City of Saratoga Government News Digest

After serving for 10 years as Saratoga City Manager, James Lindsay announced his retirement with a last day of June 29.

The owners of Mountain Winery are seeking to develop a boutique hotel and 255 units of housing on the Saratoga property.

Yan Zhao, elected to the Saratoga City Council in 2018, served as mayor in 2021. Belal Aftab, who was elected in 2022, was named vice mayor at Saratoga’s annual council reorganization on Dec. 6.

In affluent Saratoga, crime rates sit well below the regional average, yet residential burglaries have been a top concern. A group of residents in the Saratoga Woods neighborhood invested in license plate reader cameras to deter criminals from entering their neighborhood.

According to 2020 census data, Saratoga residents’ median age was 50.5, nearly a dozen years older than the nationwide mean of 38.8. As residents age, they face many challenges—and so do the organizations holding their safety net together.

After Saratoga incurred approximately $250,000 in storm damage due in part to blue gem eucalyptus trees, the city has halted all tree removal fees for the next few months. The free tree removals are part of an effort to clear damage and replant trees as soon as possible to preserve the city's tree canopy.

The controversial mixed-use development, located on Cox Avenue between Paseo Presada and Saratoga Avenue, is slated to have 17 buildings with more than 90 new housing units and 5,000 square feet of commercial space.

After new state guidelines thwarted housing developments in high fire hazard zones, the Saratoga City Council adopted a process to bypass some of those restrictions. The process calls for a review of housing developments in these zones on a case-by-case basis.

On Feb. 10, the Saratoga City Council held its annual retreat. Every year, we utilize this full-day session to discuss collective goals and priorities for the year, along with various timely topics of interest.

Saratoga City Council approved funding for seven community events totaling $31,500, even as some residents suggested that these events go unfunded to help with the city’s deficit, which is projected to be $4.8 million budget by 2026.

The city of Saratoga could face a $4.8 million budget deficit by 2026, staff said at a special city council meeting.

Saratoga-raised Belal Aftab says traffic, housing and crime are top three issues.

The city previously purchased seven ALPRs; citizens are now allowed to use property tax assessment funds to purchase cameras. Burglaries and auto thefts are up more than a third from last year.

The House Family Vineyards tasting deck has views that are as intoxicating as the wines. But some neighbors aren’t fans. On Oct. 5, the Saratoga City Council will hear an appeal against a temporary permit to keep the deck open until a conditional use permit can be greenlit in 2023.

The Saratoga City Council voted on eight potential housing sites for its Housing Element update. The approval of sites where future housing could be built came after six lengthy discussions.

Senior residents in five Santa Clara County municipalities will soon benefit from an expansion of Reach Your Destination Easily (RYDE), which provides transportation to people over 65.

Political pressure is rising against local trustees, with a few recall notices issued in the past week. One of the biggest pushes is against Cupertino Unified School District trustees.