REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Consider and Approve Changes to the Council Policy Manual: Amendments to Council Policies 5.0 Long-Term Advocacy Positions - Socio-Economic, 7.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Planning and Management, 7.2.15 KSUN-15 Programming, 7.3.5 Municipal Employee Relations Officer, 7.3.27 NASA Ames and Moffett Field; and Deletion of Council Policies 1.1.8 Video Games in Commercial Businesses, 1.2.6 Roundabout Intersections, 5.1.2 Child Care, 7.2.16 Telecommunications, and 7.2.17 Internet Use
Report
BACKGROUND
Staff periodically reviews Council Policies to ensure the Council Policy Manual remains current, clear, and aligned with applicable law and Council direction. When proposed edits are limited to minor clarifications that do not alter the original intent of the policy, such as clarifying Council’s intent or memorializing existing practice, those changes are typically approved by the City Manager, shared with Council, and processed without formal Council action. When proposed changes represent a substantive change in Council’s original intent or introduce new policy direction, the revisions are brought forward for formal Council consideration.
In late 2025, staff began a focused effort on updating many outdated Council Policies. The current Council Policy review effort has been incorporated into the Strategic Framework Workplan under the Responsive Government Goal as an operational project suggested by staff (Workplan Item GO-37, Update Council Policies).
On February 3, 2026, the Mayor announced the formation of an Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Council Policy Review and Updates, consisting of Mayor Larry Klein, Vice Mayor Richard Mehlinger, and Councilmember Charlsie Chang (RTC 26-0263). The Committee is working with staff to review the Council Policy Manual and recommend updates for consideration by the full Council.
This report reflects the fourth set of policy recommendations advanced since project inception in late 2025 (RTC 26-0098 (2/10/2026); RTC 26-0259 (3/10/2026); RTC 26-0421 (4/7/2026); RTC 26-0156 (4/7/2026); RTC 26-0431 (4/21/2026); RTC 26-0448 (4/21/2026)). At the outset of the project, the Council Policy Manual contained 123 policies. Staff has updated 50 policies since project inception, and if the recommendations outlined in this report are approved, the Council Policy will be reduced to 105 active policies. The changes outlined in this report were reviewed by the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee and incorporate its input.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Strategic Goal - Responsive Government
Council Policy 7.3.1, Legislative Management - Goals and Policies
• Goal 7.3B Assure that City policy is established, documented and enacted according to established procedures and legal principles.
• Policy 7.3B.2 Maintain Official records of City action and policy in a retrievable manner, according to legal convention.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental, organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
DISCUSSION
The Ad Hoc Advisory Committee met on July 27, 2026, to review proposed amendments, including some recommended deletions to ten existing policies. Following incorporation of the Committee’s input, staff is advancing changes or deletions to ten policies below for full Council consideration; Council Policy 1.1.10 Use of the Public Sidewalk on the 100 Block of South Murphy Avenue is also under revision and will be brought to Council at a future date.
To guide Council through the proposed changes, staff has developed the Council Policy Amendment Table (Attachment 1), which shows the current policy and a summary of the proposed changes.
Proposed Amendments
As part of the ongoing review of the Council Policy Manual, staff recommends amendments to five existing policies. These updates are intended to modernize language, eliminate outdated references, and improve clarity and consistency, while aligning with the City’s commitment to inclusivity.
• Policy 5.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Socio-Economic
o Proposed Change: Amended policy to broaden existing child care legislation language under Section 5.4 Health and Social Services. Added new positions supporting universal child care and intergovernmental and regional collaboration on child care services.
• Policy 7.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Planning and Management
o Proposed Change: Consolidated and added new advocacy positions under a new Digital Infrastructure & Connectivity section, including positions on broadband, telecommunications, internet access, artificial intelligence governance, and civic participation.
• Policy 7.2.15 KSUN-15 Programming
o Proposed Change: Renamed policy to "Cable Television Programming," removed operational language covered under Administrative Policy Ch. 7, Art. 2 KSUN/Channel 15 Operation, and updated terminology to include Channel 26 public access channel information.
