REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve City Position on Proposed League of California Cities’ 2016 Annual Conference Resolution
Report
BACKGROUND
The City has received the League of California Cities’ (League) Annual Conference Resolutions Packet (Attachment 1); this year, there is one resolution presented for consideration by the League policy committees and membership. Staff has reviewed the resolution and is recommending a position consistent with City policy. This report provides guidance on how to vote on the issues as they pertain to City business for Councilmembers who serve on policy committees, on the resolutions committee, or as the City’s voting delegate/alternates.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.3.1 Legislative Management - Goals and Policies, Goal 7.3C: Participate in intergovernmental activities, including national, state, and regional groups, as a means to represent the City’s interests, influence policy and legislation, and enhance awareness.
Council Policy 7.4.14 Legislative Advocacy Positions: City business is defined as all matters directly related to service delivery, or otherwise contributing to the City’s operational success.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
N/A
DISCUSSION
This report transmits the League’s Annual Conference Resolutions Packet (Attachment 1) which contains the proposed resolution to be considered at the League’s Annual Conference in Long Beach in early October. Below is a description of the resolution, followed by staff analysis and recommendation. Staff recommendation options are: Support, Oppose, No Staff Recommendation, or Take No Position. While the meaning of Support and Oppose recommendations are clear, “No Staff Recommendation” and “Take No Position” are clarified as follows:
• No Staff Recommendation - Consistent with past practice, staff does not provide analysis or make recommendations on measures that do not impact City business as defined in Council Policy 7.4.14, Legislative Advocacy Positions.
• Take No Position - Despite a measure’s ability to impact City business, Staff may recommend that Council abstain from taking a position. This recommendation to remain neutral on an issue may be made for a variety of reasons (e.g., ballot language is not clear; the pros and cons of the business impact cancel each other out; etc.). When this option is recommended, the reason will be explained in staff’s analysis.
Any resolution submitted to the General Assembly must be concurred by five cities or by city officials from at least five or more cities; the concurring cities and/or officials are noted for each resolution.
Resolution #1 Vision Zero
The resolved clauses in Resolution #1: commits the League to:
1. Supporting Vision Zero, Toward Zero Deaths, and other programs, policies, or initiatives that prioritize transportation safety;
2. Encouraging cities throughout California to join in these traffic safety initiatives to pursue the elimination of death and severe injury crashes on our roadways; and
3. Encouraging the State to consider adopting transportation safety as a top priority for transportation projects and policy formulation.
Concurrence: Cities of Fremont; Los Angeles; Sacramento; San Diego; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and West Hollywood.
Related City Policy:
• General Plan, LT-5: Attain a transportation system that is effective, safe, pleasant and convenient.
• General Plan, LT-5.9: Appropriate accommodations for motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians shall be determined for City streets to increase the use of bicycles for transportation and to enhance the safety and efficiency of the overall street network for bicyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicles.
• General Plan, LT-5.10: All modes of transportation shall have safe access to City streets.
• General Plan, LT-5.12: City streets are public space dedicated to the movement of vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Providing safe accommodation for all transportation modes takes priority over non-transport uses.
Analysis: The resolution calls for comprehensive strategies to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries. The general vision Towards Zero Deaths (TZD) is a way of clearly and succinctly describing how an organization, or an individual, is going to approach safety. The TZD approach targets areas for improvement and employs proven countermeasures and strives to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on the roadway network.
The City is in the process of formulating its own vision TZD, which will cover the policy and action items. This plan will identify the areas of concern and suggest appropriate countermeasures to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on the City’s roadway network.
Additionally, the City has already adopted comprehensive safety plans/studies; 1) Bicycle Plan, 2) Pedestrian Safety and Opportunities Study, 3) Safe Route to School Study. Staff also follows complete street principles for the design of new and existing transportation facilities. These safety studies and design principles target for improving safety for all users, and help eliminate fatalities and serious injuries within the City.
In general, the City’s existing policies, plans and studies were based on the principles of improving safety for all, and strive to eliminate fatalities and injuries on its transportation network, which is now being presented as Vision Zero.
Recommended Position: SUPPORT
FISCAL IMPACT
The resolutions will not have a direct fiscal impact on the City.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve a support position for the proposed Resolution #1, Vision Zero and authorize the City’s voting delegate/alternates to cast votes consistent with the City Council’s adopted position.
As stated, the staff recommended position is consistent with City Policy and would provide Councilmembers who serve on policy committees, on the resolutions committee, or as the City’s voting delegate/alternates, guidance on how to vote on the issue as it pertains to City business.
Prepared by: Yvette Blackford, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Walter C. Rossmann, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
1. League of California Cities Annual Conference Resolutions Packet