City of Sunnyvale
Meeting Minutes
City Council
7:00 PM Online and Council Chambers, City Hall,
456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Regular Meeting - 7 PM
7 P.M. COUNCIL MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Klein called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
Mayor Klein led the salute to the United States flag.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Larry Klein
Vice Mayor Murali Srinivasan
Councilmember Russ Melton
Councilmember Alysa Cisneros
Councilmember Omar Din
Councilmember Richard Mehlinger
Councilmember Linda Sell
Present: 7 -
Councilmember Din participated via teleconference.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Eric Knock provided a presentation in support of study issue DPW 24-08.
Weifei shared their support for Study Issue DPW 24-08 Explore the Feasibility of Converting the PG&E Lots Facing Ramona Avenue, Lois Avenue, and/or Dona Avenue into an Open Green Space Linear Park for the Community.
Kimchi, Cherry Chase Neighborhood Association, voiced their support for Study Issue DPW 24-08.
January 30, 2024City Council Meeting Minutes
Al Suzano communicated their support for the Study Issue DPW 24-08.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Public Comment opened at 7:20 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Comment closed at 7:20 p.m.
MOTION: Vice Mayor Srinivasan moved and Councilmember Mehlinger seconded the motion to approve agenda items 1.A through 1.B.
The motion carried with the following vote:
Yes: Mayor Klein
Vice Mayor Srinivasan
Councilmember Melton
Councilmember Cisneros
Councilmember Din
Councilmember Mehlinger
Councilmember Sell
7 -
No: 0
1.A 24-0239 Adopt a Resolution Amending the City’s Salary Resolution to Increase Salaries for the Classifications of Housing Officer and Public Safety Records Manager
Adopt a Resolution amending the City’s Salary Resolution to increase salaries for the Classifications of Housing Officer and Public Safety Records Manager.
1.B 24-0215 Ratify National League of Cities’ Appointment of Vice Mayor Murali Srinivasan to the 2024 Information Technology and Communications Committee
Council ratifies National League of Cities’ appointment of Vice Mayor Murali Srinivasan to the 2024 Information and Technology Committee.
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
2 24-0272 Discuss and Provide Direction Regarding Process, Scope of Review, and Timeline for Potential Amendments to the City Charter
Assistant City Manager Sarah Johnson-Rios provided the staff report and presentation.
January 30, 2024City Council Meeting Minutes
Public Hearing opened at 8:24 p.m.
Steve Chessin, President, Californians for Electoral Reform, provided comments on the potential amendment for ranked choice voting and details to how it may impact City of Sunnyvale elections.
David Newswanger, California Ranked Choice Voting Coalition, spoke in support of a ranked choice voting charter amendment and to start the process of empanelling a charter review committee.
Lois Smallwood shared their support for starting a charter review committee and for the consideration of a ranked choice voting charter amendment.
Public Hearing closed at 8:33 p.m.
MOTION: Councilmember Mehlinger moved and Vice Mayor Srinivasan seconded the motion to approve Alternatives 1, 2 and 5:
1. Direct Staff to return with analysis of items from the Colleagues’ Memo that may be able to be modified without a Charter Amendment:
- Return within two years with a Council Policy noting that Councilmembers represent the entire City, not individual districts and that "district prerogative" does not existing in Sunnyvale;
2. Pursue Council-Directed Charter Amendments for 2024 by directing Staff to return with proposed ballot measure language for priority items identified by Council:
- A Charter Amendment to use gender neutral language throughout the Charter; - A Charter Amendment to require 24 regular Council meetings per year rather than two (2) per month;
- A Charter Amendment to remove the registered voter requirement from all boards and commissions, with the exception of the Planning Commission; and
5. Direct Staff to return to Council in the fourth quarter of 2024 with options for a more thorough charter review process similar to the one undertaken in 2007, allowing for more opportunity for public participation and adequate time to prepare several potential changes for voter consideration in November 2026.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Mayor Klein offered a friendly amendment to direct staff to research which boards and commissions should have a citizenship requirements.
