Sustainability Commission
Regular MeetingSunnyvale, CA · November 18, 2024
Minutes
City of Sunnyvale
Meeting Minutes
Sustainability Commission
Monday, November 18, 2024 7:00 PM Online and Bay Conference Room,
City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave.,
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Veitch called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. in the Bay Conference Room
(Room 145) at City Hall.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
Chair Veitch led the salute to the flag.
ROLL CALL
Present: 6 - Chair Tonya Veitch
Vice Chair Jeffery Nabhan
Commissioner Cortney Jansen
Commissioner Bobbykin Makwana
Commissioner Richard Parenteau
Commissioner Kristina Pistone
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Douglas Kunz
Commissioner Kunz's absence was excused by general consent.
Council Liaison – Councilmember Melingher (absent)
Council Liaison – Councilmember Sell (present)
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Joe inquired about Sunnyvale’s Public Library construction project and requested
that a green roof be considered in the design plans.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1 24-1163 Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of
October 28, 2024
City of Sunnyvale Page 1
Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes November 18, 2024
Commissioner Parenteau moved, and Commissioner Jansen seconded, a motion to
approve the consent calendar. The motion carried by the following vote:
Yes: 6 - Chair Veitch
Vice Chair Nabhan
Commissioner Jansen
Commissioner Makwana
Commissioner Parenteau
Commissioner Pistone
No: 0
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Kunz
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
2 24-1164 Recommendation to the Council Subcommittee on Board and
Commission Effectiveness
The Commission provided comments, questions and recommendations for the Chair
and Vice Chair to bring to the Council Subcommittee on November 19, 2024, to
improve on Board and Commission Effectiveness.
The following recommendations were drafted for the Chair and Vice Chair:
- Potential for community news channel for more effective communication between
members of the public and Commissions. Leverage Neighborhood Association
newsletters and/or Horizon newsletter for the City to push out information on what
the Commissions do, and what discussion topics are agendized.
- Clarification for the public on why Commissioners cannot respond directly.
Response could also include general guidance on the purview of the Sustainability
Commission.
- Additional information in meeting minutes. Potential opportunity for staff liaisons to
utilize Zoom transcription tool to develop a summary of meeting minutes.
- More Joint Study Session meetings for Commissioners to meet on topics that
intersect between two or more Commissions.
- Commissioners should attend annual Chair and Vice Chair training.
- Add highlights on Commission webpage to announce annual key achievements.
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Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes November 18, 2024
- Appreciative of oral communications being first item on agenda and would like it
publicized on the City’s website.
- Additional opportunities not on weekday evenings that would happen infrequently
for members of the public to provide oral communications.
3 24-1165 Approve 2025 Draft Annual Work Plan
The Commission discussed finalizing the Draft 2025 Annual Work Plan. The Draft
Work Plan was prepared by staff in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair and
reflects topics prioritized by the Commission.
Chair Veitch opened the public hearing at 8:04 p.m.
No public comments were made.
Chair Veitch closed the public hearing at 8:05 p.m.
Vice Chair Nabhan moved, and Commissioner Parenteau seconded, a motion to
approve the 2025 Draft Master Work Plan.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Yes: 6 - Chair Veitch
Vice Chair Nabhan
Commissioner Jansen
Commissioner Makwana
Commissioner Parenteau
Commissioner Pistone
No: 0
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Kunz
STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES
None.
NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS
-Commissioner Comments
Commissioner Parenteau inquired about additional staff listening in to the meeting.
City of Sunnyvale Page 3
Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes November 18, 2024
Christina Raby, Interim Environmental Programs Manager, responded that the City
Clerk was training staff how to host public meetings in the Bay Conference Room.
Commissioner Jansen shared a KQED episode called ‘Power Metal’ Examines the
Cost of Our Battery-Powered Lives, for the Commission to listen to.
Commissioner Parenteau asked when WayMo will be in Sunnyvale.
Councilmember Sell responded that in the City Manager’s Update Sunnyvale
newsletter, there is an article on when WayMo will be in Sunnyvale.
-Staff Comments
Ms. Raby reported on past and upcoming events.
