City of Sunnyvale
Council Priority Projects Workshop
Thursday, February 26, 2026
Roll Call and
Welcome by Mayor
Larry Klein
2 3
4 Agenda
•Welcome from Mayor Larry Klein
•Public Comment
•Introduction by the City Manager
•Review Workshop Objectives
•Overview of Steps Leading to the Workshop
•Context for Establishing Council Priority Projects
•Financial Context
•Current Workplan – Major Projects
•Staff Capacity
Lunch
•Discuss Council Priority Project Proposals
•Determine Council Direction
•Next Steps and Closing Remarks 5
5 Workshop Objectives
6 Understand financial and
work plan context
Provide perspective on
expected staff capacity for
Council Priority Projects
Determine Council
direction on subset of
Council Priority Projects
for staff reports
Strengthen teamwork with
Council and staff
Council Members’ Hopes for Today
7 Understand what is on staff's plate now (projects and operations) Understand staff capacity for new projects
Hear each other's points of view
Receive staff input on the proposals
Ability to drop or refine proposals through discussions Focus staff time on projects that add community wide value and are implementable
Consensus on subset of Council Priority Projects for staff analysis & budget decisions
Suggested Guidelines for Today
Listen
respectfully
1 Engage and
stay focused
2 Be open to
new or
different
perspectives
3 Look for
opportunities
to agree
4 8
Bike Rack
9 Overview of
Steps Leading
to the
Workshop
10 Old Study Issues
Process Why Change?
Why the Study Issues Process Changed?
• At Council’s request
(S
tudy Issue)
• Time-intensive and
r
esource heavy
(~2,500 staff hours/year)
• Low implementation rate
(~
27% completed
annually)
• Disconnected from staff
capac
ity and budget
• Focus limited
res
ources on highest
priorities
• Align Council ideas
wi
th Strategic Goals
• Improve transparency
and f
ollow-through
11 • Fewer, clearer priorities
• Ti
ed to staff capacity
and budget planning
• Higher likelihood of
implementation
• Single, transparent
dashboard providing
public status updates
What stays the same?
Council sets priorities; Boards and Commissions provide input; Transparency and public visibility remain (enhanced)
Key Steps and Timeline
Council
Approved
Revised
Approach
Oct 2025
B/Cs Generated
Ideas for
Council
Consideration
Oct- Dec 2025
Council
Submitted
Priority Project
Proposals
Jan 2026
Proposals &
Staff Report
Posted on
Website
Feb 12, 2026
Council Priority
Projects
Workshop
Feb 26, 2026
12 1313
Three
Parts to the
Context
Financial
Workplan/Staff
Capacity
Council
Strategic
Goals
14 Financial Context
LONG TERM AND NEAR-TERM
OUTLOOK
KEY UNCERTAINTIES AREAS OF GREATEST
OPERATIONAL CAPACITY
NEEDS
15 Current Pressures and Challenges
• Increasing demands for service
• Inflationary pressures and persistent higher prices
• Infrastructure and construction costs
• Global and international uncertainty
• Domestic policy uncertainty
Pressures
• Pension and healthcare costs/liabilities
• Unfunded infrastructure
• Employee compensation
• Increasing unfunded mandates
• Federal administration actions
Challenges
16 Current Trends
Property taxes stable, but moderating growth due to lower sales volume Sales tax continuing to perform-the consumer and businesses are hanging in there Hotel occupancy and rates continuing to come back, but still not at pre-pandemic levels although Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) has rebounded due to new inventory High construction costs, tariffs and elevated interest rates will affect development and infrastructure costs
Strong investment income continuing
17 Major General Fund Revenues –
Current Year
Stable
FY 2025/26
Trend vs.
