November 4, 2025
Sunnyvale Heritage Orchard
Study
City Council Study Session
Meeting Agenda
• Introductions
• Public Outreach: What We’ve
Heard from the Public
• Orchard Viability & Current
Operation
• Orchard Operation Models
• Museum Expansion Boundary
Options
• Discussion
Project Review | Purpose of this Study
1. Understand how to make operation
of the orchard viable for the long
term as a meaningful community
asset
2. Identify a physical boundary line for
future museum expansion
Public Outreach Efforts
Jan 2024: Stakeholder Interviews (12 interviewees)
Orchard & museum management, volunteers, patrons,
Neighbors, Local agriculturalists, Local gov't & educators Feb 2025: Public Meeting 1 (16 in room, ~20 online)
Aug 2025: Community Input Group (9)
Museum& Orchard volunteers; Heritage Pres. Commission;
Neighborhood Association; Youth Climate Action; Advisory Committee on Accessibility; Community Development;
Leadership Sunnyvale
Aug 2025: Public Survey (75)
Sept 2025: Public Meeting 2 (15 in room, ~20 online)
Conflict diffusion/prevention: “Introduce yourself
to your neighbor” opening at publicmtg 1; focused
on values and use over positions; emphasized
shared interests; avoided either/or language;
balanced representation.
What We’ve Heard From the Public
Community Interests:
• Honoring of history/heritage
• Preservation of green space
• Increased public access
• Educational opportunities
• Community events/fundraisers
• Purchase produce from orchard
• Less/no fungicide spraying
Orchard Interests:
• Additional barn/area for storage, fruit drying
• Optimize productivity
• Fencing/protective border for
trees/operations
• Sufficient space for selling during apricot
season
Museum Interests:
• Area for future expansion
• No flood irrigation
• Less/no fungicide spraying
• Removal of temporary tent storage
structures
Orchard Future Viability
Key decisions relate to:
1. Operation – Decision about who runs and
oversees the orchard
2. Public Access – Decision about how much
public access is provided to orchard and is
any orchard land shifted to support access
(partly tied to governance decision)
3. Costs to City – Decisions concerning
recommended capital investments (such as
storage, fencing), level of public
access, farming methods, and sales &
pricing of fruit (partly tied to governance
decisions)
Current Orchard Operation
• 10 acres of apricot trees
• Conventional (non-organic) farming, flood irrigation
• City has had agreement with orchardist (Charlie
Olson) right to farm the orchard since 1975.
• City contract not financially sufficient to maintain
orchard. Orchardist subsidizes operations out of
own pocket.
• Orchardist is an independent contractor:
o Controls the means of maintaining the orchard
as a private business.
o Sells apricots to public and retains revenue.
o City provides water.
o City provides debris removal service.
Current Orchard Operation
• Charlie Olson also currently maintains
the 3-acre Old Olson Cherry Orchard at
755 S. Mathilda Ave.
• Generally considered as part of study
and would follow the same
recommendation.
Orchard Heritage Park
Old Olson Cherry Orchard
Sunnyvale Saratoga Rd.
Long-term Orchard Operation
• Long-term Viability:
o Continued production of fruit is viable with regular
management
o Not viable as financially profitable orchard due to size • Other Considerations:
o Potential need to change crop to mitigate effects of
climate change?
o Pros and cons of converting from flood irrigation to
drip irrigation?
o Whether or not to use pesticides/sprays?
Long-term Orchard Operation
THREE FARMING APPROACHES:
1. Conventional Farming (current practice)
• Synthetic fungicides, pesticides, fertilizers, and/or herbicides • Highest yield, best looking fruit
2. Certified Organic Farming
• Certified by USDA
• Use approved fertilizers, pesticides, mulches, irrigation, soil improvement, erosion and weed control methods, etc.
