City of Sunnyvale  
Meeting Minutes  
Sustainability Commission  
Tuesday, January 21, 2025  
7:00 PM  
Online and Redwood Conference Room,  
City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave.,  
Sunnyvale, CA 94086  
CALL TO ORDER  
Chair Veitch called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Redwood Conference  
Room (Room 140) at City Hall.  
SALUTE TO THE FLAG  
Chair Veitch led the salute to the flag.  
ROLL CALL  
Present: 5 - Chair Tonya Veitch  
Vice Chair Jeffery Nabhan  
Commissioner Cortney Jansen  
Commissioner Douglas Kunz  
Commissioner Kristina Pistone  
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Bobbykin Makwana  
Commissioner Richard Parenteau  
Commissioner Makwana's and Commissioner Parenteau's absence  
was excused by general consent.  
Council Liaison - Councilmember Chang (absent)  
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
Tim Kirby, City Manager, introduced himself to the Sustainability Commission and  
provided updates on the Board and Commission meeting room change, the  
upcoming City Council retreat, the Study Issues and Budget Proposals Workshop,  
and the Strategic Priorities Workshop. Mr. Kirby also explained to the Sustainability  
Commission why most of the Study Issues in the 2025 ranking cycle are  
recommended for deferral or to be dropped by staff.  
Charlsie Chang introduced herself and explained why she was unable to attend the  
Sustainability Commission meeting in person as the Council liaison. She thanked  
Mr. Kirby for his updates.  
CONSENT CALENDAR  
1.A  
25-0233  
Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of  
December 16, 2024  
Approve the Sustainability Commission Minutes of December 16, 2024, as  
submitted.  
Commissioner Kunz moved, and Vice Chair Nabhan seconded, a motion to  
approve the consent calendar.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 5 - Chair Veitch  
Vice Chair Nabhan  
Commissioner Jansen  
Commissioner Kunz  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Makwana  
Commissioner Parenteau  
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS  
2
25-0234  
Rank 2025 Study Issues  
Christina Raby, Environmental Engineering Coordinator, provided an overview of  
the ranking process for Study Issues (SIs) as well as an overview of each of the  
seven SIs. Commissioners asked clarifying questions, and staff responded.  
Commissioner Kunz requested staff to provide the ranking results from other  
Commissions for the seven Study Issues the Sustainability Commission would be  
discussing and voting on.  
Ms. Raby provided ranking results from the Arts Commission, Planning  
Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission for the following Study Issues:  
CDD 24-02, CDD 25-02, DPW 23-07, ESD 22-02, ESD 24-02, ESD 25-01, and  
LRS 25-02.  
Commissioner Jansen asked if there was a typo in the staff recommendation  
portion of the Study Issue Paper for ESD 25-01.  
Madeline Khair, Environmental Programs Manager, confirmed there was a typo in  
the staff recommendation section of ESD 25-01.  
Commissioner Pistone asked staff to clarify how the process to move SI ESD 25-01  
forward to the City Council should go if the Commission wants the City Council to  
review ESD 25-01 alongside LRS 25-02.  
Ms. Khair and Ms. Raby provided answers on the ranking process.  
Commissioner Jansen asked how many SIs the Environmental Services  
Department (ESD) is working on currently.  
Ms. Raby responded that ESD has three SIs they are currently working on, and Ms.  
Khair added there may be one more SI that the Water Division is finalizing.  
Chair Veitch opened the public hearing.  
There was no public comment.  
Chair Veitch closed the public hearing.  
Commissioner Kunz moved, and Commissioner Pistone seconded, a motion to  
drop SI DPW 23-07.  
Commissioner Kunz recommended dropping this Study Issue as it is a new Move in  
the Climate Action Playbook Game Plan 2028 and Commissioners generally  
agreed during the discussion of this SI.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 5 - Chair Veitch  
Vice Chair Nabhan  
Commissioner Jansen  
Commissioner Kunz  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Makwana  
Commissioner Parenteau  
Commissioner Kunz moved, and Commissioner Pistone seconded, a motion to  
drop SI ESD 24-02.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 5 - Chair Veitch  
Vice Chair Nabhan  
Commissioner Jansen  
Commissioner Kunz  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Makwana  
Commissioner Parenteau  
There were no further motions to drop the remaining SIs.  
