SC 03-18-21 PacketCITY OF CUPERTINO
SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
AGENDA
This will be a teleconference meeting without a physical location.
Thursday, March 18, 2021
4:00 PM
Special Meeting
TELECONFERENCE / PUBLIC PARTICIPATION INFORMATION TO HELP STOP THE
SPREAD OF COVID-19
In accordance with Governor Newsom’s Executive Order No-29-20, this will be a
teleconference meeting without a physical location to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Members of the public wishing comment on an item on the agenda may do so in the
following ways:
1) E-mail comments by 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 18 to the Commission at
sustainabilitycommission@cupertino.org. These e-mail comments will be received by the
commission members before the meeting and posted to the City’s website after the
meeting.
2) E-mail comments during the times for public comment during the meeting to the
Commission at sustainabilitycommission@cupertino.org. The staff liaison will read the
emails into the record, and display any attachments on the screen, for up to 3 minutes
(subject to the Chair’s discretion to shorten time for public comments). Members of the
public that wish to share a document must email sustainabilitycommission@cupertino.org
prior to speaking.
3) Teleconferencing Instructions
Members of the public may observe the teleconference meeting or provide oral public
comments as follows:
Oral public comments will be accepted during the teleconference meeting. Comments may
be made during “oral communications” for matters not on the agenda, and during the
public comment period for each agenda item.
To address the Commission, click on the link below to register in advance and access the
meeting:
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Online
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://cityofcupertino.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Xi4TPJsHSXO4KXzcplyemw
Phone
Dial 669-900-6833 and enter Webinar ID: 938 6061 6604 (Type *9 to raise hand to speak)
Unregistered participants will be called on by the last four digits of their phone number.
Or an H.323/SIP room system:
H.323:
162.255.37.11 (US West)
162.255.36.11 (US East)
Meeting ID: 938 6061 6604
SIP: 93860616604@zoomcrc.com
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about
joining the webinar.
Please read the following instructions carefully:
1. You can directly download the teleconference software or connect to the meeting in your
internet browser. If you are using your browser, make sure you are using a current and
up-to-date browser: Chrome 30+, Firefox 27+, Microsoft Edge 12+, Safari 7+. Certain
functionality may be disabled in older browsers, including Internet Explorer.
2. You will be asked to enter an email address and a name, followed by an email with
instructions on how to connect to the meeting. Your email address will not be disclosed to
the public. If you wish to make an oral public comment but do not wish to provide your
name, you may enter “Cupertino Resident” or similar designation.
3. When the Chair calls for the item on which you wish to speak, click on “raise hand.”
Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak.
4. When called, please limit your remarks to the time allotted and the specific agenda topic.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), anyone who is planning to
attend this teleconference meeting who is visually or hearing impaired or has any disability
that needs special assistance should call the City Clerk's Office at 408-777-3223, at least 6
hours in advance of the meeting to arrange for assistance. In addition, upon request, in
advance, by a person with a disability, meeting agendas and writings distributed for the
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Sustainability Commission Agenda March 18, 2021
meeting that are public records will be made available in the appropriate alternative
format.
NOTICE AND CALL FOR A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CUPERTINO
SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a special meeting of the Sustainability Commission is
hereby called for Thursday, March 18, 2021 commencing at 4:00 p.m. In accordance with
Governor Newsom’s Executive Order No-29-20, this will be a teleconference meeting
without a physical location. Said special meeting shall be for the purpose of conducting
business on the subject matters listed below under the heading, “Special Meeting."
SPECIAL MEETING
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1.Subject: Minutes from January 21, 2021 meeting
Recommended Action: Approve minutes from January 21, 2021 meeting
A - Draft Minutes
POSTPONEMENTS
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Commission on any matter
within the jurisdiction of the Commission and not on the agenda. Speakers are limited to three (3)
minutes. In most cases, State law will prohibit the Commission from making any decisions with respect
to a matter not on the agenda.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
2.Subject: Training on Commissioner Handbook approved by City Council on January
19, 2021
Recommended Action: Conduct training on Commissioner Handbook
A – Commissioner Handbook
3.Subject: Review submitted nomination for 2021 CREST Awards Sustainability
Champion of the Year
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Sustainability Commission Agenda March 18, 2021
Recommended Action: Review nomination and vote on the 2021 CREST Awards
Sustainability Champion of the Year
A - Sustainability Champion of the Year Nomination
4.Subject: Update from Public Works Environmental Division staff on FY 2020-21 City
Work Program item on development of single-use plastics ordinance
Recommended Action: Receive update and provide any feedback
FUTURE AGENDA SETTING
ADJOURNMENT
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), anyone who is planning to attend this
teleconference meeting who is visually or hearing impaired or has any disability that needs special
assistance should call the City Clerk's Office at 408-777-3223, at least 6 hours in advance of the
meeting to arrange for assistance. In addition, upon request, in advance, by a person with a disability,
meeting agendas and writings distributed for the meeting that are public records will be made available
in the appropriate alternative format.
