCVWD, host
regular workshops and classes on
water conservation, including
providing information on drought-
tolerant landscaping, available
rebates for water retrofits, and
water efficiency strategies in new
buildings. Distribute outreach
materials for water conservation.

Drought County OEM? General
Fund
Medium-term Medium
5 Work with local jurisdictions in dam
inundation zones to ensure
residents and businesses are
aware of the potential risk, and that
dam inundation mitigation
strategies are integrated into local
planning efforts. Work with local
jurisdictions to identify vulnerable
populations and unique information
needs to communicate their risk.

Use GIS mapping for risk analysis
and communication as appropriate.

Dam/Levee Failure County OEM General
Fund
Medium
Term
Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s) Mitigated
Lead Position, Office,
Department, or
Division Responsible
for Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected
Timeline for
Completion
Priority
6 Identify facilities to serve as
warming or cooling centers/short-
term severe weather shelters in an
effort to reduce loss of life. Assist
vulnerable populations by
facilitating and also notifying them
about warming centers (a short-
term emergency shelter that
operates when temperatures or a
combination of precipitation, wind
chill, wind and temperature become
dangerously inclement).

Extreme Heat, Extreme
Cold, High Wind, Heavy
Rain
County OEM General
Fund
Medium
Term
Medium
7 Identify areas with above ground
utilities at risk to damage from high
wind and evaluate feasibility of
pursuing funding for
undergrounding of utilities.

Consider areas where powerlines
may be near areas with high wildfire
risk.

High Wind, Wildfire County OEM General
Fund
Medium
Term
Medium
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17.4 Financial Capabilities
Determining current and/or potential funding sources is an important step of the mitigation planning process. By exploring, identifying, and evaluating alternative sources now, planning partners are positioned to select and implement actions which are financially obtainable.

This plan is written in accordance with federal guidelines in order to ensure participants remain eligible for certain mitigation funds. Under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 44, Part 201.6 (44 CFR §201.6), Local Mitigation Plans, local governments must have a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-approved plan in order to apply for and/or receive hazard mitigation project grant funds for hazard mitigation programs including:
 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
 HMGP Post Fire Program (HMGP-PF)
 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)  Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
 Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program

It is important to consider a variety of funding streams. Mitigation actions can and should be funded through multiple different avenues. Funding opportunities may include federal agencies; state, local, and tribal programs, as applicable; or private funding. Potential Federal, State, and Local funding opportunities are described below.

17.4.1 Federal
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grants fund eligible mitigation measures to reduce future disaster losses. Eligible applicants include state agencies, local governments, special districts, federally recognized tribes, and private non-profit organizations.

California’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) administers hazard mitigation assistance grants on behalf of FEMA. Cal OES supports outreach to inform eligible jurisdictions of available grants, reviews applications, and provides technical assistance. Cal OES is also responsible for submitting applications to FEMA by FEMA’s stated deadline. When eligible entities are interested in applying for these funds, the State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) can provide additional guidance and education about available grants and the grant application process.

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Table 136: FEMA Mitigation Funding Sources
Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
Hazard Mitigation
Grant Program
(HMGP / 404
Mitigation)
Post-disaster -
application period
opens on the date of
the presidential
declaration.

Provides funding to state, local, tribal,
and territorial governments to develop
hazard mitigation plans and implement
mitigation products to reduce or
eliminate future disaster losses. Eligible
project types including planning and
enforcement, flood protection,
retrofitting, and construction. An
approved hazard mitigation plan is
required to receive funding. Because
the State of California has an enhanced
HMP, the State is eligible for additional
HMGP funds, up to 20% of the federal
share of disaster assistance provided
after a federally declared disaster.

FEMA https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation
/hazard-mitigation

https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation
/hazard-mitigation-assistance-guidance

HMGP Post Fire
(HMGP-PF)
State’s first FMAG
declaration of the fiscal
year to 6 months after
the end of that fiscal
year
Helps communities implement hazard
mitigation measures after wildfires
disasters. Funding depends on the 10-
year national average assistance
provided under Fire Management
Assistance Grants (FMAG)
declarations for States.

FEMA https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation
/hazard-mitigation-assistance-guidance

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files
/2020-07/fema_DRRA-1204-policy.pdf

Fire Management
Assistance
Grants (FMAG)
Post-Fire Management
Assistance Declaration
Available to states, local and tribal
governments for the mitigation,
management, and control of fires on
publicly or privately owned forests or
grasslands.

FEMA https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files
/documents/fema_fmagppg_063121.pd
f
Public Assistance
406 Program
Post-federal disaster
declaration
Public Assistance funded mitigation
measures for disaster-damaged
facilities. Limited to eligible counties
and eligible damaged facilities, as well
FEMA https://www.fema.gov/press-
release/20220328/fema-hazard-
mitigation-grants-404-and-406
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Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
as only the parts of the facility that are
damaged. Designed to reduce the
potential of future losses through a
similar disaster to the same eligible
facility.

Flood Mitigation
Assistance (FMA)
Annual Funding for cost-effective measures to
reduce or eliminate the long-term risk
of flood damage to buildings,
manufactured homes, and other
structures insured under the National
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

FEMA https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation
/floods
Building Resilient
Infrastructure and
Communities
(BRIC)
Annual Provides funding to states, local
communities, tribes, and territories to
implement mitigation projects. This
program is designed to support
capability- and capacity-building,
promote partnerships, and enable large
projects. It emphasizes nature-based
solutions, community lifelines, and
benefitting underserved communities.

Each State has allocated funds as well
as a nationally competitive fund.

FEMA https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files
/documents/fema_bric-policy-fp-008-
05_program_policy.pdf

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files
/documents/fema_riskmap-nature-
based-solutions-guide_2021.pdf

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files
/documents/fema_fy-22-mitigation-
action-portfolio.pdf
Pre-Disaster
Mitigation (PDM)
Congressionally
appropriated
Makes funding available for state, local,
tribal, and territorial governments to
plan for and implement sustainable
cost-effective measures designed to
reduce the risk to individuals and
property from future natural hazards.

Previously replaced by the BRIC
program, the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2022
reauthorized PDM for FY22.

FEMA https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation
/pre-disaster
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Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
Rehabilitation of
High Hazard
Potential Dam
(HHPD) Grant
Program
Annual Provides technical, planning, design,
and construction assistance in the form
of grants for rehabilitation of eligible
high hazard potential dams. The dam
must be located in a jurisdiction with a
FEMA-approved plan that includes dam
risks.

FEMA https://www.fema.gov/emergency-
managers/risk-management/dam-
safety/rehabilitation-high-hazard-
potential-dams

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files
/documents/fema_hhpd-fact-sheet_05-
19-2020.pdf
National Flood
Insurance
Program (NFIP)
Ongoing Eligible property owners, renters and
businesses who purchase flood
insurance through the NFIP may be
eligible for funds to repair their
property. Increased Cost of
Compliance (ICC) claim benefits may
be available for compliance activities
including elevation, flood-proofing,
relocation, and demolition.

FEMA https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance

Planning partners may soon have access to additional mitigation funds through FEMA ’s new Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program. The Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Act became law on January 1, 2021, and authorized FEMA to provide grants to eligible entities including the State of California for the development of a revolving loan fund for hazard mitigation initiatives.

Once established, this revolving loan fund will provide low interest loans to juri sdictions to reduce vulnerability to natural disaster, foster resilience, and reduce disaster suffering. These loans may be used as the non-federal cost match for other HMA grant applications. The first application for STORM is currently open as of the time of this writing.

FEMA funds should not be the only source of mitigation funding a community considers. Other federal resources are described in Table 137.

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Table 137: Additional Federal Funding Sources
Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
Community Development
Block Grant – Disaster
Recovery (CDBG-DR)
Congressionally
Appropriated
Grants to states and local governments to
develop viable communities (e.g., housing,
suitable living environment, expanded economic
opportunities) and recover from federally
declared disasters. Principally for low- and
moderate-income areas.

U.S.

Department of
Housing and
Urban
Development
(HUD)
https://www.hud.gov/progr
am_offices/comm_plannin
g/cdbg
CDBG-Mitigation (CDBG-
MIT)
Congressionally
Appropriated
Supports a range of mitigation activities focused
on reducing or eliminating the long-term impacts
of future disasters.

HUD https://www.hud.gov/progr
am_offices/comm_plannin
g/cdbg-dr/cdbg-mit
Section 108 Loan
Guarantee Program
Upon request Provides low-cost, long-term financing for economic development and community
development projects, including improvements
to increase resilience.

HUD https://www.hudexchange.
info/programs/section-
108/section-108-program-
eligibility-
requirements/#overview
Natural Resources
Conversation Services
(NRCS)
Ongoing Can provide funding and technical assistance to communities to address threats to watersheds,
including conducting damage assessment and
evaluating potential solutions.

U.S.

Department of
Agriculture
(USDA)
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov
/
Urban Waters Small
Grants Program
Every two years Program that protects and restores urban waters by improving water quality through
activities that also support community
revitalization and other local priorities.

U.S.

Environmental
Protection
Agency (EPA)
https://www.epa.gov/urban
waterspartners/urban-
waters-small-
grants#:~:text=Overview%
20Since%20the%20incept
ion%20of%20the%20Urba
n%20Waters,with%20indiv
idual%20award%20amou
nts%20of%20up%20to%2
0%2460%2C000.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/
default/files/2016-
10/documents/uwsg_flyer
_october2016.pdf
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Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
Annual Provides low-cost financing for a range of water infrastructure projects.

EPA https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf

https://www.epa.gov/nps/f
unding-resources-
watershed-protection-and-
restoration
WaterSmart Annual Funding opportunity to support adequate and safe water supplies through water conservation,
water management, and restoration projects.

Bureau of
Reclamation
https://www.usbr.gov/wate
rsmart/
Partners for Fish and
Wildlife
Ongoing Financial and technical assistance to private
landowners, corporations, local governments,
and universities interested in pursuing
restoration projects affecting wetlands and
riparian habitats.

U.S. Fish and
Wildlife
Service (FWS)
https://www.fws.gov/progr
am/partners-fish-and-
wildlife
National Coastal
Resilience Fund
Annual Funds nature-based solutions designed to
improve the resilience of coastal communities
and ecosystems.

National Fish
and Wildlife
Foundation
https://www.nfwf.org/progr
ams/national-coastal-
resilience-
fund?activeTab=tab-1
Flood Risk Management
Program (FRMP)
Upon request Program designed to focus the policies,
programs, and expertise of the Corps toward
reducing overall flood risk. USACE works with
local government partners to coordinate flood
risk management within the context of shared
responsibility, including helping communities
understand their flood risk, communicate flood
risk to the public, and develop solutions.

U.S. Army
Corps of
Engineers
https://www.iwr.usace.arm
y.mil/Missions/Flood-Risk-
Management/Flood-Risk-
Management-
Program/Partners-in-
Shared-
Responsibility/State-and-
Local/
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Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
Community Wildfire
Assistance
Ongoing Technical and funding assistance for wildfire
mitigation measures and training.

Department of
Interior Bureau
of Land
Management
https://www.blm.gov/site-
page/programs-public-
safety-and-fire-fire-and-
aviation-regional-
information-montana-
dakotas-3
Emergency Management
Performance Grant
(EMPG)
Annual Grant designed to support state, local, tribal,
and territorial emergency management
agencies in the implementation of the National
Preparedness System and the National
Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient
nation. FY23 EMPG program also included an
emphasis on the national priorities of equity;
climate resilience; and readiness.

DHS/FEMA https://www.fema.gov/gran
ts/preparedness/emergen
cy-management-
performance
Emergency Watershed
Protection
Ongoing Program that offers technical and financial
assistance to help local communities relieve
imminent threats to life and property caused by
natural disasters that impair the watershed.

USDA https://www.nrcs.usda.gov
/programs-initiatives/ewp-
emergency-watershed-
protection
Watershed and Flood
Prevention Operations
(WVFPO) Program
Ongoing Provides technical and financial assistance to
help plan and implement watershed projects.

USDA https://www.nrcs.usda.gov
/programs-
initiatives/watershed-and-
flood-prevention-
operations-wfpo-
program#:~:text=The%20
Watershed%20Protection
%20and%20Flood%20Pre
vention%20%28WFPO%2
9%20Program,Watershed
%20and%20Flood%20Pre
vention%20Operations%2
0%28WFPO%29%20Prog
ram%20OVERVIEW
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17.4.2 State
The State of California proactively invests in hazard mitigation and climate adaptation in order to develop more resilient co mmunities. Open grants can be found online through the California Grants Portal. Table 138 lists some of the state-led funding sources available or likely to become available.

Table 138: State Mitigation Funding Sources
Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
Prepare California As Funded Initiative to advance local capabilities through funding additional staff and covering the non-
federal cost share for mitigation actions.

Cal OES https://www.caloes.ca.gov/
office-of-the-
director/operations/recove
ry-directorate/hazard-
mitigation/prepare-
california/
Earthquake Brace + Bolt
(EBB) Program
TBD Grants for qualified homeowners with eligible
houses in higher-earthquake-risk areas to
seismically retrofit their house.

California
Earthquake
Authority
https://portal.earthquakea
uthority.com/Discounts-
Grants/Brace-and-Bolt-
Grants#:~:text=CEA%20of
fers%20two%20brace%20
%2B%20bolt%20grant%2
0programs,help%20CEA
%20policyholders%20pay
%20for%20a%20seismic
%20retrofit.

Proposition 84 Ongoing The California Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal
Protection Bond Act (Proposition) makes new
funding available for flood protection and water
management programs.

Multiple http://bondaccountability.r
esources.ca.gov/p84.aspx

http://bondaccountability.r
esources.ca.gov/PDF/Pro
p1E/PROPOSITION_84_f
act.pdf
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Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
Integrated Regional Water
Management Grant
Program
Ongoing A collaborative grant program that covers
planning, project implementation, and
disadvantaged communities and tribes in order to
implement water management solutions on a
regional scale.

Department of
Water
Resources
https://water.ca.gov/Progr
ams/Integrated-Regional-
Water-Management
Urban Community
Drought Relief Funding
As Funded Offers financial assistance to address drought impacts, including drought resilience planning,
climate resilience activities, and water
conservation activities.

Department of
Water
Resources
https://water.ca.gov/Water
-Basics/Drought/Urban-
Drought-Grant

https://water.ca.gov/-
/media/DWR-
Website/Web-
Pages/Water-
Basics/Drought/Files/Urba
n-Community-Drought-
Relief/FrequentlyAskedQu
estions.pdf
Wildfire Prevention Grants Annual Funding for eligible applicants to conduct hazardous fuels reduction activities, wildfire
prevention planning, and wildfire prevention
education.

CAL FIRE https://www.fire.ca.gov/wh
at-we-do/grants/wildfire-
prevention-grants
Wildfire Resilience Block
Grants
As Funded Provides technical and financial assistance for forest management including reducing the risk of
wildfires.

CAL FIRE https://www.fire.ca.gov/wh
at-we-do/natural-resource-
management/wildfire-
resilience#ResilienceGran
tAnchor
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Program Timeframe Description Lead Agency
or Agencies Resource(s)
Listos California Funded for
2023
Local resilience grants for community-based
organizations throughout the state to provide
disaster training and resources to vulnerable and
diverse populations.

Cal OES https://www.grants.ca.gov/
grants/2022-23-listos-
california-statewide-grant-
ls-program-rfp/

https://news.caloes.ca.gov
/cal-oes-released-2023-
funding-opportunities-for-
listos-california-campaign/
California Climate
Investments
Ongoing Over 70 programs that fund various projects
related to climate change and climate resilience.

More than 20
state agencies
https://www.caclimateinve
stments.ca.gov/all-
programs
Resilient California Ongoing Resources for climate resilience including grant programs.

Governor’s
Office of
Planning and
Research
https://resilientca.org/topic
s/investing-in-adaptation/
Integrated Climate
Adaptation and Resiliency
Program (ICARP)
Ongoing Three grant programs designed to support
mitigation and climate adaptation through
adaptation planning, climate resilience efforts, and
preparing for the impacts of extreme heat.

Governor’s
Office of
Planning and
Research
https://opr.ca.gov/climate/i
carp/
Climate Smart Land
Management Program
Funded for
2023
New grant opportunity to implement projects and
develop plans that increase climate action on
California’s natural and working lands
Department of
Conservation
https://www.conservation.
ca.gov/dlrp/grant-
programs/Pages/Climate-
Smart-Land-Management-
Program.aspx

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17.4.3 Local
Local capability to fund mitigation actions can come from a variety of sources. Some sources local jurisdictions may have access to include:
 Capital improvements project funding.
 Taxes levied for specific purposes.
 User fees for water, sewer, gas, or electric services.  Stormwater utility fees.
 General obligation bonds.
 Special tax bonds.
 Private activity bonds.
 Development impact fees for homebuyers or developers.  Public or private partnerships.

The individual resources of each participating planning partner are discussed in each annex in Volume 2.

17.5 Action Plan Prioritization
The planning partners utilized the following criteria to prioritize action items into the categories of high, medium, or low.
 High Priority— A project that:
▪ Meets multiple goals and objectives (i.e., multiple hazards); ▪ Addresses multiple hazards;
▪ Has benefits that exceed cost;
▪ Has funding secured or is an ongoing project;
▪ Meets eligibility requirements for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants; ▪ Can be completed in the short term (1 to 5 years);
▪ Addresses immediate short-term impacts of climate change; ▪ Benefits underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND ▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
 Medium Priority— A project that:
▪ Meets multiple goals and objectives;
▪ Addresses multiple hazards;
▪ Has benefits that exceed costs;
▪ Has funding has not been secured, but that is grant eligible under Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants or other grant programs;
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▪ Project can be completed in the short term (1-5 years), once funding is secured. Medium priority projects will become high priority projects once funding is secured; ▪ Addresses immediate short-term impacts of climate change; ▪ Benefits underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND ▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
 Low Priority— A project that:
▪ Will mitigate the risk of at least one hazard;
▪ Has benefits that do not exceed the costs or are difficult to quantify:
▪ Does not have secured funding;
▪ Is not eligible for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant funding; ▪ Has a timeline for completion that is long term (greater than 5 years). Low priority projects may be eligible for other sources of grant funding from other programs; ▪ May address impacts of climate change;
▪ May benefit underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND ▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.

17.5.1 Benefit-Cost Review
One of the criteria used to prioritize proposed mitigation actions was a benefit-cost review. This review was not of the detailed benefit-cost analysis required by FEMA for project grant eligibility under Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants. A less formal approach was used because some projects may not be implemented for up to 10 years, and associated costs and benefits could change dramatically in that time.

Therefore, a review of the apparent benefits versus the apparent cost of each project was performed.

Parameters were established for assigning subjective ratings (high, med ium, and low) to the costs and benefits of these projects.

Cost ratings were defined as follows:
 High—Existing funding will not cover the cost of the project; implementation would require new revenue through an alternative source (for example, bonds, grants, and fee increases).  Medium—The project could be implemented with existing funding but would require a re - apportionment of the budget or a budget amendment, or the cost of the project would have to be spread over multiple years.
 Low—The project could be funded under the existing budget. The project is part of or can be part of an ongoing existing program.

Benefit ratings were defined as follows:
 High—Project will provide an immediate reduction of risk exposure for life and property.  Medium—Project will have a long-term impact on the reduction of risk exposure for life and property, or project will provide an immediate reduction in the risk exposure for property. 569
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 Low—Long-term benefits of the project are difficult to quantify in the short term.

Using this approach, projects with positive benefit versus cost ratios (such as high over high, high over medium, medium over low, etc.) are considered cost-beneficial and are prioritized accordingly.

For many of the strategies identified in this action plan, financial assistance may be available through FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants, all of which require detailed benefit/cost analyses. These analyses will be performed on projects at the time of application using the FEMA benefit-cost model. For projects not seeking financial assistance from grant programs that require detailed analysis, “benefits” can be defined according to parameters that meet the goals and objectives of this plan.

17.6 Plan Adoption
A hazard mitigation plan must document that it has been formally adopted by the governing bodies of the jurisdictions requesting federal approval of the plan (44 CFR Section 201.6(c)(5)). For multi-jurisdictional plans, each jurisdiction requesting approval must document that is has been formally adopted. Once the MJHMP has received FEMA Approvable Pending Adoption (APA) status, each participating jurisdiction or special district will take the plan to their governing body for final public comment and adopti on. Copies of the resolutions adopting this plan for all planning partners can be found in Appendix B of this volume.

17.7 Plan Maintenance Strategy
A hazard mitigation plan must present a plan maintenance process that includes the following (44 CFR Section 201.6(c)(4)):
 A section describing the method and schedule of monitoring, evaluating, and updating the mitigation plan over a 5-year cycle (44 CFR Section 201.6(c)(4)(i)).  A process by which local governments incorporate the requirements of the mitigation plan into other planning mechanisms, such as comprehensive or capital improvement plans, when appropriate (44 CFR Section 201.6(c)(4)(ii)).
 A discussion on how the community will continue public participation in the plan maintenance process (44 CFR Section 201.6(c)(4)(iii)).

This section details the formal process that will ensure that the hazard mitigation plan remains an active and relevant document and that the planning partners maintain their eligibility for applicable funding sources. The plan maintenance process includes a schedule for monitoring and evaluating the plan annually and producing an updated plan every five years. This section also describes how public participation will be integrated throughout the plan maintenance and implementation process. It also explains how the mitigation strategies outlined in this plan will be incorporated into existing planning mechanisms and programs, such as comprehensive land-use planning processes, capital improvement planning, and building code enforcement and implementation. The plan’s format allows sections to be reviewed and updated when new data become available, resulting in a plan that will remain current and relevant.

Pursuant to 44CFR 201.6(c)(4)(i), the plan maintenance matrix shown in Table 139 provides a synopsis of responsibilities for plan monitoring, evaluation, and update, which are discussed in further detail in the sections below.
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Table 139: Plan Maintenance Matrix
Task Approach Timeline Lead
Responsibility
Support
Responsibility
Monitoring Preparation of status
updates and action
implementation
tracking as part of
submission for Annual
Progress Report.

January to
February, or upon
comprehensive
update to General
Plan or major
disaster
Jurisdictional
points of contact
identified in
Volume 2 annexes
Local Planning
Team Members
identified in
Volume 2 annexes
Evaluation Review the status of
previous actions to
assess the
effectiveness of the
plan
Progress report
completed and
submitted to
MJHMP County
Project Manager
each year
Jurisdictional
points of contact
identified in
Volume 2 annexes
MJHMP County
Project Manager,
as appropriate
Update Reconvene the
planning partners, at a
minimum, every 5
years to guide a
comprehensive
update to review and
revise the plan.

Every 5 years, or
upon
comprehensive
update to General
Plan or major
disaster
MJHMP County
Project Manager
Jurisdictional
points of contacts
identified in
Volume 2 annexes

17.8 Plan Implementation
Each planning partner is responsible for implementing specific mitigation actions as described in the mitigation strategies located in the annexes. In each mitigation strategy, every proposed action is assigned to a specific department or division in order to assign responsibility and accountability and increase the likelihood of subsequent implementation. This approach enables individual participants to update their unique mitigation strategy as needed, without altering the broader focus of the countywide plan. The separate adoption of participant-specific actions also ensures that each plan member is not held responsible for monitoring and implementing the actions of other jurisdictions or special districts involved in the planning process.

The Santa Clara County MJHMP Project Manager is the lead position for plan implementation and will work with the planning partner to ensure mitigation actions are implemented according to jurisdictional or special district capabilities and planning procedures. Each partner will implement the plan and their individual mitigation actions, as resources permit, through existing plans, programs, and policies and in the timeframe appropriate for their planning processes. This implementation will be done by reviewing the MJHMP and mitigation strategy during the update of the planning mechanisms identified.

As necessary, partners may consider seeking outside funding sources to implement mitigation projects in both the pre-disaster and post-disaster environments. When applicable, potential funding sources have been identified for proposed actions listed in the mitigation strategies.

17.9 Plan Maintenance Element
Planning partner points of contact will continue to collaborate as a planning group in coordination with the Santa Clara County MJHMP Project Manager. Primary contact will be through emails and conference calls. Partner points of contact will jointly lead the plan maintenance and update process by:
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 Documenting successes and lessons learned;
 Researching new or updated data, laws, policies, regulations, or initiatives that can contribute to hazard histories, risk assessments, loss estimates, vulnerabilities of assets, or action items for plan participants;
 Reviewing potential funding availability, including state and federal grant program Notices of Funding Opportunities;
 Assessing the progress of previously implemented actions that reduce vulnerability and losses, and any new opportunities for mitigation actions; and
 Maintaining and completing documentation of the MJHMP maintenance process.

Each planning partner is responsible for monitoring and tracking the progress of action items identified by their jurisdiction or special district in this MJHMP and submitting a status summary to the County ’s project manager on a yearly basis.

Additionally, each planning partner point of contact will work with their Local Planning Teams and other jurisdictional or special district representatives to:
 Review existing action items to determine appropriateness for local funding;  Prioritize potential mitigation projects; and
 Update decision makers on progress of the plan.