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS
24-1166 Annual Work Plan November 2024
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
City of Sunnyvale Page 4
Agenda
City of Sunnyvale
Notice and Agenda - Final
Sustainability Commission
Monday, November 18, 2024 7:00 PM Online and Bay Conference Room,
City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave.,
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Meeting Online Link: https://sunnyvale-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/87351330039
Public Participation
• In-person participation: You may provide public comment by filling out a speaker
card (optional) and giving it to the Recording Officer.
As a courtesy, and technology permitting, members of the public may also attend
online. However, the City cannot guarantee that the public’s access to online
technology will be uninterrupted, and technical difficulties may occur from time to
time. Unless required by the Ralph M. Brown Act, the meeting will continue despite
technical difficulties for participants using the online option.
The Chair may determine it would be impractical to include remote public comment
during Oral Communications.
• Online participation: You may provide audio public comment by connecting to the
meeting online or by telephone. Use the Raise Hand feature to request to speak (*9
on a telephone):
Meeting online link: https://sunnyvale-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/87351330039
Meeting call-in telephone number: 833-548-0282 | Meeting ID: 873 5133 0039
(*9 to request to speak | *6 to unmute/mute)
• Watch the Sustainability Commission meeting at:
http://youtube.com/SunnyvaleMeetings
• Submit written comments to the Sustainability Commission no later than 4 hours
prior to the meeting start to sustainabilitycommission@sunnyvale.ca.gov or by mail
to: City Clerk, 456 W. Olive Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
• Review recordings of this meeting and past meetings at
City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Printed on 11/15/2024
Sustainability Commission Notice and Agenda - Final November 18, 2024
https://sunnyvaleca.legistar.com/calendar.aspx or
http://youtube.com/SunnyvaleMeetings
Accessibility/Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Notice
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need special
assistance to provide public comment, or for other special assistance; please
contact the City at least 48 hours prior to the meeting to enable the City to make
reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. ADA contact:
Christina Raby may be reached at 408-730-7742 or craby@sunnyvale.ca.gov (28
CFR 35.160 (b) (1)).
CALL TO ORDER
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
ROLL CALL
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
The Chair may determine it would be impractical to include remote public comment
during Oral Communications for the purpose of timeliness of the meeting or
conducting an orderly meeting. Such a determination shall be made prior to opening
public comment on Oral Communications.
This category provides an opportunity for members of the public to address the
Sustainability Commission on items not listed on the agenda and is limited to 15
minutes (may be extended or continued after the public hearings/general business
section of the agenda at the discretion of the Chair) with a maximum of up to three
minutes per speaker. Please note the Brown Act (Open Meeting Law) does not
allow the Sustainability Commission to take action on an item not listed on the
agenda. If you wish to address the Sustainability Commission, please refer to the
notice at the beginning of this agenda. Individuals are limited to one appearance
during this section.
CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters listed on the consent calendar are considered to be routine and will be
acted upon by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If a
member of the public would like a consent calendar item pulled and discussed
separately, please refer to the notice at the beginning of this agenda.
1 24-1163 Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of
October 28, 2024
City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Printed on 11/15/2024
Sustainability Commission Notice and Agenda - Final November 18, 2024
Recommendation: Approve the Sustainability Commission Minutes of October 28,
2024, as submitted.
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
If you wish to speak to a public hearing/general business item, please refer to notice
at the beginning of this agenda. Each speaker is limited to a maximum of three
minutes.
2 24-1164 Recommendation to the Council Subcommittee on Board and
Commission Effectiveness
3 24-1165 Approve 2025 Draft Annual Work Plan
STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES
NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS
-Commissioner Comments
-Staff Comments
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS
24-1166 Annual Work Plan November 2024
ADJOURNMENT
Notice to the Public:
Any agenda related writings or documents distributed to members of this meeting
body regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection
in the originating department or can be accessed through the Office of the City
Clerk located at 456 W. Olive Avenue, during normal business hours and in the Bay
Conference Room on the evening of the Sustainability Commission Meeting,
pursuant to Government Code §54957.5.
Agenda information is available by contacting Christina Raby at 408-730-7742 or
craby@sunnyvale.ca.gov. Agendas and associated reports are also available 72
hours before the meeting on the City’s website at sunnyvale.ca.gov and during
normal business hours at the NOVA Workforce Services reception desk located on
the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue.
City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Printed on 11/15/2024
Sustainability Commission Notice and Agenda - Final November 18, 2024
City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Printed on 11/15/2024
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