Chair Veitch called for a motion to defer any of the remaining SIs.  
Vice Chair Nabhan moved, and Commissioner Pistone seconded, a motion to defer  
SI ESD 22-02 and LRS 25-02.  
Vice Chair Nabhan advocated for deferral of LRS 25-02 to prioritize ranking ESD  
25-01.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 5 - Chair Veitch  
Vice Chair Nabhan  
Commissioner Jansen  
Commissioner Kunz  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Makwana  
Commissioner Parenteau  
Commissioner Kunz moved, and Chair Veitch seconded, a motion to defer SI CDD  
24-04.  
Commissioner Kunz advocated for deferral of CDD 24-04 to allow Community  
Development Department staff to focus on the many existing Study Issues,  
Housing Element mandates and myriads of state laws that require General Plan,  
Specific Plan, Municipal Code and permit process revisions for mixed-use  
developments.  
Chair Veitch agreed and deferred to Commissioner Kunz’s advocacy on CDD  
24-04.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 5 - Chair Veitch  
Vice Chair Nabhan  
Commissioner Jansen  
Commissioner Kunz  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Makwana  
Commissioner Parenteau  
The Commission discussed the potential impacts and feasibility of the remaining  
two Study Issues. Commissioners Jansen, Pistone, and Kunz contemplated which  
SI would be best to move forward with the least impact on staff time and City  
resources.  
Each Commissioner ranked the Study Issues individually. Staff consolidated the  
results and provided the final consolidated ranking to the Commission.  
Commissioner Jansen moved, and Vice Chair Nabhan seconded, a motion to  
accept the following consolidated ranking:  
Rank 1 – CDD 25-02 Identify Opportunities for Allowing Neighborhood-Serving  
Commercial Uses in Residential Zoning Districts  
Rank 2 – ESD 25-01 Harnessing the Potential of Community Art to Further  
Community Sustainability Goals  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 5 - Chair Veitch  
Vice Chair Nabhan  
Commissioner Jansen  
Commissioner Kunz  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Makwana  
Commissioner Parenteau  
STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES  
None.  
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS  
-Commissioner Comments  
Commissioner Kunz announced the “point-in-time” count of unhoused people in  
Sunnyvale would be taking place on January 22, 2025, and he will be volunteering  
to support the count.  
Commissioner Jansen reported a “Multigenerational Climate Change Forum” would  
be taking place at the Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church on January 25, 2025.  
Commissioner Jansen noted that the forum will bring together two points of view  
from members of the Elders Climate Action and Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action  
groups. Commissioner Jansen also updated the Commission on a recent  
conversation she had with a member of the Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action  
group that may result in a Commissioner-led presentation on climate action youth  
groups in Sunnyvale. Commissioner Jansen announced the County of Santa Clara  
Board of Supervisors meeting on January 28, 2025, where they will be discussing  
the prohibition of new installation of artificial turf and synthetic grass on County  
property.  
Commissioner Pistone echoed the County meeting noted by Commissioner Jansen  
on artificial turf and advised Commissioners and the public to attend the meeting to  
provide public comment. Commissioner Pistone also announced the first  
Sustainability Speaker Series event of the year happening on January 29, 2025,  
and encouraged Commissioners to attend.  
Chair Veitch noted that she saw the January 29, 2025, Sustainability Speaker  
Series event advertised in the ESD calendar of events mailer that is sent to all  
residents in Sunnyvale. Chair Veitch also thanked the Commission for their  
dedication to make Sunnyvale more sustainable and provided words of  
encouragement to stay hopeful in times of change. Chair Veitch also reported that  
the California Climate and Energy Collaborative (CCEC) Forum will take place this  
year in San Jose from July 9 to 10 and encouraged others to join if they are able.  
-Staff Comments  
Ms. Raby reported on previous and upcoming events.  
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS  
25-0235  
Updated Annual Work Plan January 2025  
ADJOURNMENT  
The meeting was adjourned at 8:38 p.m.