October 21, 2003
SUBJECT: Outreach Task Force Recommendations in Response to RTC #02-455, Explore Options to Improve Community Outreach
Executive Summary
In response to RTC#02-455, Explore Options to Improve Community Outreach, Council directed a task force to review and, if needed, develop City-wide outreach guidelines in the following target areas:
· Noticing for private development
· Noticing for public projects
· Reports to Council [RTC]postings
· City Council and Board and Commission meetings
· City-sponsored community outreach meetings
· Public participation
· Special mailing lists
· City services
· City events
This Report to Council details the task force’s recommendations.
Fiscal Impact
The estimated annual costs for each task force recommendation is identified in the Discussion section. Twenty-four of the twenty-six task force recommendations require no additional funding and can be absorbed into current operating budgets. See Summary of Task Force Recommendations (Attachment N) for a summary of task force recommendations, including fiscal impact.
Public Contact
Public contact was made through the community member representatives on the Outreach Task Force. The task force included four Board and Commission members who also represented the interests of the Sunnyvale community.
Public contact was also made through the 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.
A draft RTC was routed to Boards and Commissions for comment at their discretion. The Office of the City Manager was invited to eight out of ten Board and Commission meetings to present the Draft RTC and solicit feedback. All Board and Commission recommendations have been incorporated into the final RTC except the following:
- Develop a standing Community Outreach Committee.
Staff informed the task force that there are currently no staff resources available for this recommendation.
- Include the Neighborhood Associations and Homeowners’ Associations in the City’s notifications of major projects.
Staff informed the task force that neighborhood associations and the homeowner associations in the City’s database already receive such information.
- Update the Socio-Economic and Community Participation sub-elements.
The task force is already recommending that the Community Participation sub-element be updated within the next two years. Staff informed the task force that the Socio-Economic sub-element discusses issues beyond the scope of the task force’s mission. Staff will forward this suggestion to the Community Development Department which is responsible for updating this sub-element.
- Apply the outreach recommendations to the Boards and Commissions recruitment process.
The Board and Commission recruitment process is beyond the scope of the task force’s mission. Staff will forward this suggestion to the City Clerk’s Office for consideration.
Feedback from Board and Commissions (Attachment M) details the Board and Commission feedback and task force actions, if any, in response to the feedback.
Recommendations
Attachments
A) Current Noticing Practices for Private Development Projects (pdf format)
B) Fiscal Impact of Task Force Recommendations I.A and I.B
C) Public Noticing Plan for Private Development and Public Projects
D) Current Noticing Practices for Public Projects (pdf format)
E) Current Noticing Practices for Reports to Council Postings (pdf format)
F) Current Noticing Practices for City Council Meetings and Board and Commission Meetings (pdf format)
G) Current Noticing Practices for City-Sponsored Community Outreach Meetings (pdf format)
H) Public Noticing Plan for City-Sponsored Community Outreach Meetings
I) Task Force Recommendations for Special Mailing Lists
J) Public Noticing Plan for City Services
K) Public Noticing Plan for City Events
L) City of Sunnyvale Outreach Tools (pdf format)
M) Feedback from Boards and Commissions
N) Summary of Task Force Recommendations (pdf format)
RTC #02-455, Explore Options to Improve Community Outreach (November 26, 2002), assessed the City’s existing communications and outreach practices in the following areas: noticing for private development/public projects, outreach for Council decision making input, and services and events outreach.
In response to RTC# 02-455, Council directed staff to work with an interdepartmental/community task force to review, update or develop City-wide outreach guidelines in the targeted areas listed below. In March 2003 the Outreach Task Force was assembled. It was composed of four Board and Commission members (appointed by the Mayor), and eight staff members (appointed by department directors) representing Office of the City Manager (OCM), Department of Public Safety (DPS), Community Development Department (CDD), Department of Public Works (DPW), Library and Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). The task force, chaired by Coryn Campbell (OCM), met seven times between March 27 and October 2, 2003.
· Noticing for private development
· Noticing for public projects
· Reports to Council postings
· City Council and Board and Commission meetings
· City-sponsored community outreach meetings
· Public participation
· Special mailing list use
· City services
· City events
The recommendations developed by the task force focus on increasing awareness of City issues and activities, and providing community members affected by a proposed action the opportunity to influence the upcoming decision.
This Report to Council details the task force’s recommendations.
