Housing Element Update: 

Join the October 23 Community Workshop

The Town is currently updating the Housing Element of its General Plan, which will include adopting Objective Design Standards for potential Multifamily Housing Developments. See updates related to the Housing Element here.

Upcoming opportunities to participate in the Housing Element process include:

1) Joint Study Session of the City Council & Planning Commission on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 4PM in Council Chambers. 

This Study Session will review the content of the community workshop, include a summary of the public comments we received, and receive feedback from the Planning Commission and City Council. 

2) Community Workshop #2 on Monday, November 13, 2023, Time and Location TBD. 

This workshop will present a set of draft objective design standards for multifamily development, with the goal to get additional community feedback and enable refinement before formal consideration. 

If you have any questions please contact Brittany Bendix, Town Planner at bbendix@ci.atherton.ca.us or (408) 688-2432. Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (650) 752-0500.

See You Today at Atherton's Halloween Spooktacular

You're invited to the Town's Halloween Spooktacular today, Friday, October 27 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Atherton Town Center. Get in the spooky spirit with candy, games, food trucks, costume parade, arts and crafts, face painting, and more! 

Join the Atherton Police Department at a Community Meeting on November 2

Look out in the mail this week for a postcard from the Atherton Police Department inviting all residents to a community meeting on public safety on November 2 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. All are welcome to join in person at the City Council Chambers, 80 Fair Oaks, or by Zoom (info provided below). Topics include:

• Recent home and auto burglaries
• Crime prevention tools and safety concerns
• Alarm systems and free alarm monitoring from the Police Dept. 
• Flock camera update 
• Q&A with Chief McCulley and member of the Police Dept. 

To join the Zoom Meeting on November 2 from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM:

Online:

• https://ci-atherton-ca.zoom.us/j/9068867857?pwd=TWJWNGVydG1zSmxmeHU3MERJeWRldz09

By phone:

• Dial: +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
• Meeting ID: 906 886 7857
• Passcode: 824524

For more information and to RSVP, please contact Jennifer Frew at jfrew@ci.atherton.ca.us. 

The native plants around Atherton Town Center are now easily identifiable thanks to the Atherton Garden Guild (AGG)! Their dedicated members set out to identify each perennial plant at the new Atherton Town Center and placed one hundred ninety-two easy-to-read, durable, and attractive labels, identifying 25 native species.

The tags include the plant’s common and botanical names creating a fun and interactive community walk-through garden, which deepens the experience. When visitors visit the town center, the plant label will help them identify plants so visitors can look for further plant care information. Check out the tags for your own garden inspiration!

Special thanks go to AGG Past President Joan Sanders for the idea, AGG President Patti Spezzaferro, and Nan Ray for her knowledge of plants, which proved essential for this task. The Guild also credits Suzanne Legallet, Town Arborist Sally Bentz for their horticulture input, Suzanne Van Ness and Ross Koningstein, for working on the installation. 

To learn more about these botanical tags for your garden, check out AAA Quality Engraver's website here.

Founded in 1966, AGG, a nonprofit corporation, is interested in home gardening, flower arranging, horticulture, and conservation. The Atherton Garden Guild maintains the rose garden in Holbrook Palmer Park. For information on the Atherton Garden Guild, please contact Patti Spezzaferro, President of Atherton Garden Guild, at triziadesign@gmail.com.