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the members after publication of the agenda will
be made available for public inspection. Please contact the City Clerk’s Office in City Hall located at
10300 Torre Avenue during normal business hours.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please be advised that pursuant to Cupertino Municipal Code 2.08.100
written communications sent to the Cupertino City Council, Commissioners or City staff concerning a
matter on the agenda are included as supplemental material to the agendized item. These written
communications are accessible to the public through the City’s website and kept in packet archives. You
are hereby admonished not to include any personal or private information in written communications to
the City that you do not wish to make public; doing so shall constitute a waiver of any privacy rights
you may have on the information provided to the City.
Members of the public are entitled to address the members concerning any item that is described in the
notice or agenda for this meeting, before or during consideration of that item. If you wish to address the
members on any other item not on the agenda, you may do so during the public comment.
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CITY OF CUPERTINO
Legislation Text
Subject: Minutes from January 21, 2021 meeting
Approve minutes from January 21, 2021 meeting
File #:21-9031,Version:1
CITY OF CUPERTINO Printed on 3/16/2021Page 1 of 1
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CITY OF CUPERTINO SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
Teleconference meeting without a physical location.
Thursday, January 21, 2021 4:00 p.m.
MINUTES
At 4:03 p.m. Chair Latshaw called the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: Chair Gary Latshaw, Vice Chair Vignesh Swaminathan, and Commissioners Ram
Mohan, Meera Ramanathan, Anna Weber. Absent: None.
Staff: André Duurvoort, Sustainability Manager; Victoria Morin, Outreach Coordinator; Gilee Corral, Climate
and Utilities Analyst.
Guests: Members of the public.
Chair Latshaw read a statement regarding provisions of the Brown Act and a recent Executive Order issued by
the Governor to facilitate teleconferencing to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission at public meetings.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Subject: Minutes from December 17, 2020 meeting
Vice Chair Swaminathan moved and Commissioner Ramanathan seconded to approve the minutes. The
motion carried unanimously.
At the request of staff, a motion was made by Commissioner Ramanathan and seconded by Vice Chair
Swaminathan to move Staff and Commission Reports after Written Communications. The motion carried
unanimously.
POSTPONEMENTS
None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Gilee Corral, Staff Liaison, read three minutes of an attachment emailed to the Commission from Dan
Marshall. The document will be uploaded to the public meeting site. Chair Latshaw permitted the individuals
to act as a group for a total of ten minutes to address the Commission. In response to questions from Chair
Latshaw, Corral confirmed that items raised by members of the public during Oral Communications that are
not on the published agenda may not be discussed by the Commission during the meeting. Commissioners
may ask clarifying questions or add the subject to the Future Agenda Setting items list.
- Dan Marshall (Cupertino resident) requested the Commission’s support to request that the Council
sign a draft resolution endorsement related to a carbon fee and dividend national policy (submitted
Written Communications).
- John Ennals (Cupertino resident) requested the Commission to support a recommendation to Council
to sign the endorsement regarding climate change. He talked about the role of market forces in
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addressing climate change and noted that market-based approach such as a carbon fee and dividend is
supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute.
The Commission asked clarifying questions of the speakers, including:
- If the speakers are members of the Citizens Climate Lobby and if this is part of HR 763 (Latshaw)
o Marshall confirmed membership of the CCL but said this request was not related to HR 763,
just support of the concept of carbon fee and dividend.
o Chair Latshaw noted his prior affiliation with the CCL and commented on a previous bill the
CCL had put forward and a recent article on the topic.
- Logic of a national versus a statewide approach to this type of legislation, stance of the Air Resources
Board (Mohan), if a current law is being considered (Ramanathan).
o Marshall responded that a state by state approach would be chaotic; he noted that there is no
current bill but one was proposed in 2020 that did not become law. He clarified that their
request was to support the concept of putting a fee on carbon and returning the funds to
citizens, not any particular bill.
- Clarity on what the speakers are requesting, how the money would be distributed (Swaminathan).
o Marshall responded that it was not to support detailed components of a bill but rather
endorsing the concept. He explained the proposed method of distributing the funds to
households. He noted that the Silicon Valley Leadership Council endorsed the concept.
- Marshall responded to additional questions around the concept, how the value would be calculated,
etc. Chair Latshaw noted the complexity of the topic and resources to reference. Corral will add the
subject for consideration under Future Agenda Setting.
- If other neighboring cities have adopted or worked on a similar resolution (Weber). Marshall said Los
Altos and Palo Alto. The draft resolution Marshall proposed is modeled after Los Altos’. He offered
support if the Commission wished to hold a special session on the topic.
- Question of timing (Swaminathan); Chair Latshaw noted federal legislation on climate is likely to be
passed in the next 100 days.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Corral noted an item that was posted to the meeting website: emails from Vice Mayor Chao. Corral answered
clarifying questions related to the Brown Act and other questions from the Commissioners. She noted that no
action from the Commission or individual Commissioners was required. The Commission moved on to the
next topic and no action was taken.