Councilmember Mehlinger and Vice Mayor Srinivasan accepted the friendly amendment.
January 30, 2024City Council Meeting Minutes
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:
Yes: Mayor Klein
Vice Mayor Srinivasan
Councilmember Melton
Councilmember Cisneros
Councilmember Din
Councilmember Mehlinger
Councilmember Sell
7 -
No: 0
City Council took a recess at 9:04 p.m. and returned at 9:12 with all Councilmember present; Councilmember Omar participated remotely.
3 24-0266 Proposed Project: Consider actions related to implementation of the 2023-2031 Housing Element to create a By-Right Approval process for certain parcels within the City:
A. Adopt Urgency Ordinance to:
a. Add By-Right Approvals (Chapter 19.73) to the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, Designate Parcels Subject to By-Right
Approval, and Make Related Amendments to Chapters 19.12 (Definitions), Zoning Districts and Specific Plan Districts - Residential (19.18), Commercial (19.20), Office and Public Facilities (19.24), Downtown Specific Plan (19.28), Moffett Park Specific Plan (19.29), Lawrence Station Area Plan
(19.35), El Camino Real Specific Plan (19.36), Inclusionary Below Market Rate Ownership Housing Program (19.67),
Miscellaneous Plan Permit (19.82); and
B. Introduce an Ordinance to:
a. Add By-Right Approvals (Chapter 19.73) to the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, Designate Parcels Subject to By-Right
Approval, and Make Related Amendments to Chapters 19.12 (Definitions), Zoning Districts and Specific Plan Districts - Residential (19.18), Commercial (19.20), Office and Public Facilities (19.24), Downtown Specific Plan (19.28), Moffett Park Specific Plan (19.29), Lawrence Station Area Plan
(19.35), El Camino Real Specific Plan (19.36), Inclusionary Below Market Rate Ownership Housing Program (19.67), and
January 30, 2024City Council Meeting Minutes
Miscellaneous Plan Permit (19.82)
File #: PLNG-2023-0881
Location: Citywide
Applicant: City of Sunnyvale
Environmental Review: Non-discretionary project (Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(1), CEQA Guidelines
Sections 15268, 15357)
Project Planner: Julia Klein, (408) 730-7463,
[email protected]
Community Development Director Trudi Ryan and Principal Planner Julia Klein provided the staff report and presentation.
Public Hearing opened at 9:25 p.m.
Martin Pyne, Planning Commission Chair, reported the Commission’s reasons for approving this item.
Public Hearing closed at 9:28 p.m.
MOTION: Councilmember Mehlinger moved and Councilmember Cisneros seconded the motion to approve Alternative 1: Take the following actions:
a. Find that the Action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(1) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15268 and 15357;
b. Adopt an Urgency Ordinance (Attachment 2 to the report) to add By-Right Approvals (Chapter 19.73) to the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, designate parcels subject to By-Right Approval, and make related amendments to Chapters 19.12 (Definitions), Zoning Districts and Specific Plan Districts - Residential (19.18), Commercial (19.20), Office and Public Facilities (19.24), Downtown Specific Plan (19.28), Moffett Park Specific Plan (19.29), Lawrence Station Area Plan (19.35), El Camino Real Specific Plan (19.36), Inclusionary Below Market Rate Ownership Housing Program (19.67), and Miscellaneous Plan Permit (19.82); and c. Introduce an Ordinance (Attachment 3 to the report) to add By-Right Approvals (Chapter 19.73) to the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, designate parcels subject to By-Right Approval, and make related amendments to Chapters 19.12 (Definitions), Zoning Districts and Specific Plan Districts - Areas, Residential (19.18), Commercial (19.20), Office and Public Facilities (19.24), Downtown Specific Plan (19.28), Moffett Park Specific Plan (19.29), Lawrence Station Area Plan (19.35), El Camino Real Specific Plan (19.36), Inclusionary Below Market Rate Ownership Housing
January 30, 2024City Council Meeting Minutes
Program (19.67), and Miscellaneous Plan Permit (19.82).
