Policy Watch: Week of 12/19

City of Gilroy

Declaring vacancy on City Council to be filled by Council appointment

Council will be declaring a vacancy on City Council as a result of former Council member Roland Velasco’s election to Mayor, and directing staff to post a notice of intention to advertise and fill the vacancy. Former Council member Velasco’s term was set to expire in November 2018. If Council does not appoint a new member to Council within 30 days after the vacancy is declared, a special election will be held to fill this vacancy.

Where: Gilroy City Council

When: December 19, 2016, 6:00pm

Link to full packet: http://www.cityofgilroy.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/2190?fileID=4729

Link to agenda: http://www.cityofgilroy.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/2189?fileID=4728  

City of Sunnyvale

Annual public hearing on proposed Study Issues for 2017; proposals include rent control, EV charging stations, new City revenue sources

Council typically reviews all study and budget issues once a year at the Annual Public Hearing which provides the opportunity for members of the public to comment on proposed issues for study or budget consideration, and/or to suggest potential new issues. The public testimony for study and budget issues is held during the January 10, 2017 City Council meeting.

Issues proposed by the public must be sponsored by at least two Councilmembers in order to be considered at the Study/Budget Issues Workshop. Should new issues be added during the January 10 Public Hearing, those issue papers will be developed and distributed to Council as soon as possible prior to the February 17 Workshop. The deadline for Council-initiated study or budget issue papers this year is January 27- three weeks prior to the Workshop.

On February 17, 2017, Council will conduct a workshop devoted to a review of all proposed study and budget issues. At the workshop, Council will rank study issues for completion during 2017 and will identify budget issues to be forwarded to the City Manager for consideration in the FY 2017/18 budget.

Study Issues currently proposed include:

• Downtown Development Policies for Parking
• Consideration of Usable Open Space in Required Front Yards
• Height Regulations to Accommodate Architectural Style
• Exploring Options for Establishment of a Plaque Program for Heritage Resources
• Increase Availability of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Private and Public Parking Facilities
• Rent Stabilization for Mobile Home Parks
• Consider Revising Certain Requirements of Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 19.72: Mobile Home Park Conversions
• Explore Introduction of a Rent Stabilization Ordinance
• Evaluation of the Residential Single-Story Combining District Process
• Eco-district Feasibility and Incentives
• Eliminate the Use of Chemical Pesticides on City Owned or Leased Property
• Evaluation of New Revenue Strategies to Fund New and Increasing Service Demands and/or Unfunded Capital Investments
• Potential Membership in the Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC)
• Storing Outdoor Dining Furniture Overnight on Sidewalks on Murphy Avenue
• Regulation of Marijuana Cultivation in the City of Sunnyvale for Research and Development and Medical Marijuana Cultivation for Personal Use
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Collision Analysis
• Pilot Bicycle Boulevard Project on East-West and North-South Routes
• Consider Sunnyvale Municipal Code Amendments to Clarify, Strengthen and Enforce Tree Preservation and Tree Planting Requirements within Right of Way and Public and Private Property
• Develop Implementation Standards for Cycle Tracks / Separated Bikeways
• Develop Implementation Standards for “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” Regulatory Sign
• Orchard Heritage Park and Heritage Park Museum – Analysis and Options for the Long-Term Operations and Maintenance of Orchard Heritage Park and Review of the Sunnyvale Historical Society and Museum Association Proposed Expansion of the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum Site
• Develop Mobile Version of Sunnyvale Bicycle Map
• Exploration of Creating Usable Open Space over Portions of Central Expressway

Study Issue papers are available at: http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/CityGovernment/StudyIssues/2017StudyIssues.aspx

It is important to note that the City Council will be holding a separate public hearing on City Council Policy and Operational priorities on January 26 and 27. During the two day strategic session, City Council will be presented with internal operating priorities and the status of its adopted policy priorities.

Where: Sunnyvale City Council

When: Jan. 10, 2017, 7 pm

Link to item: https://sunnyvaleca.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2910119&GUID=A18DEBA0-A9EE-4CD4-8566-6A0F53B33193     

Link to agenda: https://sunnyvaleca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=455212&GUID=87A0E84E-988C-4BD4-B00E-D7BE6CC368AA

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