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, August 18, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Pistone called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. in the Redwood Conference Room (Room 140) at City Hall.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
Commissioner Chang led the salute to the flag.
ROLL CALL
Vice Chair Kristina Pistone
Commissioner Madeline Chang
Commissioner Colin Ford
Commissioner Cortney Jansen
Commissioner Douglas Kunz
Commissioner Richard Parenteau
Present: 6 -
Chair Jeffery NabhanAbsent: 1 -
Chair Nabhan's absence was excused by general consent.
Council liaison - Srinivasan (present)
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT CALENDAR
25-0838 Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of July 21, 2025
Attachment 1
August 18, 2025Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes Commissioner Parenteau moved, and Commissioner Jansen seconded, a motion to approve the consent calendar.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Yes: Vice Chair Pistone
Commissioner Chang
Commissioner Ford
Commissioner Jansen
Commissioner Parenteau
5 -
No: 0
Absent: Chair Nabhan1 -
Abstain: Commissioner Kunz1 -
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
25-0839 Recommendation to the Council Subcommittee on Board and Commission Effectiveness
The Commission provided comments, questions and recommendations for the Chair and Vice Chair to bring to the Council Subcommittee on November 18, 2025, to improve on Board and Commission Effectiveness.
The following recommendations were drafted for the Chair and Vice Chair:
1. Increase engagement with the public to encourage participation in sustainability and other commission meetings:
a. Utilize more social media, create a monthly calendar for all B/C meetings, create a flyer to hand out physically.
b. Add a drop box at community tabling events so the community can provide feedback and input to the B/Cs.
c. Encourage B/C members to do outreach as part of their role.
2. Increase engagement with youth in B/C work:
a. Explore ways for Commissioners to engage students on local government (operations/civics education). This could be a collaboration with another volunteer group, could include a pre-recorded video that is shared. b. Consider adding a designated/reserved youth seat to B/Cs (could be non-voting). This position could be responsible for creating social media engagement for the B/C.
c. Consider adding a clause/policy requiring the City to publicize vacancies and application process to nearby high schools and community colleges (e.g. publicize
Attachment 1
August 18, 2025Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes in the government classes at the high schools and political science related classes at colleges).
3. Make emailing the Commissions an easier and more encouraging process:
a. Better guidance for how Commissioners could respond to individuals. b. Provide a toolkit for community members to engage or advocate in the template response.
4. Look for opportunities to consider Joint Study Session meetings and the potential for cross-jurisdictional collaborations and/or awareness (e.g. collaboration with the County Sustainability Commission).
5. Make onboarding more effective, e.g. having a mentorship program with new Commissioners and previous Commissioners or potentially the current chair.
6. Keep looking for opportunities for the B/C members to participate in meetings remotely.
a. Consider adding a legislative advocacy position for Council to advocate for changes to the Brown Act, especially for accessibility considerations.
7. Consider adding brief Commissioner bios to the City’s website, e.g., LinkedIn links to bio.
STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES
25-0841 Digital Infrastructure Sustainability Assessment (potential Study Issue)
Ms. Raby provided a summary of the Potential Study Issue (SI) submitted by Commissioner Chang and summarized the staff response.
The Commission discussed the Study Issue.
Commissioner Jansen noted a typo on the date the Study Issue was submitted and requested staff update the submission date.
MOTION: No motion was made. The potential Study Issue was dropped.
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS
-Commissioner Comments
Commissioner Jansen shared a resource shared with the Sustainability Commission by a member of the public to find clean energy incentives and programs.
Commissioner Jansen also notified the Commission of a public comment period for the Resynergi plastics-to-oil facility at Rohnert Park, noting that public comment is due to the Bay Area Air District by October 3, 2025.
Attachment 1
August 18, 2025Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes Commissioner Kunz announced that on August 18, 2025, the Sunnyvale City Council adopted the City’s updated Reach Codes, strengthening building electrification requirements. Commissioner Kunz thanked staff for their responsiveness and City Council for their approval.
Vice Chair Pistone invited Commissioners and the to attend Viva Calle San José on September 7, 2025, a community open-streets event featuring car-free routes, biking, and sustainability outreach opportunities.
-Staff Comments
Ms. Raby reported on previous and upcoming events.
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS
25-0842 Updated Annual Work Plan August 2025
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:29 p.m.
Attachment 1