REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Discuss and Provide Direction Regarding Process, Scope of Review, and Timeline for Potential Amendments to the City Charter
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
At the November 28, 2023 City Council meeting, Council directed staff to agendize discussion of potentially empaneling a Charter Review Committee with the goal of placing proposed amendments on the November 2024 ballot.
This report provides background information on Charter amendments in Sunnyvale, focusing on the most recent efforts involving committees, including review scope and timelines.
The report also provides information regarding the charter amendment process and alternatives for Council to consider given the relatively short timeline remaining prior to the August 2024 deadline to place items on the November 2024 ballot.
BACKGROUND
This agenda item was scheduled for the January 23, 2024 Council Meeting (RTC No. 24-0018) but was not heard by Council at that time.
On November 28, 2023, a Colleagues Memo was added to the Council Agenda (Attachment 1) to "request that a meeting be agendized to empanel a Charter Review [Committee] (CRC) to conduct a full review of the Sunnyvale City Charter, with the goal of placing proposed amendments on the November 2024 ballot." Council directed staff to bring the item back for discussion. The Colleagues Memo outlined nine potential Charter amendments for a committee to consider and indicated a desire that the committee have the ability "to review all provisions in the charter and to freely propose amendments."
Sunnyvale has undergone many Charter amendments in its history. They are outlined in Attachment 2.
The four most recent charter amendment efforts involving charter review committees (or a Citizens Advisory Committee in the case of districting) are summarized below. As the Colleagues Memo states, the last major review where a Charter Review Committee was asked for input on which items to review began with a Council Study Session in ...
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