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Staff reports: Sustainability Manager André Duurvoort gave brief updates and answered clarifying questions:
- Duurvoort reviewed some of the Green Building features of the Library expansion capital
improvement project; he gave a brief overview of its efficiency features
- Climate Action Plan Update consultant team selection process for community outreach and technical
support; likely to receive six to twelve bids; aiming for consultant to start March 1
o Consultants are a niche group; wrote the RFP to accommodate / attract proposals from a
diversity of firms; requested a workforce disclosure form; assuming engagement activities will
be remote (response to questions from Swaminathan)
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OLD BUSINESS
None.
NEW BUSINESS
2. Subject: Order of Sustainability Commission default agenda items
Corral related staff’s recommendation to adjust the default Commission agenda to move Staff and
Commission Reports towards the beginning of the agenda after Written Communications and before Old
Business. She answered clarifying technical questions.
Commissioner Ramanathan moved and Vice Chair Swaminathan seconded to adjust the order of the default
Commission agenda items as recommended by staff. Corral answered brief clarifying questions. The motion
carried unanimously.
3. Subject: Earth and Arbor Day planning
Victoria Morin, Outreach Coordinator, gave a brief presentation on Earth and Arbor Day plans. The format for
2021 will be virtual and a “speaker series” style with videos. She requested the Commission to appoint a
designee to act as the “voice of the Commission” for the video series. This would involve recording one to
three scripted videos, including a welcome and closing video. The Commission asked clarifying questions and
briefly discussed the request:
- Questions on format and date of event (Latshaw, Weber). Morin: clarified that the event will be one
“virtual event day” to combine Earth Day and Arbor Day. Earth Day is April 22, and the virtual event
day would be on a weekend before or after Earth Day.
- Chair Latshaw asked for volunteers for the role of Commissioner designee: Ramanathan volunteered
and Swaminathan volunteered to be the back-up.
- What anniversary year this is (Weber). Morin: It’s the 51st global Earth Day and around the thirteenth
year Cupertino has celebrated Earth Day.
Commissioner Weber moved and Vice Chair Swaminathan seconded to nominate Commissioner Ramanathan
as the Commission designee for the Earth and Arbor Day virtual event. The motion carried unanimously.
4. Subject: Staff update on youth engagement activities and programming
Duurvoort gave a brief recap of the program and an update. He welcomed the two new interns, Manpreet
Chandok (student at San Jose State University) and Ritu Atreyas (student at Monta Vista High School). They
are developing individual projects for student engagement and single use plastics; both will be working on
Earth Day planning. Chandok introduced herself. In response to a question from Commissioner Ramanathan,
Duurvoort noted that the intern program will support existing staff work, including the CAP update project
and student and community engagement.
5. Subject: Chair and Vice Chair Elections
Staff and the Commission acknowledged the service of Chair Latshaw and Vice Chair Swaminathan during a
difficult year. She reviewed logistics of the nomination and election process.
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Chair Latshaw opened nominations for Commission Chair for the term ending January 30, 2022.
Commissioner Ramanathan nominated Vice Chair Swaminathan. Commissioner Weber nominated Chair
Latshaw. Chair Latshaw declined the nomination. Corral answered clarifying questions.
Commissioner Weber moved and Commissioner Mohan seconded to close nominations for Chair. Corral
clarified the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
Commissioner Weber moved and Commissioner Ramanathan seconded to elect Vignesh Swaminathan as
Chair of the Commission. The motion carried unanimously.
Vignesh Swaminathan took over as Chair at 5:34 p.m. and said a few words of looking forward to serving. He
noted he is also the Chair of the VTA Citizen Advisory Committee.
Chair Swaminathan opened nominations for Commission Vice Chair for the term ending January 30, 2022.
Commissioner Ramanathan nominated Commissioners Mohan, Latshaw, and Weber. Commissioner Latshaw
declined the nomination. Chair Swaminathan nominated Commissioner Mohan.
Commissioner Weber moved and Commissioner Latshaw seconded to close nominations for Vice Chair. The
motion carried unanimously.
Commissioner Weber moved and Commissioner Ramanathan seconded to elect Ram Mohan as Vice Chair of
the Commission. The motion carried unanimously.
Vice Chair Mohan said a few words expressing his appreciation to the Commission and is looking forward to
moving forward with the coming year.
FUTURE AGENDA SETTING
Corral brought up the list of Future Agenda Setting items and the Commission discussed possible topics for
consideration. Staff requested a Special Meeting be added to the schedule to discuss the CREST Awards
Sustainability Champion of the Year nominations. Commissioner Latshaw described a book, Designing Climate
Solutions, that relates to a carbon fee and dividend topic. Corral answered questions about the Commission’s
role and scope. Commission agreed to add the two items, “CREST Awards Nominations” and “Carbon
policies comparative analysis,” to the list. The amended list is as follows:
FUTURE AGENDA SETTING LIST
- Sustainability Speaker Series
- Sustainability Grants for Students / essay contest
- Discuss hosting a public workshop on carbon reduction ideas
- Discuss 2021 Earth & Arbor Day event ideas
- CREST Awards Nominations
- Carbon policies comparative analysis
A motion was made by Commissioner Ramanathan and seconded by Commissioner Weber to include the
items above to the Future Agenda Setting List. The motion carried unanimously.
