The Sunnyvale Urban Forest Advocates (SUFA) works to increase, sustain, and enhance the urban forest of Sunnyvale. SUFA educates residents and city officials about Sunnyvale’s urban forest, the role trees play in a healthy community, and how to improve the city’s tree canopy. SUFA advocates for the maintenance of existing trees and the planting of new trees throughout the city and provides outreach through tree walks and community events.
Time to Vote on Board Members
We would like to thank our outgoing board members, Julia Liu and Liam Davis for their service and dedication to Livable Sunnyvale. Please join us to elect new board members.
The meeting is only on Zoom this month – May 3, 2023, 6:30 pm.
Register in advance or register right before joining the meeting. After registering, Zoom will email you the link to join the meeting.
Transitional Housing
We will have speakers from LifeMoves, an organization that helps individuals and families experiencing homelessness to return to stable housing and self-sufficiency. They will talk about their organization and a proposed transitional housing development in Sunnyvale.
We will also have speakers from Santa Clara Housing Advocates who are supporting a LifeMoves transitional housing project in Santa Clara.
Guaranteed Basic Income
In addition, we will have a presentation by Mountain View Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga on Elevate MV, a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) pilot which provides $500 monthly payments to 166 randomly selected eligible extremely low income Mountain View residents.
Councilmember Abe-Koga led Mountain View’s program and she will share, among other things, what a GBI program is, what prompted Mountain View to pilot this program, how did the city determine the criteria to participate.
Sunnyvale is considering implementing a similar program and is working on a study issue titled, “Evaluate a Pilot Program for Universal Basic Income Including Potential Funding Sources” (CDD 22-07) to be led by the Community Development Department. Sunnyvale is preparing an RFP for the program and hopes to select a consultant to work on the project this summer.
AGENDA
Announcements
Proposed developments at Sonora Ct.
Sunnyvale Tenant Protection/Right to Lease Ordinance
LifeMoves
Santa Clara Housing Advocates
Mountain View Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga – Elevate MV Guaranteed Basic Income Program
The agenda is full and includes a discussion of the state of retail in the City by Dawn Maher, President of the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce, Connie Verceles, Deputy City Manage and Christine Velasques, Economic Development Manager. The presentation will highlight the current state of retail in the city and their view of what’s to come. Chuck Fraleigh and Agnes Veith will give us an update on the Village Center Master Plan and discuss Livable Sunnyvale’s position on the plan. And The Friends of the Stevens Creek Trail will discuss proposed changes to the Stevens Creek Trail extension from Remington Drive to Fremont Avenue.
AGENDA:
6:30 pm Welcome and greetings
6:35 pm Announcements
Study issues – next update in May
Letter on Moffett Park Specific Plan
Member announcements
6:45 pm Update on Sunnyvale Retail
Dawn Maher, President, Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce
Connie Verceles, Deputy City Manager, and Christine L Velasquez, Economic Development Manager
7:35 pm Update on the Village CenterMaster Plan
Chuck Fraleigh and Agnes Veith, Livable Sunnyvale Village Center Committee
According to Americans for the Arts, seventy percent of Americans feel arts improve the image and identity of their community. Do you identify with these seventy-percenters?
If so, please join us as Sunnyvale’s Kristin Dance, Public Art Coordinator, walks us through art funding, how public art is selected, the role you can play in its selection and, where our community’s over 100 art works are located; from the iconic Out to Lunch sculpture to the mixed media, made in USA: Angel Island Shh. And a sneak preview into upcoming art installations!
Downtown Specific Plan Amendments
Martin Pyne will discuss proposed amendments to the Downtown Specific Plan for Block 20. Block 20 sits on the East side of Mathilda between Olive and El Camino Real. The proposed changes increase the residential housing units and commercial square footage for this block. REGISTER HERE
Big News! Livable Sunnyvale is now officially a 501(c)(3) organization!. This means we can open a bank account, donations are tax-deductuible and we can apply for grants!
Issues include an upcoming “fiscal cliff” for VTA funding, Sunnyvale’s Active Transportation Plan funding and Seamless Bay Area initiatives.
City of Sunnyvale Legislative Advocacy Process
Former Council Member Gustav Larsson and Michele Zahraie, Senior Management Analyst will discuss the City process for advocating for bills in the California legislature.
Currently, the City Council votes on general legislative priorities at the beginning of the year. Then the Mayor sends letters advocating for or opposing specific bills as they move through committees and to the Assembly or Senate. Should the full Council or members of the public be more involved in this process?
We will vote on a motion to send a letter to the Council asking that correspondence from Staff or Council on potential legislation be subject to a vote of the City Council. (Note that the wording may change as a result of discussion at the meeting)
Join us for this IN PERSON gathering at the Faultline Brewery. It has been a long year and the pandemic has taken a toll on all of us.
On the other hand, there is so much to celebrate: The El Camino Real Specific Plan Completion, the start of the Moffett Park Specific Plan, and the Sunnyvale Housing Element first submission among many others. Next year we will be welcoming three new members to the Sunnyvale City Council, a new Assembly Member and a new State Senator,
For our Holiday social this year, we are partnering with our friends at the Sunnyvale Democratic Club to celebrate and share our experiences. We will provide a few appetizers, but Faultline is a restaurant/bar, so you can order a wide range of food or drinks.
The event is open to everyone and there is a prize drawing at 4 pm, so RSVP early to get your name in the hat!