• Does not mean “no spray”
• Costly and time intensive process
• Multiple years to convert orchard
3. Organic (Not Certified) Farming
• No pesticides (synthetic or organic)
• May include organic fungicides and fungicide sprays
Orchard Operation Case Studies
Potential Orchard Operation Models
Three illustrative governance/public access
models with many variations and hybrid
options:
1. Private Farmer-Run Orchard (current
model) - No orchard public access
2. Outside Vendor-Managed Orchard for
Public Benefit
Public orchard access through
community/educational events, U-pick, and
paths
3. City-Managed Orchard for Public Benefit
Public orchard access through
community/educational events, U-pick, and
paths
1. Private Farmer-Run Orchard
• Acreage: 100% of orchard remains working
orchard
• Governance: Farmer operates orchard as
private business according to own practices
• Ongoing City Costs: Water, brush hauling,
irrigation & capital replacement
• Fruit Sales/Revenues: Farmer responsible for
sales & retains revenues
• City Capital Costs: Additional storage & fencing
• City Ongoing Oversight: Minimal
• Key Uncertainty: Whether any private farmer
would be interested or able to make it work
financially
Potential Operation Models
Potential Operation Models
2. Outside Vendor-Managed Orchard for Public Benefit
• Acreage: % of orchard area allocated for public access • Governance: City contracts with outside vendor to run orchard according to City specifications
• Ongoing City Costs:
o Water, brush hauling, irrigation & capital replacement o Contract costs
o Oversight of contractor & public access/events
• Fruit Sales/Ongoing City Revenues:
o City retains revenue from public events & fruit sales • Capital Costs:
o Additional orchard storage
• City Ongoing Oversight/ Role:
o City has overall oversight; specifies orchard use, public access, pricing
• Key Uncertainty:
o Availability & annual cost of contractors; fruit revenues
Potential Operation Models
3. City-Managed Orchard for Public Benefit
• Acreage: % of acres allocated for public access
• Governance:
o City oversees all orchard functions
o New City staff hired to manage orchard, programming,
and sales
• Ongoing City Costs:
o Water, brush hauling, irrigation & capital replacement o New staff salaries & associated costs
• Fruit Sales/Ongoing City Revenues:
o City retains revenue from public events & fruit sales • Capital Costs:
o Additional orchard storage
o Farming vehicles & equipment
• Key Uncertainty:
o Level of staffing required
o Access to labor outside of typical working hours
o Fruit sales revenues
Illustrative Orchard Costs: One-Time Capital Costs to City • Initial Estimates provided for Planning-Purposes only; actual costs will depend on markets, contract negotiations, capital specifications
• Data Sources: BFS; Sandis; Parks Department Staff
ILLUSTRATIVE ORCHARD COSTS TO CITY: ONE-TIME CAPITAL COSTS MODEL 1
Private Farmer
MODEL 2
Outside Vendor
MODEL 3
City-Run
(No Public Access) (Public Access) (Public Access)
Upfront City Capital Investment
Storage Building/ Utilities $3,000,000 $3,000,000 $3,000,000 Fences and Gates $650,000 $0 $0
Farm Vehicles and Equipment $0 $0 $750,000
Total Capital Cost $3,650,000 $3,000,000 $3,750,000
Illustrative Orchard Costs: Net Ongoing Costs to City
• Initial Estimates provided for Planning-Purposes only; actual costs will depend on markets, contract negotiations, capital specifications
• Data Sources: City Staff; Case Studies; Private Orchardist Interviews; UC Davis Studies ILLUSTRATIVE ORCHARD COSTS TO CITY: ONGOING COSTS/REVENUES MODEL 1
Private Farmer
MODEL 2
Outside Vendor
MODEL 3
City-Run
(No Public Access) (Public Access) (Public Access)
Annual Ongoing Costs $100,000 $375,000 $525,000
Annual Fruit Sale Revenues
to City
$0 $110,000 $100,000
Net Annual Ongoing Cost
to City
$100,000 $265,000 $425,000
Illustrative Orchard Costs: 10-Year Cost to City
• Initial Estimates provided for Planning-Purposes only; actual costs will depend on markets, contract negotiations, capital specifications ILLUSTRATIVE ORCHARD COSTS: 10-YEAR COST SUMMARY TO CITY MODEL 1
Private Farmer
MODEL 2
Outside Vendor
MODEL 3
City-Run
(No Public Access) (Public Access) (Public Access)
One-time Capital Costs $3,650,000 $3,000,000 $3,750,000 Ongoing Costs Total (10
Years) $1,000,000 $2,650,000 $4,250,000
Total 10-year City Cost $4,650,000 $5,650,000 $8,000,000 Museum Expansion
Options
Museum Expansion Boundary | Existing Conditions
Museum Expansion Boundary | Study A
Apricot Productivity
Public Access
Apricot Trees Impacted: 24
Parking Spaces Impacted: 48
Museum Expansion Boundary | Study B
Apricot Productivity
Public Access
Apricot Trees Impacted: 42
Parking Spaces Impacted: 0
Museum Expansion Boundary | Study C
Apricot Productivity
Public Access
Apricot Trees Impacted: 48
Parking Spaces Impacted: 0
Questions
Economic Questions for Council to Consider
1. Do you have a preference between Operational Models 1, 2, and 3?
2. What are your preferences in terms of public access provided at the orchard?
DISCUSSION
Thank you