A motion was made by Commissioner Latshaw to schedule a Special Meeting of the Commission for March 18,
2021 to discuss the CREST Awards and other items. The Commission briefly discussed the Commission
meeting schedule. Commissioner Ramanathan seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
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ADJOURNMENT
A motion to adjourn was made by Chair Swaminathan and seconded by Commissioner Weber. The motion
carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 6:11 p.m.
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CITY OF CUPERTINO
Legislation Text
Subject: Training on Commissioner Handbook approved by City Council on January 19, 2021
Conduct training on Commissioner Handbook
File #:21-9010,Version:1
CITY OF CUPERTINO Printed on 3/16/2021Page 1 of 1
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COMMISSIONER’S
HANDBOOK
2021
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WELCOME AND ORIENTATION
Welcome and thank you for your willingness to serve as a member of a City of
Cupertino Commission. Advisory bodies play an important role in City governance by
assisting the City Council in addressing specific issues in detail and facilitating
community decision‐making.
The City of Cupertino has a number of advisory bodies, each with distinct
responsibilities. As a new advisory body member, you should familiarize yourself with
the documents governing your particular body including City ordinances, City Council
resolutions, relevant element(s) of the General Plan, and other documents, all available
from your staff liaison. Reviewing these documents will help you get a sense of your
responsibilities.
This Handbook is designed to serve as a reference for the basic protocols that apply
generally to all City advisory bodies. Orientation is necessarily an active process. As a new
member you may want to meet with the Chair of your advisory body to get a better sense
of your role and the business of the body, as well as with the staff liaison assigned to the
body. Along with familiarizing yourself with your advisory body’s foundational
documents, you may want to review agendas and minutes from recent meetings to see
what current issues have been under consideration, as well as the City Work Program to
familiarize yourself with current goals.
Learning your role and developing an effective voice takes time and familiarity.
We hope this Handbook will assist you towards a satisfying and productive experience.
Your participation is deeply appreciated by the City Council, by city staff, and by your
community. The vitality and strength of our community results from the willingness of
people like you to serve.
________
Darcy Paul, Mayor
City of Cupertino
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Table of Contents
WELCOME AND ORIENTATION ii
STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT 4
Form of Government 4
City Council 4
City Manager and Staff 4
Commissions 5
COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP 6
Quorum and Attendance 6
Vacancies 6
Resignations and Removals 6
MEETINGS 6
Regular Meetings 6
Adjourned Meetings 6
Special Meetings 7
Subcommittees 7
Agendas 7
Preparation for Meetings 7
Minutes 8
Procedure 8
Decorum at Meetings 8
Basis for your Decision 8
CITY WORK PROGRAM 9
COMMUNICATIONS 9
Staying Informed 9
Use of City Email 10
Resources 10
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THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT
A.FORM OF GOVERNMENT
The City of Cupertino operates as a general law city with a City Council‐City Manager
form of government where the City Council sets policy and the City Manager manages
the implementation and administration of those policies.
B.CITY COUNCIL
The City Council is the governing legislative body of the City, consisting of five members
elected in odd numbered years to staggered four‐year terms. These councilmembers then
elect the mayor and vice mayor to one‐year terms. It sets goals and priorities and
establishes policies. The Mayor is the presiding officer of the Council, and the official
spokesperson and representative of the City.
C.CITY MANAGER AND STAFF
City Manager
The City Manager has complete responsibility and authority for the administration
of the City’s government. This individual is appointed by and serves at the
pleasure of the Council and is the appointing authority for the City, selecting the
department heads and other employees. The City Manager coordinates and directs
the services of the City staff, and commissioners should not attempt to direct or
prioritize work for departments or individual staff.
City Clerk
The City Clerk plays an important role for advisory bodies. The City Clerk accepts
and maintains applications, processes appointments, updates membership rosters,
bylaws, informational booklets, and yearly attendance records. The City Clerk is
the filing officer for Statements of Economic Interests, and any other required filing
as identified by the City Council and the State.
Staff
When assigned by the City Manager, staff assist and act in a technical advisory
capacity to the commissions. It is not expected that every staff recommendation
will be followed; however, because of the staff’s technical knowledge, full
consideration should be given to their recommendation. Staff are at liberty to make
their recommendation to the City Council through the City Manager, even though
the commission may have taken a different position. However, in these cases, the
commission recommendation will be made clear to the City Council.
Staff Liaison
A staff liaison is assigned to each commission. Their main duties include
facilitating meetings, preparing agendas, advising commissioners, and writing
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meeting minutes. Commissioners should reach out to their liaison if they have any
questions regarding matters of the commission or if they would like to contact
other staff regarding official business.
D.COMMISSIONS
The primary purpose of the City’s commissions is to serve as advisory bodies to Council
by weighing public input and rendering recommendations to the City Council. There are
times when the advisory body’s recommendation will not be sustained or will be modified
by the City Council. It is important to recognize this not as a rejection of the integrity of the
recommendation, but as an inevitable part of the process of community decision‐making.
