DATE:
February 25, 2025
CATEGORY:
New Business
DEPT.:
City Manager’s Office
TITLE: Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal
Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work
Plan Project Identification
RECOMMENDATION
Reaffirm the seven Council Strategic Priorities and propose potential projects for the Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan.
BACKGROUND
Every two years, t he City Council adopts a work plan that establishes Council’s top -priority initiatives which, along with other special projects and ongoing core services, contribute to the City Council’s seven Strategic Priorities. The current Fiscal Years 2023-24 and 2024-25 Work Plan concludes at the end of June 2025.
On January 28, 2025
, the City Council approved the process for reaffirming Council’s Strategic Priorities and developing the Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan . The overall approach and steps in the process for developing the Fiscal Years 2025-27 Work Plan are described in full in Attachment 1 and summarized below.
Council Work Plan Approach
Quality Over Quantity
Over the years, the City Council work plan has been comprehensive and robust, with a range of 40 to 70 projects since 2019 and an average of 51 projects per work plan cycle. Given the volume and breadth of projects taken in conjunction with the City’s daily work and other priority projects, it has been challenging to successfully initiate or complete every project within the two-year work plan time frame.
For the Fiscal Years 2025-27 Work Plan, Council has approved an approach to focus on “quality over quantity” resulting in a work plan that is feasible for the organization to complete or substantially complete within the two-year work plan cycle. The targeted number of projects is 10-14, with the final number depending on the staffing and financial resources anticipated to be
Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan Project Identification
February 25, 2025
needed for each project and whether those needs can be met within existing staff capacity and the modest abilities within the City’s current fiscal outlook . The benefits to the quality-over-quantity approach are that it:
• Establishes a focus on high-visibility projects that can be clearly tracked and communicated, showing measurable progress toward achieving Council’s Strategic Priorities;
• Enhances staff’s ability to focus on and engage the community in a meaningful way and deliver results by concentrating on fewer, well-defined projects; and
• “Right-sizes” the work plan to fit current staff and fiscal resources.
Council’s Work Plan Separate from Organizational Work Plan
The current Fiscal Years 2023-25 Council Work Plan includes projects initiated by Councilmembers as well as significant initiatives put forward by staff from other major plans, such as the Capital Improvement Program and Housing Element. The approach for the Fiscal Years 2025-27 Council Work Plan is to have the Council work plan reflect only those projects suggested by Councilmembers for inclusion. This means that Councilmembers may put forward new potential projects (i.e., ideas that are not currently on any work plan), existing projects they wish to include in the new work plan, or both.
Alignment of City Efforts and Consideration of Resource Constraints
In addition to the City Council w ork plan projects, the Strategic Priorities are supported by a multitude of other special projects and ongoing programs and services, including mandated and nondiscretionary activities. Using the image of an iceberg to demonstrate how staff resources are allocated, it is estimated that 85% of staff capacity is directed toward the ongoing activities “below the waterline,” with the remaining 15% available for Council priority projects and other significant City initiatives that are more visible at the tip of the iceberg. (Figure 1 in Attachment 1 illustrates this concept, showing the many ways the City works to achieve the Economic Vitality Strategic Priority.)
This big-picture view can help more fully communicate the City’s effort toward accomplishing a given Strategic Priority and identify where additional focus may be needed. It also helps show limitations in the organizational capacity available to dedicate to special projects, including, most importantly, the City Council’s w ork plan projects. Another consideration is how new projects can have a downstream “snowball effect” on staff capacity, since realizing the intent of a priority project can require undertaking other new special projects or ongoing operational work.
Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan Project Identification
February 25, 2025
Work Plan Development Process
The work plan development timeline includes the following steps , with the first three steps already accomplished:
1. December 4, 2024 —Council Ad Hoc Goals Committee meeting to review and discuss process recommendations, timeline, and analytical criteria.
2. January 28, 2025—Council consent item to approve process and timeline recommended by the Committee.
3. February 12, 2025—Councilmembers submittal of brief written descriptions of the projects (up to three) that they are suggesting for inclusion.
4. February 25, 2025— Council meeting to reaffirm the current seven Council Strategic Priorities; discuss submitted project ideas and forward potential new projects for staff analysis.
5. March/April 2025—Staff analysis of potential projects and Council advisory body input.
6. April 22, 2025 —Council meeting to review staff analysis and recommendations and determine final project prioritization and selection.