Note: The Communications Office is currently developing a communications style guide that is scheduled to be completed in December 2003. The Communications Office will ensure that Sunnyvale’s style guide will be consistent with Council action from this Report.
EXISTING POLICY
Planning and Management Element, Community Participation Sub-Element
Goal 7.2A Community Education: Achieve a community in which citizens and businesses are informed about local issues and City programs and services.
Action Statement 7.2A.1b: Provide community organizations and networks with and encourage distribution of information regarding City events, programs and services.
Policy 7.2A.2 Information Distribution: Publish and distribute information regarding City programs and services, City Council actions, and policy issues.
Action Statement 7.2A.2c: Evaluate periodically City public information materials, activities and plans, using surveys, focus groups, or other means to assess effectiveness, minimize duplication, maximize cost-effectiveness of information distribution, and respond to community needs.
Policy 7.2A.4 Appropriate Technology: Identify communications media and telecommunications technology which are appropriate and cost-effective to provide information to and access for the community.
Goal 7.2D Service Delivery: Assure that all citizens have reasonable access to City information, services, programs, policy makers and staff.
Action Statement 7.2D.2b: Continue a high level of community awareness of City services and programs.
Policy 7.2D.3 Access: Provide reasonable and fair citizen access to information
and services within budgeted resources.
Council Policy 7.2.12(A.1): Internet Information Policy: Use the Internet to maintain and enhance the City’s information resources and services provided to Sunnyvale citizens.
Council Policy 7.2.12(A.1.a): Internet Information Policy: Ensure that appropriate printed public information currently available to Sunnyvale citizens will remain free of charge in electronic form.
Council Policy 7.2.12(A.1.b): Internet Information Policy: Ensure that essential information is available on demand via the Internet for the public interest.
Council Policy 7.2.12(A.1.c): Internet Information Policy: Support easy public Internet access to public information to the widest extent possible.
Council Policy 7.2.12(C.1): Internet Information Policy: Use the Internet as a tool to deliver City services.
Council Policy 7.2.12(C.1.a): Internet Information Policy: Use the Internet to make Sunnyvale citizens more aware of community resources in the areas of public safety, emergency preparedness, leisure activities, learning resources, and other community services.
DISCUSSION
In reviewing and making recommendations on outreach guidelines, the Outreach Task Force identified several criteria. According to the task force, outreach guidelines should:
· Provide community members with reasonable, timely and cost-effective notification and access to City information
· Provide guidance to City staff in making outreach decisions that meet
Council expectations
· Allow City departments flexibility to create outreach plans that fit unique
program needs
· Be appropriate to very limited program budgets
· Require only limited professional expertise for implementation.
· Address Sunnyvale's unique outreach challenges:
- Limited local newspaper distribution by Sunnyvale Sun
- Significant limited English speaking and ESL population
- Multi-cultural community members
- Economically diverse community members
- Large geographic area (24 square miles)
- Significant day-time population in addition to resident population
· Ensure adequate timeliness for public input
· Align with Communications Office program objectives, the Sunnyvale General Plan, Sunnyvale administrative policies and legal requirements
Task Force Recommendations by Target Area
I. Noticing for Private Development
The task force reviewed and approved the Community Development Department’s (CDD) Current Noticing Practices for Private Development Projects (Attachment A) with the recommendations below:
Recommendation I.A: For all single-story major remodels (an addition of 50% square footage or greater), notice should be given to adjacent homeowners.
Estimated Annual Cost: $232.33. For further information, see Fiscal Impact of Task Force Recommendations I.A and I.B (Attachment B).
Recommendation I.B: For all second-story additions, notice should be given three properties away (adjacent to adjacent to adjacent) on same frontage road, and other owners and single-family and duplex tenants two properties away (adjacent to adjacent).
Estimated Annual Cost: $7,447.20. For further information, see Fiscal Impact of Task Force Recommendations I.A and I.B (Attachment B).
Staff Comments: Staff does not support Recommendation I.B for the following reasons:
· The Planning Commission and City Council reviewed noticing for second-story additions within the last three years. Following the November 2000 RTC#00-387, Consideration of Changes to Single Family Design Criteria and Development Standards (Study Issue), the Planning Commission recommended and City Council approved adjacent noticing for second-story additions. A year later, following RTC #02-092, 2000-0097 Large Homes Study Issue – One Year Review, the Planning Commission recommended and City Council approved a requirement that adjacent noticing for second-story additions include property owners across the street.
