The Planning and Management System calls for an annual Study Issues Calendar, which schedules meeting dates and items on the Council's study issues priority list. It is recommended that the City Council review the attached documents and modify or approve the following:

• The 2003 Study Calendar for the entire year (Attachment A). A mid-year update of the calendar will be presented in July 2003. The calendar shows when specific study items are scheduled before Council for consideration as well as other noteworthy items and events and when there are no meetings scheduled.
• The Study Issues Priorities Lists (Attachment B). Each department with issues has indicated the tentative date items will be presented to Council and where the cut-off line is (if one is being suggested).

The Planning and Management System (PAMS) establishes a procedure whereby the City Council reviews various proposals for study and establishes an annual calendar which reflects the Council's priority issues.

On December 12, 2002, the City Council held its annual Study Issues Workshop to consider potential issues for study in 2003. Council assigned a priority, by department, to each of the new items discussed, and instructed staff to assess the ability to undertake the priority issues, taking into consideration the ongoing departmental workload. Staff has reviewed Council priorities and scheduled them on the proposed Study Issues Calendar (Attachment A).

Utilize the Study Calendar as the City’s principal short range planning tool (Policy 7.3A.1).

Attachment A is a proposed 2003 Study Calendar, which includes a schedule of City Council meetings, state and national conferences, holidays, and special events or meetings. This year, departments have also been requested to provide dates of significant Council items and events for inclusion on the calendar, if projected dates are firm. Study Issues that were planned for 2002 and rescheduled for 2003 have been noted with an asterisk (*). Dates when no meetings are scheduled have also been noted.

In reviewing the calendar, Mayor Miller has suggested that the State of the City Event be held earlier in the year, on the evening that a regular council meeting could typically be held. Therefore, no meeting has been scheduled for March 4 to accommodate the State of the City Event.

Due to a 2-hour Study Session regarding Animal Control Services scheduled for February 25, an additional Study Session has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss Budget Issues as a placeholder.

Council is requested to confirm the dates of meetings to be held and adopt the 2003 Study Issues Calendar at this time.

A total of 22 study sessions have been proposed:

• Energy Regulations and Green Building Policies and Guidelines* Joint Study Session with the Planning Commission (CDD) - January 7
• Future Fiscal Issues and Review of Year End Report and Budget Modifications (FIN) - January 28
• Revenue Sources for Major Transportation Capital Improvement Projects (PWD) - February 4
• Codify and Index the Housing Mitigation Fee (CDD) - February 11
• Budget Issues (FIN) - February 26 (tentative)
• Budget Appropriation Control (FIN) - March 18
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Municipal Code Review* Joint Study Session with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PWD) - March 18
• Budget Issues (FIN) - March 25
• Animal Control Services (DPS) - February 25
• Moffett Park Specific Plan (CDD) - April 1
• Downtown Wayfinding Joint Study Session with the Planning Commission and the Heritage Preservation Commission (CDD) - April 8
• Budget Issues (FIN) - April 29
• Office of Emergency Services (OES) Program Update (DPS) - May 6
• Downtown Design Plan and EIR Joint Study Session with the Planning Commission (CDD) - May 13
• Review of Administrative Procedures of Enforcement of Municipal Code Related to Massage Parlors and Similar Businesses (DPS/CDD) - June 10
• Temporary Employment Policies (HR)- June 10
• Current Practices Relative to ADA and Accessibility (CDD) - July 15
• Review of Taxicab Ordinance (DPS) - September 16
• Review Fire Sprinkler Requirements for Commercial and Residential Buildings (DPS) - October 14
• VTA Community Design and Transportation Program Implementation Plan - Program Endorsement (PWD) - October 14
• Revenue Sources for Major Transportation Capital Improvement Projects (PWD) - October 21
• Engineering of a Borregas Avenue Bike Corridor (PWD) - December 16

Other study sessions may be needed after more is known about the complexity of certain issues. If there are issues not scheduled for study sessions that Council believes should be, or vice versa, Council should indicate this at this time.

Attachment B includes a list of all continuing and new study issues for each department that has issues. Mandatory items have not been included on the list this year; however, they are listed on the calendar and are still required of staff and are taken into consideration when the amount of staff time available for new and continuing items is determined.

