February 22, 2002

TO: Vice-Mayor Miller

FROM: Robert S. LaSala, City Manager

SUBJECT: Citizen Participation in the Downtown Urban Design Plan

On February 14, you corresponded with Community Development Director Robert Paternoster by e-mail, suggesting that the Downtown Urban Design Plan was being rushed through without adequate public discussion. I am writing to respond to your concern.

Attached is a chronology of the Downtown Urban Design Study. I believe that this chronology demonstrates a rather extensive and deliberate process to obtain public comment throughout the planning process.

To begin with, the entire process was guided by a Downtown Stakeholders Advisory Committee which was approved by the City Council. In addition to business interests, the Committee includes residential representatives who were particularly conscientious in their attendance and persistent in conveying their opinions to the consultant team.

Five of the Stakeholders Committee’s six workshops provided the opportunity for public comment. Because of the demonstrated interest of the public, and the limited time available at each workshop for public comment, the Committee decided to hold a public forum for the sole purpose of obtaining public input. The forum was held on December 6, 2001, and at the next Committee workshop, the plan was revised and recommendations drafted in response to the public testimony.

Throughout the nine-month planning process, staff has expended considerable effort to inform the public about the study and the opportunity for public comment. Prior to each Committee workshop and the public forum, a press release was provided to the media. We also posted bulletins on KSUN, posted press releases on our website, and issued Council announcements inviting the public to attend these meetings. Fliers were posted outside City Hall, at Council Chambers, in the Library and at the Community Center. Courtesy telephone calls were made to the public who signed in at previous workshops.

Since August 2001, the Mercury News has had three articles on the Downtown Urban Design Study, and the Sunnyvale Sun has had five articles. The study was covered in the Fall 2001 Quarterly Report to the Citizens of Sunnyvale and in the Fall 2001 Business Page Newsletter. The Chamber of Commerce reported on the study in its September 2001 newsletter, and fliers were mailed to 1400 businesses and residents in the downtown area in October 2001.

The month of March will provide three important opportunities for additional review of the downtown urban design plan. On March 5, the City Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint study session to review the conceptual plan. On March 11, the Planning Commission will meet to review the plan and make their recommendation to the City Council. And, on March 26, the City Council will consider the Plan for adoption and referral to the Planning Commission to commence implementation actions.

Please note, however, that the recommended action by City Council to adopt the conceptual plan is not the end of public participation but rather the beginning of another extensive process of public involvement in the preparation of the Environmental Impact Report and the revisions to the Downtown Specific Plan, Redevelopment Area Plan, and Zoning Ordinance and Map. We expect that this process will continue through 2002, with anticipated action by the City Council in January 2003.

I hope the above information conveys to you the importance we have placed on considering public input on a project that will impact not only the quality of life of our citizens but of those who do business in our city.

If you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

c: City Council
Robert Paternoster, Director of Community Development

Attachment: Chronology of Downtown Urban Design Study

E-Mail from Vice-Mayor Miller to Bob Paternoster, 2/14/02, Subject: Downtown Design Meetings

Return to RTC# 02-144