Planned
City
Controlled
Percent of
FY 2025/26
General Fund
Budget
Property Tax 50%
Sales Tax 15%
TOT 7%
UUT and
Franchises 7%
Total 79%
Note: View as a group, not individually
18 Sunnyvale Average Home Price
$0.0M
$0.5M
$1.0M
$1.5M
$2.0M
$2.5M
$3.0M
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2023 2024 2025
Property tax is
50% of General
Fund Revenue
19 $0.0M
$5.0M
$10.0M
$15.0M
$20.0M
$25.0M
$30.0M
$35.0M
$40.0M
$45.0M
$50.0M
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Sales Tax History
Sales tax is 15% of
General Fund
Revenue
20 Economic Indicators – CPI
21 Transient Occupancy Tax and Hotel Occupancy Up
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
$0.0M
$5.0M
$10.0M
$15.0M
$20.0M
$25.0M
FY 2018/19 FY 2020/21 FY 2021/22 FY 2022/23 FY 2023/24 FY 2024/25 Transient Occupancy Tax Revenue Occupancy %
22 Future Known Investments
City Facilities (Corp Yard, Fire Stations, Library)
Transportation Infrastructure/Services
Active Transportation Infrastructure
Water/Sewer/Storm Infrastructure
Sidewalk Repair and Replacement
Human Services
Technology Cost Increases
23 • Inflation and labor market continue
to put
upward pressure on salaries
and benefits costs
• Plans’ funded status (~75%) is
below-av
erage.
• Retiree Health Plan well-funded
(
~85%)
• Financial Plan assumes no staffing
grow
th
• Pension and OPEB trusts help
off
set costs
Long-Term Pressures Continue
FY
2025/26
FY
2035/36
$0.0M
$50.0M
$100.0M
$150.0M
$200.0M
$250.0M
General Fund Total Comp
Comparison over next
ten years
24 Operations
Budget
Growth Vs.
Revenue
Growth
25 Total Position Changes from FY 2023/24
26 Total Position Changes By Department
Dept.
2023/24
Adopted
Change from
23/24 to 24/25
2024/25
Adopted
Change from
24/25 to 25/26
2025/26
Adopted
Change in
Current 25/26
2025/26
Amended 3 Year Total
CDD 54 - 54 2 56 3 59 5 DPS 289 4 293 - 293 2 294 5 DPW 196 6 201 5 206 - 206 10 ESD 132 6 138 (1) 137 - 137 5 FIN 58 1 59 2 61 - 61 3 HRD 22 - 22 - 22 1 23 1 ITD 33 6 39 3 42 4 46 13 LRS 81 1 82 7 90 1 91 9 NOVA 33 (1) 32 - 32 (1) 31 (2) O CA 7 - 7 - 7 - 7 - O CM 23 (1) 22 1 23 1 24 1 Total 928 21 949 19 968 11 978 50 • Includes term-limite d positions
Drawing Down the Budget Stabilization Fund
16,158,735
114,518,669
3,643,955
85,367,826
$0M
$20M
$40M
$60M
$80M
$100M
$120M
2025/26
2026/27
2027/28
2028/29
2029/30
2030/31
2031/32
2032/33
2033/34
2034/35
2035/36
2036/37
2037/38
2038/39
2039/40
2040/41
2041/42
2042/43
2043/44
2044/45
2044/46
Budgetary Stabilization Fund (Adopted) Budgetary Stabilization Fund (Current) 28 FY 2026/27 Budget Outlook
•Focus on protecting existing services
•Expenditure growth outpacing
re
venue growth (planned deficit
spending)
•National and state
ec
onomic/political uncertainty
•Cautious approach given fiscal
env
ironment
29 3030
Recess
31 Council Strategic Goals
Updated Every Other Year
32 Strategic Framework Workplan
33 Comprehensive list of priority initiatives requiring significant staff resources
Covers July 2025 – June 2027
Includes Council-adopted and State-mandated plans,
major capital projects, and Council Priority Projects
Focused exclusively on efforts that directly advance
Council Strategic Goals
Excludes day-to-day operations, which are reported
separately through the annual budget and
performance measures
Workplan Dashboard
Tool to report quarterly on the status and progress of projects included in the Strategic Framework Workplan
34 147 Projects in the Workplan
As of January 2026
35 On Track, 96, 65%
Complete, 29, 20%
Delayed, 10, 7%
Significantly Delayed, 10, 7% Deferred, 2, 1%
On Track Complete Delayed Significantly Delayed Deferred 36 36
Completed Council Priority Projects
(April 22, 2025 – February 3, 2026 )
SU-7 Im prove Bicycle and Pedestrian Access at
Sunnyvale Caltrain Station (DPW 20-02)
SU-6 B ike Lanes on Hollenbeck Avenue between El
Camino Real and Homestead Road (DPW 21-01)
SU-4 P
edestrian and Bicycle Facility Installation on
Tasman Drive from Fair Oaks Avenue to Lawrence
Expressway (DPW 21-03)
SU-1 C
limate Budgeting (ESD 23-01)
CO-4 A ssessment of Needs for Additional Outdoor