7. June 24, 2025— Council work plan adoption during Fiscal Year 2025 -26 Budget Public Hearing.
ANALYSIS
In accordance with the timeline above and the process adopted by the City Council on January 28, 2025, the focus of this Council meeting is for Council to reaffirm the existing Strategic Priorities (shown below in Figure 1 and further described in Attachment 2) and discuss potential projects for further analysis and ultimate adoption as the Fiscal Years 2025-27 Work Plan.
Strategic Priorities
The current Strategic Priorities were adopted as part of the Fiscal Years 2021-23 Council Work Plan, which included a facilitated strategic planning process with input from the community and City staff. Staff recommends that Council reaffirm the existing seven Strategic Priorities and their descriptions.
Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan Project Identification
February 25, 2025
• Community for All
• Intentional Development
and Housing Options
• Mobility and Connectivity
• Sustainability and Climate
Resiliency
• Livability and Quality of Life
• Economic Vitality
• Organizational Strength
and Good Governance
Figure 1: Current Council Strategic Priorities
Potential Work Plan Projects
At this meeting, Councilmembers have been asked to put forward up to three potential projects for analysis and consideration for inclusion in the Fiscal Years 2025-27 Council Work Plan. These could include new projects or projects on the existing Fiscal Years 2023-25 Council Work Plan.
Existing Projects in Fiscal Years 2023-25 Council Work Plan
The January 28, 2025 report (Attachment 1) includes the status of the existing 41 work plan projects as well as a list of other significant City projects . While work on the current 18 in-progress projects (shown in Table 1 on the following page) will continue, Councilmembers were invited to submit any of these projects for inclusion in the next work plan if they wanted the project to proceed at the quickest possible pace. This is in keeping with the approach of considering Council’s work plan projects as the area of highest priority for accomplishment during the two -year work plan cycle. Councilmembers were also invited to submit any of the five projects deferred from the current work plan (Table 2 on the following page). If not resubmitted for the Fiscal Years 2025-27 Work Plan, work on these deferred projects in Table 2 will not proceed.
Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan Project Identification
February 25, 2025
Table 1: In-Progress Projects from the Fiscal Years 2023-25 Council Work Plan
Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan*1 Stevens Creek Trail Extension Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan* Transportation Demand Management Ordinance
Biodiversity Strategy* Downtown Precise Plan
Urban Forestry Plan* R3 Zoning Standards
Dark Skies Ordinance* Low- and Middle-Income Home Ownership Historic Preservation Ordinance* Affordable Housing at VTA Evelyn Site Race, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan Active Transportation Plan Decarbonization Strategy Citywide Travel Demand Update
Climate Vulnerability Assessment Micromobility Guidelines _________________________
1 Projects with an asterisk (*) are anticipated to be completed within the first six months of the Fiscal Years 2025- 27 Work Plan.
Table 2: Deferred Projects from the Fiscal Years 2023-25 Council Work Plan
Project Status
City Charter Amendment Deferred by Council
Municipal Code Amendment Deferred by Council
Castro Grade Separation Deferred by Council
Public Services Study Staff recommendation to defer1
Gateway Park Revitalization Staff recommendation to defer2 __________________________
1 Staff recommends deferring a Public Services Study in light of the timing of housing development and the opportunity to analyze public service needs as part of an update of the 2030 General Plan. 2 Staff recommends deferring the revitalization of Gateway Park and will review this item for consideration after the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan is finalized.
Councilmember-Submitted Projects for Fiscal Years 2025-27
Councilmembers submitted 17 projects for discussion at this February 25, 2025 Council meeting.
These projects are summarized in Table 3 and are further described in Attachment 3.
