Item 3 - Desk Item and Attachment
PREPARED BY: JENNIFER ARMER, AICP
Senior Planner
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
MEETING DATE: 08/06/2020
ITEM: 3
DESK ITEM
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REPORT
REPORT
DATE: August 6, 2020
TO: General Plan Update Advisory Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Review and Discussion of the Initial Draft of the Hazards and Safety Element.
BACKGROUND:
Attachment 4 contains additional materials prepared by Mintier Harnish to support preparation
for health emergencies in the Hazards and Safety Element. Attachment 4 includes some
possible edits to a goal and several policies in the initial draft received as Attachment 1, as well
as a new goal, nine new policies, and three new implementation programs that could be added
to address the topic of health emergencies.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachments previously received with August 6, 2020 Staff Report:
1. Initial Draft of Hazards and Safety Element
2. Public Comment received by 11:00 a.m., Thursday, July 30, 2020
Attachment previously received with August 6, 2020 Addendum Report:
3. Committee Member Comments
Attachment received with this Desk Item Report:
4. Edits and Additional Language Regarding Health Emergencies
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank
8. Hazards and Safety Element
August 2020 Administrative Draft 8-a
Key Terms
Epidemic. A disease that affects a large population within a given community or region.
Pandemic. An epidemic that’s spread over multiple countries or continents.
Public Health Emergency. A situation that is defined by both health consequences and their causes. A public
health emergency is declared when the event’s health consequences have the potential to overwhelm routine
community capabilities to address them. For the State of California, this declaration is from the California
Department of Public Health.
GPAC NOTE (to be removed):
The following is from the current Section 8.1, Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.
Underline and strikethrough text modified based on GPAC comments on health emergencies.
HAZ-1
Ensure the community is prepared for health, natural, and manmade disasters
human-caused hazards and can respond quickly and effectively. [Source: New
Goal]
HAZ-1.1 Emergency Preparedness Planning
Coordinate and incorporate emergency preparedness into all appropriate Town planning
efforts, including plans for preparation, communications, response, and evacuations in the case
of an emergency. [Source: New Policy]
…..
HAZ-1.4 Community Information and Education
Provide community hazard awareness information and education about potential health,
natural, and human-caused hazards in Los Gatos and how to prepare for or mitigate them.
[Source: New Policy]
…..
ATTACHMENT 4
Administrative Draft Policy Document
8-b Administrative Draft August 2020
Public Health Emergencies:
Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
GPAC NOTE (to be removed):
New section. Numbering is based on Section 8.5, Noise, being removed from this element and
moving to its own element.
During health emergencies, local jurisdictions provide initial leadership, resources, and information to their
immediate community while establishing public-private and regional response efforts. As a result, the Town must
work with health providers, Santa Clara County, and local stakeholders to develop coordinated initial responses to
public health emergencies that rely on local resources. [Source: New Text]
Pandemics have the potential to be the most-deadly threat to public health. A pandemic can occur when a new
strain of influenza or other pathogen emerges to which most or all of the world’s human population has had no
previous exposure and thus has no immunity. [Source: New Text]
In the last century, multiple influenza pandemics have swept the globe.
In 1918, the first pandemic (sometimes referred to as the “Spanish Flu”) killed over 500,000 Americans
and more than 20 million people worldwide. One-third of the U.S. population was infected, and average
life expectancy was reduced by 13 years. (Source: National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza)
Pandemics in 1957 and 1968 killed tens of thousands of Americans and millions across the world.
(Source: National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza)
In the spring of 2009, a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus emerged. It was detected first in the United States
and spread quickly across the United States and the world. From April 12, 2009 to April 10, 2010, CDC
estimated there were 60.8 million cases (range: 43.3-89.3 million), 274,304 hospitalizations (range:
195,086-402,719), and 12,469 deaths (range: 8868-18,306) in the United States.