• Policy 7.3.5 Municipal Employee Relations Officer
o Proposed Change: Amended policy language to allow for a designee as authorized under Municipal Code (§ 2.24.250 Designation of municipal employee relations officer.)
• Policy 7.3.27 NASA Ames and Moffett Field
o Proposed Change: Amended policy to modernize language and update the City’s position on land use, aviation, and community impacts related to the Moffett Federal Airfield Complex.
Proposed Deletions
Staff also recommends deletion of five existing Council policies to simplify the Council Policy Manual, reduce duplication, and avoid potential conflicts with state law or more comprehensive City policy frameworks (Attachment 12).
• Policy 1.1.8 Video Games in Commercial Businesses
o Rationale: Policy was adopted in 1983, is now obsolete, and should be deleted to ensure alignment with the City’s current zoning and land use regulations.
• Policy 1.2.6 Roundabout Intersections
o Rationale: Policy was adopted in 2000, is procedural in nature, and is redundant with the City’s existing authority to evaluate and implement roundabouts.
• Policy 5.1.2 Child Care
o Rationale: Policy was last updated in 2012 and is no longer needed as a standalone policy. Per recommendation of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee, staff worked to migrate relevant high-level language into the Long-term Advocacy Positions (LAP 5.0), reducing redundancy between the two policies while preserving the City's core child care commitments within the appropriate advocacy framework.
• Policy 7.2.16 Telecommunications
o Rationale: Policy was adopted in 1996 and has been replaced by current Council-approved implementation guidelines (Reso 951-19). To ensure high-level policy intent was retained, relevant advocacy content of the telecommunications-related advocacy has been moved to the Long-term Advocacy Positions (LAP 7.0).
• Policy 7.2.17 Internet Use
o Rationale: Policy was adopted in 1996 and is now outdated and obsolete; the City's current practices and policy frameworks adequately govern internet use without formal Council policy direction. To ensure high-level policy intent was retained, relevant advocacy content has been moved to the Long-term Advocacy Positions (LAP 7.0).
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report or with the recommended policy revisions.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the City Hall reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve the following changes to the Council Policy Manual:
1. Amendments to Council Policy 5.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Socio-Economic in Attachment 3
2. Amendments to Council Policy 7.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Planning and Management as outlined in Attachment 5
3. Amendments to Council Policy 7.2.15 KSUN-15 Programming as outlined in Attachment 7
4. Amendments to Council Policy 7.3.5 Municipal Employee Relations Officer as outlined in Attachment 9
5. Amendments to Council Policy 7.3.27 NASA Ames and Moffett Field as outlined in Attachment 11
6. Deletion of Council Policy 1.1.8 Video Games in Commercial Businesses as outlined in Attachment 12
7. Deletion of Council Policy 1.2.6 Roundabout Intersections as outlined in Attachment 12
8. Deletion of Council Policy 5.1.2 Child Care as outlined in Attachment 12
9. Deletion of Council Policy 7.2.16 Telecommunications as outlined in Attachment 12
10. Deletion of Council Policy 7.2.17 Internet Use as outlined in Attachment 12
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
___ Labor or personal employment contract
___ Contract under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contract between public agencies
_X_ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: Dae Bui, Management Fellow
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Council Policy Amendment Table
2. 5.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Socio-Economic (Clean Draft)
3. 5.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Socio-Economic (Redline Draft)
4. 7.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Planning and Management (Clean Draft)
5. 7.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Planning and Management (Redline Draft)
6. 7.2.15 KSUN-15 Programming (Clean Draft)
7. 7.2.15 KSUN-15 Programming (Redline Draft)
8. 7.3.5 Municipal Employee Relations Officer (Clean Draft)
9. 7.3.5 Municipal Employee Relations Officer (Redline Draft)
10. 7.3.27 NASA Ames and Moffett Field (Clean Draft)
11. 7.3.27 NASA Ames and Moffett Field (Redline Draft)
12. Proposed Deleted Council Policies (Redline)