The Council has appointed commissioners as advisors to them. This underlying
philosophy makes it improper for an individual commissioner, acting in their official
capacity, to try to persuade the Council into the acceptance of a recommendation other
than that voted by the majority of the commission. The role of a commission is to assist the
City Council in the formation of policy, having been created for the purpose of advising.
The scope of work, purpose, and other primary functions for each commission can be
found in the City Municipal Code Chapter 2.
Chair and Vice Chair
Each year, every commission will elect from its membership a Chairperson
(Chair) and a vice Chairperson (Vice Chair) who serve at the pleasure of the
commission for a one‐year term. The Vice Chair acts in this capacity when the
Chair is not available.
The Chair should:
Maintain order of the meeting, ensure respect for all opinions, protect
commissioners, staff, and the public from personal attacks.
Keep discussion focused on the issue at hand.
Solicit opinions from commissioners. Encourage evaluation of new, tentative,
or incomplete ideas. Discourage overly dominant commissioners from
having disproportionate control over the discussion.
Attempt to reach decisions expeditiously on action items. At those times
when action would be premature, guide discussion toward a timeline or
framework for responsible action.
Set meeting rules early and make sure everyone abides by them without
exception.
Set an acceptable time limit for public testimony (generally three minutes per
individual and 10 minutes per group) and stick to it. At the Chairʹs discretion,
the public can interact with the members of the commission beyond the
public‐comment time limit in order to facilitate better communication of the
agendized topic.
Provide periodic written updates, approved by the full body, to Council
regarding the status of their activities at least every six months.
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COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP
A.QUORUM AND ATTENDANCE
A quorum consists of a majority of the members of the commission. A quorum is required
to conduct business at any meeting whether it is a regular, adjourned, or special meeting.
While it is expected that members be present at all meetings, the Chair should be notified
if a member knows in advance that he/she will be absent. A member shall be considered
removed from an advisory body under the following conditions:
A member misses more than three consecutive meetings
A member misses more than 25% of the advisory body’s meetings in
a calendar year (Resolution 10‐048)
B.VACANCIES
Vacancies are filled by appointment by the Council. Appointments made in the middle of
a term are for the unexpired portion of that term. Council‐appointed Alternates will
automatically fill a vacancy.
C.RESIGNATIONS AND REMOVALS
If a member is unable to continue serving because of health, business requirements or
personal reasons, a letter of resignation should be submitted to the City Council.
The position of any member is automatically vacated when the member ceases to meet the
qualifications for office, when Council accepts the member’s resignation, or when the
Council so declares.
MEETINGS
A.REGULAR MEETINGS
Commissions are required to hold regular meetings open to the public as provided by the
enabling ordinance. The agenda for this meeting must be posted at least 72 hours prior to
the meeting.
B.ADJOURNED MEETINGS
If the business to be considered at a regular meeting cannot be completed, the commission
then may designate a time and date for an adjourned meeting.
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C.SPECIAL MEETINGS
A special meeting may be called by the Chair or a majority of the members with
coordination with the staff liaison.
D.SUBCOMMITTEES
The Chair may appoint special subcommittees of less than a quorum of the commission
who then may meet at their convenience to carry out the purpose of the subcommittee. If
the subcommittee has a continuing subject matter or a regularly scheduled meeting time,
it may qualify as a Brown Act committee and public notice provisions will apply.
E.AGENDAS
Each commission has a staff liaison responsible for preparing agendas in consultation
with the Chair. If a commissioner or staff member intends to bring up an item for
discussion or action, the item must be included on the agenda in accordance with the
Brown Act. For each meeting, a date should be scheduled for the Chair and staff liaison to
set the agenda. Commissioners can propose agenda items within the purpose of the
commission to the staff liaison prior to the agenda setting date.
Future Agenda Setting
The staff liaison will maintain a list of future agenda items that the commission
plans to discuss. The Chair, the staff liaison, or any two commissioners can add an
agenda item within their purpose to the future agenda item list and it will be
scheduled at the discretion of the Chair and staff liaison. To provide
commissioners an opportunity to discuss whether to add an item to the future
agenda item list, each regularly‐scheduled agenda will include a “Future Agenda
Setting” item. Once an item is added to the future agenda item list, it cannot be
removed until it is discussed for removal at a regularly scheduled meeting during
the item for “Future Agenda Setting.” In addition, the item will not be removed if
the Chair or at least two commissioners wish for the item to remain on the future
agenda item list.
Staff Updates and Commissioner Activity Report
Each regularly scheduled agenda will also include a “Staff Updates and
Commissioner Activity Report” item for staff to report on updates and the
members to report any activities they have taken part in related to the commission
since the prior regularly scheduled meeting.
F.PREPARATION FOR MEETINGS
Thoroughly review the agenda packet, including agenda reports, and any other
materials before the meeting. Check if you may have a conflict of interest with any
of the items due to property or monetary interests. If it is unclear, the commissioner
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can explain the situation to the staff liaison who can seek legal counsel from the
City Attorney. For more information on conflicts of interest, please review the Fair
Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Conflicts of Interest Rules.
Understand what action you are being called upon to take for each particular agenda
item.
