REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a new City Council Policy 6.4.5 (Heritage Resources Plaque Program for Private Property) Establishing a Plaque Program for Heritage Resources to sponsor up to five plaques per year and Find that the Action is Exempt from CEQA Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section15061(b)(3). (Study Issue)
Report
SUMMARY OF COMMISSION ACTION
The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) considered this item on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 and voted 4-0 (one Commissioner abstained, two Commissioners absent) to recommend Alternative 1: Forward a Recommendation to the City Council to Adopt a Council Policy (Attachment 2) Establishing a Plaque Program to sponsor up to five plaques per year and Find that the Action is Exempt from CEQA Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) with the following modifications:
• Modify the shape of the plaque template from oval to rectangle or square to create consistency with the existing landmark resource plaques;
• Move the City logo to the top of the plaque template;
• In the instance that an applicant chooses a pedestal type plaque instead of a wall mounted plaque, angle the plaque to make it easier to read; and
• Staff should notify property owners of heritage resources when the City is ready for applications to encourage participation in the Plaque Program.
Staff supports these suggested modifications and has revised the draft Council Policy 6.4.5 (Attachment 2) and draft plaque template (Attachment 9). The draft meeting minutes of the HPC hearing on March 4, 2020 can be found in Attachment 8.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Adopt Council Policy 6.4.5 (Attachment 2) Establishing a Plaque Program to sponsor up to five plaques per year and Find that the Action is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
2. Adopt Council Policy 6.4.5 with modifications to the staff recommendation and Find that the Action is Exempt from CEQA Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
3. Take no action and do not establish a plaque program at this time.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Adopt a Council Policy (Attachment 2 to the Report) Establishing a Plaque Program to sponsor up to five plaques per year and Find that the Action is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
Establishing a plaque program to fund five plaques per year would serve to increase awareness of the City’s heritage resources over time with minimal fiscal impact to the City. Staff recommends that funding for the program be deferred until the City’s fiscal situation is more stable, possibly as early at FY 2021-2022.
Heritage resources represent Sunnyvale’s heritage, history, and culture that together has created the Sunnyvale that exists today. Creating this program would aid to further educate the community about its heritage and encourage community engagement in Heritage Preservation efforts.
With a City-sponsored plaque program, the financial burden on property owners would be nominal, other than payment of the sign permit fee (currently $187.60). This may help to encourage property owners to showcase their resource by applying for a plaque. City funding for the plaque program would also highlight the City’s desire to acknowledge and celebrate its heritage resources and the property owners who maintain them.
Additionally, showcasing these plaques, and the properties they represent, on a City website continues to promote and celebrate the City’s heritage.
Staff
Prepared by: Kelly Cha, Associate Planner
Reviewed by: Amber Blizinski, Principal Planner
Reviewed by: Andrew Miner, Assistant Director, Community Development Department
Reviewed by: Trudi Ryan, Director, Community Development Department
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Report to Heritage Preservation Commission 20-0113, March 4, 2020 (without attachments)
2. Draft Council Policy 6.4.5 (Revised, with Track Changes)
3. Study Issue Paper
4. Information and Photos of Sunnyvale’s Heritage Landmark Plaques
5. Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 19.96: Heritage Preservation
6. Prior Draft Plaque Template (see Revised in Attachment 9)
7. Summary of Plaque Programs in Other Jurisdictions
Additional Attachments for Report to Council
8. Draft Minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting of March 4, 2020
9. Revised Draft Plaque Template