17.9.1 Plan Update
The planning partners intend to update the hazard mitigation plan on a 5-year cycle from the date of initial plan adoption in accordance with the update schedule outlined in the DMA 2000. This cycle may be accelerated to less than 5 years based on the following triggers:
 A Presidential Disaster Declaration that impacts the OA.  A hazard event that causes loss of life.
 A comprehensive update of a planning partner’s general plan.

It will not be the intent of future updates to develop a completely new hazard mitigation plan for the OA.

The update will, at a minimum, include the following elements:
 The update process will be convened through a new planning partner group.  The hazard risk assessment will be reviewed and, if necessary, updated using best available information and technologies.
 The action plans will be reviewed and revised to account for any actions completed, no longer relevant, or changed and to account for changes in the risk assessment or new policies identified under other planning mechanisms.
 The draft update will be sent to appropriate agencies and organizations for comment.  The public will be given an opportunity to comment on the update prior to adoption.  planning partner governing bodies will adopt the updated plan. 572
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17.9.2 Grant Monitoring and Coordination
Santa Clara County OEM intends to be a resource to the planning partnership in the support of project grant writing and development. The degree of this support will depend on the level of assistance requested by the partnership during open windows for grant applications. It is not Santa Clara County OEM’s intent to lead any grant application effort for any specific planning partner requesting assistance. It will be the role of Santa Clara County OEM staff to provide support to a lead jurisdiction by providi ng or identifying resources for project development, scoping, feasibility, grant writing, environmental/historic preservation application, and benefit/cost analyses. As part of grant monitoring and coordination, Santa Clara County OEM agrees to provide the following:
 Notification to planning partners about impending grant opportunities.  A current list of eligible, jurisdiction-specific projects for funding pursuit consideration.  Notification about mitigation priorities for the fiscal year to assist the planning partners in the selection of appropriate projects.
 Training on the FEMA benefit-cost analysis tool upon request.  Training on the sub-applicant system upon request.
 Grant writing technical assistance upon request.
 Technical review of the completed sub-applicant package upon request.

Grant monitoring and coordination is expected to occur on an annual basis in coordination with the annual progress report or as needed based on the availability of non-HMA or post-disaster funding opportunities.

17.9.3 Continuing Public Involvement
Each planning partner has agreed to provide links to the hazard mitigation plan website on their individual jurisdictional websites to increase avenues of public access to the plan. Santa Clara County OEM has agreed to maintain the hazard mitigation plan website. This site will not only house the final plan, but it will also become the one-stop shop for information regarding the plan, the partnership and plan implementation. The plan will be posted to the Office of Emergency Management’s website, where ther e will be an opportunity for continued public feedback and engagement with the County mitigation planning team by providing their contact information. To ensure continued public engagement on issues relating to hazard mitigation, all comments received from the public and from interested agencies on this hazard mitigation plan will be reviewed as part of the plan maintenance procedures.

Public participation will be sought throughout the implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of the MJHMP. This participation can be sought in a multitude of ways, including but not limited to periodic presentations on the plan’s progress to elected officials, schools, or other community groups; questionnaires or surveys; public meetings; and postings on social media and participant websites.

Each participant in this plan is responsible for creating and documenting continued public involvement opportunities throughout the life of the MJHMP. The Santa Clara County NHMP Project Manager may facilitate countywide public involvement strategies that include plan participants, such as partnering with the countywide groups and organizations to distribute and disseminate public surveys and information related to mitigation. Copies of the MJHMP and annual revisions will be posted on the websites of plan participants, as appropriate.

The Santa Clara County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan acts as a foundation plan for the entire County. MJHMP will inform many other planning efforts such as plans relating to infrastructure projects (green or otherwise), the County of Santa Clara Emergency Operations Plan, the County of Santa Clara Disaster Recovery Framework (currently in draft), and the Office of Emergency Management 573
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Strategic Visioning Plan. Additionally, all other County plans that require a review of hazards and vulnerability will be informed by the MJHMP.

17.9.4 Incorporation into Other Planning Mechanisms
The information on hazard, risk, vulnerability, and mitigation contained in this plan is based on the best science and technology available at the time this plan was prepared. The general plans of the planning partners are considered to be integral parts of this plan. The planning partners, through adoption of general plans and zoning ordinances, have planned for the impact of natural hazards. The plan development process provided them with the opportunity to review and expand on policies contained within these planning mechanisms. The planning partners used their general plans and the hazard mitigation plan as complementary documents that work together to achieve the goal of reducing risk exposure to the citizens of the OA. An update to a general plan may trigger an update to the ha zard mitigation plan.

All municipal planning partners are committed to creating a linkage between the hazard mitigation plan and their individual general plan. Additionally, all planning partners are committed to being in full compliance with California Assembly Bill 2140 and Senate Bill 379, which promote the integration of local hazard mitigation plans and general plans and mandate that these plans address climate change. Other planning processes and programs to be coordinated with the recommendations of the hazard mitigation plan include the following:
 Emergency response plans.
 Training and exercise of emergency response plans.
 Debris Management Plans.
 Recovery Plans.
 Capital improvement programs.
 Municipal codes.
 Community design guidelines.
 Water-efficient landscape design guidelines.
 Stormwater management programs.
 Water system vulnerability assessments.
 Community Wildfire Protection Plans.
 Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plans.
 Resiliency Plans.
 Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery action plans.  Public information/Education plans.

Santa Clara County understands the importance of integrating plans in order to align efforts and increase the chances of success. Plan integration, including working closely with the County’s Safety Element update team and the countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan team, has been a key element of this plan update. In addition to collaborating with these plan updates to integrate public feedback and wildfire risk data, the County will integrate this plan into other planning mechanisms as well. The MJM HP acts as a foundation plan for the entire County. It will inform many other planning efforts such as plans relating to infrastructure projects (green infrastructure or otherwise), the County of Santa Clara Emergency Operations Plan, the County of Santa Clara Disaster Recovery Framework (currently in draft), 574
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and the Office of Emergency Management Strategic Visioning Plan. Additionally, all other County plans that require a review of hazards and vulnerability will be informed by the MJHMP. Including a broad range of internal partners helps ensure the planning partners that participated in this plan update will be able to carry over knowledge of this plan and its actions into other planning mechanisms. Additional information on how each plan participants will integrate this plan into other planning mechanisms is included in Volume II.

Some action items do not need to be implemented through regulation. Instead, these items can be implemented through the creation of new educational programs, continued interagency coordination, or improved public participation. As information becomes available from other planning mechanisms that can enhance this plan, that information will be incorporated via the update process .

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Appendix A: Public Engagement Results
Public Survey Results
A 35-question survey was available to the public for seven weeks, from April 4–May 19, 2023. The survey results helped the Planning Team learn how the public viewed their risks and vulnerabilities to the hazards they felt could occur in the OA along with their viewpoint on impacts from climate change.

With this survey, the MJHMP planning process better supported the viewpoints and concerns of the public.

Figure 79: Sample of Public Survey Advertisement
The MJHMP public survey received 588 responses. There were 576 responses to the English survey, ten (10) responses to the Chinese survey, and two (2) responses to the Spanish survey.

The survey asked participants to pick a statement that best described their level of concern for each hazard. These levels of concern include:
• Not Concerned
• Somewhat Concerned
• Very Concerned
• Not Sure – Not Enough Information
The survey results are provided in the following tables. 576
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Table 140: Survey Results Level of Hazard Concern
Hazard Very Concerned Somewhat
Concerned Not Concerned Not Sure/Needs
More Information
Drought 355 180 45 6
Earthquake 296 245 38 4
Thunderstorms 29 152 268 34
Flood 85 268 200 30
Dam/Levee
Failure
44 160 316 62
Terrorism 67 209 248 58
Tsunami 11 48 456 70
Extreme
Heat/Cold
161 234 170 19
Hazardous
Materials
69 252 218 44
Atmospheric
River
148 264 149 24
Smoke/ Air
Quality
304 193 73 14
Weapons of
Mass
Destruction
73 146 291 74
Wildfire 208 217 138 20
Landslide 54 202 284 43
Tornadoes 11 46 458 69
Windstorms 110 279 172 21
Pandemics 162 275 129 18
Space
Weather/Other
25 90 319 149

Table 141: Level of Concern for Climate Change Impacts
Climate Effect Very
Concerned
Somewhat
Concerned Not Concerned Not Sure/Needs
More Information
Sea Level Rise 120 260 173 2
Increased Severity of
Hazard Events
227 229 99 0
Hotter Temperatures 285 201 83 1
Damage to the
Environment
310 175 84 1
Human Health Issues 227 247 93 0
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Climate Effect Very
Concerned
Somewhat
Concerned Not Concerned Not Sure/Needs
More Information
Increased Frequency of
Hazard Events
232 231 92 0
Decreased Water
Resources
392 147 37 2
Damage to Structures Not
Built for Climate Change
232 216 108 1
Harm to Food Production 224 239 97 2
Decreased Outdoor
Worker Productivity
109 264 173 2
Effect on Vulnerable
Populations
245 194 112 1

Table 142: Types of Stakeholders Represented
Group Represented Response (%)
Academia 6.4
Community Based Organizations 15.6
Special District 1.7
Neighboring Community 6.2
Healthcare Agency 2.1
Faith Based Organization 8.3
Private Organization 8.3
Private Utility 0.3

Table 143 lists comments received from the public survey and how this input that was taken into account during the plan update. Comments that didn’t relate to the hazard mitigation plan or were not a suggestion were not included.

Table 143: Public Comments
Public Comment Response
Our traditional methods for planning and
preparation cannot keep pace with the changing
natural hazard landscape. The current planning
cycles are simply too slow.

The Plan Maintenance Strategy in this plan
update emphasizes the need for more
engagement and timely update to information as
appropriate.
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Public Comment Response
I like the hazard maps. Nice to know I'm not in a
tsunami zone but was surprised that part of the
Baylands is in a tsunami zone - and yet proposals
to build homes and businesses quite close to the
bay keep coming. We should be building near 280
not near the SF Bay. I was shocked Saltworks on
an average of 1 foot of elevation in Redwood City
was even considered. I think there are big projects
scheduled for Brisbane and some in the East Bay
too. I have not seen any documentation of the
risks of sea rise affecting Facebook or Google or
NASA building very close to the bay. How can we
overcome the lure of building on the cheapest
land when that land is cheaper because of
hazards?
This plan includes additional information on the
Tsunami hazard which was not previously
profiled. This question is too broad for this plan
update to address but reflects a real concern for
the OA.

Please keep the urban forest a priority and please
push back when the state wants us to increase
our population. We do not have the natural water
for it.

Changes in development and planning for
hazards including drought which includes water
shortage is addressed in this plan.

Reduce flood risks and obvious fire risks.

Mitigation of flood risks from San Franciscquito
Creek should be immediately accelerated as
many are at known risk from this; homeowners
and businesses should be educated and
encouraged to reduce dry brush/fire risks,
including trimming dry trees/foliage from growing
up to affect such things as electrical lines. Code
enforcement should be stronger since we all see
dead wood, etc. close to and eventually affecting
power lines. Utilities should be required to
evaluate and remedy these when they pose a risk.

Actions to reduce flood and fire risk are included
in this plan.

More work needs to be done with clearing fallen
trees in creek and streams.

While not strictly speaking mitigation, this is an
ongoing theme of public feedback. Therefore,
multiple jurisdictions have in progress work
towards debris management plans, and others
selected to include actions related to debris.

As a CERT in Los Gatos, we practice responding
to large scale earthquakes. For the community,
not just my property, the risk of wildfire, landslide,
flooding, dam release, gas leaks is has high
probabilities in specific areas. So the survey
should not be confined to an individual’s property
alone. My property is near, but not on,
landslide/flooding/wildfire zones.

This survey was open to all. Individuals who live
near, but not in, high risk areas are welcome to
participate in future hazard mitigation
opportunities as relevant.

There is so little help for disabled people, and
most of it is useless in practice.

Equity in mitigation is an important concept. This
is integrated into the County and its stakeholders
approach to this plan update, and will be
something discussed in the future as well.
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Public Comment Response
In Louisiana, parishes have designated hurricane
evacuation routes. These are communicated to
the public and signs are posted along the routes
that say "Hurricane Evacuation Route." Should
Santa Clara County consider publishing
evacuation routes? Maybe it's no longer
necessary since we have Apple Maps. But one
would think the county should optimize the routes
and assign certain routes to certain
neighborhoods to minimize the chaos during
evacuations. For example, in New Orleans, they
convert all Interstate 10 lanes to westbound only
during evacuations to get twice the traffic flow out
of the city. Would something like this ever be
needed here?
Evacuation routes were not profiled as a part of
this plan update. However, other plans currently
be updated including the countywide Community
Wildfire Protection Plan will evaluate the current
evacuation route situation.

People are not well-informed about hazards in
their area and what can be done about it,
Multiple public education and outreach actions
were included as a part of the 2023 action items
listed in this plan in attempt to promote public
awareness of the risks to the OA and what can be
done about it, including mitigation.

I wish there had been a specific mention of soft-
story earthquake hazards in 2-story apartments
built in the 1950s–1970s. There are dozens, if not
hundreds, of these in Mountain View alone. There
doesn't seem to be much progress on addressing
this well-known hazard. I also wish there had
been a way to share my level of concern about
large-scale environmental "tipping points" that
might lead to runaway rises in methane and
carbon dioxide. I am highly concerned about
them!
This is noted as a Jurisdiction-Specific
Vulnerability.

I would like to be involved. Gilroy is not well
represented or serviced in SCCo.

Gilroy was an active participate in this plan update
and because of this, will be eligible for future
mitigation funding opportunities. All are welcome
to participate in future plan maintenance and
implementation initiatives. Further information can
be found on Santa Clara County’s website.

How are you going to prioritize among all of the
issues and needs?
The planning teams prioritized each action in
accordance with the criteria listed in this plan.

Solutions should not be forced on residents,
rather provide them with a variety of options or
alternatives to pick from. Everyone wants the best
for the environment and wants to be safe, but no
one wants to be dictated to on exactly how, OR,
have their options taken away and left with only
one method.

The majority of hazard mitigation actions are
voluntary, not mandatory, initiatives. Multiple
jurisdictions selected additional public education
and outreach actions to take in order to share with
residents their options for conducting hazard
mitigation.

I believe everyone in coastal California should be
required to have earthquake insurance.

This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update.
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Public Comment Response
Building new housing needs to have support
infrastructure such as roads so people can
escape their neighborhoods in emergencies and
not be trapped due to traffic.

This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update
however, other current planning initiatives are
evaluating evacuation routes.

I’m concerned about the lack of communication
abilities when the cell phone towers are down.

Power failure was discussed during the planning
meetings as well. A variety of related mitigation
activities were identified in the plan participant’s
lists of mitigation actions.

Traffic hazards, such as the dangerous
southbound 101 entrance from Charleston should
be closed and replaced by one from San Antonio
Road with an auxiliary lane connecting to the off-
ramp at Rengstorff.

Traffic incidents were not profiled in this plan
update as it focused on natural hazards in
accordance with FEMA local mitigation planning
guidance. However, it may be considered in future
updates.

Stronger support and funding are needed Mitigation is an ongoing process. Gathering support and funding for projects are common
challenges. Additional actions and funding
capabilities that could be enhanced to support this
goal are included in the list of 2023 actions.

The most concerning time for us was the 2020
wildfires that caused awful smoke throughout our
area.

Wildfire smoke was also a concern of the Core
Planning Team. It was considered important to
address this in this plan update, particularly given
recent events. Wildfire smoke was addressed
under the “Wildfire” hazard in this plan update.

Ban fires in the Santa Clara Valley. The smoke
enters my home and causes breathing problems.

The entire neighborhood is affected when people
hold bonfires.

This recommendation was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update.

Wildfires were considered the primary source of
concern for smoke. Smoke from wildfires was
addressed in this plan update.

Despite heavy rains, still need to focus on future
drought conditions. Also, future pandemics. Would
anticipate domestic infrastructure also represent
increasing targets for domestic terrorism
Mitigation actions were identified for both
inclement weather and drought as a part of this
plan update. Terrorism was not profiled as this
plan update focused on natural hazards in
accordance with FEMA local mitigation planning
guidance. However, it may be considered in future
updates.

Never hear of any task force I can join Multiple plan participants selected additional public education and outreach as a part of their
mitigation actions. Future opportunities to
participate will be advertised publicly. All are
encouraged to review the Santa Clara County
website for additional information.
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Public Comment Response
There was no mention of pesticides/herbicides
esp. from professional gardeners. Also air
pollution from living near freeways and greatly
increased population driving in in SC Valley in
recent years. Affordable access to organic food
(vs. genetically modified and sprayed with
pesticides/herbicides). I've had a lot of ground
settling -- 1 foot drop since the Loma Prieta EQ in
1989, and with cold and wet weather recently
more ground settling and my front door latch
would hold the door closed so had to get a barn
latch put in -- lots of expansion and contraction of
house and building materials. ... Way too much
population increase in Silicon Valley, very
concerned about future resources, availability for
everyone, and costing more and getting less.

Food resources were not considered as a part of
this hazard mitigation update.

Offer inexpensive yet good coverage insurance The recommendation was considered beyond the scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but is
noted.

I hope some action is taken to secure Saratoga
Heights area where landslides happened in 80's
and now we see similar issues causing many
issues for residents, and all public utilities
providers like PG&E, SJ Water and
Cupertino/West Valley Sanitation District.

An action item was added by the City of Saratoga
to stabilize Saratoga Heights Drive to reduce the
possibility of landslide, erosion, and roadway
obstruction.

I would like to see more community projects that
encourage people to get involved in environment
preservation.

Noted.

Great job on forming this working group. I’m
hoping the working group incorporates all different
age/sex/race/disability groups, Including the
young, teens and differently abled folks. Telling
folks to get insurance, only solves the end result…
driving preemptive solutions would be more
effective. E.g. employing more environmental
solution minded folks and involving ALL in
discussions would be other suggestions.

The planning process was open to all. Further
public outreach and education as well as plan
maintenance opportunities can be targeted toward
a broad range of stakeholders.

The best thing you can do for county residents is
repave our roads and add drainage points.

The County included an action item on identifying
potential water drainage mitigation projects.

Resources need to be allocated toward hazards
affecting renters. The housing stock in SCC is old;
the majority of landlords appear reluctant to
update their properties to mitigate the hazards
that routinely impact renters (extreme heat/cold
events) or would we catastrophic if they occurred
(severe earthquake).

Multiple plan participants selected additional
public education and outreach initiatives as a part
of their mitigation actions. Renters are one group
that may need additional outreach to understand
their options.

Require use of EcoAtlas.org database of
headwater streams for all hillside community
planning. Require composite mapping of
landslides from property geotech reports in hillside
communities.

This suggestion was not included at this time.
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Public Comment Response
Please include multilingual community forums.

Please include changing street light post bulbs,
my community has very dim lightbulbs and some
streets are not safely lit.

Multilingual public education and outreach
opportunities was noted as a capability that could
be expanded.

Would like to see more communities build up
many more CERTs since we will need to rely on
each other during a disaster
CERTs were considered a capability of multiple
participating jurisdictions. Multiple plan
participants included mitigation actions regarding
support CERTs.

Thanks you for what you are doing -- and
especially for publicizing this in various
languages. These issues affect all of us in Santa
Clara County, and it's so important that the
information be disseminated in languages besides
English.

The Core Planning Team agreed. In addition to
the multilingual engagement conducted during this
plan update process, multilingual public education
and outreach opportunities was noted as a
capability that could be expanded. Multiple plan
participants highlighted public education and
outreach as a part of their mitigation actions.

Targeted marketing to neighborhoods and level
risks. Often, news and warnings are not relevant
to all neighborhoods.

Targeted outreach can be a great way to get
relevant information into the hands of the people
who need it the most. Multiple plan participants
selected to include additional public education and
outreach efforts as a part of their mitigation
actions.

We need to slow or stop growth due to traffic
congestion and the greater problems that creates
in an emergency, and due to the overbuilding
adding risk to more people, and stop building tall
buildings on corners of major intersections.

Traffic incidents were not profiled as a hazard in
this plan update as this plan focused on natural
hazards in accordance with FEMA local mitigation
planning guidance however, it could be
considered in future updates.

A lot of the rules have changed since the late
1970s early 1980 when I purchased my home in
San Jose. I have not heard of any Hazard
Mitigation being done in my area of San Jose.

A discussion of San Jose’s previous mitigation
action items and mitigation success stories is
included in the City’s annex in Volume II.

Trees offer significant protection against heat and
wind as well as soil moisture retention but the city
of San Jose has official policies which deforest the
city by burdening low-income residents with the
cost of maintaining trees and adjacent utility
infrastructure, a significant cost risk which
average households in the East Side and
downtown cannot bear.

This was not identified by the City as a concern
during their capability assessment or actions.

However, the city is currently developing other
environmental-focused plans which may consider
this point further.

I am very concerned about the environment of
Santa Clara County and the whole world. I would
like to learn more and be an advocate for change.

I would be happy to do some community outreach
to help reduce the plastic use in the valley and to
see more trees planted and to see the trees near
power lines and trees at risk of falling are pruned
for safety.

All are encouraged to become involved in future
plan maintenance and implementation
opportunities. Please refer to the Santa Clara
County website for more information.

Ensure that there is informed public review of
plan.

The public was provided a two-week opportunity
to review the plan and specific representatives of
community-based organizations were invited to
review it in additional to planning stakeholders.
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Public Comment Response
We need to keep water in Anderson to mitigate
fire risk and wildlife damage/death. Mitigation for
possible earthquake shouldn’t trump fire dangers
This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update
however it is noted.

Where are hazardous materials in my community
located? What are the disaster plans for my
community?
These are good questions which reflect the need
for additional public education and outreach.

Multiple plan participants selected these kinds of
actions in their action plan.

I’d like to see power and utility lines go
underground.

Multiple plan participants are actively working on
this or selected to include it as an action item.

From a wildland fire hazard perspective, all
communities south of Los Gatos served by the
Highway 17 corridor can only be honestly
described as death traps. A heavy emphasis on
evacuation, including fuels reductions along major
public roads, is the only way to prevent significant
loss of life. Mitigations would include adequate
defensible space, planned developments with
emergency exits, additional fire agency coverage,
a volunteer fire program for the Santa Clara side
as Santa Cruz side has, and last but not least,
cooperation with certain public and private
landowners who either do not care about or do not
have the funding to address significant wildfire
and fuel hazards. ESPECIALLY SAN JOSE
WATER COMPANY.

All of these types of mitigation measures have
been evaluated. Multiple plan participants listed
similar actions in their action plans. San Jose
Water was identified as a potential planning
partner however, they did not participate in this
plan update.

Fire risks are still extremely real. Homeowners
Insurance is tied to this risk. Defensible space is
the key. It’s neither fun or enjoyable work, but it’s
essential to community safety.

Defensible space is listed as a mitigation action
item for multiple plan participants.

You should include traffic planning as a possible
mitigation measure. With many communities
narrowing roadways to slow traffic, I'm concerned
that if people need to be moved from one area to
another, what was once a possible escape
corridor that could handle more traffic, has greatly
reduced the traffic flow capacity. The city has
installed permanent features that narrow the
roadway to a single lane in each direction with no
option to expand the flow if needed for an
evacuation.

This hazard mitigation plan focused on natural
hazards in accordance with FEMA local mitigation
planning guidance, but this can be reevaluated in
future updates.

Using social media to spread the word has
drawbacks — it can exclude many from
marginalized communities. Please be sure to
broaden your messaging beyond the suburban
upper-middle class.

Multiple in-person meetings were conducted as a
part of this plan update. Further, multiple plan
participants selected additional public education
and outreach as a part of their mitigation actions
moving forward.

Allow us to buy reasonably priced earthquake
insurance covering less than total destruction.

Allow us to remove trees next to houses for fire
safety even when they are healthy.

These suggestions were considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but
are noted.
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Public Comment Response
Don’t let this winter’s record rainfall make you
forget that we live in a drought zone!
This hazard mitigation plan update focused on all
hazards, including both Heavy rain, heavy winds,
extreme temperatures and drought.
(1) Stanford climate scientist, Noah Diffenbaugh,
published peer-reviewed research showing that
we will be subject more frequently and regularly to
both extreme dry spells (leading to wildfires and
water shortages) and extreme wind & rain
patterns (leading to flooding, landslides, and
power outages), all lasting longer periods. We
need to plan for our critical infrastructure (i.e.
electricity and medical services) to sustain this
kind of situations.
(2) We need to be ready for a devastating
earthquake hitting in a bitter and rainy winter.

The Hazard Mitigation Plan is designed to help
communities plan to reduce risk to critical
infrastructure, including community lifelines. Both
climate change and cascading impacts are
considered throughout this plan update.

Fire evacuation in some parts of my community
(Los Altos Hills) will be severely hampered by
one-lane roads and bottlenecks (e.g., Moody
Road by Foothill College) if traffic is not actively
controlled (by a human) to keep vehicles moving.

Specifically, if traffic lights are not deactivated (or set to blink yellow), they alone will create a
massive logjam.

