City of Sunnyvale

Meeting Minutes

Heritage Preservation Commission

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

7:00 PM

Online and Redwood Conference Room,

City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale,

CA 94086

Public Participation

7 P.M. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Johnson called the meeting to order.

SALUTE TO THE FLAG

Chair Johnson led the salute to the flag.

ROLL CALL

Chair Jonson noted Comm. Rajkumar's excused absence.

Present: 5 - Chair Sue-Ellen Johnson

Vice Chair Aaron Sofaer

Commissioner William Garrett

Commissioner Charles McManis

Commissioner Parthiv Rawal

Absent: 1 - Commissioner Ashmita Rajkumar

PRESENTATION

PRESENTATION - Recognition of Service

25-0645

Council Liaison to the Heritage Preservation Commission Vice Mayor Sell thanked

Commissioner Sharma for her service and presented a Certificate of Recognition.

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS

None.

CONSENT CALENDAR

Approve the Draft Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting

Minutes of January 23, 2025

25-0644

Commissioner Garrett noted a correction the Draft Minutes of December 4, 2024 to

reflect the vote tally from the meeting instead of 0 yes and 0 no. The vote from the

approval of the December 4, 2024 meeting minutes should read as Yes: 5 - Chair

Johnson Commissioner Garrett Commissioner McManis Commissioner Rawal

Commissioner Sharma, No: 0, and Absent: 2 - Vice Chair Sofaer Commissioner

Rajkumar

MOTION:

Vice Chair Sofaer motioned and Commissioner Garrett seconded to approve the

Draft Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes of January 23, 2025, as

corrected.

The motion carried by the following vote:

Yes: 6 - Chair Johnson

Vice Chair Sofaer

Commissioner Garrett

Commissioner McManis

Commissioner Rawal

Sharma

No: 0

Absent: 1 - Commissioner Rajkumar

PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS

25-0597

Review Planning Program Budget and Fees for FY 2025/26

Principal Planner George Schroeder provided a brief overview of the planning

program budget.

Commissioner McManis asked staff for clarification in providing comment and Mr.

Schroeder noted that further comment from individual commissioners could be

provided at the City Council meeting.

Commissioner McManis asked staff whether the commission has access to the

actuals from previous years’ budgets. The commissioner was interested in how the

City spent funds in the previous year and whether any state or federal grants were

awarded for heritage related studies. The commissioner would like to see how the

money was spent for each project.

Commissioner Sharma was pleased there was funding for study issue OCM 25-01

(Explore Establishing a Japanese American Incarceration Memorial). She was

interested in the Heritage Preservation Commission partnering with the Arts

Commission to come up with a memorial that reflects collaborative efforts. Vice

Mayor Sell suggested talking to the staff liaisons. Commissioner Sharma asked

whether there could be a joint study session with the Arts Commission on the study

issue. She also confirmed with staff there would be separate costs for the purchase

and maintenance of the memorial.

Commissioner Sofaer asked staff whether any of the study issue funding came

from federal sources.

Commissioner Garrett confirmed whether any funding in the budget was provided

for CDD 18 02 Update to the Heritage Resource Inventory. He noted his advocacy

for funding this study issue at next year’s Study Issues and Budget Workshop.

Commissioner Sharma suggested the Heritage Preservation Commission should

make an impact in the two funded heritage related study issues. She also

confirmed the schedule for CDD 19 04. She requested regular updates on the

study issues at each Heritage Preservation Commission meeting.

Chair Johnson opened and closed the public hearing.

There were no public speakers.

MOTION:

Vice Chair Sofaer motioned and Commissioner Garrett seconded to make a formal

recommendation to the City Council on the FY 2025/26 Recommended Budget.

The motion carried as follows:

Yes: 6 - Chair Johnson

Vice Chair Sofaer

Commissioner Garrett

Commissioner McManis

Commissioner Rawal

Sharma

No: 0

Absent: 1 - Commissioner Rajkumar

STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES

Mr. Schroeder clarified that the last month to propose a Study Issue would be in

October.

NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS

-Commissioner Comments

Commissioner Sharma asked staff for an update regarding the Technological

Resources and Mr. Schroeder responded with a summary of the discussions and

an update will be provided in a future meeting regarding this study. He noted that

there is a list of properties created by the consultant and they are determining how

to move forward with this study issue.

Chair Johnson discussed the building on 380 S. Mathilda Avenue (currently

occupied by BMO Bank N.A Branches) and asked staff about the process of

including the building on the Heritage Resource Inventory as she has learned that

the building may be replaced by housing. Comm. Sharma asked Chair Johnson if

this has been brought up at a Council Meeting and she responded no, that she is

speaking on her behalf.

Chair Johnson noted the Crescent Avenue housing development known as "Easter

Gables", and that she was happy to see that one of the homes was saved and

restored.

Commissioner Sofaer noted the need for housing and has difficulty supporting

heritage structures over high density housing.

Vice Mayor Sell discussed the process of adding an item on the agenda for

discussion.

Mr. Schroeder noted that there are no formal development proposals for the

building located at 380 S. Mathilda Avenue.

Chair Johnson noted her concern of losing heritage sites over new developments,

noting an example in Menlo Park.

Comm. Garrett asked staff if it would be appropriate to conduct some research

before placing a possible proposal to nominate a structure to be listed as a

Heritage Resource on a future agenda.

Comm. McManis asked staff for clarification on the procedure to place items on the

Agenda.

MOTION:

Comm. McManis made a motion to discuss 380 S. Mathilda Avenue at a future

meeting and possibly nominate it to list it as a Heritage Resource.

The motion failed for a lack of a second.

Chair Johnson discussed the process with staff and Mr. Schroeder noted the City

Code states the criteria for nomination and the property owner would have to

consent to an application.

Comm. Sharma commented that the Commissioner's resources should be to focus

on the two study issues that were approved. She also noted that the Commission

should conduct their own research before presenting it to the Commission.

Vice Mayor Sell noted that if a Commissioner submitted a study issue, then it would

be placed on a future agenda for discussion and Mr. Schroeder noted the process

for proposing study issues.

Vice Mayor Sell noted that an item for discussion can be placed on a future

agenda.

Comm. McManis clarified study issue discussions to be formally placed on the

agenda.

Vice Mayor Sell noted that the Commission may mean to place an item on the

agenda for proposing a study issue.

Comm. Sofaer asked staff about the process of removing an item on the Heritage

Resource Inventory and Mr. Schroeder responded yes, there is a process to

remove a property on the Heritage Resource Inventory and noted a past example

of homes that were removed.

-Staff Comments

Mr. Schroeder noted the survey on the Study Issue process was sent out by the

City and if they had time to participate on the survey (if they had not already) it