Contact the Chair or your staff liaison before the meeting to clarify questions about
the agenda or request further information.
Understand the responsibilities of your commission. As a member of an advisory
body you will be asked to provide recommendations to the City Council about
specific issues. Keep in mind that your appointment does not empower you to
supervise or direct City staff.
G. MINUTES
The approved minutes are placed on file by the City Clerk for public access. Commissions
should strive to keep summary minutes as opposed to action minutes. If automatic
transcription is made available to supplement official minutes, action minutes may be
sufficient.
H. PROCEDURE
Commissions follow the guidelines on parliamentary procedure contained in
Rosenberg’s Rules of Order (Rules). These Rules outline how motions are made and the
basic format for an agenda item discussion.
I. DECORUM AT MEETINGS
Discourage outward signs of agreement or disagreement from the audience such
as cheering or clapping. Such demonstrations can intimidate those wishing to
express alternate views and delay the meeting. Also see Conduct of Members in
the Cupertino Ethics Policy.
Limit your own comments to the issues before the commission. Avoid the
appearance of straying from the subject or ʺgrandstandingʺ.
J. BASIS FOR YOUR DECISION
Commission decisions should be based principally on the information presented to you
in the open public meeting process. If you collect pertinent information outside of the
public process through a meeting with stake holders or site visits, you should share
that information with your fellow commissioners in the public meeting. This sharing of
information will ensure that other commissioners and members of the public have a
better understanding of the rationale for your decision.
Commissioners are free to meet or refuse to meet with residents, resident groups,
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developers or prospective contractors or any persons outside of the public meeting
process concerning issues before the commission. If you meet with any individuals
outside of the public meeting you should disclose the content of that meeting in the
public meeting to again ensure that everybody is aware of the facts and have similar
information upon which to base their decision; this disclosure is required for quasi‐
judicial matters1.
All governmental procedures and process must follow due process and allow an
affected party a right to be heard, and to present controverting fact or testimony on the
question of right in the matter involved. Unfair determinations, such as bias,
predetermination, refusal to hear, etc., may invalidate actions.
Keep an open mind. An objective, balanced, and receptive approach will help you
assess the facets of a given issue and evaluate new ideas. When receiving written and
oral public testimony it will be necessary to discern between fact and opinion, as well as
between those concerns which are relevant and those which are secondary to the issue
at hand. Keeping an open mind will make it easier for you to understand all sides of an
issue before you make a judgment or take a position.
CITY WORK PROGRAM
The City Council approves an annual City Work Program to guide the work of the City.
Prior to the first draft of the City Work Program each year, staff will reach out to the
commissions to ask for recommendations of items to add. These recommendations will be
provided to the City Council for consideration, but ultimately the City Council will
determine the final items on the City Work Program. Commissions support City Work
Program items within their scope by reviewing the items and making recommendations to
City Council. Since the City Council sets the City Work Program to guide the priority
efforts in the City, commission agendas should be aligned accordingly. By August 15, each
commission should provide an annual report of all of the topics the commission has
addressed in the prior year.
COMMUNICATIONS
A. STAYING INFORMED
Commissioners should sign up for City email notifications to stay informed of various
community events and public meetings. Council encourages commissioners to attend at
least two community meetings or meetings of other commissions each year.
The City uses social media outlets, surveys, email notifications, the Scene, and the City
website to perform outreach for City business. For appropriate conduct on social media,
1 More information on quasi‐judicial proceedings can be found in the Imposed Restraints document
in the Commission Resources folder.
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see the City’s Social Media Policy. For questions about City outreach, speak with your
staff liaison.
B. USE OF CITY EMAIL
All newly appointed City commissioners will be assigned a mandatory City email
address after reviewing and signing the Technology Use Policy.
As noted under the Brown Act, care should be taken with regard to emails. Never select
“Reply All” to an email to all commissioners or forward an email sent to you by one
commissioner to another commissioner since that would constitute a quorum. All
questions and concerns should be directed to the Chair and staff liaison.
All City emails are subject to the Public Records Act and you should use your City email
only to conduct City business as a commissioner. Please do not forward or reply to a City
email from your personal email address. Once your term on the commission is over, your
City email will be terminated.
RESOURCES
Commissioners should familiarize themselves with the following resources:
City policies relating to ethics, social media, commissions, diversity, and technology, as
well as the City organizational chart, a Rosenberg’s Rules of Order cheat sheet, and
guidance on imposed restraints, can be found online in the Commission Resources folder.
League of California Cities
Rosenberg’s Rules of Order, Brown Act, Public Records Act, and other resources
Institute for Local Government
Parliamentary Procedure Simplified
Ethics and Transparency
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CITY OF CUPERTINO
Legislation Text
Subject: Review submitted nomination for 2021 CREST Awards Sustainability Champion of the Year
Review nomination and vote on the 2021 CREST Awards Sustainability Champion of the Year
File #:21-9011,Version:1
CITY OF CUPERTINO Printed on 3/16/2021Page 1 of 1
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2021 CREST AWARDS
SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION
OF THE YEAR
NOMINATIONS
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20 CREST Awards
Nomination Form
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Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team
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CREST Awards Selection Criteria
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SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR
Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team of Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action
1. What did the nominee do?
The Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team (CYCAT)
(https://www.youthclimateaction.com/cupertino) consists of a group of motivated
students from Cupertino High School, Monta Vista High School, Lynbrook High
School and De Anza College, who have successfully lobbied the Cupertino City
Council to make Cupertino a local leader in climate policy and sustainability. You
have probably heard them speak at a recent Cupertino City Council or Cupertino
Sustainability Commission meeting. Below are highlights of only some of their
recent accomplishments.
