October 4, 2005

SUBJECT: Council Position on League of California Cities' 2005 Annual Resolutions

REPORT IN BRIEF

This report transmits the League of California Cities Annual Conference Resolutions Packet (Attachment A) and a chart containing a brief overview of each resolution, including: source, review committee, subject, summary, and staff recommendation (Attachment B). Staff recommends the following positions:

BACKGROUND

Each year the League of California Cities (LCC) transmits its annual conference resolution packet to cities prior to the League’s Annual Conference.  To assist Council in preparing for the League Conference, staff reviews the proposed resolutions and provides Council with recommended positions on each resolution.

The Council adopts positions on these resolutions in order to provide Councilmembers who serve on policy committees, the resolutions committee, or as the City's voting delegate, guidance on how to vote on these issues.

EXISTING POLICY

General Plan Goal 7.3.C: Participate in intergovernmental activities, including national, state, and regional groups, in order to represent the City’s interest, influence policy and regulations, and enhance awareness.

DISCUSSION

Attachment A contains copies of the eight proposed resolutions that will be considered at the League of California Cities’ 2005 Annual Conference, to be held in San Francisco on October 6–8.  Attachment B provides a brief overview and analysis of each resolution, and staff recommendations. 

Resolution #1, Publication of Home Addresses and Telephone Numbers of Elected and Appointed Officials

This resolution is consistent with The Public Safety Officials Home Protection Act of 2002 which added provisions to Government Code § 6254.21 that prohibit any person from knowingly posting the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official, or the official's residing spouse or child, on the Internet, knowing that the person is an elected or appointed official and intending to cause imminent great bodily harm to that individual. The resolution would extend the same protections offered by the Public Safety Officials Home Protection Act of 2002 to other forms of mass media, notably newspapers and magazines. While the residence address of any elected official is discoverable under a Public Records Act request – and this resolution makes no attempt to change that access – this proposal would prohibit publication of the address(es) solely to target that official.

Resolution #2, Public Sector Mentoring Program

This resolution would provide another resource for the City in reaching its staff development goals.  Should this program be developed, and the City choose to participate, employees could have access to mentoring relationships to further their professional careers and develop new skills.

Resolution #3, Ahwahnee Water Principles for Resource-Efficient Land Use

Proposed flood flow and urban runoff management is consistent with the City’s direction and best practices for  storm water programs/permits in terms of achieving infiltration rather than runoff, and providing for adequate storage of storm flows to prevent flooding and damage to creek banks.  In terms of water usage/recycling, etc., these principles are also consistent with the City’s general direction, and thus, are appropriate and acceptable.

Resolution #4, Voluntary Statewide Residential Green Building Guidelines

This resolution is nearly identical to existing City policy. The last section of the resolution supports local municipalities providing incentives for private development to follow the Green Building Guidelines. At this time the City provides educational information on green buildings, but does not have residential implementation incentives.  Green Building standards emphasize use of recycled products in construction and reuse and recycling of materials discarded in demolition of existing structures, consistent with the City’s Solid Waste Sub-Element.

Resolution #5, Urban Environmental Accords Adopted by United Nations World Environmental Day

This resolution is quite broad and touches on many issues. While many of the environmental goals are consistent with City policy, the high costs of implementation are in conflict with the City’s financial management goals that call for minimizing costs to the City and the community.

Resolution #6, Sexual Predators

Consistent with the City’s safety goals, this resolution extends current state law which prohibits juvenile sex offenders and adult parolees from residing within ¼ mile of a school facility. Extending this distance to one mile would have a positive impact on Sunnyvale because it increases the distance from schools within which sexual predators are prohibited from residing.

Resolution #7, Proposition 172

This resolution is directed at San Diego County and will have no effect on Sunnyvale.  Proposition 172 was approved by California voters in November of 1993 to partially replace a $2.6 billion in property taxes shifted from local agencies to local school district's "educational revenue augmentation funds" (ERAF).  It established a permanent statewide half-cent sales tax for support of local public safety activities in cities and counties.  As a result, there has been a disproportionate distribution of funds in San Diego County.  Although counties contribute significantly higher percentages of property taxes than city governments do, in 1996, SB 8 changed the allocation in San Diego County directing 94.35% of Prop.172 funds to the county, with the remaining 5.65% to the 18 cities in the county. San Diego County is asking for a countywide initiative to change the current distribution formula so that the cities receive a higher percentage of the funds. 

Resolution #8, Broadband Internet Access

It is important to preserve the City’s ability to either create its own broadband Internet network or work with a partner to provide these services in an affordable manner. Diminishing this right will hinder the City's ability to attract and retain businesses, resulting in a loss of revenue.  In addition, the City should retain regulatory control of how the public rights-of-way are utilized for all telecommunications services, including broadband Internet.

The relevant policy committees will meet to review each resolution and make recommendations on Thursday, October 6, 2005. The General Resolutions Committee will consider the recommendations from the policy committees at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, October 7. The General Assembly will convene at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 8.

A separate, detailed Council schedule will be provided to Council in their annual Conference packets.

FISCAL IMPACT

The resolutions will not have a direct fiscal impact on the City.

PUBLIC CONTACT

This report was included in the publication and posting of the Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, the City’s web page, and the San Jose Mercury News. This report is also available at the Sunnyvale Public Library and the City Clerk’s Office.

ALTERNATIVES

1. Council approves the resolution positions as recommended by staff:

2.      Council amends and approves the resolution positions as recommended by staff.

3.      Council takes no action on the resolution positions as this time.

4.      Other action as directed by Council.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends Alternative #1: Council approves the resolution positions as recommended by staff.

Reviewed by:

Robert Walker
Assistant City Manager
Prepared by: Coryn Campbell, Neighborhood and Community
Resources Manager

Approved by:

Amy Chan
City Manager

Attachments (pdf)

A. League of California Cities Annual Conference Resolutions Packet 

B. 2005 Resolution Summary