BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Title
Adopt Resolutions of Appreciation for Community Partners in the Coyote Creek Cleanup Event on May 1, 2021.
End
RECOMMENDATION: Recommendation
Adopt Resolutions of Appreciation to acknowledge and thank the local agencies, nonprofit organizations, local businesses and volunteers who participated the Coyote Creek Cleanup event on May 1, 2021.
Body
SUMMARY:
On October 22, 2019, the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) Board of Directors approved the Homeless Encampment Committee’s recommendation to host an environmental cleanup event at sites along Coyote Creek. The event was scheduled for December 7, 2019; however, it was postponed due to inclement weather, and two subsequent planning efforts were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was eventually rescheduled and took place on Saturday, May 1, 2021.
Valley Water partnered with the City of San Jose and the County of Santa Clara to bring together the resources needed to carry out the cleanup. The cleanup took place at two sites: 1) Coyote Creek at the Tully Ballfields and 2) Coyote Creek from Montague Expressway to E. Brokaw Road with Valley Water’s Brokaw Storage Yard as the central location at that site.
Several organizations helped to bring additional community resources to support the event. Opening Doors, a local nonprofit, provided hot meals and outreach services to the unhoused. Approximately 50 unhoused individuals received meals and information on alternative and supportive housing services on the day of the event. The City of San Jose’s Cash for Trash program, partially funded by Valley Water’s Safe, Clean Water Grants and Partnerships Program, was also operating at the Tully Ballfields site to provide redemption cards to unhoused individuals for helping to cleanup and fill trash bags. South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition, Trash Punx and Saved By Nature organized 98 volunteers at both sites to help with the cleanup. Additionally, Zanker Recycling and Republic Services, two local businesses provided support through monetary and dumpster donations for the event.
Staff worked closely with the City of San Jose to organize and coordinate logistics leading up to the event, including advanced outreach to the unhoused community living along Coyote Creek at the two cleanup sites.
A press event was also held prior to the cleanup to emphasize the prevention of pollution in our creeks, cleanup efforts and to highlight the collaborative efforts between the various agencies and partners. Valley Water Board Chair Tony Estremera and Director Richard Santos, who is also Chair of the Homeless Encampment Committee, led the press event, and were joined by California State Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Alex Lee, and Santa Clara County Supervisors Cindy Chavez (District 2) and Otto Lee (District 3). Additionally, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo’s staff members Paul Pereira and Sandra Murillo and State Senator Dave Cortese’s Field Representative Phuong Nguyen, also attended the event.
Through the help of volunteers, City of San Jose and Valley Water staff, over 27.25 tons (54,500 pounds) of trash was removed from the Coyote Creek at the two sites during the cleanup. Volunteers and staff also removed 64 gallons of biowaste, 47 car tires, 7 car batteries, 5 propane tanks, 1 fire extinguisher, 4 gallons of oil and 2 gallons of paint.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact for this item to consider adoption of the resolution.
CEQA:
The recommended action does not constitute a project under CEQA because it does not have the potential for resulting in direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Resolution - County of Santa Clara
Attachment 2: Resolution - City of San Jose
Attachment 3: Resolution - Opening Doors
Attachment 4: Resolution - Republic Services
Attachment 5: Resolution - Saved By Nature
Attachment 6: Resolution - South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition
Attachment 7: Resolution - The Trash Punx
Attachment 8: Resolution - Zanker Recycling
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER: Manager
Marta Lugo, 408-630-2237