Accomplishments from the Past Year
During the pandemic CYCAT, quickly shifted their advocacy work online. They
have attended Sustainability Commission meetings and devised a plan for CAP
advocacy.
The team hosted a virtual Climate Speaker Series with leaders in the climate and
environmental space, bringing together environmentalists from across the spectrum
to share their insights on climate related topics, including CEOs, policy advocates,
and elected officials such as Congressman Ro Khanna.
The students educated and engaged our community members for the November
election by hosting Candidate Forums with Cupertino political candidates
focused on legislative solutions to global warming and effective policy making to
combat our climate crisis. The team helped to create and promote a GOTV (Get-
Out-The-Vote) video to highlight climate change as a priority for the November
election. The video received over 4000 views via social media channels. Watch the
video here: https://www.youthclimateaction.org. The team continues to post
relevant information on social media to educate the public.
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CYCAT members have also done public outreach by tabling at various public
events, hosting meetings and public events at the Cupertino Quinlan Center (pre-
COVID), writing and circulating petitions for city efforts, presenting to tech
companies such as Microsoft, Cisco and Facebook, and meeting with many local
legislators including Assemblymember Evan Low, Assemblymember Ash Kalra,
Cupertino Mayor Steven Scharf (fmr.), Cupertino Councilmember Rod Sinks
(fmr.) and State Senator Dave Cortese.
The team has worked with Environment California, Sierra Club California, and
other climate groups to identify bills that are both impactful and pragmatic. They
have conducted outreach and virtual advocacy meetings with all elected members
of our State legislature that represent Silicon Valley. CYCAT members were
successful in advocating for the bills AB841, AB2287, AB3214, AB3074, AB3163
that were signed into law by California Governor and successful in opposing
AB1002 and AB3279.
• AB2287 - Plastic Product Compostability Certification
• AB3214 - Offshore Oil Spill Penalties
• AB3074 - Ember-Resistant Zones protecting lives and properties from
wildfires
• AB3163 - Wildfire Risk Model which would help the state and communities
prepare for wildfires
Successful in opposing the following bills:
• AB1002 - Eliminating EV Charging Infrastructure Incentives
• AB3279 - Making CEQA Lawsuits more expensive
CYCAT led the effort in Silicon Valley to organize support this AB 841 for our
schools. Governor Newsom signed into law this bill authored by Assemblymember
Phil Ting that will make our air safer to breathe and water safer to drink in public
schools, while also reducing energy bills. The bill will also accelerate the
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installation of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, combatting our largest
source of air pollution while also making our air healthier.
Lastly, the CYCAT helped to host Leadership Workshops to equip students with
skills and strategies to fight for our planet; topics covered included online team
management, effective policy advocacy, and organizing in the digital world. The
students involved learned 21st century skills that will prepare them for higher
education and life.
Previous Accomplishments
Thanks to their efforts, the Cupertino City Council recently voted on aggressive
building electrification “reach codes” and a natural gas ban, both of which aimed
to curtail carbon and methane emissions from buildings. Fossil fuels burnt during
building warming make up 20-30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in
California and this is an important first step towards reducing them. In 2019, the
team also advocated for single-use plastic reduction and city divestment from fossil
fuels.
CYCAT was able to be added to a City Council agenda as a Special Presentation
item where they lobbied the Cupertino City Council to add four proactive
environmental solutions to their 2019 Council Work Program. Their presentation
can be watched here: https://www.youthclimateaction.com/cupertino
The team worked on advocating for 6 policy initiatives for 2020: “Green
Mondays”, single-use plastic waste reduction, water conservation, public outreach
and education, sustainability student internships and implementing carbon-negative
building materials. Watch a recent presentation by them here:
https://www.youthclimateaction.com/cupertino
On both the city and school district level, the CYCAT is advocating for the
reduction of single-use plastic products. In recent years, throwaway plastic
production and consumption has seen a drastic increase, made more evident by the
many environmental consequences that have resulted from it. By lobbying against
the distribution of single-use plastic products, the team aims to reduce Cupertino’s
contribution to fossil fuel industries and the accumulation of non-biodegradable
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waste. The team was successful in lobbying the Fremont Union High School
District to transition all high schools in FUHSD away from single use plastics for
condiments and utensils. This includes a transition to more biodegradable
packaging for all food packaging needs.
In addition to these city efforts, the Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team was
instrumental in organizing the Silicon Valley Climate Strike that occurred on Sept
20, 2019. Several thousand people attended the strike, several major news channels
covered it, and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors officially commended
the Silicon Valley Youth Climate Strike organizers for this effort. They were
honored and recognized for bringing together thousands of climate protesters
representing a powerful new wave in the climate justice movement.