The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic has spread rapidly since its discovery in December 2019. COVID-19 is an
illness caused by a new coronavirus that can spread from person to person. As of August 5, 2020, there
have been more than 4.8 million confirmed cases and 158,000 deaths in the United States. Globally, 18.6
million cases have been confirmed and 701,000 people have died from the effects of the novel corona
virus. [Source: New Text]
Although the timing, nature, and severity of a pandemic cannot be predicted, a planned and coordinated response
is critical to minimizing the public health impact, as well as the social and economic disruption to our everyday
lives. [Source: New Text]
Sources:
CDC, Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities, National Standards for Public Health
Loudoun County Health Department, Pandemic Response Plan, found on google
Homeland Security Council, National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-h1n1-pandemic.html
NY Times, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf
8. Hazards and Safety Element
August 2020 Administrative Draft 8-c
The following goals and policies guide preparedness, response, and recovery efforts by the Town of Los Gatos
for current and future health emergencies.
HAZ-7
Reduce the potential and severity of short- and long-term health emergencies,
control the rate and extent of the spread of an illness, reduce economic and
social displacement, and reduce loss of life resulting. [Source: New Goal]
HAZ-7.1 Addressing Town Public Health Needs
The Town shall implement all minimum requirements from appropriate State of California and
Santa Clara County agencies relative to declared public health emergencies. The Town shall
also consider the needs of the community and expand the Town’s response beyond these
minimum requirements, as appropriate. [Source: New Policy]
HAZ-7.2 Agency Coordination
Work closely with the State of California and Santa Clara County health officials to make certain
that Town needs are considered and addressed and to make sure the Town is aware of
programs and resources in a timely manner. [Source: New Policy]
HAZ-7.3 Coordinate the Delivery of Essential Public Health Services
Partner with organizations responsible for essential health care and human services to ensure
those services are provided as early as possible during the response, recovery, and return of
the public health system after a public health emergency or event. [Source: New Policy]
HAZ-7.4 Promote Training and Guidance for Community Partners
Promote training initiatives for community partners and other stakeholders within public health,
health care, human services, mental/behavioral health, and environmental health sectors.
[Source: New Policy]
HAZ-7.5 Communications and Community Education
Continue to maintain and enhance the Town’s communications and education resources to
provide timely and up-to-date information concerning public health emergencies. [Source: New
Policy]
HAZ-7.6 Preparedness
Work with the State of California and Santa Clara County to maintain a supply of resources
necessary to respond to early stages of a public health emergency. [Source: New Policy]
HAZ-7.7 Recovery
Following a public health emergency, the Town will work with the State of California and Santa
Clara County to ensure the Town receives the support and recovery assistance appropriate to
meet local needs. [Source: New Policy]
HAZ-7.8 Response Evaluation
During and following any public health emergency, Town staff will work with the community to
identify unmet needs and ways to improve preparation and responses for future public health
emergencies. [Source: New Policy]
For policies related to social and racial determinants of health, including access to affordable quality
food, economic opportunities, healthy neighborhoods and physical environments, and education,
please refer to the Racial, Social, Environmental Justice Element.
Administrative Draft Policy Document
8-d Administrative Draft August 2020
Implementation Programs
Programs
Implements
Which
Policy(ies)
Responsible
Supporting
Department(s) 2021 – 2025 2026 – 2030 2031 – 2040 Annual Ongoing Engage community partners and other
stakeholders to support risk-mitigation.
Implement strategies for ongoing
collaboration with community partners and
stakeholders capable of providing services
to mitigate pre-identified general and
incident-specific public health emergencies
and controlling risks for targeted
populations. [Source: New Program]
HAZ-7.3 Town Manager
Collaborate with community partners and
stakeholders to develop, test, and
disseminate timely public health
messaging to targeted populations through
trusted representatives or spokespersons.
(Potential Policy)
HAZ-7.5
HAZ-7.6
Town Manager
The Town should maintain a supply of
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for
Town essential workers (i.e., Town staff,
contractors, vendors, and volunteers) that
protects these workers during initial stages
of a public health emergency.
HAZ-7.7 Town Manager
SCC Fire
Department
Los Gatos-
Monte Sereno
Police
Department