City of Sunnyvale  
Meeting Minutes  
Sustainability Commission  
Tuesday, February 18, 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 -  
Absent: 2 -  
Chair Tonya Veitch  
Vice Chair Jeffery Nabhan  
Commissioner Douglas Kunz  
Commissioner Richard Parenteau  
Commissioner Kristina Pistone  
Commissioner Cortney Jansen  
Commissioner Bobbykin Makwana  
Commissioner Makwana's and Commissioner Jansen's  
absence was excused by general consent.  
Council Liaison - Councilmember Chang (present)  
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
None.  
PRESENTATION  
25-0341  
PRESENTATION - SVCE Program Update  
Nupur Hiremath, Manager of Decarbonization Programs and Policy, from Silicon  
Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) provided an overview of SVCE’s policy updates,  
community programs, incentive and rebate programs, Sunnyvale’s participation in  
SVCE programs, and pathways for electrification. The Commission asked clarifying  
questions, and SVCE staff provided answers.  
STUDY SESSION  
25-0342  
Climate Action Playbook Update: 2023 GHG Inventory  
Christina Raby, Environmental Engineering Coordinator, presented the 2023  
Greenhouse Gas Inventory results.  
Commissioner Parenteau asked whether delivery vehicle emissions are tracked in  
the transportation sector. Ms. Raby responded that emissions from delivery vehicles  
are tracked for the portion of the time they are within the city’s boundaries.  
Commissioner Parenteau queried the variation in Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E)  
emissions factors over years. Madeline Khair, Environmental Programs Manager,  
explained the State’s methodology change and how utilities like PG&E reported  
their emissions factors based on supply and demand, which could be the reason for  
the fluctuation. Commissioner Parenteau inquired about the City’s work to reduce  
emissions in off-road equipment such as lawn & garden equipment. Ms. Raby noted  
that Move 3.P in the Climate Action Playbook (CAP) Game Plan 2028 will implement  
an ordinance to ban the operation of small off-road equipment. Move 3.P is  
scheduled to begin in the next year.  
Commissioner Pistone confirmed with staff that the greenhouse gases tracked in the  
inventories are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Commissioner Pistone  
commented on current return to work policies from employers and how these  
policies negatively impact climate goals in the transportation sector and vehicle  
miles traveled (VMT). Commissioner Pistone suggested more flexibility with work  
from home policies and for the City to continue working with various public transit  
organizations in the region.  
Commissioner Kunz inquired about the current Transportation Demand Model used  
for tracking transportation emissions and VMT and asked when a new methodology  
will be used to track these metrics more precisely. Ms. Khair responded that the  
City’s Transportation Division is working on a new model, the pandemic delayed  
work on the model, and staff is looking into other tools like Google Insights to gather  
more accurate data trends while the new model is being developed.  
Vice Chair Nabhan questioned whether neighboring cities are seeing similar  
percentages in zero emission vehicle (ZEV) numbers and whether vehicles in  
neighboring cities are being captured in Sunnyvale’s emissions since they often  
pass through the city. Ms. Raby noted the GHG inventory does not track  
neighboring cities’ ZEV adoption percentages. Ms. Khair explained that staff does  
track emissions by fuel type in Santa Clara County, and the emissions trends in the  
transportation sector show emissions do not increase in proportion to VMT due to  
the increase in ZEV adoption and fuel-efficient vehicles on the road. Vice Chair  
Nabhan asked how Sunnyvale is incentivizing less natural gas use to new  
businesses in the city. Ms. Khair highlighted the City’s Reach Codes, Green  
Building Program and CAP Game Plan 2028 Moves as ways the City is addressing  
emissions associated with natural gas use in buildings. Ramana Chinnakotla,  
Director of Environmental Services, noted staff are working to gather more building  
electrification permit data. He also noted that the City offers a density increase  
incentive to developers for building all-electric buildings in Sunnyvale, which is  
successful in encouraging all-electric buildings.  
Commissioner Parenteau inquired whether staff could separate commercial  
transportation and residential transportation trends. Ms. Khair answered that staff is  
continuously looking for ways to track data more granularly, but this level of detail is  
not available at this time.  
Chair Veitch asked how the City and SVCE could work together to incentivize more  
rapid adoption of EVs to meet the City’s CAP Game Plan 2028 EV adoption target  
by 2030. Ms. Raby replied that investing in charging infrastructure for EVs is crucial  
toward encouraging car owners to switch to an EV, especially those living in  
multifamily buildings as nearly 50% of residents in Sunnyvale are renters. Ms.  
Hiremath agreed and mentioned affordability of charging, robust educational  
materials and resources, and SVCE’s rebates will provide additional support to  
residents looking to buy an EV. Chair Veitch inquired about the frequency of the  
inventory updates and when the 2024 GHG inventory will be available. Ms. Raby  
mentioned the inventories are calculated on an annual basis and the 2024 GHG  
Inventory presentation to the Commission is scheduled for September or October of  
2025.  
Commissioner Parenteau asked if there is a gas vehicle rental program for residents  
who may have an EV but need a gas vehicle infrequently for longer trips. Ms.  
Hiremath responded she is not aware of a program like this, and mentioned some  
states have deployed programs to allow residents to test drive an EV for a week,  
which is something SVCE could explore in the future.  
Chair Veitch opened public comment.  
There were no public comments.  
Chair Veitch closed public comment.  
CONSENT CALENDAR  
25-0332  
Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of  
January 21, 2025  
Commissioner Kunz moved, and Vice Chair Nabhan seconded, a motion to approve  
the consent calendar. The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 4 -  
Chair Veitch  
Vice Chair Nabhan  
Commissioner Kunz  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 2 -  
Commissioner Jansen  
Commissioner Makwana  
Abstain: 1 - Commissioner Parenteau  
STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES  
None.  
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS  
-Commissioner Comments  
Commissioner Pistone announced the upcoming Sustainability Speaker Series  
event happening on March 19 and invited the Commission to attend the event  
online.  
Councilmember Chang shared information about the February 27 Public Safety  
Information Night event and March 6 Celebrate Sunnyvale event at the Plug N Play  
Center.  
-Staff Comments  
Ms. Raby reported on previous and upcoming events.  
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS  
25-0343  
Updated Annual Work Plan February 2025  
ADJOURNMENT  
The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 p.m.