2.How is the action innovative, exceptional, exemplary, or inspirational?
This initiative is student-led and indicative of the next generation using their voice
to help fight the global climate crisis. The City of Cupertino should support youth
involvement and civic engagement. CYCAT is aa perfect model for this. The team
is open to all students and provides them with the tools and opportunities to be
involved in local climate advocacy and policy. The younger generation has a key
role to play in addressing our climate crisis. Young people across the country and
the world are taking the action necessary to tackle climate change, often when their
leaders have failed them. CYCAT works to combat climate change in their local
jurisdiction through public policy initiatives. Their efforts have inspired mirroring
youth climate action teams in other cities such as Santa Clara, San Jose,
Sunnyvale, Los Altos, and Morgan Hill.
Their movement here in Cupertino is part of a quickly growing number of similar
initiatives throughout the world. All of them are led by young people, who will
bear the greatest burdens from oncoming climate change and are now taking the
boldest actions to mitigate the threat.
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Many of these leaders are from Generation Z, born approximately between 1997
and 2012. Generation Z is reportedly the most anxious generation we have ever
known – and there are many good reasons. Young people today belong to the first
generations to grow up amid real-time reports of the destruction of climate change,
which for older people has so long been something so much more abstract.
These students had epiphanies after watching the increasing destruction of our
natural environment. They are the generation that watched Katrina. And they’re
turning their unprecedented interconnectedness into power, expanding their actions
exponentially as they influence each other.
The students have learned the power of teamwork and coalition building with key
stakeholders at every level, making a positive impact on their local community.
These stories from the students in CYCAT are what give us hope for our future.
3.What was the current and/or future impact on the community/environment
(include quantitative impacts if possible)?
One of the key aspects of ensuring a lasting change that spans multiple generations
is to engage the younger generation. CYCAT is motivated by the next generation
of leaders that are already taking drastic action to address our climate emergency,
an issue that will continue to affect us years from now. The team has continuously
called on our City to adequately address intensifying climate impacts which,
unabated, would dramatically destroy human health and development, land and sea
food chain networks, and every ecosystem on our earth.
The team is currently working on developing a two-hour climate advisory to
include impact of climate change, solutions, careers and actions that will reach
10,000 Fremont Union High School District students during Spring 2021 Earth
Week. The advisory will be available for other school districts since climate
change is not a required subject in K-12, however, the students are eager to gain
knowledge since climate change is top issue for them. They are also working on
organizing a climate Speaker Series for the summer of 2021 to focus solutions and
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career opportunities in partnership with Silicon Valley Clean Energy, our local
community choice energy provider. Students will continue advocacy efforts at the
local level, working on advocacy efforts to update the city’s Climate Action Plans
(CAP) that will cut down emissions and meet our state climate goals.
The CYCAT helped to successfully advocate for the VTA board to pass 1) a
"Future Ballot Measure" policy to prevent transit operations from being
underfunded in the future and 2) a "Naming Rights Marketing Authorization"
which will help generate revenue to save transit in Santa Clara County. They
helped successfully advocate for the VTA SR85 Corridor Policy Advisory Board
to recommend VTA avoid adding lanes to Highway 85 and instead add sustainable
public transit and were part of the successful effort for VTA to declare a climate
emergency and draft a comprehensive sustainability plan, one of the most
progressive and comprehensive climate action plans in the Country, putting $118
million towards bold sustainable transportation initiatives.
Thanks to the advocacy efforts of local environmental groups, including the
Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team, the Cupertino City Council voted to
officially pass All-Electric Reach Codes for Cupertino. Every three years, cities
and counties across the state adopt the new Building Standards Code or Title 24 of
the California Code of Regulations. Cities and counties may adopt building codes
more advanced than those required by the state, which are known as “reach” codes.
By developing electrification reach codes, the City of Cupertino can save energy
and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Every new gas line that we build is a
huge financial liability to our community, as gas rates continue to rise as the cost
of gas maintenance increases for the declining number of gas users. The constant
methane leaks from gas lines are devastating to our climate while indoor gas use
pollutes our homes, causing serious health impacts.
Thanks to the work of the team, all high schools in the Fremont Union High
School District are currently switching to dispensers for all condiments, as opposed
to single-use plastic, and switching forks, spoons and knives to biodegradable
materials. Given the current infrastructure, accounting for and recycling single-use
plastics is difficult and ineffective, and thus a concerning amount of plastic waste
accumulates on our streets, in our oceans and waterways, and in the landfill. In
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fact, 25% of waste produced in California consists of single-use food and beverage
containers. And although important, emphasis on disposal belies a more immediate
necessity: reduction. We need to make reduction efforts that reflect the caring and
environmentally conscious community we live in.
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CITY OF CUPERTINO
Legislation Text
Subject: Update from Public Works Environmental Division staff on FY 2020-21 City Work Program
item on development of single-use plastics ordinance
Receive update and provide any feedback
File #:21-9030,Version:1
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