The motion carried with the following vote:
Yes: Mayor Klein
Vice Mayor Srinivasan
Councilmember Melton
Councilmember Cisneros
Councilmember Din
Councilmember Mehlinger
Councilmember Sell
7 -
No: 0
4 24-0102 Approve the Proposed 2024 Priority Advocacy Issues and Review Long-term Legislative Advocacy Positions (LAPs)
Senior Management Analyst Michelle Zahraie provided the staff report and presentation.
Public Hearing opened at 10:12 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Hearing closed at 10:12 p.m.
MOTION: Councilmember Mehlinger moved and Councilmember Melton seconded the motion to approve Alternative 1: Approve the Proposed 2024 Priority Advocacy Issues - Clean Version (Attachment 1 to the report) and Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions as proposed to be amended (Attachment 3 in the report). With the following modifications:
1. Return to Council with a long-term position of ensuring a secure and reliable postal service for residents; and
2. Return to Council with an opportunity to adopt an advocacy position on Fremont Union High School District Trustee areas at an appropriate time.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Councilmember Melton offered a friendly amendment to replace the langue of “broadcast” spectrum to “broadband” spectrum.
Councilmember Mehlinger accepted the friendly amendment.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Councilmember Sell offered a friendly amendment to direct staff to add new policy language to propose a 2024 priority advocacy issue to engage with the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) regarding airplane noise and engage with federal representatives and local officials. Councilmember Mehlinger
January 30, 2024City Council Meeting Minutes
declined to accept the friendly amendment.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Mayor Klein offered a friendly amendment to advocate with the FAA to improve NextGen operability for noise reduction for Sunnyvale residents. Following discussion Mayor Klein withdrew the friendly amendment.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Mayor Klein offered a friendly amendment to add an advocacy position to explore new public safety technologies to improve process efficiencies in the Public Safety Department. Councilmembers Mehlinger and Melton accepted the friendly amendment.
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:
Yes: Mayor Klein
Vice Mayor Srinivasan
Councilmember Melton
Councilmember Cisneros
Councilmember Din
Councilmember Mehlinger
Councilmember Sell
7 -
No: 0
COUNCILMEMBERS REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES FROM INTERGOVERNMENTAL
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Councilmember Mehlinger reported on Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) meeting and a Caltrain Local Policy Makers Group memorandum that was shared Council.
Councilmember Cisneros reported on Cities Association of Santa Clara County Legislative Action Committee and Valley Water Policy Maker Committee meetings.
Vice Mayor Srinivasan reported on the National League of Cities 2024 Information Technology and Communications Committee meeting.
Mayor Klein reported he was named chair of the Silicon Valley Clean Energy Executive Board.
NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS
-Council
MOTION TO AGENDIZE: Councilmember Melton made a motion to agendize
January 30, 2024City Council Meeting Minutes
adding a policy to the Council Policy Manual stating that:
- Matters of United States (U.S.) foreign policy (“international affairs”) are under the subject matter jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Government and not under the subject matter jurisdiction of the Sunnyvale City Council; and - The Sunnyvale City Council, as a policy, does not take action (proclamations, declarations, resolutions and so forth) on international affairs and/or matters of U.S. foreign policy.
Motion failed due to the lack of a second.
Mayor Klein shared their experience attending the National Conference of the Mayors in Washington D.C. and announced the creation of the Ad Hoc committee on City Attorney recruitment.
Mayor Klein encourages residents and Council to review the California League of Cities 2023 legislative update.
-City Manager
None.
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS
24-0017 Tentative Council Meeting Agenda Calendar
24-0142 Board/Commission Meeting Minutes
24-0154 Information/Action Items
24-0231 Council Advocacy Letters
24-0268 Mayoral Announcement of Mayor-Appointed Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on City Attorney Recruitment (Information Only)
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Klein adjourned the meeting at 10:44 p.m.