The evaluation of specific evacuation routes was
not a part of the scope of this plan update
however, other current planning processes around
the County are looking into evacuation routes.

Stop building more high density homes in a area
that has regular droughts, limiting people helps w
low supplies. Stop building in areas anyone w
common sense knows could be dangerous, like
below Anderson Dam during the last 25 years
when it was known to be not earthquake safe. The
life's that would have been loss are huge. Areas in
SJ that had landslides in the 1960's should never
be built on yet many are. See what I mean???
Look at how much concrete covers our land,
backyards, water tables cannot be replenished
like that. Common sense folks!!!!
This comment is considered beyond the scope of
this hazard mitigation plan however, integrating
the risk and changes in development information
listed in this plan into future planning
mechanisms, permitting, and development
decisions may lead to the result requested.

Please include local CERT members in you
group. I am currently work in quality and I am very
good at spotting potential hazards and developing
scenarios to fix the issues. SJ CERT program
manager can vouch for me & person in charge of
CERT, my instructor at Santa Clara County Fire
also can. My wife and I are always prepared,
100% all the time!
Stakeholders including CERT members were
invited to planning meetings. All were welcome to
attend the public meetings and provide feedback
on the plan during the review process. All are
welcome to participate in future plan maintenance
and implementation opportunities. More
information will be made available on the Santa
Clara County website.

We need to retrofit buildings in which housing is
built on top of garage or parking, due to increase
risk of collapse in an earthquake.

Mitigation includes retrofitting buildings at risk
from collapse during an earthquake. Multiple plan
participants listed seismic retrofitting as a part of
their mitigation actions.
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Public Comment Response
Please consider making a plan for an
electromagnetic pulse or a coronal mass ejection.

Also, i lost power 3 times in the last 2 years due to
pg&e’s equipment failure. Each of these times
was for 30 hours or more. Twice during a
heatwave. Last summer’s power outage cause me
heat exhaustion, with confusion and rapid heart
rate. It was 113 degrees in my neighborhood and
no power. This is so dangerous and I fear it will
happen again, it seems pg&e temporarily fixes the
problem but under strain the equipment breaks
again when we need it most.

Mitigation measures are important for the private
sector to consider as well. PG&E participated as a
stakeholder in this hazard mitigation plan but did
not develop specific actions as a participating
jurisdiction.

Educate hillside communities on the CA aquatic
resource inventory (EcoAtlas.org) by SFEI -
prohibit development near these small streams for
public safety. Compile complete map of all minor
and major landslide areas - most hillside
developments require GeoTech reports which
map these slides but a complete county-wide map
is not publicly available
These actions were not selected at this time.

Additional landslide mapping is available in
Volume II for each participating jurisdiction.

I have questions, how will all of this be funded?
Who pays?
Potential funding sources are listed in this plan
update for each action.

Thank you for doing this. The county needs to
consider a more proactive central role in disaster
planning that umbrellas the cities.

The County is actively involved in supporting
emergency management and hazard mitigation
efforts. The engagement between jurisdictions
and stakeholders that was conducted for this plan
update is described above as well as in each
annex.

Freeway exit at Arastradero from 280 North is
overgrown with weeds and has flammable debris
build-up. The area needs annual weeds/tree
debris mitigation, but this to my knowledge has
never been done. Fire from cigarettes or ignition
from other sources could spread quickly up hill
and into the surrounding fields and community.

Please attend to this area annually.

A related action was included in the community
where this comment came from.

Manage the water supply to homes effectively.

Invest in rainwater harvesting mechanisms at the
household level.

Multiple plan participants noted their support for
rainwater collection during their capability
assessment. Further education and outreach on
this topic could help residents implement this on a
household level. Multiple plan participants
indicated their support for additional public
education and outreach in their mitigation actions.

Hazmat releases are also concerning. This plan focused on natural hazards in accordance with FEMA local hazard mitigation
planning guidance however, this comment is
noted and can be evaluated during future
updates.
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Public Comment Response
Has the group done a mapping assessment to
understand the number and location of
multijurisdictional areas? We live in SCC, but 4
houses up and down is Los Altos. Across the
street is Los Altos Hills. We have several hazard
issues that need coordination.

Coordination is one of the main goals of the
multijurisdictional hazard mitigation planning
process. This plan update provided the
opportunity to map and assess risk across
jurisdictions in Santa Clara County as well as
bring partners together. Future opportunities for
plan maintenance and the next plan update are
intended to continue to promote coordination.

Make users pay to put power and water in the
urban forest interface if they want to live there.

Not a government or PGE function.

This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but is
noted.

I am interested in boosting the flood control
around Palo Alto. My neighborhood association,
AMNA, has discussed it.

All are welcome to participate in future plan
maintenance and implantation opportunities.

Further information will be able on the Santa Clara
County website. Ideas for how to reduce flood risk
in Palo Alto are also listed in this plan update.

We could incorporate this hazard mitigation plan
into all other plans for the future of our community
to ensure that hazard mitigation is the standard
and not the bare minimum.

Future plan integration is a goal of all the plan
participants.

We were able to afford putting in some things like
a Big watertank, propane generator, solar cells for
the sole purpose of mobile electricity, Big bus
batteries to store it, etc. I wish there were small
kiosks where residents could go that they were
aware of--in plain sight, but not commonly
operational--for electricity and water (a tank that
was always filled, and then refilled during an
emergency, as needed). It could hand out masks,
tests, do shots, etc. This current system of trying
to figure out your insurance, etc, was too much.

We could use a single site that was passed
everyday by people, a 30-minute walk from
people during an emergency.

This recommendation was considered outside the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but is
noted.

How to protect communities in Santa Clara
County?
This plan addresses multiple actions and
alternatives which can help reduce risk from the
hazards Santa Clara County faces.

Need the City of Santa Clara to hold public
hearings on these topics!
Residents of the City of Santa Clara were
welcome to attend two virtual and five in-person
meetings on this plan update. Residents are
encouraged to keep in touch with the city via
social media for future opportunities.
consider incentive programs for personal
emergency preparedness: rebates on expenses.

This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but is
noted.

As an apartment renter, unclear what I can do or
what I should ask for/about wrt(sic) hazard
mitigation.

Renters often need additional information to
understand their options. Multiple plan participants
included public education and outreach initiatives
as a part of their mitigation actions.
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Public Comment Response
Please create a plan and educate the community. Multiple plan participants included public education and outreach initiatives as a part of
their mitigation actions.

We are on a ridge, hence no personal concern
related to flood or dam failure. Built home in 1980.

Structure and property did just fine in Loma Prieta
quake so we feel very fortunate. Extremely
concerned about potential for wildfire issues
however. No problem with insurance so far, but
have intentionally avoided discussing the issue
with our long-standing provider. New buyers in our
neighborhood have been consistently turned
down for insurance due to fire hazard. I am
president of our small (20 properties) HOA and
would welcome being a conduit for any relevant
information. Many thanks to whoever is reading
this for all that you are doing for our county-wide
community!
All are welcome to participate in future plan
maintenance and implementation opportunities,
including HOAs. Further information will be
available on the Santa Clara County website.

Good Job on the survey. I think the most
important hazard is fire as we live in a valley
surrounded by hillsides. Sea Rise might be next
(flooding in Sunnyvale all the way to El Camino?)
and then earthquakes. I think more regular people
should be trained in emergency preparedness.

Thanks again for the opportunity to participate in
the survey.

All of the hazards listed are profiled in this hazard
mitigation plan update. Additional public education
and outreach initiatives were selected as part of
multiple plan participants’ mitigation actions.

Fire Hazard risk reporting system should be
available and a well-known like 911
The area we live in Cupertino has very high risk of
Fire Hazard due to poor maintenance of the open
area. But I still have not found an effective
authority to contact after many years
Issues like knowing who to contact can be
resolved through additional education and
outreach. Multiple plan participants included
additional public education and outreach activities
as a part of their mitigation actions.

Please get Caltrans and the State to clear the
overgrown and dead foliage on Highway 9
(Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd.) It's the only wildfire
evacuation route for my house and many others.

This activity was considered beyond the scope of
this hazard mitigation plan update but is noted.

I think it is time to re-implement natural disaster
and civil defense training & preparedness for
communities. Evacuation plans, how to shelter-in-
place, community/neighborhood-based support
groups. Better to be prepared than to panic.

Multiple plan participants included additional
public education and outreach activities as a part
of their mitigation actions.

It is vitally important to actively go into the
community and send specialists to observe survey
storm and any disaster damages to private
property, non-county maintained roads and
infrastructures, wells, etc. in unincorporated areas
of County-- so to NOT FAIL in acquiring
constituents needed relief, and Hazard Mitigation
funding for resilience planning for all Disasters,
including Wildfire.

The County actively supports obtaining Hazard
Mitigation funding and identified this as a
capability that can be increased this planning
cycle.

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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-14
Public Meeting Summary
A total of seven public meetings, two virtual and five in-person, were held across the OA. During these meetings, members of the public were surveyed in-person, invited to take the digital MJHMP survey, and had the opportunity to discuss their hazard-related concerns. The results helped the plan participants including the County learn about the public’s interests, hazard impacts, and awareness of their risks.

Figure 80: Sample Public Feedback on Hazard Impacts - Gilroy Meeting 589
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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-15

Figure 81: Sample Public Feedback on Hazard Impacts - Campbell Meeting

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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-16

Figure 82: Sample In-Person Feedback Option - Gilroy Meeting

Table 144: General Feedback Received
Public Feedback
Wind is a real concern. Falling trees and powerlines are scary to deal with.

Residents are not universally affected by flooding.

Needs to be planning for evacuation on non-County maintained roads. How many residents are in Lexington Hills? No one is paying attention or communicating what is going on in these areas.

PG&E doesn’t care about their mess.

Power is slow to come back on in current event. (Note: There was a heat wave at the time of this meeting)
“Priorities” shift seasonally, but they are all important.

Living with wildfires is a new reality for us. People are working outside when the air is unbreathable.

Indoor workers work without money for air filtration systems. Not just need for cool centers, but filtration.
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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-17
Public Feedback
Drought – a community well system is expensive. This is another hazard that is seasonal. Need better system for capturing stormwater runoff. Need more education and funding. Need help installing residential and community systems.

San Jose Water increasing rates, doing a lot of work right now Flooding – takes a long time to recover from losses, get back to pre-disaster state. Roads washing out.

Flooding is an additional insurance, many areas didn’t know it was something they needed.

Extreme heat events happening more frequently and closer together than they use to. (“Once in 25 year rainfall” is happening five times per month)
Weekly newsletters/newspapers to spread information
Sirens in Gilroy, used them in ’98, haven’t used recently to signify floods. Five minutes can make a big difference as a house floods.

Monterey County uses Alert/Sheriff system all the time – has evacuation warning and fire maps. Make you respond that they’ve reached out.

How much time is enough time to evacuate and prepare? Depends on the event. Storms vs fire vs drought have really different timescale.

Averages don’t always capture the real situation on the ground – also look at min and max.

Why are these outreach meetings not also being sent out as press release to local news media for general circulation. Weekly newspapers service each of the different areas of the County unincorporated areas: make a requirement for public notice? County failed to designate evacuation route planning since 2009 CWPP recommendations.

Subdivisions of 30+ homes share a single egress route.

Participants expressed some frustration that the County does not engage with the South County communities enough.

Many questions about how the County is letting people in general know about hazards, specifically flood zones and flood risks, and how are the County is specifically reaching out to farm worker camps.

A reminder that mailing the property owners (directly or through water bill, etc) does not always provide information to renters or temporary residents.

One question about noxious fumes from a sewage plant impacting a neighborhood.

Advance Earthquake warning system should be in place.

Flood area warning system for the public within the areas that are known to flood regularly.

Air quality and evacuation for farm workers. The recent fires showed that the farm workers were not given notices for evacuations or poor air quality like the homeowners in the new housing tracks.

A few key takeaways from this public feedback was how concerned the public is with their risk from the hazards the OA face. Climate-change related changes in hazard frequency and severity is already being felt across the OA. This puts more people in harm’s way from hazards they were not aware they would have to face. Further impacts are discussed throughout the hazard profiles and jurisdictional -specific vulnerabilities are highlighted in Volume II of this plan.

Further, there is significant need for additional public education and outreach. The public may be aware of some hazards, but not all risk is equal. Outreach to both homeowners and renters is important. Mitigation measures such as air filtration are also needed not only for public infrastructure, but residential and private sector structures as well. Additional public education and outreach actions are identified in Volume II of this plan.
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Listening Section Summaries

Summary

Safety Element/MJHMP Update
Listening Session # 1: CARAS
December 15, 2022 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Facilitators: Sam Gutierrez, Principal Planner, County of Santa Clara Location: CARAS, Gilroy, CA

The Listening Session began with a poll to help the County better understand community demographics and experiences. As illustrated in Figure 1. What City Do you Live In/Near? A majority of residents live in or near Gilroy.

Figure 1. What City Do you Live In/Near?

As illustrated in Figure 2. Hazardous Events with the Greatest Impact, participants have experienced a broad range of hazardous events with Extreme Heat the primary event. Drought, wildfire + smoke, and Q1: What City Do You Live In/Near?
Watsonville
Morgan Hill
11%
4%
Milpitas
4%
Gilroy Milpitas Morgan Hill Watsonville
Gilroy
81%
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flooding were experienced by 14 percent of participants. 82 percent of all participants have experienced a hazardous event that has impacted their life or home in the past 5 years.

Figure 2. Hazardous Events with the Greatest Impact

Approximately 4 out of 5 participants do not have a home emergency preparedness kit or supplies to support their household in the event of an emergency.

Figure 3. Emergency Preparedness Supplies

Finally, only 15 percent of participants were aware of County Services or Programs to support them prepare or respond to a hazardous event as illustrated in in Figure 4. County Services Awareness.

Q2: In the Past 5 Years, What Hazardous Event Has
Had the Greatest Impact on Your Life/Home?
Other
4%
None of the Above
18%
Earthquake +
Landslide
8%

Flooding
12%
Extreme Heat
Flooding
Other
Drought
Wildfire + Smoke
Earthquake + Landslide None of the Above
Wildfire + Smoke
14%
Drought
12%
Extreme Heat
32%
Q3: Do You Have Emergency Preparedness
Supplies?
Partial
7%
Yes
15%
No
78%
Yes No Partial
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Figure 4. County Services Awareness.

County staff facilitated a interactive session where participants could respond to questions posted on whiteboards. The following are their responses.

1. What are your primary hazards of concern and why?

Q4: Are You Aware of County Services and
Programs?
Unsure
15%

No
70%
Yes No Unsure
Yes
15%
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1. Extreme Heat / Calorextremo
a. I do not have air conditioning in my home / No tengo aire acondicionado en mi casa 6 b. I have air conditioning in my home, but cannot afford to run it during all heat events / Tengo aire acondicionado en mi casa, pero no puedo costearlo durante eventos de calor extremo 8 c. I work outdoors / Trabajoal airelibre 0
d. I have a family member or friends that work outdoors / Tengo un familiaro amigos que trabajan al aire libre
7 e. No close access to a cooling facility such as a park, library, or community center / Las instalacionesdel centrode enfriamiento, comoparques, bibliotecaso centroscomunitarios, no se encuentrancercade mí
2 f. There are cooling facilities such as a park, library, or community center in my community, but I don’t have physical access or do not feel safe going. / Instalaciones de centros de enfriamiento, como un parque, bibliotecas o centros comunitarios en mi comunidad, pero no puedo viajar allí debido al acceso físico o problemas de seguridad
2 2. Drought / Sequía
a. Plants are dying / Las plantas se están poniendo marrones y/o muriendo 3 b. Financial hardship of increased water cost / El aumento de los costos del agua es un desafío para mí
6 c. Water restrictions affect my health and well-being / Las restricciones de agua afectan mi salud y bienestar
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d. I work in agriculture or a related and drought has led to less work / Trabajo en el sector agrícola y la sequía ha provocado menos trabajo
5 3. Wildfire + Smoke / Incendioforestal+ Humo
a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 6 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 5 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra incendios para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
6 d. I am sensitive to smoke and pollution / Soy sensible al humo y la contaminación del aire 4 e. I have a family member or friends that are sensitive to smoke and pollution / Tengo un familiaro amigos que son sensibles al humo y la contaminación del aire 4 f. Fear of not being able to escape wildfire / Miedo a no poder escapar de un incendio forestal 5 g. Don’t have information where to go during event of a wildfire evacuation / No sabe adónde ir durante un evento de evacuación por incendio forestall
5 4. Flooding / Inundación
a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 10 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 6 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra inundaciones para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
6 d. Fear of not being able to escape a flood / / Miedo a no poder escapar de una inundación 4 e. Don’t have information where to go during event of a flooding evacuation / No sabe adónde ir durante un evento de evacuación por inundación
6 5. Earthquake+ Landslide / Terremoto+ Deslizamientode tierra a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 10 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 8 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra terremotos para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
5 d. Fear of not being able to escape landslide / No sé si los peligros de deslizamientos de tierra son una preocupación para mi comunidad
5 e. Don’t have information where to go during event of an earthquake evacuation / No sabe qué hacer o adónde ir después de un terremoto
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2. Which of the following applies to your household? Check all that apply.

a. My household can easily cover the cost of housing. / Mi hogar puede cubrir fácilmente el costo de la vivienda.
1 b. My household can easily cover other regular expenses like transportation, food, and healthcare. / Mi hogar puede cubrir fácilmente otros gastos regulares como transporte, comida y atención médica. 1 c. My household has spent more than $100 in the past year on repairing damages caused by the environment or reducing potential impacts. / Mi hogar ha gastado más de $100 el año pasado en reparar daños causados por peligros o reducir problemas futuros. 4 d. We have delayed repairs we want to do to our home (like roof, windows, mold) because of cost. / Hemos retrasado las reparaciones que queremos hacer en nuestra casa (como el techo, las ventanas, el moho) debido al costo.
5 e. We do not have or need flood insurance. / No tenemos seguro contra inundaciones. 5 f. We do not have earthquake insurance. / No tenemossegurocontra terremotos. 9 g. If my household faced a $400 emergency expense, we would not be able to immediately pay for it in cash. / Si mi hogar enfrentara un gasto de emergencia de $400, no podríamos pagarlo inmediatamente en efectivo.
10 h. In order to pay a $400 emergency expense, my household would have to pay with a credit card or borrow the money. / Para pagar un gasto de emergencia de $400, mi hogar tendría que pagar con una tarjeta de crédito o pedir prestado el dinero.
9 i. Other / Otro
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3. What information or materials would be helpful to make you feel safer in future hazardous events? What County resources or programs (e.g., fire safety) would be helpful to prepare you for future hazardous events?

What information or materials would be helpful to make you feel safer in future hazardous events?
a. Emergency alerts / Alertasde emergencia 7
b. Know evacuation routes / Conoce las rutas de evacuación 7 c. Items to keep in an emergency preparedness kit / Artículos para tener en un kit de preparación para emergencias
5 d. What to do with pets / Que hacer con las mascotas 4 e. Where are shelters or temporary cooling centers / Dondese ubican albergueso centros de enfriamiento temporal
5 What County resources or programs (e.g., fire safety) would be helpful to prepare you for future hazardous events?
a. Phone app that provides alerts / Aplicación de teléfono que proporciona alertas 3 b. Information about financial resources or services to support preparedness / Información sobre recursos financieros o servicios para apoyar la preparación 2 c. Written information provided in my language spoken / Información escrita proporcionada en mi idioma hablado
2 d. The ability to call someone at the County for support in my language / La capacidad de llamar 2 599
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aalguien en el condado para obtener apoyo en mi idioma

5. Which of the following would you prioritize for neighborhood improvements?

a. Improved transit infrastructure (bus stops, signs, benches) / Infraestructurade tránsitomejorada(paradasde autobús, letreros, bancos)
8 b. Safer biking routes / Rutasciclistasmásseguras 2
c. Pedestrian safety (sidewalks, crosswalks, speed bumps) / Rutas peatonales más seguras (aceras, cruces peatonales, badenes)
4 d. Improved water supply (safe drinking, firefighting) / Mejor suministro de agua (bebida segura, extinción de incendios)
4 e. Flood barriers / Barreras contra inundaciones 2
f. Security cameras for safety and dumping / Cámaras de seguridad para seguridad y vertido 3 g. More or improved parks /Más parqueso mejorados 2
h. Improved roads (potholes) / Carreterasmejoradas(baches) 4 i. Air quality monitoring / Monitoreo de la calidad del aire 2 j. Cool and clean air shelters (community center) / Centrosde enfriamiento/refugiosde airelimpio(centrocomunitario)
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Summary

Safety Element/MJHMP Update
Listening Session # 3: CRC
March 15, 2023 5:30 – 7:00 PM

Facilitators: Sam Gutierrez, Principal Planner, County of Santa Clara Location:

Campbell Community Center, Campbell, CA

The Listening Session began with a poll to help the County better understand community demographics and experiences. As illustrated in Figure 1. What City Do you Live In/Near? A majority of residents live in or near Sunnyvale.

Figure 1. What City Do you Live In/Near?

Santa Clara
9%

San Jose
27%
Sunnyvale
46%

Sunnyvale Palo Alto
Palo Alto
9%
Lexington Hills San Jose Santa Clara

As illustrated in Figure 2. Hazardous Events with the Greatest Impact, participants have experienced a broad range of hazardous events with Extreme Heat the primary event, followed by Drought. Wildfire + smoke, and flooding were experienced by at least 11 percent of participants. 97 percent of all participants have experienced a hazardous event that has impacted their life or home in the past 5 years.

Lexington Hills
9%
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Figure 2. Hazardous Events with the Greatest Impact
None of the

Earthquake +
Landslide
7%
Other
11%
Above
3%

Extreme Heat
29%

Wildfire +
Smoke
18%

Flooding
11%
Drought
21%
Extreme Heat Drought Flooding
Wildfire + Smoke Earthquake + Landslide Other
None of the Above

Approximately 1/3 of participants do not have a home emergency preparedness kit or supplies to support their household in the event of an emergency as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Emergency Preparedness Supplies

Yes No Partial

Finally, only 46 percent of participants were aware of County Services or Programs to support them prepare or respond to a hazardous event as illustrated in in Figure 4. County Services Awareness.

Yes
18%
Partial
46%
No
36%
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Figure 4. County Services Awareness.

Yes No Unsure

County staff facilitated a interactive session where participants could respond to questions posted on whiteboards.

The following are their responses.