Sports Programs and Facilities (LRS 20-03)
GO-34 Service Worker Retention Ordinance (OCM 20-
01)
GO
-24 Evaluate the City of Sunnyvale Study Issues
Pro
cess (OCM 24-02)
37 Responsive Government Goal –
Major Projects
• Updated Council Priority Projects process
• Issued bonds for SMaRT Station equipment
• Charter Review Committee completed work
• Advancing efforts to streamline special events permitting • On-line ordering for multi-family bulky item pickup
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) digital accessibility compliance underway
NEW Update Council Policies & Work with Council Ad Hoc
Subcommittee
38 Welcoming Community Goal –
Major Projects
•Historical Context Statement updates
•Orchard Heritage Park Study
•Enhancing our social media presence
•Placemaking and inclusive community initiatives
•Supporting neighborhoods – 4 new associations
added
NEW Adopt a Storm Drain Program
39 Housing Solutions Goal –
Major Projects
•Continued Housing Element
implementation
•Homelessness Strategic Plan framework
shared
•Implementing Council-adopted housing
policies and meeting state and regional
requirements
40 Sustainable City Goal –
Major Projects
•Climate Budgeting project completed
•Bike lane studies completed (Mathilda,
Hollenbeck, Tasman, Caltrain)
•Environmental and resilience initiatives
advancing
•Reach codes update complete
•Multi-family bulky items pickup program
initiated
41 Modern Infrastructure Goal –
Major Projects
•Citywide cell coverage mapping underway
•Planning for Moffett Park Specific Plan
Infrastructure Plan
•Fire Station 2 design advancing
•Las Palmas Park renovation community
engagement
42 City Manager
Recommendation:
Council Priority
Project
Eliminations
Seeking Council
Consensus Today
Non-advancing projects
• CO-2: S treet Tree Repopulation with an Equity Lens
(DPW 24-09)
• CO-6: Feas ibility of Establishing a Cricket Stadium at Baylands Park (DPW 20-15)
• CO-10: Evaluate Feasibility of Dog Off-leash Hours in Select Sunnyvale Park(s) (DPW 20-11)
• SU-5: Evaluate the Addition of Pedestrian Scrambles
During School Peak Hours at Sunnyvale-Saratoga
Rd/Fremont Ave and at Homestead Rd/Kennewick Drive
(DPW 24-09)
• SU-15:
Fair Oaks Avenue Signalizations at Three
Locations (DPW 25-01)
• CO-3: Evaluate Development of a Single Mobile
Application (Sunnyvale App) (ITD 23-02)
43 City Manager
Determination:
Operational
Project
Eliminations
Informational
Ongoing core services
• CO-25: Enroll young adult participants in WIOA-
f
unded programs per state standards
› Completion Date: June 2026
• CO-26: Build relationships with local schools to
ex
pand access to career navigation resources
› Completion Date: June 2026
• HO-24: Partner with community service agencies to
pr
ovide career services to low-income and unhoused
individuals
› Completion Date: June 2026
Redirected resources
• GO-14: Implement new performance management
tools to track employee performance
› Removed in Q2
44 Look Ahead -
Potential
Timeline
Challenge:
AB 339 New
Contracting
Requirements
• Minimum 45 days’ written notice to affected
labor
organizations
• Required prior to issuing a Request for
Pr
oposal (RFP), Request for Quotation
(RFQ), or any contract renewal or extension
• Applies when contracted work overlaps with
the dut
ies of represented job classifications
• Notice must include:
› Duration of the work
› Scope of services
› Estimated cost
› Draft solicitation documents
› Justification for contracting out the work
45 Staff Capacity
City operations and
effective service
delivery require
focused attention
from management
and city staff
46 47
Staff Numbers
at a Glance
• Executive Leadership: Includes City Manager, City Attorney, Directors • Management: Includes unrepresented management, and SMA. • Non-Management: Includes: COA, Confidential, SEA, and SEIU. • S
afety: Includes PSMA and PSOA approved FTEs only. There is an additional 22 officers-in-tr aining in the project not counted in the overall City approved FTEs Majority of City staffing is dedicated to
operations – core service delivery.
