DATE: October 20, 2025
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
FROM: Sofia Mangalam, Community Development Director
Priscilla Schaus, Communications Director/City Clerk
Nori Jabba, Housing and Sustainability Manager
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
SUBJECT: AMENDED POLICY STATEMENT FOR CITIZENS
SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution updating the policy statement for the Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee (Attachment 1) to incorporate the updated membership and meeting schedule.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On August 4, 2025, the City Council approved an updated Policy Statement for the Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee (Committee) (Attachment 2) to:
a) Align the Committee’s purpose with the current work and focus of the committee, b) Streamline recruitment procedures to improve efficiency and expand opportunities for members of the public to apply, and
c) Modify various clauses for improved clarity.
Additionally, the City Council requested that the Committee review and determine a specific meeting date and time to be included in the Policy Statement.
On August 18, 2025, the City Council approved Minute Order No. 2038 (Attachment 3) reducing the size of the Committee from ten (10) at-large members to seven (7) at-large members with a strong preference to have at least one of the seven members be a Youth
Member and to bring the item back to City Council for final approval through an amended policy statement at a later date.
On September 10, 2025, at the Regular Meeting of the Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee, the Committee voted unanimously to maintain the current meeting day and time of the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers Conference Room.
The attached Resolution and Exhibit A include edits to the Policy Statement from the City Council direction on August 4, 2025, and August 18, 2025.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
The City of Foster City has five (5) citizens advisory committees, including the Audit Committee, the Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee, the Parks and Recreation Committee, the Traffic Review Committee, and the Youth Advisory Committee.
The Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee was formed May 2, 2022, as a nine (9)- member committee consisting of:
Five (5) Foster City Resident member seats; and
One (1) Foster City Resident youth member seat; and
Two (2) In-town Business member seats, comprised of
oOne (1) business member representing one of the City’s major employers; and
oOne (1) business member representing one of the City’s small businesses; and
One (1) Non-Profit member seat
On August 15, 2022, the City Council changed the committee size from nine (9) members to ten (10) members via City Resolution No. 2022-98 in August 2022 to permit two (2) youth members instead of one (1) youth member due to community interest.
As noted earlier that on August 4, 2025, the City Council approved an updated Policy Statement via City Resolution No. 2025-62 and requested that the Committee subsequently determine a specific meeting date and time and return to the City Council with an updated Policy Statement, as a member of the Committee submitted public comment requesting to change the date and time of the meetings.
On August 18, 2025, at which the City Council interviewed and appointed applicants to the Committee, the City Council also approved by Minute Order No. 2038 (Attachment 3) reducing the size of the Committee from ten (10) to seven (7) at-large members to align more with other citizens advisory committees and removed the specific seat assignments for two (2) business members, a nonprofit member, and two (2) youth members.
On September 9, 2025, the Committee voted unanimously (7-0-0) to maintain the current meeting day and time of the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers Conference Room.
Staff is returning to the City Council for final approval of the Policy Statement with updates to the meeting date/time and membership.
Staff would like to note that this policy statement is unique compared to the other committees. No additional action is needed, unless the City Council wishes to amend the policy statement. The current Policy Statement reads as follows: “No member may serve more than three (3) consecutive terms. Members whose terms have expired may continue to serve on the Committee until a successor has been appointed.” Other committees have a term limit of two (2) terms, as per Foster City Municipal Code
2.36.050, and do not have members serve until a successor is appointed.
Recommended changes to the Policy Statement are outlined below:
Meetings
Meetings shall be held monthly on the second Wednesday of the month, at the Council Chambers Conference Room, 620 Foster City Blvd., Foster City, CA, 94404, at 6:30 PM.
Membership: 7 Committee Members
Seven (7) Foster City Resident members (with a strong preference to have at least one (1) of the seven (7) members be a Youth Member)
No other changes are recommended.
California Environmental Quality Act
Not Applicable
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed revisions have no fiscal impact.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
City Council Operations and Improved Community Engagement ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Resolution with Exhibit A
Attachment 2 – City Resolution No. 2025-62 and Policy Statement Attachment 3 – Minute Order No. 2038