1. What are your primary hazards of concern and why?
Wildfire, severe rainstorms and evacuation planning, eroded roads

1. Extreme Heat / Calorextremo
a. I do not have air conditioning in my home / No tengo aire acondicionado en mi casa 1 b. I have air conditioning in my home, but cannot afford to run it during all heat events / Tengo aire acondicionado en mi casa, pero no puedo costearlo durante eventos de calor extremo 1 c. I work outdoors / Trabajoal airelibre
d. I have a family member or friends that work outdoors / Tengo un familiaro amigos que trabajan al aire libre
1 e. No close access to a cooling facility such as a park, library, or community center / Las instalacionesdel centrode enfriamiento, comoparques, bibliotecaso centroscomunitarios, no se encuentrancercade mí

f. There are cooling facilities such as a park, library, or community center in my community, but I don’t have physical access or do not feel safe going. / Instalaciones de centros de enfriamiento, como un parque, bibliotecas o centros comunitarios en mi comunidad, pero no puedo viajar allí debido al acceso físico o problemas de seguridad

Yes
46%
No
45%
Unsure
9%
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2. Drought / Sequía
a. Plants are dying / Las plantas se están poniendo marrones y/o muriendo 3 b. Financial hardship of increased water cost / El aumento de los costos del agua es un desafío para mí
3 c. Water restrictions affect my health and well-being / Las restricciones de agua afectan mi salud y bienestar
1 d. I work in agriculture or a related and drought has led to less work / Trabajo en el sector agrícola y la sequía ha provocado menos trabajo

3.Wildfire + Smoke / Incendioforestal+ Humo
a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 1 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 1 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra incendios para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
1 d. I am sensitive to smoke and pollution / Soy sensible al humo y la contaminación del aire 5 e. I have a family member or friends that are sensitive to smoke and pollution / Tengo un familiaro amigos que son sensibles al humo y la contaminación del aire 5 f. Fear of not being able to escape wildfire / Miedo a no poder escapar de un incendio forestal 2 g. Don’t have information where to go during event of a wildfire evacuation / No sabe adónde ir durante un evento de evacuación por incendio forestall
5 4. Flooding / Inundación
a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra inundaciones para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
4 d. Fear of not being able to escape a flood / / Miedo a no poder escapar de una inundación 4 e. Don’t have information where to go during event of a flooding evacuation / No sabe adónde ir durante un evento de evacuación por inundación
2 5. Earthquake+ Landslide / Terremoto+ Deslizamientode tierra a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 4 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 3 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra terremotos para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
3 d. Fear of not being able to escape landslide / No sé si los peligros de deslizamientos de tierra son una preocupación para mi comunidad
2 e. Don’t have information where to go during event of an earthquake evacuation / No sabe qué hacer o adónde ir después de un terremoto
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2. Which of the following applies to your household? Check all that apply. a. My household can easily cover the cost of housing. / Mi hogar puede cubrir fácilmente el costo de la vivienda.
2 b. My household can easily cover other regular expenses like transportation, food, and healthcare. / Mi hogar puede cubrir fácilmente otros gastos regulares como transporte, comida y atención médica. 2 c. My household has spent more than $100 in the past year on repairing damages caused by the environment or reducing potential impacts. / Mi hogar ha gastado más de $100 el año pasado en reparar daños causados por peligros o reducir problemas futuros. 3 d. We have delayed repairs we want to do to our home (like roof, windows, mold) because of cost. / Hemos retrasado las reparaciones que queremos hacer en nuestra casa (como el techo, las ventanas, el moho) debido al costo.
3 e. We do not have or need flood insurance. / No tenemos seguro contra inundaciones. 4 f. We do not have earthquake insurance. / No tenemossegurocontra terremotos. 2 g. If my household faced a $400 emergency expense, we would not be able to immediately pay for it in cash. / Si mi hogar enfrentara un gasto de emergencia de $400, no podríamos pagarlo inmediatamente en efectivo.
1 h. In order to pay a $400 emergency expense, my household would have to pay with a credit card or borrow the money. / Para pagar un gasto de emergencia de $400, mi hogar tendría que pagar con una tarjeta de crédito o pedir prestado el dinero.
1 i. Other / Otro

3. What information or materials would be helpful to make you feel safer in future hazardous events? What County resources or programs (e.g., fire safety) would be helpful to prepare you for future hazardous events?

a. Emergency alerts / Alertasde emergencia 5
b. Know evacuation routes / Conoce las rutas de evacuación 5 c. Items to keep in an emergency preparedness kit / Artículos para tener en un kit de preparación para emergencias
3 d. What to do with pets / Que hacer con las mascotas 2 e. Where are shelters or temporary cooling centers / Dondese ubican albergueso centros de enfriamiento temporal
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What County resources or programs (e.g., fire safety) would be helpful to prepare you for future hazardous events?
a. Phone app that provides alerts / Aplicación de teléfono que proporciona alertas 4 b. Information about financial resources or services to support preparedness / Información sobre recursos financieros o servicios para apoyar la preparación 3 c. Written information provided in my language spoken / Información escrita proporcionada en mi idioma hablado
1 d. The ability to call someone at the County for support in my language / La capacidad de llamar aalguien en el condado para obtener apoyo en mi idioma

5. Which of the following would you prioritize for neighborhood improvements? a. Improved transit infrastructure (bus stops, signs, benches) / Infraestructurade tránsitomejorada(paradasde autobús, letreros, bancos)
1 b. Safer biking routes / Rutasciclistasmásseguras
c. Pedestrian safety (sidewalks, crosswalks, speed bumps) / Rutas peatonales más seguras (aceras, cruces peatonales, badenes)
3 d. Improved water supply (safe drinking, firefighting) / Mejor suministro de agua (bebida segura, extinción de incendios)
1 e. Flood barriers / Barreras contra inundaciones 2
f. Security cameras for safety and dumping / Cámaras de seguridad para seguridad y vertido 1 g. More or improved parks /Más parqueso mejorados 1
h. Improved roads (potholes) / Carreterasmejoradas(baches) 4 i. Air quality monitoring / Monitoreo de la calidad del aire 3 j. Cool and clean air shelters (community center) / Centrosde enfriamiento/refugiosde airelimpio(centrocomunitario)

General comments:

• Wind is a real concern. Falling trees and powerlines are scary to deal with. • Residents are not universally affected by flooding.
• Needs to be planning for evacuation on non-County maintained roads. How many residents are in Lexington Hills? No one is paying attention or communicating what is going on in these areas. • PG&E doesn’t care about their mess.
• Power is slow to come back on in current event. (Note: These was a heat wave at time of listening session.)
• “Priorities” shift seasonally, but they are all important. • Living with wildfires is a new reality for us.
o People are working outside when the air is unbreathable. o Indoors [workers] work without money for air filtration systems. o Not just need for cooling centers, but filtration.
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• Drought – A community well system is expensive.
o This is another hazard that is seasonal.
o Need better system for capturing stormwater runoff. Need more education and funding. Need help installing residential and community systems.
• San Jose Water increasing rates, doing a lot of work right now • Flooding
o Takes a long time to recover from losses, get back to pre-disaster state o Roads washing out
o Flooding is an additional insurance, many areas didn’t know it was something they needed. • Extreme heat events happening more frequently and closer together than they use to. (“Once in 25 year rainfall” is happening five times per month)
• Weekly newsletters/newspapers to spread information.
• Sirens in Gilroy, used them in ’98, haven’t used recently to signify floods. o Five minutes can make a big difference as a house floods. • Monterey County uses Alert/Sheriff system all the time – has evacuation warning and fire maps. o Make you respond that they’ve reached you.
• How much time is enough time to evacuate and prepare? Depends on the event. Storms vs fire vs drought have really different timescale.
• Averages don’t always capture the real situation on the ground – also look at min and max. • Why are these outreach meetings not also being sent out as press release to local news media for general circulation. Weekly newspapers service each of the different areas of the County unincorporated areas: Make a requirement for Public Notice?
• County failed to designate evacuation route planning since 2009 CWPP recommendations.

Subdivisions of 30+ homes share a single egress route.

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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Appendix B: Adoption Resolution B-1
Appendix B: Adoption Resolution
Once the 2023 Santa Clara Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) has received FEMA “Approvable Pending Adoption” (APA) status, the governing body of every participating jurisdiction will formally adopt this MJHMP.

After FEMA has determined that all plan requirements have been met, including receipt of the formal adoption documentation, FEMA will provide a letter indicating the plan is approved.

A copy of the adoption resolutions and approval letter are included in this appendix.

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Santa Clara County
Multijurisdictional Hazard
Mitigation Plan 2023 Update
City of Cupertino Annex
February 21, 2024
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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume 2: City of Cupertino 3

2. City of Cupertino

2.1. Hazard Mitigation Plan Points of Contact
The point of contact during the Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) planning process for the City of Cupertino was the Emergency Management Analyst. This annex within the MJHMP was developed using information provided by the City of Cupertino’s Local Planning Team.

Table 1: City of Cupertino Local Planning Team Members for the 2023 Santa Clara County MJHMP
Name Position Organization Role on Team and in Planning Process
Meredith Albert Emergency
Management
Analyst
City of Cupertino General oversight, hazard
identification, and plan development
Thomas Chin Emergency
Manager
City of Cupertino Hazard identification and plan
development
Andre Duurvoort Sustainability
Manager
City of Cupertino Hazard identification and plan
development
Susan Michael Capital
Improvement
Program Manager
City of Cupertino Hazard identification and plan
development
Jimmy Tan Assistant Director
of Public Works
City of Cupertino Hazard identification and plan
development
Chad Mosley Acting Director of
Public Works
City of Cupertino Hazard identification and plan
development
Jennifer Chu Senior Civil
Engineer, City
Public Works
City of Cupertino Hazard identification and plan
development
Esther Kwon Public Information
Officer
City of Cupertino Hazard identification and plan
development

The City’s Local Planning Team Members participated in the MJHMP by attending meetings on the Plan Kick-Off, Risk Assessment, Mitigation Strategy, Wrap-up, and two one-on-one meetings with the planning consultant. In addition, the city filled out the requested forms on each section which were used to develop this annex. The city also shared information regarding public opportunities to participate in the draft plan update utilizing the digital survey and seven in-person and virtual public outreach meetings. Further, the City team was provided the opportunity to review the draft plan prior to submittal to Cal OES and FEMA. 611
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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume 2: City of Cupertino 4
Table 2: External Stakeholders Invited to Be Involved in Planning Process Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
American Red Cross Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations, among
others.

A nonprofit humanitarian
organization that provides
emergency assistance, disaster
relief, and disaster
preparedness education in the
United States.

American Red Cross – Silicon
Valley Chapter
Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations, among
others.

A nonprofit humanitarian
organization that provides
emergency assistance, disaster
relief, and disaster
preparedness education in the
United States.

Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES)
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

A corps of trained amateur radio
operator volunteers organized to
assist in public service and
emergency communications.

Cal OES Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities.

Office responsible for
overseeing and coordinating
emergency preparedness,
response, recovery, and
homeland security activities
within the state.

California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities.

The fire department of the
California Natural Resources
Agency.

California Department of
Transportation
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

An executive department of the
U.S. state of California.

Cattlemen’s Association Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

A nonprofit trade association
that represents California's
ranchers and beef producers in
political affairs.

City of East Palo Alto Neighboring communities. A city in San Mateo County, California, United States.

City of Menlo Park Neighboring communities. Menlo Park is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo
County.

Cooper-Garrod Estate
Vineyards
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

Garrod Farms is a family-owned
and operated estate winery and
stables.

Cupertino Sanitation District Agencies that have the authority to regulate development.

Providing wastewater collection
and conveyance to the City of
Cupertino and areas of
Saratoga.
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Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
Department of Homeland
Security
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

The U.S. federal executive
department responsible for
public security, roughly
comparable to the interior or
home ministries of other
countries.

Department of Toxic
Substances
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

An agency of the government of
the state of California that
protects public health and the
environment from hazardous
waste.

Emergency Medical Services Agencies that have the authority to regulate development.

Provides statewide coordination
and leadership for the planning,
development, and
implementation of
local EMS systems.

Emergency Services Volunteer
Representative
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities.

Organization that ensures public
safety, security, and health by
addressing and resolving
different emergencies.

Federal Aviation Administration Agencies that have the authority to regulate development.

Offers civil aviation safety
enforcement services.

Google Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

American multinational
technology company focusing
on artificial intelligence, online
advertising, search engine
technology, cloud computing,
computer software, quantum
computing, e-commerce, and
consumer electronics.

Hidden Villa Farm Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations, among
others.

Nonprofit educational
organization teaching programs
on environmental and
multicultural awareness.

Intel Corporation Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

An American multinational
corporation and technology
company headquartered in
Santa Clara, California
Kaiser Permanente—Santa
Clara
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

An American integrated
managed care consortium.

Life Moves Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

Provides interim housing and
supportive services for
homeless families and
individuals to rapidly return to
stable housing.
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Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
Moffett Field Ames Research
Center, National Aeronautics
and Space Administration
(NASA)
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

Major NASA research center
at Moffett Federal Airfield in
California's Silicon Valley.

National Weather Service,
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

Scientific and regulatory agency
within the U.S. Department of
Commerce.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Representatives of businesses, academia, and other private
organizations, and neighboring
communities.

One of the largest combination
natural gas and electric utilities
in the United States.

Regional Water Quality Control
Board
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

Provides government regulatory
services related to water
pollution and control.

Rotating Safe Car Park Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities, and neighboring
communities.

Allows for temporary overnight
parking for homeless individuals
or families living out of their
cars as a safe alternative to
sleeping on the streets or in a
homeless shelter.

Santa Clara County CERT Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

Trains residents to prepare for
and respond to life-threatening
events in their community.

Santa Clara County FireSafe
Council
Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

A nonprofit, grassroots
organization that provides
education and project
assistance for homeowners.

Santa Clara County Local
Oversight Program
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities.

Program to oversee assessment
and mitigation of contaminated
sites to protect groundwater
resources, human health,
safety, and the environment.

Santa Clara County Parks Agencies that have the authority to regulate development, and
neighboring communities.

Provide, protect, and preserve
regional parklands for the
enjoyment and education.

Santa Clara County Planning &
Development
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development, and
neighboring communities.

Plays a key role in supporting
economic development and
ensuring opportunities for the
public to participate in
land development.
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Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s
Office
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development, and
neighboring communities.

A local law enforcement agency
that serves Santa Clara County,
California.

Santa Clara University Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

A private Jesuit university in
Santa Clara, California.

Santa Clara Valley Open Space
Authority
Neighboring communities. An independent special district in Santa Clara County.

Santa Clara Valley Open Space
Authority
Neighboring communities. An independent special district in Santa Clara County.

St. Louise Hospital (Santa Clara
County Hospital System)
Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

Community hospital.

Stanford Healthcare Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations, and neighboring
communities.

Multispecialty clinic that
provides convenient access to
advanced, specialty care in the
South Bay.

Vista Center for the Blind and
Visually Impaired
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

Empowers individuals who
are blind or visually impaired to
embrace life to the fullest
through evaluation, counseling,
education, and training.

Westwind Barn Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

State-of-the-art horse boarding
and training facility.

County of Santa Clara Neighboring jurisdiction, local
agency involved in hazard
mitigation.

Responsible for engaging the
whole community in assessing
needs and developing strategies
to achieve stronger mitigation
capabilities within the Santa
Clara County Operational Area.

City of Campbell Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Gilroy Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Los Altos Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

Town of Los Altos Hills Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

Town of Los Gatos Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Milpitas Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Morgan Hill Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Mountain View Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Palo Alto Neighboring communities. Located in Silicon Valley.

City of San José Neighboring communities. Located in Silicon Valley. 615
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Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
City of Santa Clara Neighboring communities. A city near San Jose, in California’s Silicon Valley.

City of Saratoga Neighboring communities. Located in Silicon Valley.

City of Sunnyvale Neighboring communities. Located in the Santa Clara Valley.

Santa Clara County Fire
Department
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities, and neighboring
communities.

A California Fire Protection
District serving Santa Clara
County.

Santa Clara Valley Water
District
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations, and neighboring
communities.

Provides stream stewardship,
wholesale water supply, and
flood protection for Santa Clara
County, California.

The City supported a “whole community” approach to this plan update. Neighboring communities, local and regional agencies involved in mitigation activities, agencies that have the authority to regulate development as well as businesses, academia, and other private and nonprofit interests were invited to be involved in the planning process by participating in planning meetings, public meetings, or reviewing the draft plan. In addition to the wide variety of stakeholders identified by the County, other stakeholders the City of Cupertino recommended including included the Santa Clara Valley Water District, PG & E, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Clara County Fire Department, San Jose Water, and CalWater. Additional stakeholders that were able to participate are included in Volume 1 of this plan. The City did not identify additional changes in priorities to be highlighted in their annex.

2.1.1. Public Outreach and Engagement
In addition to inviting a wide range of stakeholders, the City supported public outreach and engagement through distributing a digital survey utilizing social media and publicizing the availability of the survey at an in-person Earth Day event. This survey reached members of underserved populations, including primarily non-English speaking households.
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Figure 1: City of Cupertino Digital Survey Twitter Post

Figure 2: City of Cupertino Multilingual Website Post

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Figure 3: City of Cupertino Outreach at Earth Day Event In addition, the MJHMP was discussed at two virtual and five in-person public meetings across Santa Clara County. These in-person meetings were targeted towards areas with socially vulnerably populations. These meetings were also designed to be accessible for AFN (access and functional needs) populations. The public was also provided the opportunity to comment on the draft plan. Comments from the public survey were reviewed, evaluated for alignment with planning priorities, and incorporated as appropriate. Overall, the public expressed similar concerns as the participating jurisdictions including concerns regarding hazards like wildfire (including wildfire smoke), extreme heat, and flooding. In particular, evacuation routes and warning systems including public outreach to help inform people about their options. This feedback is reflected in the mitigation actions the City of Cupertino selected.

In addition to directly providing the public the opportunity to comment on the plan, the Santa Clara County Access and Functional Needs and Cultural Competency Working Group, which represents tens of community and faith-based organizations within the SCC operational area, was consulted on the plan.

They provided feedback based on the populations they serve, representing approximately 100 non-profits and VOAD members participating in the AFN and Cultural Competency Working Group. SCC also has representation from community centers and two consulate generals. In addition, some advocates do not have an affiliation but are Santa Clara County residents and provided input on LGBTQ+ and Disability topics. Some organizations include but are not limited to San Andreas Regional Center, Immigrant Info Services, Vista Center for the Blind, American Red Cross, Parents Helping Parents, and Lighthouse. The direct interaction and represented voices generally shared similar concerns for the extreme heat and wildfire hazards, community preparedness, and education and outreach activities. Therefore, prioritization 618
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of the wildfire hazard and the corresponding mitigation actions, along with high attention to public outreach and education efforts, informed the plan's many related mitigation actions.

The participation of the City of Cupertino and its stakeholders helped informed the development of the MJHMP and this annex in accordance with current priorities. The new plan continues to expand upon the work of the prior plan including emphasizing partnerships both within jurisdictions and special districts as well as with external stakeholders. Further, there is an increased emphasis on climate change, reflecting the increased understanding of the risk this hazard poses to the OA. The City did not identify additional changes in priorities to be highlighted in their annex.

2.2. Jurisdiction Profile
The following is a summary of key information about the jurisdiction and its history:
 Date of Incorporation: 1995
 Current Population: 59,610 as of January 1, 2022
 Population Growth: According to the California Department of Finance there was a 0.5 percent decrease in the population from 2021 (59,884) to 2022 (59,610).  Location and Description: Cupertino, California is located in the heart of Silicon Valley against the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. With a population of almost 60,000 residents, Cupertino is 42 miles south of San Francisco and on the western edge of Santa Clara County. The City enjoys convenient access from Highways 280 and 85 and is situated along Stevens Creek Boulevard. The City shares borders with San José to the east and south, Sunnyvale to the north, Santa Clara to the northeast, and Los Altos to the northwest.  Brief History: In 1776, Spanish explorer Captain Juan Bautista de Anza led a group up the coast of California. During the expedition, the group encamped in what is now Cupertino. Anza’s cartographer christened the creek next to the encampment the Arroyo San Joseph Cupertino (known today as Stevens Creek) in honor of his patron, San Guiseppe (San Joseph) of Copertino, Italy. The village of Cupertino sprang up at the crossroads of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road (now DeAnza Boulevard) and Stevens Creek Boulevard. The initial primary economic activity was fruit agriculture, including prune, plum, apricot, and cherry orchards, as well as wineries. Cupertino officially became the 13th city in Santa Clara County on October 10, 1955.  Climate: Cupertino has mild weather, wet winters, and mild, dry summers. Averages in January range from 38.7 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) to 58.2 °F. Averages in July range from 54.1 °F to 82.0 °F. The average annual rainfall is 14.9 inches.
 Governing Body Format: The City of Cupertino is governed by a five-member council. The City consists of five departments which are overseen by the City Manager: Administrative Services, Community Development, Information Services, Public Works, and Recreation and Community Services. The City has thirteen commissions and committees, that report to the City Council. The City Council appoints the City Manager. The City Council is responsible for adopting this plan.

The City Manager is responsible for overseeing its implementation.

2.3. Development Trends
Cupertino is considered one of the most prestigious cities in which to live and work within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. The City is world-renowned as the home of high-tech giants, such as Apple Computer Inc., Hewlett Packard, and Symantec, and as a community with stellar public schools.

Quality education and proximity to high-tech jobs make Cupertino a desired location for a highly educated and culturally diverse population.

The City’s business sector is thriving, as evidenced by its low vacancy rates and flagship tenants. High- profile tenants include Whole Foods, Strike Bowling, and Ducati motorcycles. Cupertino is known for its 619
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computing companies, but over 100 other businesses produce software, telecommunications, and health care products.

The City promotes economic and developmental growth through different programs like the Cupertino Business Outreach Program. Rich in opportunity, culture and sunshine, Cupertino is a progressive and diverse hometown in Silicon Valley for residents, businesses, and visitors.

The City of Cupertino has increased its population since the previous plan was developed, thereby increasing its vulnerability to flooding. Cupertino has and will continue to monitor the vulnerability of its population through the adoption and enforcement of floodplain management requirements, including regulating new construction in Special Floodplain Hazard Areas, Floodplain identification and mapping, and local requests for map updating and monitoring of flood activities.

Table 3: Recent and Expected Future Development Trends
Criterion Response
Has your jurisdiction annexed any land
since the development of the previous
hazard mitigation plan?
 If yes, give the estimated area
annexed and estimated number of
parcels or structures.

Yes, 8 acres at Lawrence Mitty Park with no structures.

Is your jurisdiction expected to annex
any areas during the performance
period of this plan?
 If yes, please describe land areas
and dominant uses.
 If yes, who currently has permitting
authority over these areas?
No
Are any areas targeted for development
or major redevelopment in the next five
years?
 If yes, please briefly describe,
including whether any of the areas
are in known hazard risk areas.

Yes, the area targeted for development is in a flood
hazard zone (minimal chances).

How many building permits were issued
in your jurisdiction since the
development of the previous hazard
mitigation plan?
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Total
Number
of
Permits
3,219 3,230 3,274 3,089 3,716 3,416
Please provide the number of permits
for each hazard area or provide a
qualitative description of where
development has occurred.

The City has not historically had the ability to track
development by hazard area. Development has occurred
throughout the City during the performance period for
this plan. For hazards with a clearly defined extent and location, the City cannot estimate development impacts.

For hazards with impacts citywide, it is safe to assume that this new development could be subject to impacts
from those hazards. However, it is important to note that all new development was subject to the regulatory
capabilities identified in this annex.
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Criterion Response
Please describe the level of buildout in
the jurisdiction, based on your
jurisdiction’s buildable lands inventory.

If no such inventory exists, provide a
qualitative description.

The City does not currently maintain a buildable lands
inventory, but the City Interactive Zoning Map includes layers showing vacant land and development potential.

2.4. Capability Assessment

2.4.1. Resources for the 2023 Planning Initiative
The following technical reports, plans, and regulatory mechanisms were reviewed to provide information for inclusion into the 2023 MJHMP for both Volume 1 and Volume 2 (City of Cupertino Annex). All the below items were additionally reviewed as part of the full capability assessment for the City of Cupertino.  Cupertino General Plan - The General Plan, including the Land Use, Transportation and Safety Elements, were reviewed for information regarding goals and policies consistent with hazard mitigation for carry over as goals and objectives.
 Capital Improvements Plan - The Capital Improvements Plan was reviewed to identify cross- planning initiatives.
 Cupertino Economic Development Plan – The Economic Development Strategic Plan was analyzed for potential integrative planning efforts.
 Cupertino Emergency Operations Plan – The EOP Base Plan was reviewed to identify existing and potential mitigation planning strategies.
 Green Plans – The Green Infrastructure, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Green Development and Construction, Green City Plans and even the Parks and Recreation Master Plan were reviewed to identify possible integrative mitigation planning initiatives.  Cupertino Municipal Code - The Municipal Code was reviewed for the full capability assessment and to identify opportunities for action plan integration.  Ordinances - The Flood Damage Prevention, Zoning, Subdivision, Stormwater Pollution Prevention and Watershed Protection, and Open Space ordinances were analyzed for alignment with natural hazard planning efforts.

2.4.2. Full Capability Assessment
An assessment of legal and regulatory capabilities is presented in Table 22 and Table 23. An assessment of fiscal capabilities is presented in Table 24. An assessment of staffing capabilities is presented in Table

25. An assessment of administrative and technical capabilities is presented in Table 26. Information on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) compliance is presented in Table 27. An assessment of education and outreach capabilities is presented in Table 28.

Classifications under various community mitigation programs are presented in Table 29. Development and permitting capabilities are presented in Table 30, and the community’s adaptive capacity for the impacts of climate change is presented in Table 31. 621 CC 10-01-2024
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Table 4: Legal and Regulatory Capability: Codes, Ordinances, and Requirements Local
Authority
Other
Jurisdiction
Authority
State
Mandated
Integration
Opportunity?
Building Code Yes Yes Yes No
Comment: 2022 California Building Code, Volumes 1 and 2, Chapter 16.04.

Zoning
Ordinance
Yes No Yes No
Comment: Cupertino Municipal Code, Title 19: Zoning
Subdivision
Ordinance
Yes Yes Yes No
Comment: Cupertino Municipal Code, Title 1: Subdivisions Stormwater
Management
Ordinance
Yes Yes Yes No
Comment: Cupertino Municipal Code, Chapter 9.18: Stormwater Pollution Prevention and Watershed Protection
Other Natural
Hazard-
Specific
Ordinances
Yes No Yes Yes
Comment: Cupertino Municipal Code, Chapter 16.52 : Prevention of Flood Damage Post-Disaster
Recovery
No No No No
Comment: None Identified
Real Estate
Disclosure
No No Yes No
Comment: California Civil Code §1102 et seq.

Growth
Management
Yes Yes Yes No
Comment: Local Agency Formation Commission; California Government Code §65300 et seq.

Site Plan
Review
Yes No No No
Comment: Cupertino Municipal Code, Title 19: Zoning
Environmental
Protection
Yes Yes Yes No
Comment: Cupertino General Plan, Cupertino Municipal Code, Title 9: Health and Sanitation; California Environmental Quality Act (Guideline: California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, Sections 15000–15387).

Flood Damage
Prevention
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Comment: Cupertino Municipal Code, Chapter 16.52: Prevention of Flood Damage Emergency
Management
Yes Yes Yes No
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Local
Authority
Other
Jurisdiction
Authority
State
Mandated
Integration
Opportunity?
Comment: Santa Clara County Fire; Cupertino Municipal Code, Title 2.40: Disaster Council Climate
Change
Yes No Yes Yes
Comment: General Plan Environmental Resources and Sustainability Element & Cupertino Climate Action Plan; California SB-379.