The study issue priorities list shows the ranking and raw score given by Council to each new issue. Each department was asked to establish a cutoff point where new issues receiving a lower priority would not be addressed this year due to workload demands. Those falling "below the line" are considered as deferred issues and will automatically be brought back to Council for consideration at the 2003 study issues workshop. The dates when issues "above the line" are tentatively scheduled on the Study Calendar are also noted.

Every effort will be made to keep study issues on track to meet the calendar schedule. However, calendar dates are tentative. In order to assist Councilmembers in responding to inquiries or concerns from constituents, staff will continue to advise Council of any revisions to the calendar. The calendar is also maintained and updated weekly on the City's website.

OCA has no new or continuing issues.

Office of the City Manager

The Office of the City Manager (OCM) will be working on one ongoing issue, Moffett Federal Complex. Staff is requesting since there are not a lot of activities at NASA, except for the Research Park Project, meetings regarding Moffett issues will be scheduled on an as needed basis. Two new issues are, Sister City Program and Explore the Feasibility of Providing a One-stop Center That Offers Education, training and Other Resources, Using Existing Community Links and Program Resources.

This year Community Development has drawn the line after 3 new study issues. This high line is based on current staffing levels, rather than the current budget, in recognition of current fiscal issues facing the city. The City Manager has requested that new appointments not be made until the City Council has comprehensively reviewed budget options. Should either of two vacant planner positions be filled, Community Development will revise the calendar to reflect additional studies and revised calendar dates.

As always, the City Council has the option of reordering study items, or deferring ranked or continuing items. If the council would like to accomplish additional items on the Community Development study issue list staff recommends that either the Energy Regulations for Green Buildings or the In-lieu Fee for Undergrounding (or both) be deferred. Deferring either of those studies will allow Community Development to work on two additional study issues (or a total of 4 additional issues if both items are deferred).

The proposed calendar reflects study sessions and hearing dates for two continued items that were not on the City Council list for the December workshop (Comprehensive Review of BMR Program and Codify and Index Housing Mitigation Fee). No date is proposed for the In-lieu Fee for undergrounding, pending more information from PG&E.

The calendar also reflects the City Council request for a presentation of current practices related to ADA and accessibility. The study issue itself cannot be accomplished with the current staffing.

Employment Development has no new or continuing issues.

Finance has no continuing issues, but will be working on two new issues, Fiscal Sub-element Update and Budget Appropriation control. Due to the current budget situation and impending State budgetary actions, staff will be spending a considerable amount of time in the first half of 2003 on the development of a strategic plan for the upcoming FY 2003/2004 budget and long term financial plan. As a result, staff does not believe the no. 1 ranked item, Fiscal Sub-Element Update, can be completed by the end of 2003. Staff proposes beginning the work in the latter half of 2003, but deferring the completion of this item to 2004. While this normally means that the no. 2 ranked item, Budget Appropriation Control, would be completed after the no. 1 item, this project is smaller in scale and can have an impact on the Fiscal Sub-Element Update. Therefore, staff proposes completing the Budget Appropriation Control project in the second half of 2003.

Human Resources has one new issue, Temporary Employment Policies.

The Information Technology Department has two new issues, Webcast City Council Meetings and Feasibility of Establishing a Telecommunication Commission.

The Library has two continuing issues, Revise Library Sub-Element: Defining the Library of the Future and Develop a Work Plan for Future Library Facility Needs.

Parks and Recreation has no continuing issues. Three new issues include Update of Recreation Sub-element and Open Space Sub-element, Review Council Co-Sponsorship Policy, and Explore Concept of Digital Marquee at Corner of Wolfe and El Camino to Promote City and City Co-sponsored Activities and Events.

Public Safety has no continuing issues and will be working on two new issues. The two new issues are Review Fire Sprinkler Requirements for Commercial and Residential Buildings and Review of Taxicab Ordinance. Staff is recommending drawing the line after the top two items due to other workload demands.

Public Works has five continuing issues and four new issues. The continuing issue Revenue Sources for Major Transportation Capital Improvement Projects is an ongoing issue. The two new issues are Pedestrian Safety Opportunities Study and VTA Community.