Management positions have supervisory
responsibility for operations and project
implementation
12, 1%
117, 12%
581, 59%
191, 20%
76, 8%
Filled FTE (as of 1/17/26)
Executive Leadership (filled)
Management (filled)
Non-Management (filled)
Safety, include management
(filled)
Vacancy
Effective
Management
Requires Time
and Attention
48 85%
5%
5%
5%
Management’s Time
Day-to-day management of
municipal services
Unanticipated challenges
(e.g., new State requirements)
New initiatives
Organizational improvements
and training
49 Staff Numbers at a Glance
Sworn Operations,
193, 20%
Dispatchers, 20, 2%
Part-time, 32, 3%
Operational
Managers, 67, 7%
Operational Non-
Manager, 583, 60%
Executives, 12, 1%
Staff with capacity for
projects, 70, 7%
Sworn Operations Dispatchers Part-time
Operational Managers Operational Non-Manager Executives Staff with capacity for projects
With approximately
5% capacity across
70 FTE, the City has
the equivalent of
roughly 4 FTE,
equating to roughly
250 hours per project
across 27 projects.
50 Building Capacity for Council Priority Projects
Disciplined focus tied to strategic priorities
Strong communication about progress and capacity
constraints
Look to enhance existing services to meet priorities
Minimize mid year projects, even very small ones (a just do it doesn‘t mean it needs doing or is a priority)
Potentially add key generalist positions (e.g. community outreach) to build capacity across departments
51 Aligning New
Council
Priorities with
Organizational
Capacity
• Not all projects require the same level of effort or
fi
nancial resources.
• Currently carrying forward 21 Council Priority
Pr
ojects.
• Based on current capacity, an additional 5–6
proj
ects may be accommodated, depending on
scope and complexity.
• Capacity could increase if existing Council Priority
Pr
ojects (in progress or not yet initiated) are
removed.
• City Manager has reviewed operational projects for
potent
ial reductions and made adjustments
accordingly.
• Final project determinations will be made through
the budget
process.
52 Lunch Break
5353
“Big Rocks” Approach to Getting
Big Things Done
54 Don’t fill up the
bucket with so
many small rocks
that there isn’t
room for the big
ones
Put the big rocks
in first
Then keep space
for the
unplanned,
emergencies or
new requirements
By Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Set priorities with this in mind Process Overview
Objective: By majority vote, determine subset of proposals to move forward to staff analysis and budget workshop
1. City Manager to provide an overview of Council submittals and how
the organization is impacted
New workload in addition to existing 21 Council Priority Projects (formerly st
udy issues) underway, along with over 90 other operational projects
2. Discussion
Overview of staff comments
Questions/discussions among members
Determine any changes to the proposals based on discussion
3. Polling of Council through online tool – more than one round if needed to arrive at a subset of 5-6 to move to staff reports 55 Voting Process Overview
•The goal i s to narrow the Proposed Council
Priority Projects to 5-6 which will then move to
staff report analysis for the budget workshop
•Online voting will narrow from the total
number
of Proposed Priority Projects to a
subset (can do more than one round – short
break after first round)
•For a Proposed Council Priority Project to
move f
orward, it must receive at least 4 votes
56 Overview: Proposed Council Priority Projects
57 Estimated
Level of
Effort
High: 6
projects
Medium-
High: 7
projects
Medium: 6
projects
Low-
Medium: 2
projects
Proposed Council Priority Projects
58 High, 6
Medium-High, 7
Medium , 6
Low-Medium, 2
Estimated Level of Effort
(# of Projects)
59 Opportunities for Sequencing and Alignment for
Some Proposed Council Priority Projects
Potential Consolidation of Similar Proposals
Permitting & Regulatory Streamlining
› 2026-15 Streamlining Permitting Process
› 2026-17 OneStop Pe rmitting + AI Improvements
› 2026-19 Business Permitting Streamlining Reform
