Follow up from November 19, 2024 Joint City Council Study Session with Board/Commission Chairs/Vice Chairs
Policy Framework
• Council Policy 7.2.19 – Boards and Commissions
Policy Suggestions
1. Expand role of the Heritage Preservation Commission.
Status: Underway. Study Issue CDD 25-04 Expanding the Role of the Heritage Preservation Commission was ranked by Council during the 2025 Budget Proposal/Study Issues Workshop, but was not placed above the line for action by the City Manager due to the high number of other priority work items for the Community Development Department. There are currently a number of other study issues that will go before the Heritage Preservation Commission. Under Council Policy, the Commission may also work with staff to propose speakers or presentations that are not on the work plan but do not require significant staff support.
2. It would be helpful to have a document that outlines Council's guiding principles and philosophies regarding where Planning Commissioners should exercise interpretation.
Current Practice: The City Charter, Municipal Code, General Plan and related documents provide much of this framework. In addition, the City staffs Planning Commission meetings with a staff attorney (City Attorneys also staff City Council and Personnel Board meetings) to provide legal guidance on questions of interpretation. Staff also provides a detailed briefing to Planning Commissioners on their roles and responsibilities. Staff does not recommend creating this type of document; however, Council could consider referring this request to the Council Subcommittee on Boards and Commissions in 2026.
3. Suggestion to add a Supplemental Question to the Board/Commission application for Arts Commission applicants: “What role do you think Public Art plays in a community.”
Status: Complete. City Council directed adding questions, including this question, to the list of Supplemental Questions asked of Board and Commission applicants. The new questions have been added to the online Board and Commission application form.
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4. Provide better guidance to the public regarding why Board and Commissioner Members do not directly respond to emails from the public received by the respective Board/Commission AnswerPoint/
Status: Complete. Council Policy 7.2.19 Boards and Commissions has been updated to allow Board/Commission Members to respond to requests to meet with members of the public received by the respective Board/Commission AnswerPoint. This policy does not authorize Board/Commission Members to represent their Board/Commission outside of public meetings.
5. Comment that the Study Issues process takes too long and hinders Board/Commission Members ability to provide input on policy.
Status: Underway. Study Issue OCM 24-02 Evaluate the City of Sunnyvale Study Issues Process is underway, with an anticipated completion date of October 2025. This study issue is undertaking a holistic evaluation of the Study Issue process.
6. Schedule joint meetings with neighboring cities' boards and commissions that share a similar purview to Sunnyvale Boards/Commissions.
Status: Consider As-Needed. Scheduling and coordinating joint meetings with other agencies requires a significant staff workload. Staff recommend Boards/Commissions consider specific projects or topics to explore with a neighboring city(ies) and add that topic to their proposed Work Plan for City Council to consider.
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