2020 COUNCIL STUDY ISSUE
NUMBER
DPW 20-XX
TITLE
Create a new city Board and Commission or Staff Advisory Committee focused on mobility issues, especially commutes into and out of the city.
Report
BACKGROUND
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Lead Department: |
Public Works |
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Support Departments: |
Office of the City Manager |
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Office of the City Attorney |
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Environmental Services |
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Sponsor(s): |
Sustainability Commission |
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History: |
1 year ago: N/A |
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2 years ago: N/A |
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
What precipitated this study?
In August 2019, Sunnyvale adopted the Climate Action Playbook to set a vision for the city to reduce carbon emissions by 2050. Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions both in Sunnyvale and in the state of California. In Sunnyvale, transportation is responsible for 54% of the city’s GHG emissions. In order to achieve the State of California’s target emissions reductions of 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, Climate Action Playbook proposes a goal to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 20% by 2030.
Reducing VMT by 20 percent by 2030 will require transformations in lifestyle, infrastructure, and technology. It is, therefore, essential to have a standing board and commission or advisory committee to guide staff or city council in mobility related planning and policy development. Boards and Commissions advise City Council on specific policy issues and provide a forum and opportunity for broad community input. Advisory committees assist staff with legislative decision-making on specific topics. Establishing a new board and commission or advisory committee would facilitate more in-depth education, dialogue, and deliberations on relevant policy issues and will, therefore, provide a more open and transparent public review process. It would also provide a forum for residents, employees, and employers to understand and contribute to city decisions, and city inputs to regional decisions affecting our collective ability to achieve our goals to reduce VMT and related congestion issues.
What are the key elements of the study?
Establishment of a new board and commission or staff advisory group would need to be considered by the City Council (per Council Policy 7.3.1). The study should compare the roles and responsibilities between a board and commission and staff advisory committee for city of Sunnyvale. It should identify jurisdictions with a mobility related board and commission or staff advisory committee. The study should summarize their roles and responsibilities, and perform a comparison of those jurisdictions’ /boards and commissions/committees with Sunnyvale’s existing mobility-related boards and commissions/committees. It will identify existing boards and commissions/advisory committees in Sunnyvale with similar goals and mission.
Another element of the study will be a public outreach component to obtain input from the community. Public outreach will include a community workshop and an online survey to gather input on how the city can provide a more open and transparent public review process. It will also provide information to help residents, employees and employers understand how they could contribute to the city’s policy making process.
The study should develop a recommendation of whether a) to create a new board and commission or advisory committee, b) to assign additional roles to an existing board and commission/advisory committee, or c) to restructure any existing mobility-related boards and commissions/advisory committees. If the recommendations were to create a new board and commission/advisory committee, the study will include a review of the City Council Policy to determine how overlapping roles and responsibilities could be resolved between the new board and commission/advisory committee and existing boards and commissions/advisory committees.
The study will also include recommendations on membership numbers, membership requirements, term duration, meeting location, meeting frequency, dates, and the required staff resources needed to support the mobility-related board and commission/advisory committee. In addition, the study should consider the board and commission/advisory committee’s potential role concerning GHG reduction strategies, implementation of Climate Action Playbook programs, and advocacy and communication to the public.
Estimated years to complete study: 1 year
FISCAL IMPACT
Cost to Conduct Study
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Level of staff effort required (opportunity cost): |
Moderate |
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Funding Required for Non-Budgeted Costs: |
$100,000 |
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Funding Source: |
Will seek budget supplement |
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The cost associated with this study would be for consultant services to conduct research on jurisdictions with a mobility-related board and commission/advisory committee and their roles and responsibilities, to compare the findings with current boards and commissions/advisory committees in Sunnyvale, and to make a recommendation on whether to for a new board and commission/advisory committee. City staff will work with the consultant throughout the project process in the development of the recommendations.
Cost to Implement Study Results
Unknown. Study would include assessment of potential costs, including capital and operating, as well as revenue/savings.
EXPECTED CITY COUNCIL, BOARD OR COMMISSION PARTICIPATION
Council-Approved Work Plan: No
Council Study Session: No
Reviewed by Boards/Commissions: Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
A staff recommendation will be completed at the time of submittal of this Study Issue Paper to the Office of the City Manager.