HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 18-014 Supporting Safe Routess to School in the City of SaratogaRESOLUTION NO. 18-014
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA
SUPPORTING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
WHEREAS, the City of Saratoga supports policies and programs that focus on wellness
and creating healthier community environments; and
WHEREAS, the health and safety of children is of the highest concern to the Saratoga
City Council; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 44% of students in Santa Clara County middle and high
schools do not engage in daily physical activity and only 25% of Santa Clara County fifth
graders and 33% of seventh graders meet California fitness standards; and
WHEREAS, lack of physical activity plays a leading role in the increasing rates of
childhood obesity, diabetes, and other health problems among children; and
WHEREAS, childhood obesity has become a national crisis with every one in three
children overweight or obese in the United States; and
WHEREAS, approximately 25% of Santa Clara County middle school and high school
students are overweight or obese; and
WHEREAS, from 1969 to 2007, the percentage of children in the United States who
walk or bike to school decreased from 48% to 13%; and
WHEREAS, driving students to school reduces opportunities for physical activity and
contributes to traffic congestion, safety concerns, and air pollution; and
WHEREAS, the ability to walk or bike to school on routes that are safe for children
offers the opportunity to build healthy physical activity into daily routines and helps students
arrive at school ready to learn; and
WHEREAS, Safe Routes to School is a national and international movement to create
safe, convenient, and fun opportunities for children to walk or bike to school;
WHEREAS, Safe Routes to School requires formation of a multidisciplinary team to
increase awareness of and support for safe routes to schools; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saratoga Traffic Safety Commission, in partnership with
representatives of Saratoga schools and law enforcement, shall perform the duties of the
multidisciplinary team; and
WHEREAS, providing safe routes to and from schools may result in decreased
pedestrian and cyclist injuries for students and the entire community; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saratoga has already made and will continue to remove barriers
to walking and bicycling to school through improvement of infrastructure and facilities,
engineer, enforcement, outreach and education, and evaluation programs;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saratoga does
hereby consider the safety of children to be of the highest importance and will prioritize the
safety of school children in street modification projects that affect school travel routes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Saratoga will support local school district's
applying for Safe Routes to School funding; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Saratoga will partner with local school
districts to conduct a simple, low-cost assessment of student travel modes and will share the
results of the assessment with the school districts serving the City of Saratoga; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby assigns
the duties of the Safe Routes to School multidisciplinary team to the Traffic Safety Commission;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saratoga directs the City
Manager to designate a member of City staff as the Safe Routes to School Coordinator; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saratoga will recognize
International Walk and Bike to School Day; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Saratoga will participate in the Safe Routes to
School initiative in order to gain the benefits mentioned above and strengthen the quality of life
of Saratoga students, families, and neighborhoods.
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga
City Council held on the 4t" day of April 2018 by the following vote:
AYES: Mayor Mary -Lynne Bernald, Vice Mayor E. Manny Cappello, Council Members
Howard A. Miller, Emily Lo, Rishi Kumar
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Mary- nne ernald, Mayor
ATTES
DATE:
Nora Pimentel, MMC, City Jerk