City of Sunnyvale
Meeting Minutes
Sustainability Commission
7:00 PM Online and Redwood Conference Room,
City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale,
CA 94086
Monday, May 19, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Veitch called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the Redwood Conference Room (Room 140) at City Hall.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
Chair Veitch led the salute to the flag.
ROLL CALL
Chair Tonya Veitch
Vice Chair Jeffery Nabhan
Commissioner Cortney Jansen
Commissioner Douglas Kunz
Kristina Pistone
Present: 5 -
Commissioner Richard ParenteauAbsent: 1 -
Commissioner Parenteau's absence was excused
by general consent.
Council Liaison - Councilmember Chang (present)
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Susan Hinton, Chair of the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, informed the Sustainability Commission of a successfully managed natural grass sports field in Tiburon, California. Ms. Hinton invited Sunnyvale staff and elected officials to attend a guided tour of the McKegney Green fields in Tiburon.
Chair Veitch announced her resignation from the Sustainability Commission due to changes in her residency status. Chair Veitch thanked Commissioners for their support and guidance while she served on the Commission. Chair Veitch thanked staff and the Environmental Services Department for their dedication and passion in
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driving sustainability policies and programs forward in the city.
PRESENTATION
25-0618 PRESENTATION - Recognition of Service
Councilmember Chang thanked Chair Veitch and Commissioner Pistone for their years of service on the Sustainability Commission. She commended them for their contributions to moving the City’s sustainability initiatives forward.
CONSENT CALENDAR
25-0617 Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of April 21, 2025
Commissioner Kunz moved, and Commissioner Pistone seconded, a motion to approve the consent calendar.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Yes: Chair Veitch
Vice Chair Nabhan
Commissioner Jansen
Commissioner Kunz
Pistone
5 -
No: 0
Absent: Commissioner Parenteau1 -
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
25-0619 Annual Review of City Manager’s Recommended Budget Full budget available online at:
Sunnyvale.ca.gov/your-government/governance/city-budget Staff addressed comments and questions from the Commissioners on the City Manager’s FY 2025/26 Recommended Budget (Recommended Budget), highlighting funding available for projects and positions related to sustainability programs. The Commission discussed the Recommended Budget and asked clarification questions of staff.
Chair Veitch opened the Public Hearing at 9:24 p.m.
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There were no public comments.
Chair Veitch closed the Public Hearing at 9:25 p.m.
MOTION: Commissioner Kunz moved, and Commissioner Jansen seconded, a motion to provide the following recommendations on the City Manager’s Recommended Budget for FY 2025/26 to City Council, and to nominate Vice Chair Nabhan to convey these recommendations to City Council verbally and in writing:
1. Given the City’s priority of advancing climate action, consider whether Project 824780 – Upgrading of Fuel Stations, utilizes the most appropriate strategy, given there are two newly replaced tanks on City properties. Fuel needs assessments should consider:
a. Fleet electrification, especially with the CARB Advanced Clean Fleets ruling;
b. The costs of maintaining this asset while electrifying, then the cost of decommissioning this stranded asset prior to the end of its useful life;
c. Alternative methods of fueling while the fleet is transitioning to all-electric, such as Mobile Fueling.
2. Recommend that future costs for project 831290 beyond FY 27/28 be included in the budget to align the long-term financial budget with the importance that Climate Action will have in the next two decades.
3. Support funding Budget Supplements:
a. #1 funding the Study Issues;
b. #3 Homestead Road Full-Time Bike Lanes;
c. #4 Safe Parking Program, acknowledging that this can help reduce litter and pollution impacts;
d. #5 Street Sweeping (option B) with a recommendation to not use gas-powered leaf blowers to accomplish this;
4. Support not funding Budget Supplement #6 while acknowledging that artificial intelligence (AI) data centers have significant environmental impacts.
The motion carried by the following vote:
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Yes: Chair Veitch
Vice Chair Nabhan
Commissioner Jansen
Commissioner Kunz
Pistone
5 -
No: 0
Absent: Commissioner Parenteau1 -
STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES
None.
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS
-Commissioner Comments
Commissioner Pistone shared her experience biking along a portion of the El Camino Real bike path that runs from Santa Clara to Menlo Park. Commissioner Pistone encouraged Commissioners to bike the path and announced that May is Bike to Work Month.
Commissioner Kunz summarized the May 7 Livable Sunnyvale presentation that Sunnyvale Environmental Services staff provided to the group. Commissioner Kunz thanked staff for a comprehensive presentation on the City’s Climate Action Playbook. Commissioner Kunz also announced a City Council agenda item on the May 20, 2025, titled: “Hollenbeck Avenue Bike Lane Study,” and encouraged Commissioners to attend the Study Session discussion.
Councilmember Chang shared that at the May 20, 2025, City Council meeting, the City Council will be appointing new Commissioners to fill the vacant positions on City of Sunnyvale Boards and Commissions. Councilmember Chang stated that there is a Sunnyvale Caltrain Station Pedestrian Bicycle Study out and encouraged the Commission to complete the survey for the study prior to its closing on May 24.
Councilmember Chang detailed the City's plans for the 4th of July celebration this year.
-Staff Comments
Ramana Chinnakotla, Director of Environmental Services, thanked Chair Veitch for her years of service and leadership on the Sustainability Commission.
Christina Raby, Environmental Engineering Coordinator, reported on previous and
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upcoming events.
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS
25-0620 Updated Annual Work Plan May 2025
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:43 p.m.
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