Acquisition of
land for open
space and
public
recreation uses
Yes No No No
Comment: City Code, Chapter 19.88
Table 5: Planning, Legal and Regulatory Capabilities
Planning, Legal and Regulatory Capabilities Local
Authority
Other
Jurisdiction
Authority
State
Mandated
Integration
Opportunity?
General Plan Yes No No Yes
Is the plan compliant with Assembly Bill 2140? Yes
Comment: General Plan: Community Vision 2015-2040, Adopted October 201 Capital Improvement Plan Yes No No Yes
How often is the plan updated? Annually
Comment: Part of the adopted budget.

Floodplain or Watershed Plan No Yes No Yes
Comment: Santa Clara Valley Water District – Flood Control Stormwater Management Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Urban Water Management Plan No Yes Yes No
Comment: Municipal Regional Permit, State Water Resources Control Board Habitat Conservation Plan No No No No
Comment: None identified; Cupertino is outside of the Santa Clara County Habitat Conservation Plan Permit Area.

Green Infrastructure Plan Yes No No Yes
Comment: The City of Cupertino Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan Parks or Open Space Plan Yes No No Yes
Comment: The Cupertino Parks and Recreation System Master Plan was adopted February 18, 2020. 623
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Planning, Legal and Regulatory Capabilities Local
Authority
Other
Jurisdiction
Authority
State
Mandated
Integration
Opportunity?
Economic Development Plan Yes No No Yes
Comment: The City of Cupertino’s Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP) is a policy document intended to guide the City’s economic development activities over the next three to five years.

Transportation Plan Yes No No Yes
Comment: It is part of the City’s General Plan.

Shoreline Management Plan No No No No
Comment: No plan identified.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Comment: The Santa Clara County Fire Department has developed a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The plan is undergoing the 2022-2023 update.

Forest Management Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Climate Action Plan Yes No Yes Yes
Comment: Cupertino’s Climate Action Plan 2.0 was adopted by City Council on August 16, 2022..

Local Emergency Operations Plan Yes No No Yes
Comment: The Cupertino Emergency Operations Plan was adopted June 18, 2019.

Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk
Assessment (THIRA)
No No Yes No
Comment: Urban Area Security Initiative THIRA – 2016; As a jurisdiction within the Santa Clara Operational Area, Cupertino is covered by UASI.

Post-Disaster Recovery Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Continuity of Operations Plan Yes No No Yes
Comment: The plan was adopted in June 2021.

Public Health Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Table 6: Fiscal Capability
Financial Capability Could the resource be
used to fund future
mitigation activities?
Has the funding resource been
used in the past for mitigation
activities? If yes, for what type
of mitigation activities?
Community Development
Block Grants
Yes No
Other Federal Funding
Programs
Yes No
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Financial Capability Could the resource be
used to fund future
mitigation activities?
Has the funding resource been
used in the past for mitigation
activities? If yes, for what type
of mitigation activities?
Capital Improvements Project
Funding
Yes Yes, to upgrade and update
storm drainage systems, build out
shared community spaces,
infrastructural hardening,
electrification of infrastructure,
and bridge and road maintenance
projects (evacuation routes).

Authority to Levy Taxes for
Specific Purposes
Yes No
User Fees for Water, Sewer,
Gas or Electric Services
No No
Stormwater Utility Fee No No
Incur Debt through General
Obligation Bonds
No No
Incur Debt through Special
Tax Bonds
No No
Incur Debt through Private
Activity Bonds
Yes No
Withhold Public Expenditures
in Hazard-Prone Areas
No No
State Funding Programs Yes No
Development Impact Fees for
Homebuyers or Developers
Yes Yes, for the transportation impact fee
program.

Public or Private Partnership
Funding Sources
Yes No
Other Funding Sources No No
Table 7: Staffing Capabilities
Staffing Capability Have Capability? Is staffing adequate to enforce regulations?
Is staff trained on
natural hazards
and mitigation?
Chief Building Official  Yes
 Full Time
 Community
Development
Department
Yes Yes
Parks and Recreation
Director
 Yes
 Full Time
 Parks and Recreation
Department
Yes Yes
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Staffing Capability Have Capability? Is staffing adequate to enforce regulations?
Is staff trained on
natural hazards
and mitigation?
Emergency Manager  Yes
 Full Time
 Office of Emergency
Management
Yes Yes
Community Planner  Yes
 Full Time
 Community
Development
Department
Yes Yes
Civil Engineer  Yes
 Full Time
 Community
Development
Department
Yes Yes
Engineers or
professionals
trained in building or
infrastructure
construction practices
 Yes
 Full Time
 Community
Development
Department
Yes Yes
Planners or engineers
with knowledge of land
development and land
management practices
 Yes
 Full Time
 Community
Development
Department
Yes Yes
Planners or engineers
with an understanding
of natural hazards
 Yes
 Full Time
 Community
Development
Department
Yes Yes
Surveyors  Yes
 Contracted
Yes Yes
GIS Coordinator or
personnel skilled or
trained in GIS
applications
 Yes
 Full Time
 GIS Division
Yes Yes
Public Works Director  Yes
 Full Time
 Department of Public
Works
Yes Yes
Fire Chief  Yes
 Full Time
 Santa Clara County
Fire Department
Yes Yes
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Staffing Capability Have Capability? Is staffing adequate to enforce regulations?
Is staff trained on
natural hazards
and mitigation?
Environmental Director  Yes
 Full Time
 Department of
Environment and
Sustainability
Yes Yes
Staff with training in
benefit/cost analysis
 Yes
 Contracted
Yes Yes
Scientist familiar with
natural hazards in local
area
 Yes
 Contracted
Yes Yes

Table 8: Administrative and Technical Capabilities
Administrative or Technical
Capability
Have Capability? Has the capability been used to
assess or mitigate risk in the past? If
yes, what type of hazard event?
Maintenance programs to
reduce risk
Yes Yes, the Public Works Department
maintains trees and median islands.

Mutual aid agreements No N/A
Hazard data and information Yes Yes, to plan for possible evacuation routes and appropriate temporary
evacuation points, and to identify areas
in the community that may be
particularly vulnerable to the impacts of
disasters.

Hazus analysis or GIS
software
Yes Yes, ArcGIS was used in past mitigation
efforts.

Grant writing Yes No
Does your jurisdiction have
any established warning
systems or services for
hazard events?
Yes Yes, AlertSCC. Alerts are sent directly to
your mobile device, landline, and or
email. Alerts for fire, earthquake, Heavy
Precipitaion, High Wind, Extreme
Temperatures, crime, and instructions
during a disaster.

Table 9: National Flood Insurance Program Compliance
Topic Response
What department in your jurisdiction is
responsible for floodplain management?
Public Works Department
Who acts as your jurisdiction’s floodplain
administrator?
Senior Civil Engineer in the Public Works
Department
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Topic Response
Is the floodplain administrator or NFIP
Coordinator certified?
Yes
Is floodplain management an auxiliary
function in your jurisdiction?
No
What is the date of adoption of your flood
damage prevention ordinance?
2016
Do floodplain development regulations meet
or exceed FEMA or state minimum
requirements? If regulations exceed
requirements, in what ways?
Yes exceed requirements. Increased freeboard
(1’) and cumulative substantial damage.

How are the substantial
improvement/substantial damage provisions
implemented?
The Building Official is responsible for assessing
substantial improvement and substantial damage
structures in accordance with the City’s policy
titled “Alterations and Additions Located in Special
Flood Hazard Areas,” dated June 1, 2016, and
any subsequent revisions approved and
implemented by the Building Official. The
Floodplain Administer is responsible for ensuring
the Building Official has made any and all
substantial improvement/substantial damage
determinations, as applicable. In addition to the
standard definition of substantial damage,
additionally any structure that is damaged by
flooding on two separate occasions during a 10-
year period for which the cost of repairs at the
time of each such event, on the average, equals
or exceeds 25% of the market value of the
structure before the damage occurred shall be
deemed substantially damaged. Permits are
required in the Special Flood Hazard Area and the
Floodplain Administer is responsible for reviewing
all development permits which, in addition to any
other SI/SD determinations, can be used to track
development over time.

Provide an explanation of the permitting
process for development within the floodplain.

See City Code 16.52.002: Development Permit

16.52.022 Development Permit. (amlegal.com)
When did your jurisdiction enter the NFIP? June 30, 1976 Is your jurisdiction in good standing with the
NFIP?
Yes
Are the jurisdiction’s Flood Insurance Rate
Maps (FIRMs) digital, paper, or both?
Digital
Explanation of NFIP administration services
within your jurisdiction.

Unknown
Barriers to running an effective NFIP program
in your jurisdiction.

No known barriers
When was the most recent Community
Assistance Visit (CAV) or Community
Assistance Contact (CAC)?
2015
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Topic Response
Is a CAV or CAC scheduled or needed? No
Does your jurisdiction have any outstanding
NFIP compliance violations that need to be
addressed?
No
Do your flood hazard maps adequately
address the flood risk within your jurisdiction?
Yes
Does your floodplain management staff need
any assistance or training to support its
floodplain management program?
No
Does your jurisdiction participate in the
Community Rating System (CRS)?
Yes, Current Class: 7
How many structures are exposed to flood risk
within your jurisdiction?
 In 10% annual chance flood hazard area: 82
 In 1% annual chance flood hazard area: 87
 In 0.2% annual chance flood hazard area:
9,677
How many flood insurance policies are in
force in your jurisdiction?
 What is the insurance in force?
 What is the premium in force?
 64 policies in force
 $20,042,400 insurance in force
 $66,002 premium in force
Areas of flood risk with limited NFIP policy
coverage.

No known areas
How many total loss claims have been filed in
your jurisdiction?
 How many claims were closed without
payment or are still open?
 What is the total amount of paid claims?
 How many claims were for substantial
damage?
 20 total loss claims have been filed
 10 claims closed without payment
 $812,170.73 total payments for losses
How NFIP compliance will be continued during
the next 5 years.
 Adoption and enforcement of floodplain
management requirements, including
regulating new construction in Special Flood
Hazard Areas (SFHAs).
 Floodplain identification and mapping,
including any local requests for map updates.
 Description of community assistance and
monitoring activities.
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Table 10: Education and Outreach
Education or Outreach
Capability Response
How does the personnel,
program, or organization
relate to disaster
resilience and
mitigation?
Could the personnel,
program, or
organization help
implement future
mitigation activities?
Does your jurisdiction have
a Public Information Officer
or Communications Office?
Yes The PIO may
communicate hazard and
disaster related
information to the
community.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
personnel skilled or trained
in website development?
Yes Websites can be
developed to include
hazard awareness
information, and other
mitigation initiatives.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
hazard mitigation
information available on
your website?
Yes There is emergency
preparedness information
on the City’s website.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction
utilize social media for
hazard mitigation education
and outreach?
Yes Websites and social media
sites, as well as Ready
95014 provide hazard
information and education.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
any citizen boards or
commissions that address
issues related to hazard
mitigation?
Yes The Mitigation Planning
Committee identifies
hazards, conducts a risk
and vulnerability
assessment, and creates
and monitors mitigation
actions.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
any ongoing public
education or information
programs that could be
used to communicate
hazard-related information?
Yes The interactive GIS maps
and open data portal helps
communicate hazard
information.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
local citizen groups or
nonprofit organizations
focused on environmental
protection, emergency
preparedness, and/or
underserved populations?
Yes The CERT and Public
Safety Commission
address disaster resilience
and mitigation.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
natural disaster or safety
related school programs?
Yes The Wildfire Awareness
Initiative (WAI) Monta
Vista School Student
Organization builds
resilience by creating
hazard awareness.

Yes
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Education or Outreach
Capability Response
How does the personnel,
program, or organization
relate to disaster
resilience and
mitigation?
Could the personnel,
program, or
organization help
implement future
mitigation activities?
Does your jurisdiction have
public/private partnership
initiatives addressing
disaster-related issues
Yes CERT, Red Cross, West
Valley Community Center
(unhoused population
services), and the
Chamber of Commerce all
address citywide disaster
issues.

Potential expansion of
partnerships include the
Boy and Girl Scout troops
and the Firewise program.

Yes

Table 11: Community Classifications
Participating? Classification Date Classified
Community Rating System Yes 7 October 1, 2005
Building Code Effectiveness Grading
Schedule
Yes 2 October 18,
2014
Insurance Services Office (ISO) Fire Rating Yes 2/2Y May 1, 2021 National Weather Service Storm Ready
Program®
No N/A N/A
Firewise USA® Program No N/A N/A

Table 12: Development and Permitting Capabilities
Development or Permitting Capability Response
Does your jurisdiction issue development
permits?
 If no, who does? If yes, which department?
Yes, the City of Cupertino Community
Development Department.

Does your jurisdiction have the ability to track
permits by hazard area?
No
Does your jurisdiction have a buildable lands
inventory?
No

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Table 13: Adaptive Capacity for Climate Change
Adaptive Capacity Assessment Question Jurisdiction Rating Technical Capacity
Jurisdiction-level understanding of potential
climate change impacts Medium
Comment: The Climate Action Plan was adopted in 2015 and updated in 2022. The City has identified six hazards of concern: adverse air quality impacts, extreme heat, extreme precipitation/storm flooding, wildfire, drought, and sea level rise. Several impacts of these hazards are felt now and are projected to intensify in the future. Based on an analysis of potential impacts and the City’s adaptive capacity, Cupertino is most vulnerable to adverse air quality impacts and extreme heat, and the City has medium vulnerability to drought, wildfire, and extreme precipitation/storm flooding. Cupertino is least vulnerable to sea level rise, however indirect effects from sea level rise may be felt in the region (Climate Action Plan 2.0 p20).

Jurisdiction-level monitoring of climate change
impacts Medium
Comment: Cupertino’s inventory methods rely on the U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Version 1.2) and are consistent with the [GHG measurement] methodologies used by other cities throughout the State of California (Climate Action Plan 2.0 p30).

Technical resources to assess proposed
strategies for feasibility and externalities Medium
Comment: To help assess the feasibility of proposed strategies the City is currently developing an inventory of land-use and emergency planning documents and regulations. Examples include the City Climate Action Plan and the Building and Construction Ordinance. This inventory is being used to evaluate where proposed hazard mitigation projects fit into existing planning documents, and to track different City initiatives that share goals and resources. The inventory also allows the City to leverage and build on existing strategies already supported in some way. In this way hazard mitigation strategies are being integrated into established City planning priorities. This enhances the likelihood of their adoption. Additionally, City staff and appointed leadership on the Planning, Building and Sustainability Commissions provide expertise and input into the feasibility of proposed strategies.

Jurisdiction-level capacity for development of
greenhouse gas emissions inventory High
Comment: Completed initial GHG inventory with adoption of Climate Action Plan in 2015, updated 2017 and reflected in CAP 2.0 (2022).

Capital planning and land use decisions informed
by potential climate impacts Medium
Comment: The Climate Action Plan 2.0 identifies 21 GHG reduction actions. These actions, in conjunction with projects identified through the Capital Improvement Plan and the Safety Element in the General Plan guide land use decisions taking potential climate impacts into consideration. In addition, the City passed a Bicycle Transportation Plan (2016) and a companion Pedestrian Transportation Plan (2018). Both plans take potential climate impacts into account and are considered for planning and land use decisions. Other City planning documents also inform planning and land use decisions, taking climate change and vulnerability to extreme weather into account. For example, the Green Infrastructure Plan, and the Clean Water and Storm Protection Program.

Participation in regional groups addressing
climate risks High
Comment: Joint Venture Silicon Valley Public Climate Task Force: Santa Clara County’s Silicon Valley

2.0: Joint Policy Committee Bay Area Climate & Resiliency Project, Regional Heat and Air Quality Resilience Working Group.
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Adaptive Capacity Assessment Question Jurisdiction Rating Implementation Capacity
Clear authority/mandate to consider climate
change impacts during public decision-making
processes
Low
Comment: General Plan Environmental Resources & Sustainability Element Goal ES-1.1 provides the vision to incorporate principles of sustainability into Cupertino’s planning, infrastructure, and development processes.

Identified strategies for greenhouse gas mitigation
efforts High
Comment: The City’s Climate Action Plan outlines over 200 strategies to reduce GHG community- wide and for municipal operations.

Identified strategies for adaptation to impacts Low
Comment: These two important documents are a start for addressing adaption impacts:
 General Plan Environmental Resources & Sustainability Element Strategy ES-1.1.3: Climate Adaption & Resiliency
 Cupertino’s Climate Action Plan Chapter 6 Climate Adaption & Resiliency Champions for climate action in local government
departments High
Comment: Champions for climate action starts in the City Manager’s office and can be found within all levels of the organization and within each department. Departments report on their progress towards Climate Action Plan strategies yearly. Additionally, every staff report that goes to City Council has a section where staff need to explain the sustainability impact of the item.

Political support for implementing climate change
adaptation strategies High
Comment: A sustainability commission created by the City in 2015 to oversee implementation of the Climate Action Plan meets quarterly.

Financial resources devoted to climate change
adaptation Low
Comment: None solely focused on climate change adaptation.

Local authority over sectors likely to be negative
impacted Medium
Comment: Authority to regulate/ require compliance with different aspects of the City code which provide for sustainable building/development practices.

Example 1: The City updated its local ordinance to conform to the new State requirements while maintaining a streamlined approval process. The updated local ordinance are reflected in the City’s Landscaping Ordinance found in Chapter 14.15 of the Cupertino Municipal Code. New development projects that include landscape areas of 500 sq. ft. or more are subject to the Ordinance. This applies to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional projects that require a permit, plan check or design review.

Example 2: The City of Cupertino Environmental Programs Division administers various requirements that must be included in new or redeveloped private commercial and single/multifamily housing projects. Covered projects include new construction, tenant improvements, and/or new or modified development use permits. These requirements are required to be implemented to conform with State stormwater pollution requirements and solid waste reduction and recycling mandates.

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Adaptive Capacity Assessment Question Jurisdiction Rating Public Capacity
Local residents knowledge of and understanding
of climate risk Unknown
Comment: This information can be updated after implementation of GP Strategy ES-1.1.3 Climate Vulnerability Assessment.

Local residents support of adaptation efforts Unknown
Comment: This information can be updated after implementation of GP Strategy ES-1.1.3 Climate Vulnerability Assessment.

Local residents’ capacity to adapt to climate
impacts Unknown
Comment: This information can be updated after implementation of GP Strategy ES-1.1.3 Climate Vulnerability Assessment.

Local economy current capacity to adapt to
climate impacts Unknown
Comment: This information can be updated after implementation of GP Strategy ES-1.1.3 Climate Vulnerability Assessment.

Local ecosystems capacity to adapt to climate
impacts Unknown
Comment: This information can be updated after implementation of GP Strategy ES-1.1.3 Climate Vulnerability Assessment.

2.4.3. Opportunities to Expand Upon and Improve Existing Capabilities The hazard mitigation planning process presented the opportunity for the community to discuss and evaluate their current capabilities however, building mitigation capabilities is an ongoing process. New capabilities can be added which will support mitigation. Current capabilities can also be enhanced to actively support mitigation and reduce risk. Significant efforts have been made to increase the capabilities of jurisdictions across the OA. By participating in this plan update, each community is reinforcing their support for mitigation and understanding of the capabilities they need to successfully implement mitigation measures. Actions that can expand and improve existing authorities, plans, policies, and resources for mitigation include:
 Developing a Climate Action Plan which incorporates hazard data and actions to adapt to a changing climate.
 Budgeting and passing policies and procedures for mitigation actions.  Adopting and implementing stricter mitigation regulations.  Approving the training of staff for mitigation activities.  Approving mitigation updates to existing plans as new needs are recognized.  Continuing to update plans as necessary to ensure they are current and reflect the needs of the community or special district.
 Further developing warning systems and messaging.
 Creating and implementing additional public education and outreach offerings and increasing the volume of translated materials.
 Ensuring grant opportunities are capitalized upon to meet mitigation goals. 634
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Each type of the four FEMA-identified capabilities were evaluated, in addition to OA-priority capabilities like adaptive capacity. Gaps and limitations, if any, are discussed in the tables above. Additional jurisdiction-specific opportunities to expand on and improve capabilities for reducing risk include:
 Complete the city’s inventory of land-use and emergency planning documents and regulations which can be used to track plan integration and action implementation.  Implementation of General Plan Strategy ES-1.1.3 Climate Vulnerability Assessment.  Continue to participate in the Community Rating System and identify additional actions to both reduce flood risk and reduce flood insurance premiums.
 Since the last plan update, multiple new grant programs that support mitigation measures have been established. FEMA’s annual BRIC grant program funds a variety of mitigation actions, including infrastructure projects, nature-based solutions, climate adaptation, hazard resistant building codes, and projects benefitting disadvantaged communities. This program is funded annually, meaning the City can apply on a consistent basis, rather than waiting for a disaster declaration to make additional mitigation funds available. Within California, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research has established the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP), which funds multiple grants related to climate adaptation and resilience. Types of projects that could be funded under ICARP grants include adaptation planning, capacity building, climate resilience measures, and reducing the impacts of extreme heat. Regional partnerships are also a priority. In addition to local funding, pursuing these types of grant programs can help the City fund additional mitigation actions and increase their financial capabilities.

2.5. Integration with Other Planning Initiatives
This section describes the process for integrating the hazard mitigation plan into local planning mechanisms.

2.5.1. Existing Integration
The following plans and programs currently integrate the goals, risk assessment and/or recommendations of the hazard mitigation plan:
 Cupertino General Plan: Currently incorporates information on hazard risks and strategies for hazard risk reduction through its development plans and strategies. At the time of the next update, information obtained in the update of the hazard mitigation plan will be integrated into the General Plan as appropriate.
 Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan: The plan coordinates strategies to achieve community benefits that are related to reduced local flooding, climate resiliency, the urban environment, and more.
 Community Wildfire Protection Plan: The Santa Clara County Fire Department has developed a Community Wildfire Protection Plan to reduce wildland fire risks to communities and the environment.
 City of Cupertino Climate Action Plan 2.0: This plan outlines efforts to mitigate climate change impacts and directly references the Santa Clara County 2017 Hazard Mitigation Plan.  Cupertino Ordinances: The flood damage prevention ordinance identifies areas at risk from the flood hazard and includes specific standards and regulations designed to reduce risk to structures within those areas. Other ordinances such as the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision ordinance have also been identified as effective measures for reducing hazard impacts. 635
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 Parks and Recreation Systems Master Plan: This plan directly outlines strategies that support overall disaster resilience within the City.

2.5.2. Opportunities for Future Integration
The following plans and programs do not currently integrate the goals, risk assessment and/or recommendations of the hazard mitigation plan, but provide an opportunity for future integration:
 The Cupertino Emergency Operations Plan: This plan does not outline any mitigation strategies but could be considered in the future as it establishes the overall operational concepts associated with the management of incidents, emergencies, crises, disasters, and catastrophes within the City.
 Continuity of Operations Plan: The COOP currently does not identify any projects to include in the mitigation strategy. However, as the plan is updated in the future, this could be a good opportunity to integrate mitigation goals.
 Economic Development Strategic Plan: The city’s Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP) includes an analysis of potential challenges relate to economic development. This could include additional information on hazard risks and actions which support both economic development and risk reduction.

Like other jurisdictions within the OA, the city’s process for integrating this plan’s data, information, and hazard mitigation goals and actions into other planning mechanisms relies on providing the relevant information to the city’s Planning Division and Planning Commission which are responsible for developing and implementing city plans. The Local Planning Team will be responsible for integrating this plan into other planning mechanisms through the city’s current approach to planning.

2.6. Jurisdiction-Specific Natural Hazard Event History The City of Cupertino did not experience any natural hazard events or damage from natural hazards outside of those detailed in Volume 1.

2.7. Jurisdiction-Specific Vulnerabilities
Repetitive loss records are as follows:
 Number of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-identified Repetitive Loss (RL) Properties: 5
 Number of FEMA-identified Severe-Repetitive-Loss (SRL) Properties: 0  Number of RL Properties or SRL Properties that have been mitigated: 0

Other noted vulnerabilities include:
 The Increasing frequency and intensity of inclement weather brings a higher likelihood of simultaneous events, or cascading events, where the impacts accumulate rapidly. When only one type of inclement weather impacts the City, residents and City resources are less likely to be affected. When multiple types of inclement weather occur simultaneously, or in close succession, the risks are greater. More frequent periods of drought and extreme heat due to climate change has resulted in a lengthening of the fire season. Dry spells during the winter months, especially when combined with winds and dead fuels, may result in fires that burn with a high intensity and rate. Increased occurrence of extreme heat has health implications, particularly for vulnerable populations such as older adults or those with medical conditions that may be exacerbated by prolonged high temperatures. Inclement weather events happening near Cupertino may impact the City, with more severe impacts possible as a broader geographic region is affected. Because 636
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of the variable nature of intensity and location of impact of heavy rain, wind, and other inclement weather, it is difficult to identify specific structures, critical facilities, or populations at risk.

