City of Sunnyvale  
Meeting Minutes  
Sustainability Commission  
Monday, May 15, 2023  
7:00 PM  
Online and Bay Conference Room  
(Room 145), City Hall,  
456 W. Olive Ave.,  
Sunnyvale, CA 94086  
CALL TO ORDER  
Chair Wickham called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. in the Bay Conference  
Room (Room 145) at City Hall.  
SALUTE TO THE FLAG  
Chair Wickham led the salute to the flag.  
ROLL CALL  
Present: 5 -  
Chair Kristel Wickham  
Vice Chair Douglas Kunz  
Commissioner Kathryn Besser  
Commissioner Jeffery Nabhan  
Commissioner Kristina Pistone  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Tonya Veitch  
Commissioner Besser arrived at 7:03 p.m.  
Commissioner Veitch's absence was excused by  
general consent.  
Council Liaison - Councilmember Sell (present)  
Chair Wickham announced that Commissioner Wang resigned from the  
Sustainability Commission.  
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
None.  
CONSENT CALENDAR  
1
23-0583  
Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of  
April 17, 2023  
Commissioner Besser moved, and Vice Chair Kunz seconded, a motion to approve  
the consent calendar.  
Yes: 4 -  
Chair Wickham  
Vice Chair Kunz  
Commissioner Besser  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Veitch  
Abstain: 1 - Commissioner Nabhan  
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS  
2
23-0584  
Annual Review of City Manager’s Recommended Budget  
Full budget available online at:  
Sunnyvale.ca.gov/your-government/governance/city-budget  
Staff addressed comments and questions from the Commissioners on the City  
Manager’s FY 2023/24 Recommended Budget (Recommended Budget),  
highlighting funding available for projects and positions related to sustainability  
programs. The Commission discussed the Recommended Budget and asked  
clarification questions of staff.  
Chair Wickham opened the Public Hearing at 8:13 p.m.  
Daniel Benusorich voiced concern regarding affordable housing and asked the  
Commission to recommend allocating more funding toward affordable housing in  
Sunnyvale.  
Councilmember Sell responded with locations for future affordable housing units in  
Sunnyvale and mentioned she is available to meet to discuss further how to prepare  
for the future.  
Chair Wickham closed the Public Hearing at 8:18 p.m.  
MOTION: Vice Chair Kunz moved, and Commissioner Nabhan seconded, a motion  
to provide the following recommendations on the City Manager’s Recommended  
Budget for FY 2023/24 to City Council, and to nominate Chair Wickham to convey  
these recommendations to City Council verbally and in writing:  
(1) Support Budget Supplement No. 1, specifically the funding of ESD 23-01, ESD  
17-01, and DPW 22-04  
(2) Given the City’s priority of Accelerating Climate Action, continue to evaluate  
whether Project 824780 – Upgrading of Fuel Stations, utilizes the most appropriate  
strategy. Fuel needs assessments should consider:  
a. Fleet electrification, especially with the CARB Advanced Clean Fleets ruling  
b. The costs of maintaining this asset while electrifying, then the cost  
decommissioning this asset prior to the end of its useful life  
c. Alternative methods of fueling while the fleet is transitioning to all-electric, such  
as Mobile Fueling  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Chair Wickham introduced a friendly amendment to add  
the following recommendations:  
(1) Projects involving maintenance and repairs should commit to all-electric  
replacements. For example:  
a. Projects to install or replace emergency generators, when solar and battery  
back-up is feasible: 833210, 833370, 830910, 829140, and 830580  
b. Proactively transition equipment to all-electric for projects that will be impacted  
by BAAQMD Rules 9-4 and 9-6: 835510, 818600, 825850, 828400, 829190, 832800  
(2) Support Projects that implement improvements identified in the Active  
Transportation Plan. For example, support funding Project 836200, as opposed to  
potentially defunding it as proposed in Budget Supplement No. 2, Exhibit A, Item  
2A.4.  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Commissioner Besser introduced a friendly amendment  
to add the following recommendation and order it as recommendation number two:  
(1) Support projects that result in an increase in the net number of trees in the City  
to further the City’s Climate Action Playbook Move 4.F: Implement the Urban Forest  
Management Plan. Specifically, Budget Supplements 1 (DPW 22-04) and 3, Project  