Integration with Ongoing City Initiatives
› 2026-02 Vehicle abatement response time
› 2026-20 Restricting/banning smoke/vape shops
List of Proposed Council Priority Projects
(ordered by date received)
• 2026-1: Support Neighborhood-S erving Retail in
Sunnyvale
• 2026-3: Increased Traffic Enforcement, Particularly by S
chool Zones
• 2026-4: Clearing the Sidewalk Maintenance Backlog
• 2026-5: Review and Update the General Plan
• 2026-6: Establish a Community Funding Program for
S
unnyvale Nonprofits
• 2026-7: Simplify the Process for Volunteering in Sunnyvale • 2026-
8: Emergency Awareness and Preparedness with Go
B
ag
• 2026-9: A Student Centered, Sustainability and Nature B
ased Project
• 2026-10: Collection and Display of City Operations,
P
roject, and Program Data
• 2026-11: Expand the Roles of Age-F riendly, Accessibility, and Teen Staff Advisory Committees
• 2026-12: Contingency and Longer-ter m Planning for
Homelessness Response
• 2026-13: Reinventing and Revitalizing Sunnyvale's Safe Routes
to School Program
• 2026-14: Public Sector Workforce Housing Feasibility Study • 2026-16: Re-ev aluate Nonresidential Sign Code Standards for Improvements and Compliance with the First
Amendment
• 2026-18: Formal Analysis for creation of a Food Co-Op, S
tate-Sponsored Market or Commissary
• 2026-21: Re- evaluate On-Street Parking Permit Program Potential Consolidation of Similar Proposals
• 2026-15: Streamlining Permitting Process
• 2026-17: Reevaluate our O neStop Permitting Center and Evaluate Leveraging AI for Permitting Process
Improvements
• 2026-19: Business Permitting Streamlining Reform
I
ntegration with Ongoing City Initiatives
• 2026-2: Improved Response Time for Vehicle Abatement
• 2026-20: Feasibility and Potential Impacts of Banning or Res
tricting Smoke/Vape Shops
60 List of Proposed Council Priority Projects (ordered by date received) 61 ID No. Project Title Project Summary Council-
member
Estimated Level of Effort, Fiscal Impact and Staff
Comments
2026-1 Support
Neighborhood-
Serving Retail
in Sunnyvale
• Increase service levels and capacity
within the Office of Economic
Development.
• Develop a Citywide Retail
Development and Retention
Strategic Plan.
• Establish a one-time $3 million
Relocation Assistance Fund.
Mehlinger • High effort: Would expand service levels and require updating the Economic Development Strategic Plan to
prioritize attracting and retaining neighborhood-serving retail.
• Complex, multi-year implementation: Significant cross- department coordination, public outreach, policy
development, staffing, and ongoing program administration. • Fiscal Impact - Significant
2026-3 Increased
Traffic
Enforcement,
Particularly by
School Zones
• Increase traffic enforcement
resources in school zones and
nearby neighborhoods.
• Target cut-through traffic and
speeding on residential streets near
schools.
• Improve safety for students, families,
and pedestrians during peak school
hours.
Chang • Medium effort: Requires sustained additional staffing resources, potential schedule reallocation, and ongoing operational commitment rather than one-time
implementation.
• Fiscal Impact - High
List of Proposed Council Priority Projects (cont’d)
62 ID No. Project
Title
Project Summary Council-
member
Estimated Level of Effort, Fiscal Impact and Staff
Comments
2026-4 Clearing the
Sidewalk
Maintenance
Backlog
• Increase DPW service levels to address
a backlog of 4,700+ sidewalk repair
locations.
• Respond to one of the City’s most
frequent sources of resident complaints.
• Improve safety, accessibility, and reduce
City liability.
Mehlinger • High effort: Long-term infrastructure initiative with significant capital planning, performance metrics, ADA
compliance, construction coordination
• Long timeline: 5–10-year horizon to achieve target
service pending budget availability. Work is already
underway to reduce some of the backlog.
• Fiscal Impact – High
2026-5 Review and
Update the
General Plan
• Initiate a comprehensive update of the
City’s General Plan.
