REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
New and Continuing 2025 Study Issues Status Update (Information Only)
Report
BACKGROUND
At its Study Issues/Budget Proposals Workshop on February 13, 2025, Council reviewed and prioritized the proposed 2025 Study Issues. Upon establishing the inventory of study issues, the City Manager assessed the organization’s capacity to undertake the Council prioritized study issues, evaluate their connection to the Council policy priorities and operational initiatives, and balance the capacity to deliver study issues with the City’s primary responsibility to deliver of core services.
On March 13, 2025, Council adopted five (5) strategic priorities for July 2025 through June 2027. In the next two years, the organization is taking active steps to create:
• Responsive Government - A responsive, transparent and efficient City government
• Welcoming Community - An accessible, engaged and welcoming community
• Sustainable City - Advancing climate action, active transportation and the Vision Zero Plan
• Housing Solutions - A model to prevent homelessness, prioritize new housing and support the unhoused community
• Modern Infrastructure - A City that invests in modern public infrastructure
The City Manager determined that the organization could begin work on four (4) of the 10 Council-ranked study issues in 2025, in addition to the continuing to work on 25 continuing study issues from prior years and pursuing work on Council Strategic Priorities.
At the Budget Workshop on May 22, 2025, the City Manager recommended four (4) issues for study, which require funding:
• DPS 25-01 Evaluate the Addition of Paramedic Services to Supplement the County Provided Services for Sunnyvale Residents and Businesses (not aligned to Council strategic priority)
• DPW 25-01 Fair Oaks Avenue Signalizations at Three Locations (aligned to Sustainable City Council strategic priority)
• ITD 25-01 Cell Coverage Mapping (aligned to Modern Infrastructure Council strategic priority)
• OCM 25-01 Explore Establishing a Japanese American Incarceration Memorial in Sunnyvale (aligned to Welcoming Community Council strategic priority)
The Council had further discussion during the Budget Workshop and moved to include one additional issue for study, which requires funding:
• DPW 24-07 Explore the Benefits and Costs of Project Labor Agreements to Establish the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Specific City Construction Projects (not aligned to Council strategic priority)
At its subsequent Budget Adoption on June 17, 2025, Council funded all five study issues that required funding. Three of these five study issues align to Council strategic priorities.
The updated Workplan includes a total of 30 continuing and new Study Issues.
This report presents the status of new and continuing study issues, anticipated completion dates, and highlights some key updates.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.3.26 Study Issues Process
Council Policy 7.1.7 Budget Proposal Process
Council Policy 7.3.1 Legislative Management- Goals and Policies
Policy 7.3A.1: Utilize the General Plan as the City’s principal long-range planning tool; utilize the Resource Allocation Plan and Program Outcome Statements as the City’s principal mid-range planning tool; and utilize the Council Study Calendar as the City’s principal short-range planning tool.
DISCUSSION
As the result of the robust Council discussion from the March 13 Council Strategic Priorities Workshop, staff developed a Strategic Framework Workplan that was presented to Council on April 22, 2025. This will be used as a communication tool with Council and the public on major work efforts in Council’s updated priority areas.
The Workplan will serve as a clear priority list of significant work efforts for staff resources from July 2025 through June 2026 (FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27). It includes a combination of items to implement Council-adopted and State-mandated plans (e.g., Housing Element, Active Transportation Plan, Climate Action Playbook), key capital improvement projects, continuing and new Study Issues, and other significant work efforts that require sizable staff resources and/or enhanced focus in the two-year period.
Going forward, staff will report out on the status of Workplan items in a clear and concise manner on a quarterly basis. Development of a visually accessible dashboard to report on this information on the City’s website is underway and will be released in the fall. Once an updated, consolidated reporting format is established, current standalone reporting for Study Issues and Top 30 will be eliminated, and the Workplan dashboard will streamline reporting in one place. This will facilitate clearer access to information for Council and the public and align staff reporting efforts to one list of priority Workplan items.
Study Issue DPW 21-03 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Installation on Tasman Drive from Fair Oaks Avenue to Lawrence Expressway was completed via RTC 25-0127 by Council action on July 29, 2025.
As outlined in Attachment 1, the organization is working on the 29 study issues. Until the new dashboard is complete, the City’s Study Issues/Budget Proposals webpage is updated with any status changes (Attachment 2).
The Study Issues are managed across seven (7) departments with the lead department noted, though many Study Issues are interdepartmental in nature and require contributions from more than one department. All receive oversight from and coordination with the Office of the City Manager.
*OCM: Office of the City Manager; CDD: Community Development Department; ESD: Environmental Services Department; ITD: Information Technology Department; LRS: Library and Recreation Services; DPW: Department of Public Works; DPS: Department of Public Safety
Key Updates:
While detailed updates are provided in Attachment 1 and on the City’s website, summary highlights are as follows:
• Of the five (5) study issues Council-ranked and funded in 2025, one (1) study issue (DPW 24-07 Explore the Benefits and Costs of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) to Establish the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Specific City Construction Projects) is on hold pending the completion of other studies. Four (4) study issues or 80% are on track and scheduled to be completed by the anticipated completion date(s).
• One study issue (ITD 23-02 Evaluate the Development of a Single Mobile Application (Sunnyvale App) for All of the Functions of the Current City of Sunnyvale Mobile Applications) was deferred by Council on April 9, 2024, until a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) mobile application is implemented.
• Of the remaining 23 study issues approved prior to 2025, a majority of the study issues are delayed from the original estimated completion dates, however only two (2) study issues or 9% are currently delayed due to various reasons such as competing priorities for staffing resources, or the need for additional research and/or outreach from the previously stated completion dates in April 2025 staff report.
• The remaining 21 study issues or 91% are on track (less than or equal to three (3) months) from the previously stated completion dates in April 2025 staff report.
Implementation of key Workplan items associated with Council’s five strategic priorities remains a priority for many of the same staff teams that are advancing study issues. Staff will continue to advance the remaining 30 study issues and will seek guidance from Council on prioritizing significant work efforts.
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.
Staff
Prepared by: Michelle Zahraie, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Status Update of New and Continuing 2025 Study Issues
2. Study Issues Underway Webpage