· The proposed recommendation is difficult to administer. Determining the noticing list may be relatively straightforward when the streets are in a grid; curvy streets and cul-de-sacs will create ambiguity about who should obtain notice and who should not. An easy-to-understand noticing system is critical to create trust for both public and staff.
· Staff is concerned that noticing someone who lives two houses away on a different street may not be the most valuable use of resources.
Recommendation I.C: The City should increase fees to cover the costs associated with the expanded noticing of private development.
Estimated Annual Cost: None. For further information on fees, see Fiscal Impact of Task Force Recommendations I.A and I.B (Attachment B).
Staff Comments: If Council approves Recommendations I.A or I.B, Staff recommends increasing fees to cover the costs of the expanded noticing.
Recommendation I.D: Any item that goes to public hearing, regardless of how it gets there, should be noticed to a minimum of adjacent properties.
Estimated Annual Cost: CDD staff estimates that this recommendation would impact no more than 10 projects per year (primarily tree removal permits). Since the estimated cost per notice is $2.16 and adjacent noticing typically includes eight homes, the estimated annual cost of this recommendation is $172.80. This cost can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation I.E: As detailed in Public Noticing Plan for Private Development and Public Projects (Attachment C), CDD staff should evaluate the following on a project basis to determine the appropriate level of noticing for private development:
· The location and size of the project
· The extent to which community members may be adversely affected by the project
· Whether the project will be likely perceived as controversial
· Whether broad-based community support is needed to go forward with the project
· The costs and benefits of additional noticing
· The outreach tools available to reach the target audience (See City of Sunnyvale Outreach Tools, Attachment L)
· The effectiveness of the noticing
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation I.F: Develop a 2004 study issue proposal to explore expanded noticing for development of buildings higher than 45 feet. This study issue is intended to address the recent, and perhaps continued, new development of tall buildings in areas that affect residential zones.
Estimated Annual Cost: Associated costs of this recommendation will be identified during the 2003/04 Council study issue process.
II. Noticing for Public Projects
The task force reviewed and approved the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) Current Noticing Practices for Public Projects (Attachment D) with the recommendations below:
Recommendation II.A: As detailed in Public Noticing Plan for Private Development and Public Projects (Attachment C), DPW staff should evaluate the following on a project basis to determine the appropriate level of noticing for public projects:
· The location and size of the project
· The extent to which community members may be adversely affected by the project
· Whether the project will be likely perceived as controversial
· Whether broad-based community support is needed to go forward with the project
· The costs and benefits of additional noticing
· The outreach tools available to reach the target audience
· The effectiveness of the noticing
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation II.B: For major roadway projects, staff should make reasonable efforts to notice users of affected roadways in addition to noticing nearby residents. Such noticing could include “Construction Update” news releases, newspaper ads, notification of major area employers, posting of brief project updates on the City's Web site, and notification of relevant local, county, and regional organizations and agencies.
Estimated Annual Cost: Staff estimates that there are approximately seven major roadway projects per year. Expanded noticing for these projects would require an estimated 10 additional staff hours per project. Staff believes this expense can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Additional funding is required to place ads in the local newspaper noticing major roadway projects. The cost of a legal ad in The Mercury News is $86.84 per column inch per day. The total cost to advertise seven roadway projects per year is therefore $607.88. This amount can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation II.C: Information about major public projects being considered by the City should be easily accessible on the City’s Web site.
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
III. Reports to Council [RTC] Postings
The Outreach Task Force reviewed and approved Current Noticing Practices for Reports to Council Postings (Attachment E) with the recommendations below:
Recommendation III.A: For lengthy RTCs that are posted online, attachments should be listed, and linked, in the Executive Summary.
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation III.B: Attachments to RTCs posted on the City’s Web site should be in a standard and legible format. In the instance where a document cannot be cost-effectively formatted in a legible manner, it should not be included or linked to the RTC document. The Communications Officer shall work with Information Technology staff to establish the appropriate standards for documents included on the City's Web site.
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation III.C: RTC titles should reflect the core issues of the RTC in a way that is meaningful to the public.
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
IV. City Council Meetings and Board and Commission Meetings
The Outreach Task Force reviewed and approved Current Noticing Practices for City Council Meetings and Board and Commission Meetings (Attachment F). The task force made one recommendation:
Recommendation IV.A: Special Council meetings should be highlighted on the home page of the City's Web site to notify the public that a special meeting has been called.
