REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a Take No City Position on Proposed League of California Cities’ 2026 Annual Conference Resolution
Report
BACKGROUND
As a member of the League of California Cities, the City of Sunnyvale is regularly asked to weigh in on policy making for the organization. The principal means for policy decisions on issues facing cities is through the League’s seven standing policy committees and board of directors. Annual conference resolutions constitute an additional way to develop League policy. Proposed by member cities, resolutions must have at least five cities and/or city officials concur before they can be included for consideration. The League of California Cities (League) 2026 Annual Conference Resolution Packet (Attachment 1) has one resolution presented for consideration by the League policy committees and membership. This report analyzes the proposal’s relation to City business and provides voting guidance for Councilmembers who serve on policy committees, on the resolutions committee, or as the City’s voting delegate/alternates at the Annual Conference.
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
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 (a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
DISCUSSION
This report transmits the League’s 2026 Annual Conference Resolution Packet (Attachment 1). The report contains the proposed resolution to be considered at the League’s Annual Conference from September 23-25, 2026, and staff’s analysis and recommendation.
Staff may recommend the following positions: Support, Oppose, No Staff Recommendation, or Take No Position. “No Staff Recommendation” means that staff does not have a recommendation because the item does not impact City business as defined in Council Policy 7.4.14, Legislative Advocacy Positions. “Take No Position” means that despite a measure’s ability to impact City business, staff recommend that Council abstain from taking a position and remain neutral on an issue because the language is not clear, the pros and cons of the impacts to the City cancel each other out, etc. When this option is recommended, staff analysis will provide an explanation.
Resolution No. 1 - A Resolution of The General Assembly of The League of California Cities Calling for a Working Group to Consider a State Constitutional Amendment or Other Form of Initiative to Ensure Final Local Authority Over Housing and Land Use Decisions
This Resolution calls on the League of California Cities (League) to support the development and advancement of a state constitutional amendment or other legislative, policy, or ballot-based strategies to restore and strengthen local authority over housing and land use matters. These matters include general plans, housing elements, zoning, density, design and development standards, project siting, and the approval or denial of housing development applications.
The Resolution provides that any constitutional amendment or alternative strategy should preserve the State's authority to establish broad statewide housing goals and enforce constitutional and civil rights, fair housing requirements, building and life-safety standards, and generally applicable environmental protections. At the same time, the Resolution seeks to protect cities from State actions that override local zoning or density standards or invalidate locally adopted housing or land use decisions when a city has planned in good faith to accommodate its regional housing needs allocation and maintains adequate capacity for housing at all income levels.
The Resolution also calls on the League to consider establishing a statewide working group or other appropriate committee to evaluate and develop potential constitutional, legislative, policy, or ballot-based strategies. The working group would conduct legal, fiscal, and policy analyses; engage cities and other stakeholders; and consider potential strategies in preparation for the November 2030 General Election or another reasonable timeframe.
Concurrence:
Source: City of Murrieta
Cities/city officials: City of Banning; City of Calimesa; City of Canyon Lake; City of Moreno Valley; City of Norco; City of Torrance; Crystal Ruiz, Mayor, City of San Jacinto; Jessica Alexander, Mayor, City of Temecula
Related City Policy: N/A
Staff Analysis: The proposed Resolution was initiated by the City of Murrieta and supported by the cities of Banning, Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Moreno Valley, Norco and Torrance and the mayors of San Jacinto and Temecula. The State has enacted numerous laws affecting local housing and land use authority, including laws that require ministerial or by-right approval of certain housing projects, limit the application of locally adopted development standards, and provide State enforcement mechanisms related to local housing obligations. The League's analysis notes that State law has increasingly preempted aspects of local land use and zoning authority, while the Legislature has cited the statewide housing crisis and the need to increase housing production at all income levels as justification for a more uniform approach to local land use decision-making.
Resolution No. 1 seeks to address this tension by directing the League to evaluate strategies for strengthening local housing and land use authority while continuing to recognize the State's role in establishing broad statewide housing goals and enforcing civil rights, fair housing, building and life-safety, and environmental requirements.
The City generally supports strengthening local housing and land-use authority. However, the City also recognizes the value of State direction on large issues needing collective action, such as responding to the housing crisis. Given the need for collective action around housing, the City would need to know more about the aims and potential effects of the resolution before taking a position of Support on it.
The Resolution is broad and does not identify a specific constitutional amendment, legislative proposal, policy change, or ballot measure for the City to evaluate. Instead, it calls for the League to consider establishing a working group to develop and evaluate potential approaches. Because the substance and potential effects of any future proposal are not yet known, staff cannot determine at this time whether a resulting proposal would align with the City's interests or how it could affect Sunnyvale's housing and land use policies.
Staff therefore recommends that the City Take No Position on Resolution No. 1 and that the City's voting delegate abstain from voting on the Resolution at the League's 2026 Annual Conference. Any specific proposal subsequently developed through the League's process could be evaluated separately based on its substance and potential impacts on Sunnyvale.
Recommended Position: Take No Position
FISCAL IMPACT
The resolutions will not have a direct fiscal impact on the City.
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 a Take No Position for the proposed Resolution No. 1 (A Resolution of The General Assembly of The League of California Cities Calling for a Working Group to Consider a State Constitutional Amendment or Other Form of Initiative to Ensure Final Local Authority Over Housing and Land Use Decisions) and authorize the City’s voting delegate/alternates to cast votes consistent with the City Council’s adopted position. Approval of the Consent Calendar constitutes direction to the Voting Delegate to abstain from voting at the League of California Cities conference.
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 <http://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: Michelle Zahraie, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. League of California Cities 2026 Annual Conference Resolution Packet