Identifying structures that are more resilient to these hazards may allow the city to provide places of safety for vulnerable populations during a severe weather event, including heavy rain, wind, or extreme temperatures. Residents who do not speak English as their primary language may have difficulty receiving or understanding weather-related information and may need additional communication resources. With the increase in inclement weather events, regional transportation and communications lifelines are increasingly at risk.
 Drought-impacted vegetation is more vulnerable to disease and wildfire. Limits on landscape irrigation during periods of water shortages contributes to low soil moisture and heightened risk of wildfire. Loss of vegetation detracts from the ability of green spaces to serve as carbon sinks.

Drought is not expected to impact the functionality of critical facilities or infrastructure, but these entities can consider options to reduce water consumption for overall community benefit.

Although populations are not expected to be harmed directly from drought, some people may be indirectly impacted from drought-related restrictions or shortages. Populations also play an important role in adapting to reduced water use in homes and residential landscaping and benefit from public outreach and volunteer efforts to use water sustainably. In a prolonged and widespread drought, issues such as food insecurity may particularly impact vulnerable populations, such as individuals with lower income. Climate change is anticipated to affect future drought conditions and may result in increasing occurrences or severity of drought. There are 16,413 buildings with vulnerability to earthquake (with an estimated value of structure and contents of $13,890,786,985). Based on property loss estimates conducted through the Level 2 Hazus analysis for the 100-year and 500-year earthquakes, Cupertino total losses range from about $623 million to about $2 billion. Of the three earthquake fault scenarios considered for Santa Clara County, Cupertino is most vulnerable to an earthquake along the San Andreas Fault.

A strong earthquake will be felt throughout the region and damage to facilities and infrastructure will likely be widespread. The Hazus analysis did not include damage estimates for individual city critical infrastructure, but a total of 75 critical facilities, infrastructure, and other community assets were identified within Cupertino that may be at risk to damage or service interruption resulting from an earthquake. The 17,460 residents of Cupertino may experience a variety of impacts from earthquake, including physical injury, damage to housing, or other economic impacts. Climate change impacts on earthquake are not currently well understood, and are not anticipated to result in a change in earthquake risk.
 Earthquake risk from ground shaking exists throughout Cupertino and therefore could affect multiple vulnerable populations throughout the city. Older persons or those with access and functional needs or other disabilities may have difficulty relocating to temporary housing if needed. Lower income households may be more likely to live in older housing that may not have modern seismic construction standards and may experience more severe damage. Renters and those in multi-unit housing tend to be disproportionately displaced by disasters, but these individuals may also lack financial resources to seek temporary housing.  The Citywide Building Condition Assessment (BCA) identified several areas of concern with the Sports Center facility. Several structural deficiencies were identified that were deemed high priority. Some are being addressed this year with the Sports Center Seismic Retrofit project, but additional improvements have been requested and additional study needed to identify all the renovations or repairs required.
 Potential danger to a population of 4,284 living in a dam inundation area, and the potential for damage to populated areas downstream of Stevens Creek Dam exists. Approximately 1,200 buildings are exposed (majority residential), with an estimated value of about $1.14 billion (2016 Santa Clara County Tax Assessor’s data).
 Cupertino owns and maintains seven bridges in the city, and six have been identified as needing rehabilitation and improvements to prolong their useful life, as recommended in the Caltrans Bridge Report. Several bridges across Stephens Creek and the Junipero Serra Freeway are also in potential dam inundation areas, Stephens Creek Blvd is a primary transportation route in the 637
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city that is within dam inundation and 1% flood zones. These routes are also important alternatives for pedestrian and bike traffic for individuals without personal vehicles. Bridges already in need of rehabilitation may be more susceptible to damage from earthquake, flood, or other hazards.
 Stephen’s Creek creates a natural separation of the eastern part of the city. Stephen’s Creek Boulevard and McClellan Road are critical transportation routes to and from this area. Damage or impediments to these routes would limit options for ingress and egress, which could lead to congestion and difficulty in the event an evacuation is needed. Bridges on these routes are of concern for flooding and dam inundation of the creek, and possibly damage from ground shaking in an earthquake. Several areas along the banks of the creek are identified as high susceptibility to landslide. Slopes may become more instable during or following heavy precipitation and flooding events. Climate change may increase the severity of future precipitation events, which may have a associated increase in landslide potential.
 Five infrastructure lifelines intersect with the Stevens Creek Dam Flood inundation zone (refer to the City Hazard Map: https://gis.cupertino.org/servicefinder/?#hazard). These Infrastructure lifelines link Cupertino with the region. Damage caused by flooding to any of these lifelines would result in regional transportation delays and service disruption by agencies dependent on the roads. The northwest area of Cupertino (such as Creston Drive and Phar Lap Drive) is within the inundation area and also has moderately high social vulnerability. Further investigation may be needed to determine specific population vulnerabilities and how these contribute to vulnerability to dam failure.
 A total of 292 Cupertino residents live within the 148 acres comprising the 10% flood hazard area, 310 Cupertino residents live within 179 acres for the 1%, and 33,871 Cupertino residents live within 4,993 acres for the 0.2% flood hazard areas. Structures within each of the three flood hazard area scenarios are valued between $27 million and $6 billion, according to the 2017 MJHMP. Flood risk is highest along Stephens Creek, and the Social Vulnerability Index shows moderate to moderately high vulnerability in this area.  An evaluation of the City’s storm drain system indicated areas of concern and possible repairs needed at Pumpkin Drive, Fiesta Lane, September Drive, and Festival Drive, as well as on Stephen’s Creek Boulevard over Calavasas Creek.
 A total of 4,530 residents are in areas exposed to moderate to high landslide susceptibility. Over $1 billion in structure and contents values are also exposed. The highest risk is along Stephen’s Creek and in the foothills. The 2017 Regnart Road Slope Stability Study identified several areas along Regnart Road that exhibit poor drainage characteristics, slope stability concerns that require partial road reconstruction to avoid costly road or slope failures, and lengthy road closures. The retaining wall along Cordova Rd also shows signs of potential failure. Heavy precipitation can contribute to slope movement. If climate change results in increased extreme precipitation events as anticipated, an increase in slope movement is also possible. Many of the areas of Cupertino in the western area most likely to be impacted by landslide are either above age 65, or younger than 17. These individuals may be more dependent on others for care and mobility. If roadways become blocked by landslides, these individuals be disproportionally affected by delays in receiving aid.
 Areas of the City near high wildfire threat zones may also be vulnerable to the landslide debris flow risks from burn scars after an event where the landscape is denuded by fire and impacted subsequently by rain. Some neighborhoods in the foothills of west Cupertino are characterized by steep terrain and narrow roads where even shallow landslides could impact access.  Heavy rain events may result in flooding on roadways and low-lying areas. Atmospheric river events have a cumulative impact on the water level of Steven’s Creek Reservoir and on the creeks and streams making up the City’s watershed, increasing the likelihood of flooding downstream. When inclement weather, including atmospheric river events, combines with other weather events, impacts to the City population and infrastructure are compounded. As a result, 638
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shelters and disaster services may be needed to support residents and maintain continuous services necessary for life safety. Combined impacts of inclement weather events also have the potential to impact community resources. Atmospheric river events contribute to a higher water level in Steven’s Creek Reservoir. If an earthquake occurs when the water level is high, the potential impact of a dam failure is greater, with more downstream damage projected.  Extreme precipitation events such as atmospheric rives may occur with greater frequency or increased severity in the future due to climate change. Flooding from heavy rain and atmospheric rivers are among the hazards of concern for the City of Cupertino Climate Action Plan.

Sustainable actions and nature-based solutions to address the effect of flooding and heavy rain are among the priorities for the city and are addressed in the mitigation plan actions.  High wind can cause damage to residences or other structures, can result in fallen branches or trees that can further damage property, and can damage and disrupt power and communication systems. Debris from high wind can cause temporarily obstructed roadways.  As a mostly urbanized community, Cupertino can experience a “heat island effect,” which can contribute to extreme heat. The city is committed to providing more pedestrian and bike friendly infrastructure to also reduce GHG emissions in ongoing efforts to address the impacts of climate change and increasing temperatures. Tree planting and other nature-based solutions may help address heat island effects. Climate change may lead to increasing occurrences of extreme heat events in the future.
 Communication is critical to warn people of quick onset severe weather events, including heavy rain, high wind, and extreme temperature, for people to take proper precautions, seek shelter, or take other safety actions to reduce their risk. A variety of methods may be needed to reach various vulnerable communities.
 In 2022 the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection updated its wildfire risk map.

The new map shows an increase in fire hazard in state responsibility areas, including those adjacent to the City of Cupertino. The areas in the foothills near Stephens Creek Road or Regnart Road have higher wildfire risk, and several roads have limited access or dead-end spurs.

Additional planning may be needed to identify transportation bottlenecks or other barriers to safe evacuation and necessary improvements to road design or signage. Impacted populations include those living or working within the wildland-urban interface in the foothills of west Cupertino, as well as people with chronic lung problems and other preexisting health conditions, children, pregnant women, and older adults. Ongoing management is needed to address vegetative fuel growth. Property owners can play an important role in reducing wildfire risk around their properties but may lack information regarding what actions to take or resources to make protective actions financially feasible. Climate change is anticipated to lead to increases in wildfire risk. Increases in drought longevity and intensity and increasing extreme heat events contribute to changes in vegetation and more extreme wildfire risk conditions. In addition to populations vulnerable to the health risks from wildfire smoke, other vulnerable populations include those with disabilities or access and functional needs that may have difficulty evacuating if their area experiences a wildfire. Individuals without personal vehicles may also be unable to evacuate.

Those who don’t speak English well may have more difficulty finding information about wildfire risk and receiving information regarding what actions to take during a wildfire. Lower income households may have more difficulty upgrading homes to more wildfire resistant materials or completing other defensible space projects.
 The 2017/18 Comprehensive Facility Condition and Use Assessment identified deficiencies at city facilities. The Senior Center and Monta Vista Recreation Center and Service Center (Administration and Mechanics shops) were prioritized as being particularly in need of repair or other adaptations to avoid damage or service interruptions. These facilities may be particularly vulnerable to the impacts of earthquake, heavy rain or high wind, and other hazards. 639
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 Quinlan Community Center serves as the City's primary Mass Care and Shelter facility and Cooling Center and requires emergency power/systems upgrades to be able to provide this function.
 Cupertino is not located on the bay shoreline and has no direct tsunami risk, so this hazard was not profiled for this annex.

2.7.1. Social Vulnerability
Figure 16 shows the social vulnerability for Cupertino and the surrounding area. Most of the area has low to moderate vulnerability based on overall SVI score, indicating the social characteristics of the area will enable the people to be fairly resilient to a natural hazard. Socioeconomic status risk is low across the city.

Most of Cupertino has a high level of vulnerability in the Racial and Ethnic Minority Status theme. A key indicator in this theme a high percentage of Asian population, which accounts for 67% of the total city population. Household characteristics do not indicate a high percentage of people who speak English “less than well.” Officials should consider what unique cultural needs this population may need and identify any cultural barriers to providing information about hazard risk prior to or providing aid after a disaster.

Wildfire and landslide hazards are highest in the south-western portion of the city, and overall vulnerability is higher in some corresponding areas in the western portion of the city. There is also some overlap in the moderately high vulnerable area in the north-west portion of the city and the 1% annual chance floodplain. This area has heightened risk in housing and transportation and household characteristics themes. In particular, this area has relatively high percentages of persons younger than 17 or older than 65, as well as 9.6% with a disability, and 7.5% speaking English less than well. 21.3 % live in multi-unit housing and 12.4 % have no vehicle available. This may present difficulties for people to evacuate or otherwise relocate following the impact of a hazard.

Other areas of the city have moderately high vulnerability scores but do not correspond with the geographic extent of a particular hazard. Drought and inclement weather hazards have the potential to affect the entire city.
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Figure 4: Cupertino Social Vulnerability

2.8. Hazard Risk Index
Table 32 presents the hazards of concern from highest risk index number to lowest as assigned by the City of Cupertino.

Table 14: Hazard Risk Index
Hazard Probability Life Impact Property
Impact
Percentage of
Area Impacted
Maximum
Probable
Extent
Earthquake Likely Catastrophic Catastrophic Extensive Major Wildfire Highly Likely Critical Minor Extensive Major
Heavy Rain Highly Likely Minor Minor Significant Moderate High Wind Likely Minor Minor Significant Moderate
Extreme Heat Likely Minor Minor Significant Moderate
Climate Change Highly Likely Limited Minor Extensive Major Drought Highly Likely Minor Limited Extensive Moderate
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Hazard Probability Life Impact Property
Impact
Percentage of
Area Impacted
Maximum
Probable
Extent
Flood Occasional Minor Minor Significant Moderate
Landslide/Mass
Movement
Occasional Minor Minor Minimal Weak
Dam/Levee
Failure
Unlikely Minor Limited Significant Moderate

Table 15: Comparison of Cupertino Risk Index to Operational Area (OA) Risk Score Earth-
quake
Dam/Levee
Failure
Heavy
Rain
High
Wind
Extreme
Heat Wildfire Drought Flood Land-
slide
Climate
Change
Cupertino 2.7 0.45 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.9 1.45 0.5 0.4 1.55
OA 2.24 1.19 1.44 1.44 1.44 1.68 1.21 .90 0.36 1.13

2.9. Future Needs to Better Understand Risk/Vulnerability A citywide inspection of all critical facilities is needed to determine if hardening or retrofit projects are needed. A citywide inventory of invasive and fire-prone vegetation would help to target vegetation management efforts. Socio-economic and demographic analysis of the City population, including residents, people who work in the City, and commuters who traverse the City on their way to or from other places, would help to inform public messaging needs, including alert and warning messaging. Increasing dialogue with private sector and non-governmental partners about resource sharing in a disaster may help in locating CPODs. Increasing regional dialogue and planning with neighboring/adjacent jurisdictions can help west County communities leverage shared resources during disasters that are likely to impact more than one jurisdiction. Surveying the location of cellular towers in the high fire threat areas of west Cupertino can help the City anticipate impacts to cellular communications from wildfire-caused outages.

2.10. Status of Previous Plan Actions
Participants were asked to report the status of their mitigation actions listed in the previous plan as a part of this plan update. Where further information isn’t provided, the answers are defined as follows:
 Completed – work on this action is totally complete.
 Completed and ongoing – work on this action is complete; however, it is an ongoing project that will continue to be implemented. An example is a public outreach campaign that was created and will continue to be implemented.
 In progress – work on this action has begun and is in progress, but the action is not yet complete.  Retain – work on this action has not begun yet, the action is still relevant, and it should be in the 2023 MJHMP.
 No longer relevant – Action item is no longer relevant due to reduce or eliminated risk, it no longer being feasible, there has been a change in jurisdictional or organizational priorities, or another reason as stated.

Unless specifically requested otherwise, only those actions listed as “retain” are incorporated into the 2023 action plan.
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Table 16: Status of Action Items from the 2017 MJHMP
Action Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current
Status and
Comments
CPT-1 Require all new construction, including public
facilities, to be built in accordance with the most
recent Building and Fire Code standards. All Hazards
Completed
and ongoing
CPT-2 Continue to enforce and/or comply with State-
mandated requirements, such as the California
Environmental Quality Act and environmental
regulations to ensure that urban development is
conducted in a way to minimize air pollution.

Specifically, developed a Sustainable Land Use
and Green Building Policy to expand on the work
that was done to achieve these goals in the 2005
General Plan Sustainability Section. All Hazards
Completed
and ongoing
CPT-3 Increase the use of clean, alternative energy, by subscribing to and supporting Community Choice
Energy. Severe Weather
Completed
and ongoing
CPT-4 Increase recycling rates in local government
operations and in the community. Wildfire
Completed
and ongoing
CPT-5 Promote or increase the resiliency of critical and essential facilities/ infrastructure following a major
natural disaster through various means. All Hazards
Completed
and ongoing
CPT-6 Help educate the public, schools, other
jurisdictions, professional associations, business,
and industry about reducing global warming
pollution. Severe Weather In progress
CPT-7 Maintain and update a GIS layer of localized
flooding "hot spots" throughout the city.

Flood and
Severe Weather
No longer
relevant
CPT-8 Develop a storm drain master plan to develop
and prioritize capital projects.

Flood and
Severe Weather
Completed
and ongoing
CPT-9 Continue to maintain good standing and
compliance under the National Flood Insurance
Program. This will be accomplished through the
implementation of floodplain management
programs that will, at a minimum, meet the
requirements of the NFIP:
 Enforcement of the flood damage prevention
ordinance
 Participate in floodplain identification and
mapping updates
 Provide public assistance/ information on
floodplain requirements and impacts Flood
Completed
and ongoing
CPT-10 Where appropriate, support retrofitting, purchase or relocation of structures located in high hazard
areas and prioritize those structures that have
experience repetitive losses. All Hazards
Completed
and ongoing
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Action Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current
Status and
Comments
CPT-11 Integrate the hazard mitigation plan into other
plans, ordinances and programs that dictate land
use decisions within the community. All Hazards In progress CPT-12 Actively participate in the plan maintenance
protocols outlines in Volume 1 of the hazard
mitigation plan. All Hazards Completed
* Number given to action item in 2017 Santa Clara County Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan

2.11. Hazard Mitigation Action Plan and Evaluation of
Recommended Actions
Table 35 expands on many of the actions identified in the 2017 Plan, offering a more detailed and measurable way to track actions. Table 35 lists the actions that make up the updated City of Cupertino hazard mitigation plan. The maps in Figure 17 through Figure 24 present the City’s critical facilities, infrastructure, and identified hazard risk areas.

Descriptions of the expected time frames for actions are provided below:
 Short term: 1–5 years
 Medium term: 5–10 years
 Long term: Over 10 years
 Ongoing: Currently being funded and implemented under existing programs

The planning partners utilized the following criteria to prioritize action items into the categories of high, medium, or low.
 High Priority— A project that:
 Meets multiple goals and objectives (i.e., multiple hazards);  Addresses multiple hazards;
 Has benefits that exceed cost;
 Has funding secured or is an ongoing project;
 Meets eligibility requirements for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants;  Can be completed in the short term (1 to 5 years);
 Addresses immediate short-term impacts of climate change;  Benefits underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND  Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
 Medium Priority— A project that:
 Meets multiple goals and objectives;
 Addresses multiple hazards;
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 Has benefits that exceed costs;
 Has funding has not been secured, but that is grant eligible under Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants or other grant programs;
 Project can be completed in the short term (1-5 years), once funding is secured. Medium priority projects will become high priority projects once funding is secured;  Addresses immediate short-term impacts of climate change;  Benefits underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND  Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
 Low Priority— A project that:
 Will mitigate the risk of at least one hazard;
 Has benefits that do not exceed the costs or are difficult to quantify:
 Does not have secured funding;
 Is not eligible for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant funding;  Has a timeline for completion that is long term (greater than 5 years). Low priority projects may be eligible for other sources of grant funding from other programs;  May address impacts of climate change;
 May benefit underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND  Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.

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Table 17: City of Cupertino 2023 Action Items
Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
1 Plan Integration Index: Develop and utilize an index that tracks the development of new plans and initiatives. Use this index to relate new products to existing plans,
providing a method for ensuring internal consistency,
reduce duplicative efforts, and build on existing hazard mitigation efforts.

All Hazards Office of
Emergency
Management
(OEM)/Office of
Communications
General fund Short term High
2 Expand Public Information Outreach: Recommend that
City staff, commissions and council encourage sharing of public messaging further in the community by “deputizing” the public to share information with community members
who may not otherwise receive it. Recommend that City
staff, commissions and council address information
sharing as a regular component of public communication.

All Hazards OEM/Office of
Communications
None Short term Medium
3 Social media and risk mitigation: Develop a strategic communication / engagement plan to disseminate
emergency information throughout the year through City
Office of Communications social media. Identify topics and messages to prioritize for scheduled release on a twelve- month cycle. Include volunteer outreach regularly in
monthly social media posts to increase engagement in
City OEM volunteer programs.

All Hazards OEM/Office of
Communications
Building
Resilient
Infrastructure
and
Communities
Grant (BRIC)
Short term High
4 Develop City Community Resilience Hubs:

1. Define criteria for being considered a CRH in Cupertino

2. Develop a list of existing CRHs. Use this list to prioritize facility improvements resource allocation before and
during disasters, for example during high winds, heavy
precipitation, extreme temperature events.

All Hazards,
including
Heavy Rain,
High Wind,
Extreme Heat
or Cold
OEM General fund Short term High
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
5 Evacuation Route and Temporary Evacuation Point
Inventory: With City GIS, aggregate primary vehicle
routes, traffic control points, and evacuation end points identified in evacuation pre-plans. Include bicycle and pedestrian routes. Highlight City transit corridors,
intersections and features that may be used in
evacuations.

All Hazards OEM General fund Short term Medium
6 Raising Emergency Awareness of Community Hazards
(REACH) Initiative: Develop a process for sharing
information about extreme weather events with the
community using City OEM volunteers. Formalize the
expectation for information sharing among volunteers,
track and analyze how emergency information is
disseminated by volunteers, begin to understand linguistic capacity of volunteers in message dissemination.

All Hazards OEM General fund Ongoing High
7 Community Program Integration: Combining volunteering opportunities available through the Sustainability Division's Greenblocks program and the Office of Emergency
Services and Block Leaders program. Combine outreach
efforts and trainings for program participants to emphasize the role of sustainability in emergency preparedness.

All Hazards,
including
Drought
OEM General fund Ongoing Low
8 City GIS Operations Dashboard: By December 2023 build a situational awareness and information sharing GIS
dashboard. Platform capabilities for City departments and emergency management partner agencies/ organizations.

Include data such as PG&E power outages, evacuation
zone status, flood inundation area, critical facilities, and primary evacuation routes.

All Hazards Information
Technology
(IT)/OEM
General fund Short term High
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
9 Evacuation Planning Initiative: Build and maintain
evacuation planning maps. Coordinate the development of evacuation zone pre-plans to include primary evacuation routes, critical facilities, potential traffic control points, and potential temporary evacuation points with public safety partner agencies.

All Hazards OEM General fund Ongoing Medium

10 Firewise Program Promotion: Identify vulnerable
communities based on the EBRPD and Santa Clara
County Fire Department (SCCFD) input about vegetation
risk. Provide targeted outreach to neighborhoods, HOAs, condo units, through existing Block leaders, describing Firewise community initiative. Provide information and
support to interested neighborhoods. Help private property owners to position themselves for available grant funding when available.

Wildfire,
Climate
Change,
Drought, High
Wind

OEM/ SCCFD/
SCCFSC
General fund,
USFS Grants
Long term Medium
11 Vegetation Management Initiative: Identify, evaluate, mitigate hazardous trees and brush throughout the City.

Hazardous vegetation includes both highly flammable
invasive species and vegetation that poses a risk to the public (fall risk, ailing or dead trees combined with wind events, overgrowth impacting pedestrian and vehicle
access to evacuation routes). This initiative complements the FPP action (Firewise Program Promotion).

Climate
Change,
Drought,
Heavy Rain,
High Wind,
Wildfire,
Landslide

OEM/ SCCFSC/
Public Works
(PW)
General fund,
Cal Fire
Grants, USFS
Grants, USDA
Grants
Long term Low 12 Community Rating System Flood Response Public Information Initiative: Develop and disseminate locally tailored messages in support of the broader SCC
Multijurisdictional Program for Public Information. Some of the outreach efforts are credible for Community Rating
System (CRS) points, part of FEMA's NFIP. Other
outreach efforts are not creditable for points but still build community resilience.

Climate
Change,
Flood, Heavy
Rain

OEM/ SCCFD/
SCCFSC
General fund Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
13 Waste Management Measure 1 (Climate Action Plan):

Implement SB 1383 requirements and reduce community
wide landfilled organics 75% by 2025 and inorganic waste 35% by 2030 and reduce all waste 90% by 2040.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium

14 Waste Management Measure 2 (Climate Action Plan):

Reduce overall waste disposed to garbage, recycling, and compost per capita by 15% by 2035.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium
15 Waste Management Measure 3 (Climate Action Plan):

Meet or exceed the SB 1383 recycled organics products
procurement requirements and sequester or avoid at least

0.018 MT CO2e per person by through 2045.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium

16 Water Management Measure 1 (Climate Action Plan):

Reduce per capita water consumption 15% compared to
2019 levels by 2030 and maintain through 2040. Water
conservation measures will increase resilience to drought.

Climate
Change,
Drought
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium
17 Water Management Measure 2 (Climate Action Plan):

Support the SJ-SC RWF in implementing GHG emissions
reduction projects. Establish a program or function for supporting SJ-SC Regional Wastewater Facility in
obtaining grant funding for methane capture or other GHG reduction infrastructure. Explore opportunities related to methane capture and conversion to biofuel through the
state's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program.

Collaborate with the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara,
Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga, and
the County to advocate and support GHG reductions at
the SJ-SC RWF. Explore opportunities to scale beyond
regional coordination.