Table 3: Councilmember-Submitted Projects
ID
No. Project Existing/
New
Strategic
Priority Councilmember
1 Complete funding agreements and
begin engineering for the Stevens
Creek Trail Extension
Existing Mobility and
Connectivity
Clark, Kamei
Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan Project Identification
February 25, 2025
ID
No. Project Existing/
New
Strategic
Priority Councilmember
2 Develop a strategy to facilitate low-
and middle-income homeownership
(Housing Element Policy 1.8)
Existing Intentional
Development
and Housing
Options
Clark, Kamei
3 Update R3 zoning standards (Housing
Element Project 1.3)
Existing Intentional
Development
and Housing
Options
Clark, Ramos
4 Develop a plan for ending natural gas
use by 2045
New Sustainability
and Climate
Resiliency
Ramos, Showalter
5 Update the Race, Equity, and
Inclusion Action Plan
Existing Community for
All
Kamei
6 Expand access to broadband Citywide Existing Livability and Quality of Life
McAlister
7 Implement smart water meters Existing Sustainability
and Climate
Resiliency
McAlister
8 Explore placing a measure on the
2026 ballot to amend the City Charter
Existing
(Deferred)
Organizational
Strength and
Good
Governance
Ramirez
9 Review and make periodic
amendments to the Municipal Code
in a phased approach to remove
contradictory, unenforceable, or
otherwise outdated sections
Existing
(Deferred)
Organizational
Strength and
Good
Governance
Ramirez
10 Establish Design Standards for
streamlined and improved project
development
New Intentional
Development
and Housing
Options
Hicks
11 Pilot an autonomous vehicle (AV)
shuttle
New Mobility and
Connectivity
Hicks
12 Develop a Downtown vacant
storefront window display and pop-
up program
New Economic
Vitality
Hicks
13 Increase the Pavement Condition
Index to 71
New Mobility and
Connectivity
McAlister
14 Update Council Policies,
legislative/contract templates, and
other documents
New Organizational
Strength and
Good
Governance
Ramirez
Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan Project Identification
February 25, 2025
ID
No. Project Existing/
New
Strategic
Priority Councilmember
15 Create a framework to support
volunteer organizations working with
the City
New Organizational
Strength and
Good
Governance
Ramos
16 Implement an interim pickleball plan New Livability and Quality of Life
Showalter
17 Remove barriers to condominium
development
New Intentional
Development
and Housing
Options
Showalter
Project Discussion Process
• Each Councilmember is invited to discuss their proposed projects (either new project ideas or prioritization of existing projects);
• Councilmembers can ask questions of their colleagues to clarify the meaning and scope of any proposed new projects and of staff regarding resource capacity and other considerations;
• Staff will track the list of projects discussed in real time and help Council identify any possibilities for project consolidation; and
• The Mayor will take a straw vote on each project discussed to determine which projects have majority Council support to move forward to staff analysis.
The potential projects receiving majority support will be analyzed by staff and shared with the City’s advisory bodies and brought back for Council consideration at its April 22 meeting.
Next Steps
As noted above, the projects receiving majority support will be forwarded for staff analysis and advisory body input. The analysis criteria include advancement of the Council’s Strategic Priorities; whether the project is discretionary or nondiscretionary; fiscal impact ; staff capacity; legal impact; dependencies; and duration/timing. The results of this analysis and input will be presented on April 22, 2025. If the full project list exceeds the target of 10 to 14 projects and/or staffing and financial capacity limits, staff will recommend priority projects which Council can discuss and reprioritize as appropriate. The work plan will come forward for formal adoption on June 24, 2025 as part of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget adoption process.
Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan Project Identification
February 25, 2025
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the discussion of potential Fiscal Years 2025-27 Council Work Plan projects. If the Council work plan ultimately approved includes projects that cannot be accomplished with existing staff and funding, budget appropriations would be recommended as part of the adoption process for the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget.
LEVINE ACT
California Government Code Section 84308 (also known as the Levine Act) prohibits city officials from participating in any proceeding involving a “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant within the last 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website:
www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-
play-limits-and-prohibitions.html.
Please see below for information about whether the recommended action for this agenda item is subject to or exempt from the Levine Act.
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
_x_ General policy and legislative actions
CONCLUSION
This report outlines the adopted process for Council to reaffirm the existing Strategic Priorities and discuss potential projects for further analysis and ultimate adoption as the Fiscal Years 2025-27 Council Work Plan. The approach is to develop a “quality -over-quantity” work plan of 10 to 14 projects, focusing on successfully delivering in a timely manner a smaller number of high-priority projects that reflect the City Council’s top priorities.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Select a different number of projects and process for Councilmembers to propose and prioritize potential work plan projects.
2. Make amendments to the project analysis criteria.
3. Make other amendments to the work plan setting process.
4. Provide other direction.
Council Strategic Priorities and Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Council Work Plan Project Identification
February 25, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICING—Agenda posting.
Prepared by:
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
Approved by:
Kimbra McCarthy
City Manager
ASR/MS/4/CAM
602-02-25-25CR
204751
Attachments: 1. January 28, 2025 Council Report
2. Strategic Priorities Description
3. Councilmember Potential Project Submittals