DOWNTOWN COMMITTEE
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING – TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2022
VIRTUAL MEETING WITH NO PHYSICAL MEETING LOCATION
10:00 A.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 10:02 a.m. by Chair Mike Kasperzak.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Committee members Erik Cormier, Raghav Gupta (arrived 10:13 a .m.), Maria Lange, Kira Pascoe (arrived 10.07 a.m.) , Jamil Shaikh, Merry Yen (arrived 10:04 a.m.) , Vice Chair Pamela Baird, and Chair Mike Kasperzak.
Absent: None.
Staff Present: John Lang, Economic Vitality Manager; Tiffany Chew, Business Development Specialist; Krisha Penollar, Associate Planner ; Kristine Crosby, Recreation Manager ; and Aruna Bodduna, Transportation Planner.
3. MINUTES APPROVAL
The minutes of the April 5 , 2022 meeting were distributed prior to the meeting and approved as distributed.
Motion—M/S Cormier/Lange—Carried 6-0-2; Gupta and Pascoe absent—To approve the minutes of the April 5, 2022 meeting.
4. UPCOMING AGENDA TOPICS
• Discuss on impact of homelessness on downtown
• Music and entertainment in downtown
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
Bruce England provided the Committee an update on the planning of the Green Streets JAMS open streets event. The event planning is scaling back from a closed-street bike event Attachment 2
Downtown Committee Minutes
May 3, 2022
to a coordinated ride between Sunnyvale and Mountain View on June 26, 2022 with activations occurring in Washington Park in Sunnyvale and Castro Street and California Street in Mountain View.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
6.1 DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
Planning Division staff provided an update on downtown development projects.
Public Comment: None.
No action taken.
6.2 CASTRO STREET UPDATE
Economic Development Division staff provided an update on the latest efforts along Castro Street related to the Pedestrian Mall Feasibility Study. Staff provided a brief update on outreach to property owners and business es in the 100 to 300 blocks of Castro Street on the forthcoming Pedestrian Mall Study.
Public comment: None.
No action taken.
6.3 DOWNTOWN COMMITTEE BYLAWS
Economic Development Division staff provided an update on the proposed bylaw changes. Staff provided a summary of the current bylaw language and the recommended change. Move the Downtown Business Association seat from the business-at-large category to th e downtown business/property owner category so there is separation between the DBA and Chamber. This would change the number of seats in the downtown category from four to five and business -at-large category from four to three. The total number of Downto wn Committee seats would remain the same—11. The next steps if the Committee supports the changes is to take the changes to the Council Policy and Procedures Committee for review.
Public Comment: A member of the public provided an update on when the nex t Council Policy and Procedures Committee meeting might take place.
Motion—M/S Baird/Yen—Carried 7-0-1; Gupta abstain—To approve bylaw change as recommended by staff.
Downtown Committee Minutes
May 3, 2022
6.4 JOINT MEETING WITH THE VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE
Economic Development Division staff provided an update on the recent Joint Meeting with the Visual Arts Committee. Detailed meeting minutes will be forthcoming at the next regularly scheduled Downtown Committee meeting. The feedback from the joint Committee meeting will help inform the next fiscal year work plans.
Visual Arts Work Plan Topics:
• Phantom galleries;
• Art in Windows;
• Projection/Wraps/Art/Functional art;
• Mural process improvements (consistency); and
• Kid-friendly art.
Downtown Work Plan Topics:
• Vacant storefronts;
• Inclusive downtown;
• Spring cleaning/beautification of downtown (flowers/newsracks); • Pedestrian Mall guidelines; and
• Music in downtown.
Mutual Interest:
• Functional Art/Pedestrian Mall;
• Art in Windows program;
• Improved mural program for downtown walls; and
• Art in MV program (Sharks/Peanuts/Hearts/Bears, etc.).
Public Comment: None.
No action taken.
Downtown Committee Minutes
May 3, 2022
7. NEW BUSINESS
7.1 DOWNTOWN SUMMER EVENTS
Community Services Department staff provided an update to upcoming downtown summer events on the Civic Center Plaza (500 Castro Street) —Kid Stock—Saturday, May 21, June 18, and July 16; and Concerts on the Plaza—every Friday, June through September, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p .m. Tech Showcase will take place on July 19 , from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Yoga on the Plaza on June 21 and July 23, and nonprofit and/or community groups can reserve the plaza for events. The Farmers’ Market will also bring back the Thursday seasonal market at Parking Lot 12 (Bryant Street between Mercy Street and California Street).
Public Comment: None.
No action taken.
7.2 DOWNTOWN PARKING DISTRICT ANNUAL RENEWAL
Economic Development Division staff provided an overview of the annual renewal .
Staff recommends the annual renewal of the Downtown Parking Maintenance and Operation Assessment District No. 2 (Parking District) for Fiscal Year 2022-23 be renewed with no changes to the assessment formula and no increase to the number of parcels assessed from the last year. The assessment total of $158,606 will continue to be spread out amongst the parcels with the Parking District.
Public Comment: None.
Motion—M/S Yen/Lange—Carried 8-0—To support the annual renewal of the Downtown Parking District as recommended by staff.
7.3 DEVELOP AN AD HOC COMMITTEE
Economic Development Division staff provided guidance from the City Clerk’s Office on the process for establishing an ad hoc committee . The Committee discussed the opportunity to create an ad hoc committee to support the beautification of downtown.
Public Comment: None.
No action taken.
Downtown Committee Minutes
May 3, 2022
8. COMMITTEE/STAFF COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, COMMITTEE REPORTS—None.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 11:40 a.m.
TC/4/CDD
822-05-03-22mn