Climate
Change,
Drought
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium

18 Sustainable Built Environment Measure 1 (Climate Action Plan): Reduce non-SVCE usage rate to 2% for residential and 10% for commercial by 2030 and maintain through
2040.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
19 Sustainable Built Environment Measure 2 (Climate Action Plan): Electrify existing residential buildings to reduce annual residential natural gas usage from 129 therms per person in 2018 to at most 71 therms per person in 2030
and 16 therms per person in 2040.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium

20 Sustainable Built Environment Measure 3 (Climate Action Plan): Electrify existing commercial buildings to reduce annual commercial natural gas usage from 119 therms per person in 2018 to at most 90 therms per person in 2030
and 54 therms per person in 2040.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium
21 Sustainable Built Environment Measure 4 (Climate Action Plan): Require new residential and commercial
development to be all-electric at time of construction.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium

22 Sustainable Built Environment Measure 5 (Climate Action Plan): Develop specific requirements for procurement of carbon free fuels in lieu of natural gas for new projects that cannot be electrified.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium
23 Sustainable Transportation Measure 1 (Climate Action Plan): Develop and implement an Active Transportation
Plan to achieve 15% of active transportation mode share by 2030 and 23% by 2040.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium

24 Sustainable Transportation Measure 2 (Climate Action Plan): Implement public and shared transit programs to
achieve 29% of public transit mode share by 2030 and
maintain through 2040.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium
25 Sustainable Transportation Measure 3 (Climate Action Plan): Increase zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption to 35% for passenger vehicles and 20% for commercial
vehicles by 2030 and 100% for all vehicles by 2040.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium

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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
26 Sustainable Transportation Measure 4 (Climate Action Plan): Re-focus transportation infrastructure away from single occupancy gasoline vehicles to support the
bicycle/pedestrian, public transit, and ZEV goals of
Measures TR-1, TR-2, and TR-3.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium
27 Sustainable Transportation Measure 5 (Climate Action Plan): Electrify or otherwise decarbonize 34% of off-road equipment by 2030 and 35% by 2040.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
CPRG Grants,
EPA Grants
Long term Medium
28 Carbon Sequestration Measure 1 (Climate Action Plan):

Increase carbon sequestration through tree planting by
developing and implementing an Urban Forest
Management Plan. This initiative complements the SRBE
and VMI actions (Sustainable/Resilient Built Environment and Vegetation Management Initiative).

Climate
Change,
Extreme Heat
Sustainability The Urban
and
Community
Forestry Grant
Program
Long term Medium
29 Carbon Sequestration Measure 2 (Climate Action Plan):

Leverage the carbon sequestration potential of open
space and carbon removal.

Climate
Change
Sustainability General fund,
The Urban
and
Community
Forestry Grant
Program
Long term Medium

30 Adaptation and Resilience Measure 1 (Climate Action
Plan): Increase usage of natural infrastructure solutions such as bioswales, rainwater storage systems, and
permeable pavements to enhance infrastructure
resiliency.

Climate
Change,
Flooding,
Heavy Rain,
Drought
Sustainability General fund,
Water &
Waste
Disposal Loan
& Grant
Program
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
31 Adaptation and Resilience Measure 2 (Climate Action
Plan): Bolster emergency preparedness and response by
integrating climate adaptation and improving climate-
related communications. Actions to bolster the City's
preparedness develop and include air quality Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs) into live interactive public dashboards, offering guidelines on wildfire smoke for
municipal employees (this is being done, in part, through the Extreme Weather protocol), integrating vulnerability assessment results into emergency preparedness and
response systems, incorporating information about health impacts of extreme weather into emergency preparedness
and response protocols, developing multi-lingual outreach materials for climate hazards identified in the vulnerability assessment.

All Hazards,
including
Wildfire,
Extreme
Temperature,
Heavy Rain
Sustainability General fund,
Adaptation
Planning
Grant
Program
Long term Medium

32 Adaptation and Resilience Measure 3 (Climate Action
Plan): Strengthen community capacity and resilience
through education, resources, and policies. This includes:

Educating communities about the health risks of climate hazards and engaging them in strengthening community
resilience such as block-level climate resilience training and resilience hubs; and enrolling 400 households by the end of Phase 2 to participate in a climate resiliency
GREENBLOCKS training program. The curriculum will
include household preparedness planning as well as basic education on climate hazard awareness; Bring policies for the City Council to consider that would achieve gold
ratings in all categories set forth by the County of Santa Clara Healthy Cities Index
(https://publichealth.sccgov.org/health-information/safe- and-healthy-communities/healthy-cities-program).

Climate
Change,
Extreme
Heat, Heavy
Rain
Sustainability General fund,
Adaptation
Planning
Grant
Program
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
33 Adaptation and Resilience Measure 4 (Climate Action
Plan): Update the Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan in Coordination with the County of Santa Clara. Cascade
recommendations from the climate vulnerability
assessment into the Cupertino General Plan – Safety
Element as required by State Bill (SB) 379.

Climate
Change
Sustainability Adaptation
Planning
Grant
Program,
General fund
Long term Medium

34 Civic Center Microgrid: The proposed project will install canopies with solar mounts in the Civic Center Plaza
parking lots and install an extensive system of solar
photovoltaic panels, step down transformer, and solar
charged batteries with connections to all three Civic
Center buildings. The project may also require the
removal of some trees along the edge of the parking lot if they are tall enough to interfere with power generation.

Finally, the project will install and launch microgrid
software that allows City staff to operate the microgrid as it switches between grid power, solar generation use, and
battery backup power.

All Hazards Public Works General fund,
Grants
Long term Medium
35 Conduct storm drain repair measures at Stevens Creek Boulevard / Calabazas Creek.

Flooding,
Extreme
Weather
Public Works General fund,
Storm Water
Grant
Program
(SWGP)
Long term Medium

36 10445 Torre Avenue Improvements (City Hall Annex):

Program and plan facility improvements required for
interim facility to accommodate staff when City Hall is remodeled, as well as the long-term use of this facility.

The proximity of this property to the Civic Center, and its central location within the City, lends itself to numerous uses, including a satellite and/or interim City Hall facility.

This facility may serve as a backup EOC.

All Hazards Public Works General fund,
Grants
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
37 Carmen Bridge Road Right-of-way: The Carmen Road
Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge will provide a safe connection for pedestrians and bicyclists between neighborhoods
separated by Stevens Creek Blvd between Foothill Blvd
and Phar Lap Dr. Initiate a process for acquiring property to facilitate the construction of a Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge over Stevens Creek Boulevard, reconnecting Carmen
Road. Project will fill a gap in the bicycle/pedestrian network resulting from the bisection of the neighborhood by Stevens Creek Blvd.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component,
Flood,
Wildfire
Public Works General fund,
Urban
Greening
Program
Long term Medium

38 City Hall and Community Hall Improvements:

Programming and Feasibility- Feasibility and Community
Outreach to form the basis of a renovation strategy for the buildings. The existing City Hall does not meet current or projected needs for office space; structural, mechanical and other code-related modifications are needed to meet code standards. Community Hall: Use of the building
could be maximized with the addition of conference space and remodeled kitchen space.

All Hazards Public Works General fund Long term Medium 39 Electric Vehicle Parking Expansion: Expansion of the existing level 2 charging ports at municipal properties from twelve (12) ports to thirty-two (32) ports. In addition, install five (5) level 3 (DC Fast Charging) ports. All charging ports would be available for public use. This basis of
design that would bring Cupertino in line with industry benchmarks for utilization (20 monthly sessions per port), assuming a steady utilization rate of 630 charging
sessions each month. Growing the EV charging ports
further, anticipating future demand increases, would
require substantial electrical study and upgrades which are not proposed today.

Climate
Change
Public Works General fund,
California
Energy
Commission’s
Clean
Transportation
Program
Long term Medium

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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
40 Homestead/De Anza - Construction: Construction: Modify traffic signal to relocate median-mounted mast arm poles to the corners. Transportation received a Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant for this work. Project goal is to improve safety at the intersection by enhancing the
visibility of the northbound and southbound signal
indications.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component,
Wildfire
Public Works General fund Long term Medium
41 Pumpkin and Fiesta Storm Drain Project, Phase 1 & 2:

Design storm drainage improvements at Pumpkin Drive,
Fiesta Lane, September Drive, and Festival Drive between Bubb Road and State Route 85. Construct storm drainage
improvements at Fiesta Lane, September Drive and
Festival Drive between UPRR tracks and State Route 85.

The 2018 Storm Drain Master evaluated the City's storm
drainage system and identified areas subject to flooding during a 10-year storm. The plan also identified and
prioritized projects to mitigate potential for flooding in areas of deficiency. The Pumpkin and Fiesta Phase 1 and 2 Projects received highest priority Phase 1 will be
constructed as part of this project. Phase 2 will require additional funding in the future.

Climate
Change,
Extreme
Weather,
Flooding
Public Works General fund,
Storm Water
Grant
Program
(SWGP)
Long term Medium

42 Stelling and Alves Crosswalk Installation: Stelling and Alves Crosswalk Installation: Install a crosswalk and
pedestrian-actuated RRFB (rectangular rapid-flashing
beacon) across Stelling at the north leg of the intersection with Alves Drive. Evaluate removal of existing crosswalk at the south leg of the intersection. This is one of the few remaining Tier 1 projects in the 2018 Cupertino Pedestrian Transportation Plan. This scope removes pedestrian-
crossing conflicts with left-turning cars and improves
bicycle-crossings as well.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Office of
Traffic Safety
Grants (OTS)
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
43 Stevens Creek Boulevard Class IV Bikeway Phase 2 -
Construction: Stevens Creek Boulevard Class IV Bikeway
Phase 2 – Construction: Construction of the separated
bikeway along Stevens Creek Blvd from Wolfe Road to De
Anza Blvd. Improvements include traffic signal
modifications at Wolfe Road and De Anza Blvd to provide separate bicycle phasing. The 2016 Bicycle
Transportation Plan identifies improvement needed and
priorities to enhance and promote safer bicycle
transportation in the City. The number one priority of the Plan was to provide a separated Class IV bicycle lane on Stevens Creek Blvd. This project is the second phase to address that priority.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
The
Recreational
Trails
Program
(RTP)
Long term Medium

44 Tree Inventory - Stevens Creek Corridor: Stevens Creek Corridor: To inventory and map City-owned trees (above a threshold size) that are within the Stevens Creek Corridor, including the BBF golf course. A tree inventory has not been done for some portions of the Stevens Creek
Corridor since 1995, and other portions have never been inventoried. Some of the largest and oldest trees in the City are along Stevens Creek. The majority of the trees along the creek banks, including large numbers of very
large native trees, have not been systematically mapped, identified, nor logged in the GIS system. The trees form the backbone of the riparian greenbelt, whose health is integral to the well-being of the creek ecosystem, including state and federally protected wildlife species which live there. To support environmental stewardship and
appropriate management, the trees in the Stevens Creek
corridor should be inventoried and mapped. Maintaining a healthy urban forest may help reduce urban heat island
effects.

Climate
Change,
Extreme
Heat, Flood
Public Works General fund,
Urban and
Community
Forestry Grant
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
45 ADA Improvements: ADA Improvement This is an ongoing program funded annually to improve accessibility at all public facilities throughout the City. An update of the City’s ADA Transition Plan was completed in April 2015. The
plan identifies improvements needed and priorities to
achieve compliance with ADA in public buildings, parks, and the public right of way.

All Hazards Public Works General fund,
Grants
Long term Medium

46 Bicycle Wayfinding: Implement the Bicycle Wayfinding
Plan that recommends the locations and messaging for
the bicycle wayfinding signage. Bicycle wayfinding assists residents, tourists, and visitors in finding key community destinations by bicycle. Signs may also include “distance to” information, which displays mileage to community
destinations.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Active
Transportation
Program
Long term Medium
47 Bicycle Boulevard Interim Improvements, Phase 2: Bike boulevards provide a network of Class III shared bike
routes along local residential streets, enhanced with traffic calming features to maintain low traffic volumes and
speeds, providing bicycle-friendly alternatives to busy roadways. Improvements identified in 2016 Bicycle
Transportation Plan. Construct bike boulevard
improvements along residential streets. Improvements to consist of signing, striping, bike channelizers and flexible post bulb-outs.

Climate
Change, All
hazards with
an evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Active
Transportation
Program
Long term Medium
48 Bicycle Boulevard Interim Improvements, Phase 3: Bike boulevards provide a network of Class III shared bike
routes along local residential streets, enhanced with traffic calming features to maintain low traffic volumes and
speeds, providing bicycle-friendly alternatives to busy roadways. Improvements identified in 2016 Bicycle
Transportation Plan. Installation of improvements without raised curbs or crosswalks, only minimal changes to
drainage, and installation of temporary bollards.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Active
Transportation
Program
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
49 Citywide Building Condition Assessment Implementation:

Implement recommendations at the Senior Center, Monta
Vista Recreation Center and Service Center
(Administration and Mechanics shops) identified as a
priority in the Comprehensive Facility Condition and Use Assessment. The 2017/18 Comprehensive Facility
Condition and Use Assessments project assessed the
condition of nearly every City owned facility. Senior
Center, Monta Vista Recreation Center, and Service
Center (Administration and Mechanics shops) were
identified as high priority facilities with significant deficiencies that need to be addressed to avoid costly
repairs and extended service interruptions.

Climate
Change,
Extreme
Weather,
Flood
Public Works General fund Long term Medium

50 Civic Center Parking Analysis: Analyze the parking
requirement for the Civic Center and proposed Library
Expansion. Design and construct additional parking as
necessary. This project would analyze the parking
condition at the Civic Center including any additional
library parking required to mitigate the impact of the
proposed library expansion. The analysis will evaluate the existing parking supply versus demand, identify the impact of the proposed library expansion, identify parking
mitigation, design and construct or implement that
mitigation. Impacting Library Field should be avoided if possible.

Climate
Change, All
Hazards
Public Works General fund Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
51 Interim City Hall (deferred): Establish an interim facility to accommodate City Staff if existing City Hall were to be replaced or significantly remodeled. As a result of the renovation of the existing City Hall building or any
substantial work to the building, the Staff and Operations will need to relocate temporarily. The temporary facilities require initial programming to determine the public-facing and back of house requirements, design work,
documentation, construction administration and
construction services.

All Hazards Public Works General fund Long term Medium

52 Lawrence-Mitty Master Plan: Develop a Master Plan
(programming, public outreach, and design) for a
proposed neighborhood park located on several acres of
land adjacent to Saratoga Creek, near the intersection of Lawrence Expressway and Mi y Way. Complete
annexation process on the parcel at Lawrence
Expressway and Mi y Ave for trail expansion and park
development for development of a neighborhood park.

The City is under-served for neighborhood parks to meet the level of service goal of the City’s General Plan. The east side of the City is particularly under-served.

All Hazards Public Works General fund,
Land and
Water
Conservation
Fund
Long term Medium
53 Library Expansion Project: Develop, design, and construct a 5600 SF addition to the existing Library building for program rooms that will seat up to 130 and serve as a
multi-function meeting space for library events. Using the “Perch” option from the Civic Center Master Plan. This
expansion provides alternative meeting space and
program space for the library operator. This project
includes extensive community outreach.

All Hazards Public Works General fund,
The
Inspiration
Grants
Long term Medium

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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
54 Quinlan Preschool Shade Structure: Design and construct a new shade structure over the existing play area and
sand box at the preschool. The current playground has a shade structure that is ineffective, leaving young preschool students in direct sunlight during use of the playground.

The current shade structure is too small and sits squarely over the top of the playground, doing little to provide needed shade.

Climate
Change,
Extreme Heat
Public Works General fund,
Child Care
and
Development
Infrastructure
Grant
Program
Long term Medium
55 Regnart Road Improvements: Phase 1 will construct a
retaining wall to stabilize the road slope to the creek. This project continues the stabilization efforts along Regnart Road and compliments the 2017 Outfall Repair and Slope
Stabilization project and the Retaining wall project. The 2017 Regnart Road Slope Stability Study identified
several areas along Regnart Road that exhibit poor
drainage characteristics, slope stability concerns that require partial road reconstruction in order to avoid costly road or slope failures and lengthy road closures. Proposed improvements include additional drainage structures,
regrading/repaving the road to drain towards the creek, slope stabilization and erosion control measures and
retaining walls.

Climate
Change,
Heavy Rain,
Flood,
Landslide

Public Works General fund,
State
Transportation
Improvement
Program
(STIP)
Long term Medium

56 Retaining Wall Repair - Cordova Road: Replace failing retaining wall lagging with City forces. There is an existing wall along Cordova Rd. that retains soil adjacent to private property. The existing retaining wall is showing signs of deferred maintenance and potential premature failure.

This project will replace the wood planks (i.e., lagging) in the wall and extend the useful life of the wall.

Climate
Change,
Heavy Rain,
Flood,
Landslide
Public Works General fund Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
57 Sports Center Community Needs Analysis: Evaluate the potential long-term needs of the facility, the cost of
renovations and repairs and the cost-effectiveness of
those improvements. The Citywide Building Condition
Assessment (BCA) identified several areas of concern
with the Sports Center facility. Several structural
deficiencies were identified that were deemed high priority and are being addressed this year with the Sports Center Seismic Retrofit project. Additional improvements have
been requested and before we implement those projects,
we need to identify all the renovations required, the cost and priority of those projects and the cost-effectiveness of repairs versus replacement.

All Hazards Public Works General fund Long term Medium

58 Stevens Creek Bank Repair Concept: a conceptual design for repairs to creek banks that will protect property from further erosion and stabilize the bank and is compatible with existing goals and requirements for the creek
corridor.

Climate
Change,
Extreme
Weather,
Flood,
Landslide
Public Works General fund,
Urban
Streams
Restoration
Program
Long term Medium
59 Stevens Creek Boulevard CL IV Bikeway - Phase 2 -
Design: Next Phase of the SCB Cl IV bikeway, from Wolfe Road to U.S.-85. Design includes signal improvements
and a concrete island separating vehicles from bicyclists.

This is the second phase of a three-phase program to
design and construct separated bikeways from the east
City limit to Foothill Expressway. This project funds design only and will result in a shovel ready project and detailed estimate which will better position the City for grant
funding in the future.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium

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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
60 Bubb Road Separated Bikeway - McClellan Road to
Stevens Creek Boulevard: Installation of protected bike lanes, sidewalks, a new crosswalk with a pedestrian
refuge median island and pedestrian activated flashing
beacons and revised lane striping. Apple has offered the City funds to complete these pedestrian and bicycle
improvements in order to enhance safety along the
section of Bubb Road, between the UPRR Railroad
Tracks and Stevens Creek Blvd. Improvements to this
section of Bubb Road are included in the Bicycle
Transportation Plan.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium
61 City Bridge Maintenance Repairs: Design and construct 5 bridges' repairs as recommended in the Caltrans Bridge
Report along with additional improvements to prolong the useful life of the bridges. The City of Cupertino owns and maintains a total of seven vehicular bridges. Caltrans
inspects these bridges and prepares a biennial report
detailing the recommended repairs. Six of the seven
bridges require rehabilitation; SCB over Stevens Creek
has issues not covered by maintenance. The rehabilitation includes the required repairs as recommended in the
Caltrans Bridge Report as well as additional work to
prolong the life and use of the bridges. Approximately 88% of the project costs are eligible for Federal reimbursement through Caltrans’ Bridge Preventive Maintenance Program (BPMP).

Climate
Change,
Extreme
Weather,
Flood
Public Works General fund,
Bridge
Investment
Program
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
62 Homestead/De Anza - Design: Improves pedestrian and
bicycle safety by realigning the intersection and
reconfiguring the vehicle movements. Improvements
include relocating two signal mast arms and poles, related electrical, concrete, and striping work, and elimination of the free right turn lanes from eastbound McClellan Road and westbound Pacifica Drive Transportation received a
Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant for this work.

Project goal is to improve safety at the intersection by enhancing the visibility of the northbound and southbound signal indications.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium
63 I-280/Junipero Serra Trail - Central Segment: The I-280 Trail formerly known as the Junipero Serra Trail will
provide an off-street bicycle and pedestrian connection between the Don Burnett Bicycle-Pedestrian Bridge and
Calabazas Creek, along the existing Junipero Serra
Channel (south of Interstate 280). Basic design of an off- street bicycle and pedestrian facility parallel to the existing Junipero Serra Channel from De Anza Blvd. Wolfe Road.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium

64 I-280/Junipero Serra Trail - East Segment: The I-280 Trail formerly known as the Junipero Serra Trail will provide an off-street bicycle and pedestrian connection between the Don Burnett Bicycle-Pedestrian Bridge and Calabazas
Creek, along the existing Junipero Serra Channel (south of Interstate 280). Basic design of an off-street bicycle and pedestrian facility parallel to the existing Junipero Serra Channel from Wolfe Road to Vallco Parkway.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
65 I-280/Junipero Serra Trail - West Segment: The I-280 Trail formerly known as the Junipero Serra Trail will provide an off-street bicycle and pedestrian connection between the Don Burnett Bicycle-Pedestrian Bridge and Calabazas
Creek, along the existing Junipero Serra Channel (south of Interstate 280). Basic design of an off-street bicycle and pedestrian facility parallel to the existing Junipero Serra Channel from the Don Burnett Bicycle – Pedestrian Bridge to De Anza Blvd.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium

66 Mary Avenue Protected Bikeway: A Class IV bike lane
(also called a separated bike lane) is an exclusive facility for bicyclists that is located within or directly adjacent to the roadway and is physically separated from motor
vehicle traffic with a vertical element. Design and
construct a protected bikeway from Stevens Creek Blvd.
to the Don Burnett Bicycle- Pedestrian Bridge.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium
67 McClellan Road Separated Bike Corridor, Phase 3: A
Class IV bike lane (also called a separated bike lane) is an exclusive facility for bicyclists that is located within or directly adjacent to the roadway and is physically
separated from motor vehicle traffic with a vertical
element. Improves pedestrian and bicycle safety by
realigning the intersection and reconfiguring the vehicle movements. Improvements include relocating two signal
mast arms and poles, related electrical, concrete and
striping work, and elimination of the free right turn lanes from eastbound McClellan Road and westbound Pacifica
Drive. Improve traffic flow, efficiency, and bicycle safety at this complex intersection.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium

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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
68 McClellan Road Separated Bike Corridor - Byrne Ave to Imperial Ave, Phase 4: A Class IV bike lane (also called a separated bike lane) is an exclusive facility for bicyclists that is located within or directly adjacent to the roadway and is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic with a vertical element. Design and construct separated bike lanes on McClellan Rd. from Imperial Ave to Byrne Ave.

The 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan identifies
improvement needed and priorities to enhance and
promote safer bicycle transportation in the City. This
project is the last phase of a four-phase program that
installed separated bikeway on McClellan Road.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium
69 QCC Multi-Site Sustainable Infrastructure Upgrade:

Develop recommendations for Council on a facility
upgrades of heating and cooling system, emergency
power
system, and renewable energy sources. Staff will
recommend options based on operational need,
sustainability, funding availability, and life-cycle cost analysis. Faced with several critical needs at the City's community buildings, including Quinlan, the City can
maximize energy savings by comprehensively auditing the real estate portfolio and implementing alternative and
efficient energy system upgrades. Many of our facilities' systems need major re-work to support new energy
systems and improve normal day-to-day services. Quinlan Community Center, as the City's primary Mass Care and
Shelter facility and Cooling Center, requires emergency power/systems upgrades as well.

All Hazards,
including
Extreme
Heat, Heavy
Rain, High
Wind,
Earthquake,
Wildfire,
Flood
Public Works General fund,
The California
Energy
Commission
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
70 Regnart Creek Trail: Construction of a multi-use trail along Regnart Creek. The 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan
identifies improvements and priorities needed to enhance and promote safer bicycle transportation in the City. The Regnart Creek Trail was identified as a priority in that plan. The Regnart Creek Trail Feasibility Study was
completed and approved by City Council, and additional
funding was later authorized for design and construction of the trail.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
Recreational
Trails
Program
Long term Medium
71 Sidewalk Improvements - Orange & Byrne: Acquire right- of-way as needed, initiate design and construction of
sidewalks where there are gaps, as well as curb, gutter and drainage improvements. Utility poles currently in the street to be relocated. The Monta Vista neighborhood was annexed to the City without having standard right-of-way improvements, including sidewalks. Orange avenue is a
designated bike route that connects several schools on
McClellan. Adding sidewalks to the neighborhood will
improve pedestrian safety.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund Long term Medium
72 Stevens Creek Blvd. and Bandley Dr. Signal Upgrades:

Design and construct upgrades to the traffic signal at
Bandley Dr. and Stevens Creek Blvd. Improvements
include new conduit, wiring, traffic signal boxes, two new signal heads, and a split phase signal operation for
vehicles entering onto Stevens Creek Blvd. This project will significantly enhance pedestrian safety and pedestrian connectivity across Stevens Creek Blvd within the
Crossroads district by reducing pedestrian-vehicle
conflicts. Vehicle safety will also be increased for vehicles exiting the Crossroads driveway and Bandley Drive.