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
V. City-Sponsored Community Outreach Meetings
The Outreach Task Force reviewed and approved Current Noticing Practices for City-Sponsored Community Outreach Meetings (Attachment G). The task force made one recommendation:
Recommendation V.A: When planning a community outreach meeting, City staff should consider developing a public noticing plan to ensure that interested community members are informed about the meeting in a timely way, and within budgeted resources. As detailed in Public Noticing Plan for City-Sponsored Community Meetings (Attachment H), the plan should consider the following:
· The purpose of the meeting
· The number of residents that may be affected by the issue(s) raised at the meeting
· Whether the meeting topic will be likely perceived as controversial
· The costs and benefits of additional noticing
· The outreach tools available to reach the target audience
· The effectiveness of the noticing
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
VI. Public Participation Guidelines
Public participation guidelines serve as a planning tool for City governments in developing strategies and goals regarding community member access and input to City services, information, and decision making. The task force reviewed both the City's Community Participation Sub-Element of the Sunnyvale General Plan (which was last updated in 1995), and the December 2002, RTC #02-508, Options for Gathering Community Feedback for the Connected Communities/Seamless Services Initiative.
In reviewing the Sub-Element, the task force made two recommendations:
Recommendation VI.A: The Community Participation Sub-Element should be updated within the next two years and it should include a discussion of multi-cultural/multilingual outreach and the utilization of modern technology including the Internet. Note: If Council approves this recommendation, staff will include a proposed study issue, “Update of the Community Participation Sub-Element,” in the December 2003 study issues workshop.
Estimated Annual Cost: Associated costs of this recommendation will be identified during the 2003/04 Council study issue process.
Recommendation VI.B: Regarding RTC #02-508, Options for Gathering Community Feedback for the Connected Communities/Seamless Services Initiative, the task force strongly recommends that the City move forward with Council direction which included implementation of a comment line, informal community survey, and community workshop. The task force recommends that these activities be completed within the next twelve months.
Estimated Annual Cost: None. $8,800 from fiscal uncertainties is already budgeted via the project carryover process to implement Council’s direction in the 2003/2004 fiscal year.
VII. Special Mailing Lists
Sunnyvale does not currently have written guidelines for maintaining and using special mailing lists. A special mailing list is made up of a subset of Sunnyvale community members who are interested in receiving information about certain City issues, events or services. It excludes the “Parcel Database” used by the Community Development Department for public noticing, and the “Utilities Mailing List”. Examples include: Friends of Sunnyvale Parks and Recreation Mailing List, NCS “Connect” Database, Library Program and Event Mailing List and Community Center Mailing List.
Many community members are found on more than one list and each list is updated and maintained separately. While the Information Technology Department (ITD) understands the need to develop a central dataset against which all community member addresses can be verified, that project is not currently budgeted.
With the launch of the City’s new Web site structure, ITD has implemented a new email notification system (“Ebot”). Users of this new system will register to receive automatic email notifications on information newly posted to the City’s Web site. For example, a resident can, by subject matter, register to receive email notifications of newly posted City Council agendas. As a result of this notification, an email is sent to the user whenever subsequent agendas are posted. While the Ebot system will reduce or eliminate subject matter email lists, it will not replace department mailing lists.
The task force made the following recommendations regarding the City’s special mailing lists:
Recommendation VII.A: Post a comprehensive list of all of the City’s special mailing lists on “Jasmine,” the City’s intranet Web site.
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation VII.B: Explore consolidating the City’s special mailing lists where appropriate.
Estimated Annual Cost: Estimated OCM staff time is approximately 50 hours. Estimated ITD staff time to support OCM efforts is approximately 25 hours. Staff believes that this recommendation can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation VII.C: Implement the Outreach Task Force Recommendations for Special Mailing Lists (Attachment I).
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
VIII. City Services Outreach
The task force made several recommendations to ensure that community members are adequately informed about City services. Current outreach practices for City services vary widely throughout the City. Recommendations regarding City services apply only to those services that community members can choose at their own discretion (the recommendations would not apply, for example, to the City's street paving service).
Recommendation VIII.A: As detailed in Public Noticing Plan for City Services (Attachment J), City staff are encouraged to develop and utilize services outreach plans as a tool to ensure that discretionary City services are accessible to all interested community members within budgeted resources. Such plans include the following:
· A description of the service
· The target audience/stakeholders
· The community members or groups who would want to be notified of this service
· The costs and benefits of additional outreach
· The outreach tools available to reach the target audience (See City of Sunnyvale Outreach Tools, Attachment L)
· A method of evaluating the effectiveness of the outreach
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the
current operating budget.