835400, and Project 832750  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Commissioner Pistone introduced a friendly amendment  
to modify recommendation number one to the following:  
(1) Support Budget Supplement No. 1, specifically the funding of ESD 23-01 and  
ESD 17-01  
Vice Chair Kunz and Commissioner Nabhan accepted the friendly amendments,  
agreeing to the amended recommendation as follows:  
(1) Support Budget Supplement No. 1, specifically the funding of ESD 23-01 and  
ESD 17-01  
(2) Support projects that result in an increase in the net number of trees in the City  
to further the City’s Climate Action Playbook Move 4.F: Implement the Urban Forest  
Management Plan. Specifically, Budget Supplements No. 1 (DPW 22-04) and No. 3,  
Project 835400, and Project 832750  
(3) Given the City’s priority of Accelerating Climate Action, continue to evaluate  
whether Project 824780 – Upgrading of Fuel Stations, utilizes the most appropriate  
strategy. Fuel needs assessments should consider:  
a. Fleet electrification, especially with the CARB Advanced Clean Fleets ruling  
b. The costs of maintaining this asset while electrifying, then the cost  
decommissioning this asset prior to the end of its useful life  
c. Alternative methods of fueling while the fleet is transitioning to all-electric, such  
as mobile fueling  
(4) Projects involving maintenance and repairs should commit to all-electric  
replacements. For example:  
a. Projects to install or replace emergency generators, when solar and battery  
back-up is feasible: 833210, 833370, 830910, 829140, and 830580  
b. Proactively transition equipment to all-electric for projects that will be impacted  
by BAAQMD Rules 9-4 and 9-6: 835510, 818600, 825850, 828400, 829190, 832800  
(5) Support Projects that implement improvements identified in the Active  
Transportation Plan. For example, support funding Project 836200, as opposed to  
potentially defunding it as proposed in Budget Supplement No. 2, Exhibit A, Item  
2A.4.  
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 5 -  
Chair Wickham  
Vice Chair Kunz  
Commissioner Besser  
Commissioner Nabhan  
Commissioner Pistone  
No: 0  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Veitch  
STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES  
No new Study Issues were submitted.  
NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS  
-Commissioner Comments  
Vice Chair Kunz shared that there is a forum regarding transportation for high  
school youth happening on Saturday, May 20, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the  
Columbia Middle School Multipurpose Room.  
Commissioner Nabhan shared the County of Santa Clara is creating an 11-member  
Sustainability Commission. There are nine open seats available for adults over the  
age of 22, and two seats open for youth 14-22. Applications are on the County of  
Santa Clara's website now.  
Chair Wickham mentioned last month was Earth Month and there were several  
successful events in Atherton and Cupertino. All five high schools in the Fremont  
Unified School District sponsored an Earth Day event at their school. Chair  
Wickham thanked staff for attending and speaking at Homestead High School and  
Fremont High School.  
-Staff Comments  
Christina Raby, Environmental Engineering Coordinator, reported over 250 electric  
vehicle (EV) test drives happened at Sunnyvale’s EV Ride & Drive event on April 29  
and reminded Commissioners of upcoming events. She noted that the next  
Sustainability Commission Meeting is scheduled to be in the Bay Conference Room  
(Room 145) in City Hall on June 19.  
Madeline Khair, Environmental Programs Manager, reminded Commissioners that  
the City Council budget workshop is on Thursday, May 18. She also mentioned that  
vacant Commissioner interviews occurred, and the City Council will be making  
decisions on filling vacancies for Commissions with current vacancies on May 18.  
Ms. Khair also reported that staff saw more survey responses expressing readiness  
to purchase an EV at the April EV Ride & Drive event than at any other event.  
Councilmember Sell voiced her appreciation for the meeting and the thorough  
budget recommendations from the Commission that will be presented to the City  
Council in June.  
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS  
23-0585  
Updated Annual Work Plan May 2023  
ADJOURNMENT  
Chair Wickham adjourned meeting at 10:14 p.m.