CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE
Bill Norton, Interim City Manager
In light of the recent fires in the North Bay, Colma is committed to ensuring that the Town and our residents are prepared for any emergency situation.
Town staff is currently looking at reviving our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. CERT programs educate volunteer residents about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and train them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
The Colma Police Department and the Colma Fire District will be putting on another Are You Ready? Emergency Preparedness training in the next few months. Are You Ready? provides a step-by-step approach to disaster preparedness by walking participants through how to get informed about local emergency plans, how to identify hazards that affect their local area and how to develop and maintain an emergency communications plan and disaster supplies kit.
Another important emergency preparedness tool for residents is the San Mateo County’s ALERT system. SMC ALERT is an alert notification system used to immediately contact you during urgent or emergency situations. You can set alerts to send emergency and non-emergency text and voice messages to your email accounts, cell phones, smartphones, tablets, or voice messages to landline phones. SMC ALERT is a free service offered through the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services. You can sign up here: http://hsd.smcsheriff.com/smcalert. In emergencies when seconds count and can save lives, SMC ALERT can provide you with crucial emergency alerts to help keep you and your family safe.
Planning DEPARTMENT UPDATE
Michael Laughlin, Contract City Planner
The Planning Department is pleased to report that the City Council recently approved a contract with Dyett and Bhatia to prepare a Serramonte Boulevard and Collins Avenue corridor study. This master plan will look at existing improvements and traffic and make recommendations for future street improvements and landscaping that would benefit the corridor. There will opportunities for Colma residents to provide ideas and suggestions during the process, so stay tuned for more information.
The 280 Metro Center will be undergoing a facelift beginning in January, and the City Council will be considering a new freeway pole sign for the center at their December 13, 2017 meeting. New landscaping and walkway improvements have been recently installed. Tuesday Morning will open in the center at before the holidays. The shopping center owner is actively working to fill vacancies at the shopping center.
Serra Shopping Center is also being improved with new paint, landscaping and lighting. They will soon be installing a new multi-tenant pole sign on Junipero Serra Boulevard. Black Bear Diner recently opened and has been very popular! Carmax will be opening early November.
As always, please feel free to contact the Planning Department at (650)757-8888 if you have questions about upcoming projects in the Town.