Recommendation VIII.B: To ensure consistent style, appearance and quality (not to reduce creativity or distinctiveness), service outreach materials (flyers, news releases, paid advertising) should be consistent with the standards developed and disseminated by the Communications Office (to be developed by the end of the 2003 calendar year).
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation VIII.C: Discretionary City services should be posted on the City’s external Web site. Postings should include a brief description of the service as well as the contact information (City division, phone number and email address).
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation VIII.D: Informational brochures and handouts developed by outside organizations, and distributed by the City to the community about City services, should contain the contact information of the City division that is providing the service.
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
IX. City Events Outreach
City-wide events are often cited by residents as an important component to their sense of community. Events are publicized in various ways throughout the City. Examples of City events include Hands on the Arts, 4th of July Celebration, State of the City, Health and Safety Fair, National Night Out and Public Safety Pancake Breakfast(s). Nonrecurring City events include such gatherings as the Bianchi Barn Dedication and the Senior Center Grand Opening.
The task force made the following recommendations regarding outreach for City events:
Recommendation IX.A: : As detailed in Public Noticing Plan for City Events (Attachment K), City staff are encouraged to develop and utilize event outreach plans as a tool to adequately inform community members about City events within budgeted resources. Event outreach plans include the following:
· A description of the event
· The target audience/stakeholders
· The community members or groups who would want to be notified of this event
· The costs and benefits of additional outreach
· The outreach tools available to reach the target audience (See City of Sunnyvale Outreach Tools, Attachment L)
· A method of evaluating the effectiveness of the outreach
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation IX.B: To ensure consistent style, appearance and quality (not to reduce creativity or distinctiveness), events outreach materials (flyers, news release, paid advertising) should be consistent with the standards developed and disseminated by the Communication’s Office (to be developed by the end of the 2003 calendar year).
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
Recommendation IX.C: City-wide events should be posted on the City’s external Web site. For planning purposes, City events should also be posted as tentative dates on Jasmine’s “City-Wide Events Calendar.” Each posting should include a brief description of the event and the contact information, including phone number and email address, of the City division responsible for the event.
Estimated Annual Cost: Nominal staff time can be absorbed into the current operating budget.
FISCAL IMPACT
The estimated annual costs for each Task Force recommendation is identified in the Discussion section. Thirteen of the 15 task force recommendations require no additional funding and can be absorbed into current operating budgets. See Summary of Task Force Recommendations (Attachment N) for a summary of task force recommendations, including fiscal impact.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through the community member representatives on the Outreach Task Force. The task force included four Board and Commission members who represented the interests of the Sunnyvale community.
Public contact was also made through the 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.
A draft RTC was routed to Boards and Commissions for comment at their discretion. The Office of the City Manager was invited to eight out of ten Board and Commission meetings to present the Draft RTC and solicit feedback. All Board and Commission recommendations have been incorporated into the final RTC except the following:
- Develop a standing Community Outreach Committee.
Staff informed the task force that there are currently no staff resources available for this recommendation.
- Include the Neighborhood Associations and Homeowners’ Associations in the City’s notifications of major projects.
Staff informed the task force that neighborhood associations and the homeowner associations in the City’s database already receive such information.
- Update the Socio-Economic and Community Participation sub-elements.
The task force is already recommending that the Community Participation sub-element be updated within the next two years. Staff informed the task force that the Socio-Economic sub-element discusses issues beyond the scope of the task force’s mission. Staff will forward this suggestion to the Community Development Department which is responsible for updating this sub-element.
- Apply the outreach recommendations to the Boards and Commissions recruitment process.
The Board and Commission recruitment process is beyond the scope of the task force’s mission. Staff will forward this suggestion to the City Clerk’s Office for consideration.
Feedback from Board and Commissions (Attachment M) details the Board and Commission feedback and task force actions, if any, in response to the feedback.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Council directs implementation of all Outreach Task Force recommendations.
2. Council directs implementation of all Outreach Task Force recommendations except I.B.
3. Council directs implementation of any combination of Outreach Task Force recommendations.
4. Council directs staff to take no action regarding the Outreach Task Force’s recommendations.