Citywide Parking Study
February 3, 2026
2City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Vehicle Abatement Officers have logged 3,395 parking complaints since 6/19/25
Oversized Vehicle Parking Complaints are most prevalent the following commercial-zone areas:
1) Del Rey Ave
2) Benicia Ave
3) Hermosa Ave
Study Background
3City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Scope of work includes the following key elements:
• Update the 72-hour parking policy in the municipal code • Research an Oversized Vehicle Parking Permit program
• Research restricting oversized vehicles near parks and schools • Research potential considerations
Study Background
4City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 • Research and review Sunnyvale’s policies, plans, and regulations • Peer review
• Stakeholder outreach
• Develop potential approaches
Study Methodology
5City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 • Meeting 1, September 23, 2025 – 10am
• Attendance: 20 in person, 22 online
• Meeting 2, September 23, 2025 – 5:30pm
• Attendance: 9 in person, 20 online
• Direct outreach to business associations
• Request for written comments posted on Sunnyvale social media outlets
• Eight e-mail comments received
Summary of Outreach Conducted
6City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Summary of Outreach
• Long-term parking causing health and safety concerns
• Supportive of the proposed movement and time to return requirements; concern won’t solve it in the long term.
• Generally supported a long-term solution to the problem; some supported Safe Parking sites.
• Expressed the need for a compassionate approach while following the rules. • Mostly supportive of a parking permit option for OSVs that allows for resident parking of OSVs.
• Long-term parking issues are not only regarding RVs, including idling semi trucks and passenger vehicles.
7City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 • Considered to have been parked for 72+ hours if it has remained inoperable or has not been moved.
• An inoperable vehicle cannot be moved under its own power or cannot operate legally and safely on the highway.
• Pushing a vehicle a short distance or attempting to rub away the tire marking is not allowed.
• Successive acts of parking are presumed to be a single act of parking when the vehicle is moved merely for the purpose of avoiding the parking limitations.
72-hour Parking – Current Ordinance
8City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Add a distance requirement (at least 0.25 miles)
Example Cities
Mountain View, San Jose, and Palo Alto have distance requirements 0.1-0.5 miles Benefits
Provides more clarity for enforcement officials
Considerations
It is difficult to track for enforcement
Community Feedback
No major objection expressed
Fiscal Impact
None is assumed, as it provides more clarity to existing regulations 72-hour Parking – Distance Requirement
9City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Add a no-return time period (at least 24 hours)
Example Cities
Mountain View has a 24-hour no-return requirement
Benefits
Provides more clarity for enforcement officials
Considerations
It is difficult to track for enforcement
Community Feedback
No major objection expressed
Fiscal Impact
None is assumed, as it provides more clarity to existing regulations 72-hour Parking – Time Requirement
10City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Example Cities
San Jose, Cupertino, Palo Alto (approved by City Council in December) Benefits
Discourages a practice commonly believed as predatory
Considerations
It is difficult to identify vanlords; the City has identified at least one operating in the City Community Feedback
Not discussed in outreach efforts
Fiscal Impact
Minimal, assumes enforcement would be completed with existing resources "Vanlording”
11City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Cities that have OSV Permit Programs
• Cupertino, Long Beach, San Diego, and Santa Barbara have some form of OSV permit. • San Jose, Palo Alto, and Mountain View do not have an OSV permit.
Considerations
• It could be seen as unfair to people experiencing homelessness and living in their OSVs if no alternative Safe Parking site or shelter is offered.
• Should consider workers who live in RVs during the week, and who do not experience homelessness.
• Potential for sign clutter.
Community Feedback
Generally supportive of a permit program for residents.
Fiscal Impact
Costs for signage and increased enforcement. Cost and difficulty of towing OSVs.
Oversized Vehicle Permit Program
12City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Example Cities
• San Jose has a temporary tow-away zone program for sensitive areas of the City that may include schools and parks.
Considerations
• Due to a significant number of parks and schools (39 public parks, 10 public schools), this can result in vehicles concentrating in other locations, such as business districts. • Potential for sign clutter.
Community Feedback
Little feedback on this specific topic.
Fiscal Impact
Costs for signage and increased enforcement.
OSV Parking near Parks/Schools
13City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Summary of Cost Estimates for OSV Management*
Signage with posted
restriction
Fabrication and installation: $750,000 - $3,000,000 (depending on focus area) Temporary staffing augmentation for signage implementation: 1 TE, 1 TE Tech ($330K-$350K)
Permit Administration Assumed DPW, the City needs to evaluate if the current staffing level can administer the permit.**
Annual Towing Fees $250K-$500K
*Cost estimates are based on discussions with City staff and are for planning level purposes only. **Revenue potential from a permit program was not evaluated as part of this study. 14City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Peer Review Summary
Factors Sunnyvale San Jose Mountain View Palo Alto
Population 162,605 969,655 87,316 68,572
2025 PIT Unsheltered 328 3,959 722 399
2025 PIT Unsheltered living
in a vehicle 75% 39% 96% 73%
72 hr movement
requirement None 0.1 mi 0.2 mi 0.5 mi
72 hr no return
requirement None None 24 hours None
OSV Parking Permit
Program None None None Considering
City reimbursement to tow
companies $2,500/vehicle, $13K
max/yr
Tow management
contracted out to 3
rd
party
$5,000/vehicle, $80K
max/yr $5,000/tow, $25K max/yr
Photo Requirement for
Complaint Photo is optional Yes Photo is optional Photo is optional Prohibit “Vanlords” No Yes No Considering
15City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 • Palo Alto - considering limiting OSV to certain locations and banning inoperable/detached trailers.
• San Jose – has temporary tow away zones for OSVs to facilitate street cleaning.
• Mountain View – has a Narrow Streets ordinance, limiting OSVs to certain areas.
• Cupertino – prohibit overnight OSV parking except by permit. Each household can obtain up to 20 permits per year for its OSV. Prohibits living or sleeping in vehicles on public streets and property.
OSV Management in Other Cities
16City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 • OSV Buyback program - Offering a stipend for those willing to accept shelter and relinquish their OSVs.
• Increase the City-allocated budget for towing vehicles to facilitate the towing of cited vehicles.
• Require those submitting an Access Sunnyvale vehicle abatement complaint to provide a photo.
Additional Considerations
17City of Sunnyvale – Citywide Parking Study – February 2026 Staff Recommendation
Direct staff to:
Prepare an updated § 10.16.120 Use of streets or public parking facilities for storage of vehicles, prohibited, to add the following components:
Specify that vehicles must move 0.25 miles to comply
Specify that vehicles cannot return to the original parking space for at least 24 hours
Evaluate the practice of vanlording for potential inclusion within the ordinance Return in one year to evaluate the need for an Oversized Vehicle Permit Program and prohibition of OSV parking near parks and schools
Questions