• Reflect major changes in local
conditions, state law, and adopted
Specific Plans.
• Focus on land use to address housing,
retail, equity, sustainability, and
regulatory consistency.
Mehlinger • High effort: Major multi-year General Plan update requiring extensive engagement, CEQA/legal review,
and multiple Council decision points.
• Significant cost and timeline: Project 825700 budgets ~$2.1M in FY 2029–31 for the Housing Element, with a
broader General Plan update anticipated starting FY
2027–28 and potential to begin earlier under new state
law.
• Fiscal Impact – High
2026-6 Establish a
Community
Funding
Program for
Sunnyvale
Non-Profits
• Establish a Community Funding Grant
Program to provide targeted, predictable
support.
• Strengthen local nonprofits and
community-serving organizations.
• Build on successful grant models used
in neighboring cities to invest in
community well-being.
Srinivasan • Medium effort: Requires program design, application and evaluation framework, ongoing contract oversite and annual solicitation administration but can leverage
existing program models
• Fiscal Impact – Minor to Moderate depending on
funding level.
List of Proposed Council Priority Projects (cont’d)
63 ID No. Project Title Project Summary Council-
member
Estimated Level of Effort, Fiscal Impact and Staff
Comments
2026-7 Simplify the
Process for
Volunteering in
Sunnyvale
• Streamline and expand the City’s
volunteer program across departments.
• Reduce administrative barriers to
increase participation.
• Offer a wider range of meaningful
service opportunities.
Srinivasan • Low–Medium effort: Requires process changes, coordination, and ongoing staff ownership.
• Limited expansion: City already has ~13,500
volunteer hours/year by close to 500 volunteers
across a variety of departments. Gains may be
limited with legal and labor limits on volunteer roles. • Fiscal Impact – Low
2026-8 Emergency
Awareness and
Preparedness
with Go Bag
• Expand the Cherryhill “Go Bag”
emergency preparedness pilot citywide.
• Distribute branded evacuation bags with
multilingual, QR-linked resources to all
Sunnyvale households.
• Strengthen community connections,
disaster readiness, and resilience
across every district.
Sell • Medium effort: One-time citywide procurement and logistics effort requiring heavy coordination, with
limited long-term staffing once implemented.
• Key challenges: Costs, equitable distribution, and
accessibility/language barriers (e.g., QR code
reliance) despite strong existing OES preparedness
programming.
• Fiscal Impact - Moderate
2026-9 A Student
Centered,
Sustainability
and Nature
Based Project
• Address declining youth engagement
after elementary school.
• Expand nature-based, sustainability-
focused programs for middle and high
school students.
• Leverage existing City parks, libraries,
and recreation facilities.
Sell • Medium–High effort: Multi-department program
across libraries, parks, youth services, volunteers,
and potential teen space improvements.
• Complex to scale: Builds on existing LRS
sustainability programming (180 programs, 4,000+
attendees), requiring coordination across LRS, ESD,
DPW, and Finance.
• Fiscal Impact – Low to Moderate depending on
program size and composition
List of Proposed Council Priority Projects (cont’d)
64 ID No. Project
Title
Project Summary Council-
member
Estimated Level of Effort, Fiscal Impact and Staff
Comments
2026-10 Collection
and Display
of City
Operations,
Project, and
Program
Data
• Create a comprehensive inventory of
City datasets, identify gaps, and improve
data integration.
• Develop accessible, public-facing
dashboards to communicate
performance and outcomes.
• Strengthen transparency, accountability,
and resource allocation through
measurable results.
Srinivasan • High effort: Requires citywide data inventory, cleansing, governance decisions, tool licensing, and
dashboard development with ongoing maintenance.
• Work underway: New GIS team is being implemented,
an equity survey is in progress, and staff is evaluating an equity dashboard to guide equitable resource
allocation.
• Fiscal Impact – Medium to High
2026-11 Expand the
Roles of
Age-Friendly,
Accessibility,
and Teen
Staff
Advisory
Committees
• Expand advisory committees’ role in
consulting on major public works
planning.
• Identify issues early and improve project
outcomes through community input.
• Strengthen equity, transparency, and
long-term civic engagement.
