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SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE: August 17, 2011 AGENDA ITEM:
DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office CITY MANAGER: Dave Anderson
PREPARED BY: Crystal Morrow DIRECTOR: Dave Anderson
Administrative Analyst II
SUBJECT: Let’s Move City Plan
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Accept report and approve the draft Let’s Move City Plan.
BACKGROUND:
At the February 16, 2011 meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution to join the Let’s Move
Cities and Towns initiative. The purpose of the campaign, led by First Lady Michelle Obama, is
to encourage cities and towns to reduce childhood obesity through long-term, sustainable
changes.
To earn the designation of a Let’s Move City, participating municipalities are required prepare
and submit a twelve-month plan that introduces lasting, systematic changes intended to combat
childhood obesity. Plans must achieve at least one significant action in each of the four Let’s
Move pillars. These include:
1. Giving parents and caregivers the tools they need to make healthy choices in early
childhood;
2. Improving nutrition in schools;
3. Increasing physical activity opportunities; and
4. Making healthy food affordable and accessible.
Because programmatic and policy changes are needed to meet the criteria to become a Let’s
Move City, Council authorized formation of a Let’s Move City Ad Hoc to draft Let’s Move City
plan at the June 1, 2011 Council meeting. Vice Mayor Page and Councilmember Capello served
on the Ad Hoc. In July, the Ad Hoc prepared a draft plan. Action items in the plan include:
1. Development of a healthy vending machine policy for City vending machines;
2. Development of healthy meeting food and beverage guidelines for City meetings;
3. Encouraging schools in Saratoga to participate in the Healthier US School Challenge
through the School Ad Hoc Committee;
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4. Encouraging Saratoga businesses to install bike racks for customers by amending the City
Code to reduce off-street parking requirements for businesses that provide bicycle
parking;
5. Continuation of Move It Saratoga, coordinated by the Parks and Recreation Commission;
and
6. Support the sale of local foods in the community and encouraging the establishment of
farmers’ markets by extending Conditional Use Permit reimbursements for farmers’
markets.
In addition to meeting the criteria of the Let’s Move Cities and Towns program, some of the
proposed activities will qualify Saratoga to receive a grant from the Santa Clara County Public
Health Department. The Santa Clara County Public Health Department is offering limited
Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) Obesity Prevention Grant funding to help
cities implement certain aspects of their Let’s Move plans.
If the plan developed by the Let’s Move City Ad Hoc Committee is adopted, the City will be
eligible to receive a $20,140.28 CPPW Obesity Prevention Grant to develop a healthy vending
machine policy, draft a new ordinance amending City Code to encourage businesses to install
bicycle parking, and prepare healthy meeting food and beverage guidelines.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
If the Let’s Move City plan is approved, some staff resources will be required to implement the
plan. Additionally, extension of CUP reimbursements for farmers’ markets may require funding.
However, the City will also be eligible to receive a $20,140.28 CPPW Obesity Prevention Grant.
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
A Let’s Move City plan will not be submitted, the City will not be recognized as a Let’s Move
City, and Saratoga will not submit a CPPW Obesity Prevention Grant application.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The Council may decide to identify alternative activities to include in the Let’s Move City plan.
FOLLOW UP ACTION(S):
If the Let’s Move plan is approved, it will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. Staff will also submit an application CPPW Obesity Prevention Grant funding.
Following submittal of the plan and CPPW Obesity Prevention Grant application, the City will
begin implementing the plan. Twelve months after the plan is submitted, the City will prepare a
report describing its progress towards achieving the Saratoga Let’s Move City plan and
significant achievements that occurred during the one year period.
ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT:
Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, this item was properly posted as a City Council agenda
item and was included in the packet made available on the City’s web site in advance of the
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meeting. A copy of the agenda packet is also made available at the Saratoga Branch Library each
Monday in advance of the Council meeting.
ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A: Proposed City of Saratoga Let’s Move City Plan
Attachment B: Santa Clara County CPPW Obesity Prevention Grant Strategies
Attachment C: Let’s Move Cities and Towns Toolkit for Local Officials