Staff is recommending that the line be drawn above Light Rail Alignment Study through Sunnyvale and the Plan Line Study for Bicycle Space. Staff does not have the resources available to conduct the Light Rail Alignment Study and the Plan Line Study to Increase Bicycle Space. Staff does not believe that conducting an alignment study at this time is a worthwhile investment for the City as well. A light rail alignment study would be a productive effort if it had the potential to advance planning for a major federal transit investment. However, currently the VTA is realizing lower-than-anticipated revenue projections for its transportation sales tax, which may affect the ability to conduct additional planning and engineering for future federally funded light rail corridors as envisioned in the existing plan. As currently planned, transportation sales taxes were to pay for one Major Investment Study (MIS) per federal requirements for a corridor to be determined sometime in the life of the 30 year tax. A Sunnyvale-sponsored alignment study might attract this MIS investment to a Sunnyvale corridor. However, at this time decreased revenue has made it unclear what the timing or feasibility of any new VTA light rail corridor planning is in the current long range transportation plan. It is distinctly possible that no new light rail corridors will be developed over the next 30 years beyond what is already programmed for construction, particularly given the likely pressure on transit investment to deliver the BART to San Jose project. There are no foreseeable opportunities for local (non-federal) investment for light rail in Sunnyvale, as all other local transit development monies are currently constrained for other corridors and projects through the lifetime of Santa Clara County's long range transportation plan. It is unlikely that VTA would support or act on a City sponsored study at this time as well.

The two new study issues proposed for Public Works require a lead role from the Traffic Engineering Division. Additionally, four of the five continuing Study Issues from 2002 are Traffic Engineering issues, and six extra-Departmental issues will involve Traffic Engineering as well. Over the next year, the Division will be in the planning or engineering phases of several additional budgeted projects as well. Based on this workload, staff does not believe that the Division could accomplish the proposed study issues beyond the first two priorities. A light rail alignment study is an intensive, multi-year year that exceeds staff’s current resources to manage. The first two priority studies can be managed within the existing work program. Staff is recommending that the Pedestrian Safety Opportunities Study be conducted over a 15 month schedule due to a more involved work scope as well as scheduling logistics with the rest of the Traffic work program.

For Council’s information, Attachment E is a listing of issues considered from July - December 2002. During the past six months, a total of 66 items were completed. In addition, some of the accomplished items may appear again in the 2003 calendar, as follow-up actions may be necessary.

The study issues reflected on the attached calendar would not require a budget modification. Staff's first priority is to focus on service delivery, however, if changes are made to the priority list, a budget modification may be required for additional staffing.

Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City’s web page, publication of the Council agenda in the San Jose Mercury News, and the availability of the report in the Library and the City Clerk’s Office.

1. Study Issues Calendar and Meeting Dates:
1. Approve the calendar of study issues and meeting dates to be held as shown on Attachment A.
2. Modify the schedule of study issues and meeting dates, and adopt modified calendar.

2. Study Issues Priorities List:

1. Approve the Council Study Priorities List as presented in Attachment B.
2. Modify Council Study Priorities List by adding or removing items.

Approve alternatives 1a and 2a: that Council approve the Calendar as shown on Attachment A and adopt the Study Priorities List as presented in Attachment B.

Prepared by:
Susan Kitchens
City Clerk

Reviewed by:
Mary Bradley
Director of Finance

Amy Chan
Assistant City Manager

Approved by:
Robert LaSala
City Manager

Attachment A: Proposed 2003 Study Calendar
Attachment B: Study Issue Priority Lists for Each Department
Attachment C: Study Issue Paper for Issue Revised at Workshop

(Office of the City Manager, OCM-1 Sister City Program)

Attachment D: Study Issue Paper for Issue Revised at Workshop

(Community Development Department - CDD-12 Board on Accessibility for the Physically Challenged)

Attachment E: Study Issue Paper for deferred issue

(Public Works Department - PWD-08 Sunnyvale Light Rail Corridor Alignment Study)

Attachment F: List of Issues Accomplished July-Dec. 2002