Le • Medium effort: Primarily governance and process
change. Builds on existing advisory bodies, with added
coordination points in DPW project planning.
• Staff coordination focus: Main effort is staff time to formalize consultation, update workflows, and manage
agendas, minimal capital or policy overhaul.
• Fiscal Impact - Low
2026-12 Contingency
and Longer-
term
Planning for
Homelessne
ss Response
• Develop contingency and long-term
strategies to sustain homelessness
prevention and housing programs.
• Evaluate stable funding sources, service
models, and housing solutions.
• Strengthen long-term effectiveness,
affordability, and resilience to keep
people housed.
Sell • High effort: Broad, multi-year strategic planning and policy evaluation effort spanning housing, social
services, finance, legal, and external partners.
• Complex implementation: Includes funding analysis,
program redesign, partnership development, and
evaluation of complex tools with significant stakeholder engagement and policy implications.
• Fiscal Impact - High
List of Proposed Council Priority Projects (cont’d)
65 ID No. Project Title Project Summary Council-
member
Estimated Level of Effort, Fiscal Impact and Staff
Comments
2026-
13 Reinventing
and
Revitalizing
Sunnyvale’s
Safe Routes to
School
Program
• Revitalize Sunnyvale’s Safe Routes to
School program to improve student safety
and active transportation.
• Combine infrastructure improvements,
education, and partnerships using peer city
best practices.
• Ensure safe, accessible walking and biking
routes to neighborhood schools.
Le • Medium–High effort: Ongoing, multi-department and
multi-agency program combining infrastructure
planning, grants, education, outreach, and school-
district coordination.
• Work underway with constraints: Walking/biking
maps are in progress, but crossing guard staffing has
been costly and difficult to recruit.
• Fiscal Impact - Medium
2026-
14 Public Sector
Workforce
Housing
Feasibility
Study
• Study the feasibility of City-supported
workforce housing for essential employees.
• Address affordability challenges for teachers,
first responders, and City staff.
• Evaluate housing needs, legal
considerations, funding models,
partnerships, and potential sites.
Le • Medium–High effort: Comprehensive feasibility
study touching housing policy, finance, legal
parameters, real estate, HR, and external partners.
• Complex coordination: Significant analysis,
stakeholder coordination, and policy implications
elevate effort.
• Fiscal Impact – Moderate for study; likely significant for implementation
List of Proposed Council Priority Projects (cont’d)
66 ID
No.
Project Title Project Summary Council-
member
Estimated Level of Effort, Fiscal Impact and
Staff Comments
2026-
16 Re-evaluate
Nonresidential Sign
Code Standards for
Improvements and
Compliance with
the First
Amendment
• Review and update the City’s Sign Code to
align with current First Amendment case law.
• Simplify and modernize regulations to reduce
burdens on businesses and staff.
• Improve business visibility and evaluate digital
signage/billboards as a potential revenue
source.
Klein • Medium-High effort: Ordinance-level work
involving First Amendment compliance, legal
review, business outreach, and potential
revenue considerations (digital signage).
• Fiscal Impact - Moderate
2026-
18 Formal Analysis for
creation of a Food
Co-Op, State-
Sponsored Market
or Commissary
• Conduct a data-driven feasibility analysis for a
cooperative, state-supported market, or
shared-use food commissary in Sunnyvale.
• Evaluate demand, potential locations,
governance models, and funding options.
• Improve grocery access while supporting small
food businesses, workforce development, and
equitable food infrastructure.
Klein • Medium–High effort: Requires an in-depth
market, site, governance, and financial
assessment with external partners and potential
state/federal coordination.
• State context evolving: Draft state legislation
is under review that could clarify or enable
future state involvement.
• Fiscal Impact – Moderate for review, high for
implementation
2026-
21 Re-evaluate On-
Street Parking
Permit Program
• Assess whether the on-street parking permit
program meets community needs and
supports development and active
transportation goals.
• Analyze permit trends, conduct area-specific
outreach, and evaluate flexible permit options
using peer city best practices.
• Review process efficiency and enforcement
staffing needs to support potential program
changes.
Cisneros • Medium–High effort: Requires data analysis,
extensive outreach, benchmarking, cost/impact
evaluation, and potential code or policy
changes.