We need to let the restaurant know how many will be there. So – please RSVP by December 8.
As an organization grows and evolves, it is important to take time to look at where it began, where it is today and where it will be tomorrow. To that end, we have asked Sue Serrone, Livable Sunnyvale founder and Chair Emeritus and Mike Serrone to share our humble beginnings and our achievements over the years.
Marie Bernard, Executive Director, and David Hernandez Chief Programs Officer, Sunnyvale Community Services (SCS) will share the state of our community today through the needs of the clients SCS serves.
Lastly, we will take a look at where we are heading in the short and long term. I am sure that our conversation with Marie and David will be a jumping-off place to talk about this. As an organization, we need and want your participation so please be prepared to share your thoughts on Livable Sunnyvale’s evolution.
AGENDA
Community announcements
Livable Sunnyvale – A Look Back
Sunnyvale Community Services (SCS) – A Look at Today
Livable Sunnyvale – Current and Upcoming Issues: (which issues are most important for the next year?)
Housing Element
Moffett Park Specific Plan
Village Centers
ADU Toolkit
Warming Centers
Full-time City Staff to Support Unhoused Programs
Universal Basic Income (UBI)
Safe Parking
Right-to-lease ordinance
Commercial Development Fees
Gun Safety
Cyclist and Pedestrian Fatalities Homestead Bike Lanes
Livable Sunnyvale – A Look ForwardVote on California YIMBY Coalition Partner
The following seven ballot measures will be on the ballot. Members have volunteered to research and present information about the measures. So bring your voter guide and follow along or join the discussion.
Proposition 1: Putting abortion safeguards in the California constitution:
Propositions 26 and 27: Legalizing sports gambling, two ways:
Proposition 28: Set aside school funding for arts and music:
Proposition 29: Kidney clinic rules, third time a charm?
Proposition 30: Millionaires paying for electric cars.
Proposition 31: Reconsidering a flavored tobacco ban.
To register, click on the link below before the meeting
For those of you who were able to come to our recent Moffett Park Committee meeting with Michelle King, Principle Planner, City of Sunnyvale and Pilar Lorenzana, Community Development, Google, thanks for attending and sharing your thoughts. We heard and discussed presentations on mobility-related issues such as parking maximums, transportation and the concept of a Transportation Management Association (TMA) for Moffett Park.
In case you would like to speak during the Moffett Park Specific Plan Mobility Workshop on 20 September (detailed information is below) or would like to send an email to council but are not sure what topic(s) you would like to address, we have put together a few that may resonate with you. That said, please do not feel limited to these suggestions. Just raise your voice in whatever way sounds best to you. Advocacy messages:
Half of all of Moffett Park is currently used for cars! That does not reflect (our/my) values. I urge the city to make better use of our land! Moffett Park should evolve from an asphalt parking lot to a vibrant set of neighborhoods with streets that allow people of all ages and abilities on bike and foot to safely share the road with drivers.
Ask: We ask that the council direct staff to reprioritize precious right of way with more emphasis on peds, bikes, nature and transit (public and private) and less on private vehicles. Great streets should be great places.
As a Sunnyvale (resident/worker) I care about livable, vibrant, and inclusive streets and spaces.
Ask: (We/I) are proud of the city’s commitment to safety and sustainability. Streets are places for everyone – not just cars – and we strongly encourage the City to ensure that the Moffett Park specific plan implements the goals in the Climate Action Plan and Vision Zero
Breaking our addiction to fossil fuels starts by the City providing alternatives to solo driving through walking and biking infrastructure and by connecting Moffett Park to Caltrain, downtown, and other parts of Sunnyvale.
Ask: We ask that the council set a meaningful goal of a 50% solo driving rate and incorporate supporting strategies to make the goal feasible. We also support the City adopting a parking maximum policy to encourage the transition to transit, biking, and walking, as well as free up land for other, more vibrant uses. Fewer parking spaces means fewer cars.
Current and future employers of all sizes can aim for lower solo driving rates! Sunnyvale should set up a Moffett Park Transportation Management Association (TMA) that can manage programs like a public shuttle, access to bulk light rail and bus passes for future office and residential developments, and oversee a carsharing program for future Moffett Park workers and residents.
Ask: We strongly support establishing a district wide TMA to create and fund alternatives to solo driving
Changing the ways we travel is not just about transportation – it is about creating complete 15-minute neighborhoods where people can live, work, play, and shop without having to get in a car.
Information regarding the city-sponsored workshop is below.
TUESDAY 9/20: MPSP MOBILITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
The MPSP team will present mobility framework that will inform the draft policies to the City Council. The presentation and discussion will include modal priority, street network, pedestrian/bike network, transportation improvements, parking strategy, and transit demand management. This special City Council workshop will be held virtually. For those unable to attend the live event, a recording of the session will be available on the project website the following day.
When: Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at 6:00 PM
Where: Hosted virtually via Zoom: Meeting call-in telephone number: 833-548-0276 | Meeting ID: 932 7612 3346. No registration is required; the zoom link will be activated 15 minutes before the meeting.
MPSP MOBILITY SESSION VIRTUAL OFFICE HOUR
Please mark your calendar for our virtual office hour on mobility to get your questions answered! Our workshop speakers will be there to answer your questions and provide clarification on information provided during the workshop and via project website.
When: Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Where: Hosted virtually via Zoom. Office hour zoom link will be provided after the workshop.