All hazards
with an
evacuation
component
Public Works General fund,
California
Office of
Traffic Safety
OTS Grants
Long term Medium
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Action
Item
Number
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead
Responsible
for
Implementation
Potential
Funding Completion Priority
73 Develop City Community Resilience Hubs:

1. Define criteria for being considered a CRH in Cupertino

2. Develop a list of existing CRHs. Use this list to prioritize facility improvements resource allocation before and after seismic events.

Earthquake OEM General Fund,
ICARP
Ongoing High

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Figure 5: City of Cupertino Critical Facilities
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Figure 6: City of Cupertino Critical Infrastructure
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Figure 7: City of Cupertino Flood Hazard Map
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Figure 8: City of Cupertino Deep-Seated Landslide Susceptibility Map 671
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Figure 9: City of Cupertino Liquefaction Susceptibility 672
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Figure 10: City of Cupertino Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Historic Fires 673
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Figure 11: City of Cupertino Wildfire Hazard Classification Map 674
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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume 2: Town of Los Gatos 67

Figure 12: City of Cupertino Risk to Structure
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CITY OF CUPERTINO
Agenda Item
24-13352 Agenda Date: 10/1/2024
Agenda #: 11.

Subject: Proposed amendments to Municipal Code Chapters 19.04 (General Provisions), 19.08 (Definitions), and 19.60 (General Commercial (CG) Zones) and Associated Environmental Review. (Application No. MCA-2024-002; Applicant: City of Cupertino; Location: City-wide) Recommended Action
That the City Council conduct the public hearing and conduct the first reading of Ordinance No. 24-2266 (Attachments A &B) adopt an ordinance to:

1. Find that the proposed actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines; and

2. Amend the following:
a. Chapter 19.04, General Provisions, and
b. Chapter 19.08, Definitions, and
c. Chapter 19.60, General Commercial (CG) Zones.

CITY OF CUPERTINO Printed on 9/25/2024Page 1 of 1
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CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting: October 1, 2024
Subject
Proposed amendments to Municipal Code Chapters 19.04 (General Provisions), 19.08 (Definitions), and 19.60 (General Commercial (CG) Zones) and Associated Environmental Review. (Application No. MCA -2024-002; Applicant: City of Cupertino; Location: City-wide)
Recommended Action
That the City Council conduct the public hearing and conduct the first reading of Ordinance No. 24-_____ (Attachments A &B) adopt an ordinance to:

1. Find that the proposed actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines; and

2. Amend the following:
a. Chapter 19.04, General Provisions, and
b. Chapter 19.08, Definitions, and
c. Chapter 19.60, General Commercial (CG) Zones.

Discussion
Background
The City of Cupertino’s General Plan Community Vision 2040 lists “support for vibrant and mixed -use businesses to e nsure that the City’s major mixed -use corridors and commercial nodes are vibrant, successful, and attractive” as one of its guiding principles.

In order to promote this to enhance the community’s quality of life, the City will periodically review and update land use and zoning requirements for retail, commercial and office development . This is done in the hopes of attracting high-quality sales -tax producing businesses and services, while adapting to the fast -changing retail, commercial and office environment to ensure that existing businesses are encouraged to reinvest and grow in the City.
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The proposed amendments are intended to further the above-mentioned objectives and have been identified with strikethroughs and underlines (as appropriate) in Attachment B.

Planning Commission Recommendation
The Planning Commission convened at a regular scheduled hearing on September 10, 2024, to consider the proposed Municipal Code Amendments. The Planning Commission recommended (3-2) that City Council adopt the proposed amendments to the Municipal Code as indicated in Exhibit A Planning Commission Resolution No. 2024-13 (Attachment C), with the following modifications:
 Revise the proposed Farmer’s Market definition in 19.08.030 similar to the City of Palo Alto’s definition of Farmer’s Market:
“Farmers’ market” means a market certified by the state or county agricultural commission under Title 3, Chapter 3, Article 6.5 of the California Administrative Code , which allows direct retail sale by farms to the public of such items as fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, honey, nursery stock, cut flowers, live animals and inspected meats and seafood.  Outdoor seating is permitted without a 20% cap triggering a Conditiona l Use Permit so long as parking requirements are met in conformance with CMC Chapter 19.124: Parking Regulations.
 “Convenience Market” use class shall continue to be permitted with a Conditional Use Permit heard at the Planning Commission.  Entertainment facilities (e.g., dancing, live music) in association with full- service or fast-food/self-service restaurants shall be a permitted use.

The Planning Commission’s recommended modifications have been incorporated into the Draft Ordinance (Attachments A & B). Since the revisions by the Planning Commission are not adding further restrictions to entitling businesses locating in the City, Staff recommends that City Council approve these recommendations.

Analysis
Chapter 19.04, General Provisions
Section 19.04.100 Exclusionary Zoning is added to this chapter to clarify that if uses are not listed in any land use table as permitted or conditional, they are deemed prohibited.

However, this section also enables the Director of Community Development to make a determination that an unliste d use may be allowed , if it is deemed similar to , and not more intensive than, the uses listed in such land use table. 678
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Chapter 19.08, Definitions
In Chapter 19.08, several definitions were either added, amended, or combined to clarify uses and update the Municipal Code to address newer business types and trends. These include the following:
 Bar Facility – Clarifying that a bar facility is a facility in a restaurant while also merging and contrasting this definition with “Drinking Establishment”.  Farmers Market – Added definition as this use is now included in Table

19.60.030: Permitted, Conditional and Excluded Uses in General Commercial Zoning Districts.
 Food Store – Added definition as a new general category which includes a definition for “Gro cery Store”, and combined with existing definitions for “Convenience Market” & “Specialty food stores”
 Pet Day Care – Added definition which clarifies the existing “Pet shop” use.  Restaurant – Expanded the existing definition to add “Self -Service” to the existing “Restaurant, Fast-Food” use.
 Specialized School – Added definition for an existing use that is currently regulated in Table 19.60.030: Permitted, Conditional and Excluded Uses in General Commercial Zoning Districts.

Chapter 19.60: General Commercial (CG) Zones
Table 19.60.030 : Permitted, Conditional and Excluded Uses in General Commercial Zoning Districts
General Commercial land use s were reviewed and compared to similar jurisdictions in Santa Clara County to evaluate whether the City of Cupertino is consistent with current entitlement processes and up to date in how certain uses are classified. The proposed changes are in three categories:

1. Certain uses are proposed to be permitted by right where they are currently conditional uses,

2. S ome conditional uses currently approved at the Planning Commission level are proposed to be approved at an Administrative Hearing, and,

3. New uses added, which include:
 Eliminating “Specialty Food Stores ”, and “Fast -food” as separate use s that currently need to be entitled with a Use Permit and are proposed to be permitted without a Use Permit.
 Adding Farmers Markets as a use.
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 Changing the approva l authority for the following use s from a “Use Permit – Planning Commission” to “Use Permit – Admin Hearing”
 Eating establishments with separate bar facilities.
 Late evening activities.
 Pet shops located in structures that are not sound-proof.  Moved ‘outdoor display’ and ‘outdoor seating’ standards from CMC 19.60.50 Land Use Activity to CMC Table 19.60.030.

The following are now listed as “Permitted Uses” that were previously conditional uses approved at the Planning Commission level:
 Entertainment facilities (e.g., dancing, live music) in association with full-service or fast-food/self-service restaurants shall be a permitted use.  Outdoor seating so long as parking requirements are met in conformance with CMC Chapter 19.124: Parking Regulations.

Table 19.60.060: Development Standards
The Development Standards in Table 19.60.060 have been updated to include the following:
 Added language that referenced standards to General Plan , Specific Plan, or any other underlying land use document where the com mercial establishment is located.
 Referenced Standards to Landscape Ordinance, Municipal Code Chapter 14.  Added standards for Odor Abatement systems in eating establishments.

Public Noticing & Outreach
The following noticing has been conducted for this project:

Notice of Public Hearing, Site
Notice & Legal Ad
Agenda
 Legal ad placed in newspaper
(at least 10 days prior to hearing)
 Display ad placed in newspaper
(at least 10 days prior to hearing)
 Posted on the City's official notice
bulletin board (five days prior to hearing)
 Posted on the City of Cupertino’s Web
site (five days prior to hearing)
Public Comments
Please refer to Attachment D for public comments.

Next Steps
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If Council approves the introduction of the ordinance, a second reading would be scheduled for the next regular meeting of the City Council.

Fiscal Impacts
No Fiscal Impacts.

Sustainability Impacts
No Sustainability impacts.

California Environmental Quality Act
The proposed ordinance is exempt from environmental review under CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) (“common sense” exemption).

Prepared by: Gian Paolo Martire, Senior Planner
Reviewed by: Luke Connolly, Assistant Director of Community Development Benjamin Fu, Director of Community Development
Reviewed by: Tina Kapoor, Interim Assistant City Manager Approved by: Pamela Wu, City Manager

ATTACHMENTS
A. Draft Ordinance No. 24-_______(clean)
B. Draft Ordinance No. 24-_______(redline)
C. Planning Commission Resolution No. 2024-13
D. Public Comment

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ORDINANCE NO.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CUPERTINO TO AMEND MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTERS 19.04
(GENERAL PROVISIONS), 19.08 (DEFINITIONS), AND 19.60
(GENERAL COMMERCIAL (CG) ZONES)

The City Council of the City of Cupertino finds that:

1. In order to maintain and enhance the community’s quality of life, the City will periodically review and update land use and zoning requirements for retail, commercial and office development in order to attract high -quality sales -tax producing businesses and services, while adapting to the fast -changing retail, commercial and off ice environment , and ensure that existing businesses are encouraged to reinvest and grow in Cupertino.

2. The City Council of the City of Cupertino held a duly noticed public hearing on October 1 , 202 4, and after considering all testimony and written materia ls provided in connection with that hearing introduced this ordinance and waived the reading thereof.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Adoption.

The Cupertino Municipal Code is further amended as set forth in Attachment A.

SECTION 2: Severability and Continuity.

The City Council declares that each section, sub ‐section, paragraph, sub ‐ paragraph, sentence, clause and phrase of this ordinance is severable and independent of every other section, sub‐section, paragraph, sub ‐paragraph, sentence, clause and phrase of this ordinance. If any section, sub ‐section, paragraph, sub ‐paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance is held invalid, or its application to any person or circumstance, be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unlawful, unenforceable or otherwise void, the City Council declares that it would have adopted the remaining provisions of this 682
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ordinance irrespective of such portion, and further declares its express intent that the remaining portions of this ordinance should remain in effect after the invalid portion has been eliminated. To the extent the provisions of this Ordinance are substantially the same as previous provisions of the Cupertino Municipal Code, these provisions shall be construed as continuations of those provisions and not as an amendment to or readoption of the earlier provisions.

SECTION 3: Effective Date.

This Ordinance shall take effect thirty days after adoption as provided by Government Code Section 36937.

SECTION 4: Publication.

The City Clerk shall give notice of adoption of this Ordinance as required by law.

Pursuant to Government Code Section 36933, a summary of this Ordinance may be prepared by the City Clerk and published in lieu of publication of the entire text. The City Clerk shall post in the office of the City Clerk a certified copy of the full text of the Ordinance listing the names of the City Council members voting for and against the ordinance.

INTRODUCED at a regular meeti ng of the Cupertino City Council on October 1, 2024 and ENACTED at a regular meeting of the Cupertino City Council on October 15, 2024 by the following vote:

Members of the City Council

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN

SIGNED:

Sheila Mohan, Mayor City of Cupertino

Date
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ATTEST:

Kirsten Squarcia, City Clerk

Date
APPROVED AS TO FORM:

Christopher D. Jensen, City Attorney

Date
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Ordinance No.

Page

ATTACHMENT A ‐ AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE

CITY OF CUPERTINO TO AMEND MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTERS

19.04 (GENERAL PROVISIONS), 19.08 (DEFINITIONS), AND 19.60 (GENERAL COMMERCIAL (CG) ZONES)

The sections of the Cupertino Municipal Code set forth below are amended or adopted as follows:

1. Amendments to Title 19 concerning General Commercial Land Use

19.04.100 Exclusionary zoning.

When a use is not specifically listed as a permitted or conditional use, it shall be assumed that such use is prohibited, unless it is determined by the Director of Community Development that the use is similar to, and not more intensive than, the uses listed. Requests for determinations for specific uses shall be submitted to the Director of Community Development in writing, with a detailed description of the proposed use, its proposed location, and intended hours of operation. Additional information may be required by the Director of Community Development in order to prepare the determination for individual uses. Any decision by the Director of Community Development regarding a requested determination shall be in writing and shall be final.

19.08.030 Definitions.
“Bar Facility” means part of an establishment used primarily for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the premises, provided that the restaurant and bar/lounge area operate as a single entity. The physical layout, entry location(s), spatial connection between the areas, and operational characteristics, among other factors, shall be used to determine compliance. Any bar/lounge area cannot remain open when the dining area is closed. However, the dining area may be open while the bar/lounge area i s closed. This is in contrast to a "Drinking establishment” which is a business that is primarily devoted to the selling of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises.
“Farmers’ market” means a market certified by the state or county agricultural commission under Title 3, Chapter 3, Article 6.5 of the California Administrative Code which allows direct retail sale by farms to the public of such items as fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, honey, nursery stock, cut flowers, live animals and inspected meats and seafood.
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“Food Store” may include, but not be limited to, the following retail establishments:

1. “Grocery store”. A Retail Sales and Services Use that:
a. Offers a variety of unrelated, non -complementary food and non - food commodities, such as beverages, dairy, dry goods, fresh produce and other perishable items, frozen foods, household products, and paper goods; and b. May prepare food on site for immediate consumption.

2. "Convenience market" means a use or activity that includes the retail sale of food, beverages, and small personal convenience items, including sale of food in disposable containers primarily for off -premises consumption, excluding delicatessens and other specialty food shops and establishments which have a sizable assortment of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fresh-cut meats.

3. "Specialty food stores" means a retail establishment under 3,000 square feet that specializes in selling a specific type of food product with a limited scope of inventory. This food product may be prepared and sold on -site or purchased wholesale, and consumption of the goods occurs primarily off premises. Examples include butcher shops, delicatessens, bakeries, fish mongers, coffee shops, donut shops, ice cream stores, and produce markets. Specialty Food Stores are not considered fast food restaurants.

Food Stores may provide beer, wine, and/or liquor sales for consumption off the premises with a California Alcoholic Beverage Control Board License type 20 (off- sale beer and wine) or type 21 (off -sale general) that occupy less than 15% of the Occupied Floor Area of the establishment (including all areas devoted to the display and sale of alcoholic beverages).
"Pet Day Care" means any premises where animals are trained, exercised and socialized, but not kept or boarded overnight, bred, sold, or let for hire. The hours of operation shall be limited daily from 7.a.m. to 9 p.m. "Restaurant”:

1. Restaurant, Fast-Food/Self- Service. "Fast-food/Self Service restaurant" means a retail food service establishment in which prepared f oods or beverages are served or sold on or in disposable containers, including those establishments where a substantial portion of the patrons may serve themselves and may consume the food and beverages off -site. A bar facility for serving alcoholic beverages is not permitted. Specialty food stores, such as ice cream stores, bakeries or shops, shall not be considered fast-food/self-service restaurants. 686
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2. Restaurant, Full Service. "Full-service restaurant" means any restaurant which is not a fast -food o r self-service restaurant . Alcoholic beverages may be served with meals at a customer's dining table; however, a bar facility for serving alcoholic beverages is not permitted without a use permit. “Specialized School” means a private academic educational institution, providing specialized education/training. Examples include the following:
 art school  establishments providing courses by
mail/online
 ballet and other dance school  language school
 business, secretarial and
vocational
 music school
 computers and electronics school  professional school (law, medicine, etc.)
 drama school  seminaries/religious ministry training facility
 driver education school  martial arts
Also includes facilities, institutions and conference centers that offer specialized programs in personal growth and development, such as fitness, environmental awareness, arts, communications, and manageme nt. Specialized School does not include pre-schools, after school care and child day care facilities.

CHAPTER 19.60: GENERAL COMMERCIAL (CG) ZONES

19.60.030 Permitted, Conditional and Excluded Uses.

Permitted, Conditional and Excluded Uses that may be conducted from property zoned general commercial (CG), are identified in Table 19.60.030, Permitted, Conditional and Excluded Uses in General Commercial Zoning Districts below.

Table 19.60.030: Permitted, Conditional and Excluded Uses in General Commercial Zoning Districts
Zoning Districts CG
Uses

1. Retail businesses, such as, but not limited to:
a. food stores, (excluding convenience markets),
b. drugstores,
c. apparel shops,
d. variety stores and
e. hardware stores
P
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Zoning Districts CG

2. Restaurants (without bar facilities), where:
a. all public entrances face away from low-density residential (1-5 Dwelling Units an Acre) developments that share
property lines and
b. where the required customer parking is located within close proximity of the entrance
P

3. Farmers’ Market CUP -
Admin.

4. Eating establishments

a. Full-service restaurants with bar facilities, and

CUP -
Admin
b. Any entertainment facilities (e.g., dancing, live music) in association with full-service or fast-food/self-service restaurant P

5. Any commercial establishments with drive-through
facilities CUP - PC

6. Late evening activities which occur between eleven p.m. through seven a.m.

CUP -
Admin

7. Offices such as those below, provided that such uses do not comprise more than twenty-five percent of the building space in a shopping center:
a. Professional,
b. General,
c. Administrative,
d. Business offices,
e. Business services, such as:
i. advertising bureaus,
ii. credit reporting,
iii. accounting and similar consulting agencies,
iv. stenographic services, and
v. communication equipment buildings
P
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Zoning Districts CG

8. Commercial Office uses such as those below which directly serve the public
a. Banks,
b. Financial institutions,
c. Insurance agencies
d. Real estate agencies,
e. Travel agencies,
f. Photography, and
g. Similar studios
P

9. Laundry facilities, including those below, provided that the solvents used in the cleaning process shall not be used or stored in any manner not approved by the State Fire Marshal and provided the establishment received approval from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
a. Self service operations
b. Full service operations; and
c. Retail dry cleaning establishments. Dry cleaning is limited to items directly delivered to the establishment by retail customers
P

10. Private clubs, lodges, or fraternal organizations
a. Uses in (10) above as subordinate uses in buildings intended primarily for other permitted uses provided for in this section P b. Uses in (10) above as principal use buildings CUP - PC

11. Fraternity and sorority houses CUP - PC

12. Limited repair services, such as:
a. Jewelry,
b. Household appliance,
c. Business machine repair shops
d. Personal electronic devices
P

13. Personal service establishments such as:
a. Barbershops,
b. Beauty parlors,
c. Massage establishments,
d. Shoe repair shops, and
e. Tailor shops
P
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14. Accessory facilities and uses customarily incidental to permitted uses and otherwise conforming with provisions of Chapter 19.100 of this title
P

15. A maximum of four video game machines, provided these machines are incidental to the main activity of the business P

16. Pet shops and facilities for pet services such as, bathing, clipping, trimming, grooming, pet day care, and similar services for pets.

a. Uses in (16) above which are located in a sound-proof structure, and are in compliance with Santa Clara County Health Department regulations and Chapter 8.05 of this Code P
b. Uses in (16) above which are not located in a sound-proof structure, and are in compliance with Santa Clara County Health Department regulations and Chapter 8.05 of this Code.

CUP -
Admin

17. a. Child care centers,
b. Day nurseries, and
c. Playgrounds

CUP - PC

18. Vocational and specialized schools, dance and music studios, gymnasiums and health clubs
a. When the uses in (18) above cumulatively comprise < 50% of the space in a shopping center, provide adequate parking as determined by Chapter 19.124 and meet noise requirements as determined by Chapter 10.48
P
b. When the uses in (18) above cumulatively comprise ≥ 50% of the space in a shopping center, provide adequate parking as determined by Chapter 19.124 and meet noise requirements as determined by Chapter 10.48
CUP -
Admin.

19. Retail/service kiosks that meet the following:
a. Are located in an unenclosed space visible from public streets or other publicly owned space,
b. Where adequate parking is provided as determined by
Chapter 19.124,
c. Which do not result in traffic or circulation impacts, d. Have attractive designs and landscaping, and
e. Are compatible with the surrounding architecture
CUP -
Admin.
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20. Other uses which, in the opinion of the Director of Community Development, are similar to the permitted uses in the CG zoning district, and which do not have the potential to create significant adverse impacts to the surrounding area due to odor, dust, smoke, glare, fumes, radiation, vibrations, noise, traffic or litter
P

21. Commercial parking and parking garages CUP - PC

22. Convenience markets CUP - PC

23. Hotels, motels, and boardinghouses CUP - PC

24. Liquor stores CUP - PC

25. Drinking establishments CUP - PC

26. Commercial recreation establishments, such as:
a. Indoor theaters,
b. Bowling alleys,
c. Billiard and pool parlors,
d. Dance halls,
e. Skating rinks, and
f. Arcades

CUP - PC

27. Mortuaries CUP - PC

28. Automotive service stations, automobile washing facilities CUP – PC

29. Automobile, trailer, tire and boat sales and rental, limited to new and used vehicles in operable condition CUP - PC

30. Automobile and Tire repair shops CUP - PC

31. Business activities which display merchandise in an unenclosed space visible from a public street or adjoining residential property, except activities which display
merchandise in compliance with requirements of Section

19.60.050:

a. The display of merchandise in front of stores with ≥ 20,000 square feet of floor area. P
b. The display of merchandise in front of stores with < 20,000 square feet of floor area.

CUP -
Admin

32. Business activities which provide services in an unenclosed space visible from a public street or adjoining residential property, except activities which provide services in compliance with requirements of Section 19.60.050.

CUP –
Admin

33. Outdoor Seating compatible with Chapter 19.124 of this code P 691
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34. Business activities which incorporate contracting services for which a contracting license issued by the State is required CUP - PC

35. Other commercial uses which are neither permitted uses nor excluded uses and which are, in the opinion of the
Planning Commission, consistent with the character of a general commercial (CG) zone of the same general character listed in this section, and which do not have the potential to create significant adverse impacts to the surrounding area due to odor, dust, fumes, glare, radiation, vibration, noise, traffic or litter

CUP - PC

36. Businesses where the primary activity is related to the on- site manufacturing, assembly or storage of building
components intended for use by general contractors or
wholesalers
Ex

37. Storage garages, and other wholesale businesses, except computer hardware and software and communications
businesses for which the City may generate sales tax revenue where the primary activity is to conduct sales and services to other businesses rather than to direct retail customers Ex

38. Other uses which, in the opinion of the Planning
Commission, are objectionable by reason of odor, dust, smoke, glare, fumes, radiation, vibration, noise, traffic or litter shall be excluded
Ex

39. Warehouses Ex

40. Lumberyards Ex

41. Nurseries and greenhouses Ex

42. Commercial excavating of building or construction
materials Ex
Key:

P – Permitted Use
- – Not Allowed
CUP - Admin. – Conditional Use Permit issued by the Director of Community Development
CUP - PC – Conditional Use Permit issued by the Planning Commission CUP - CC – Conditional Use Permit issued by the City Council Ex – Excluded Uses
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19.60.50 Land Use Activity.

A. Land Use Criteria. Unless otherwise provided by a conditional use permit, the following regulations shall apply to all users governed by this chapter.

1. The activity must be conducted entirely within a building or enclosed patio or atrium except for:
a. Vehicular parking including the parking of business-related vehicles that comply with the sign, off-street parking and noise regulations; b. Outdoor seating for restaurants in accordance with requirements of Section 19.60.040.
c. Special promotional events undertaken by permitted businesses; d. The display of merchandise in front of stores must be displayed under a roof overhang or canopy, and must be displayed in an organized, neat and safe fashion, in accordance with requirements of Section 19.60.040. e. Incidental activities directly related to the permitted business. The incidental activity must comply with noise standards, all other applicable health and safety regulations and must use equipment which, when not in use, is stored in an approved enclosed space.

2. The activity must comply with the City noise standards, including pick-up and delivery times. Some activities are permitted when located in a sound-proof space. A sound-proof space is an enclosed area which is designed to prevent internally generated noise from being audible from a receptor located outside of the structure. An acoustical engineer shall certify the design and operating conditions of a sound-proof space.

3. The activity must involve direct retailing of goods or services to the general public. The retailing and servicing activity must comprise at least fifty percent of the floor space, including enclosed patio and atrium space, and must represent the primary emphasis of the business. Window displays shall re flect the retail emphasis.

4. Certain activities which require a hazardous material plan are permitted subject to permitting or licensing by an authorized public agency charged with the responsibility to pro tect the public health and welfare regarding the involved hazardous material. Examples: swimming pool and spa supply, photo finishing, dental office.

5. The activity complies with applicable off-street parking standards including shared parking arrangements specified in the off-street parking ordinance.

19.60.060 Development Standards.

Table 19.60.060 sets forth the rules and regulations pertaining to the development of property located in the General Commercial (CG) zoning district. 693
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Table 19.60.060: Development Standards
A. Lot Area and Coverage No minimum lot area or coverage. However, if specified in the General Plan or applicable
Specific Plan, must comply with that standard.

Must have sufficient area to satisfy off-street
parking and loading requirements contained in
this title.