• Cross-department coordination: Includes
enforcement capacity review and collaboration
across multiple City departments.
• Fiscal Impact - High
Potential Consolidation of Similar Proposals
67 ID No. Project Title Project Summary Council-
member
Estimated Level of Effort, Fiscal Impact and Staff
Comments
2026-
15 Streamlining
Permitting
Process
• Evaluate opportunities to streamline permit
requirements for small land uses and
businesses.
• Reduce barriers and improve efficiency in
the permitting process.
• Support local business growth and timely
project delivery.
Chang • Medium effort: Process and workflow review across departments with limited policy change.
• Work already underway: State streamlining (AB
130) and an existing staffing/process review may
reduce the need for an additional study.
• Fiscal Impact – Moderate for review
2026-
17 Reevaluate
our OneStop
Permitting
Center and
Evaluate
Leveraging AI
for Permitting
Process
Improvements
• Evaluate whether the OneStop Permitting
Center is meeting customer service and
throughput goals.
• Explore responsible AI use to streamline
intake, review, communication, and workflow
analytics.
• Reduce processing times, improve
transparency, and support staff efficiency
with equity safeguards.
Klein • High effort: Multi-phase initiative requiring system evaluation, IT integration, data governance, equity
safeguards, change management, and potential
procurement.
• Foundation in place: Builds on recent upgrades
and existing AI use (e.g., automated solar permits),
with a new AI module currently under evaluation.
• Fiscal Impact – Moderate for review
2026-
19 Business
Permitting
Streamlining
Reform
• Aim to reduce permit processing times for
small and medium businesses to 90 days.
• Survey recent applicants, including targeted
outreach to women-, minority-owned, and
first-time businesses.
• Review City processes and peer city best
practices to identify improvements.
Cisneros • Medium–High effort: Requires legal analysis, data collection, stakeholder engagement, equity-focused
outreach, benchmarking, and internal process
redesign.
• Key constraints: Targeted business preferences
may raise legal concerns, and state law sets strict
minimum permit review timelines.
• Fiscal Impact – Moderate for review
Integration with Ongoing City Initiatives
68 ID No. Project Title Project Summary Council-
member
Estimated Level of Effort, Fiscal Impact and Staff
Comments
2026-2 Improved
Response
Time for
Vehicle
Abatement
• Residents have expressed frustration with
slow response times for reported vehicle-
related issues.
• Delays lead to repeated reports and follow-
up complaints.
• Residents are concerned that complaints are
not being fully resolved or prioritized.
Chang • Low–Medium effort: Operational improvements
within existing enforcement and service request
systems.
• Additional policy needed: Address challenges with
unhoused residents living in vehicles.
• Fiscal Impact - Moderate
2026-
20 Feasibility and
Potential
Impacts of
Banning or
Restricting
Smoke/Vape
Shops
• Assess the landscape and impacts of retail
smoke and vape shops where tobacco sales
are the primary business.
• Evaluate policy options, including an outright
ban or zoning/geographic restrictions, and
enforcement considerations.
• Analyze economic, environmental, public
health, and safety impacts to determine
community benefits.
Cisneros • Medium effort: Policy and regulatory analysis with public health, economic, and legal review. Requires
outreach and enforcement analysis.
• Fiscal Impact – Moderate for review, potentially high for implementation.
Council
Comments
or Questions
69 Recess
70 Time to Vote
71 Voting Process Overview
72 Council
Polling
73 Council Voting
74End Goal: a majority (4+ votes) of the Council on a subset of 5-6 proposals Council Voting – Round 2
75 QR code will be provided for Round 2. The new QR
will access the updated list of proposals for voting. Proposals with 4+ votes will move forward to staff reports.
End Goal: a majority (4+ votes) of the Council on a subset of 5-6 proposals 76 Discussion
and
Consensus
• Council comments
• City Manager
comm
ents regarding
next steps
77 Next Steps
1. Staff reports to be prepared on
agreed s
ubset
Define scope, financial
impa
ct, timeline
2. Budget Workshop May 19, 2026
3. C
ity Manager and staff to
proc
eed with budget process
and work plans
Wrap Up
•Raftelis to prepare
workshop report from
today
•Closing comments
78 7979