The Sunnyvale Sun

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Council, residents prepare to rank priorities for 2007

By JASON GOLDMAN-HALL

Each December, the Sunnyvale City Council lays out its plan for the coming year, including ranking the often more than 100 items that the council, public and city staff have identified as important.

On Dec. 15, the council will meet at 8:30 a.m. in council chambers to formally rank those issues and determine what items the council will devote its limited time and resources to in 2007.

On Nov. 28, a full chamber of residents turned out to lobby for items to be included on the list and encourage already-listed items to be formally taken up for study.

Because of limited time and meetings throughout the year, not all of the potential items can be studied. One example--the issue of gas station owners being able to offer full convenience store offerings--was passed over for discussion in 2006, but had more than 20 people in the audience calling for it to be ranked high enough to be studied in 2007. It is currently No. 25 on the list of community development issues.

During the summer, as gas prices soared above $3 a gallon at most stations, a petition was collected by Sunnyvale gas station owners and managers that garnered more than 2,600 signatures in three days. The petition called for the council to address an ordinance that prohibits owners from offering anything other than small gifts and items from vending machines at their stations.

Because gas prices are set mainly by suppliers, not local vendors, station owners rely on convenience store sales to turn a profit and support expansion and improvement.

"Currently, our business structures do not allow us to survive on a gas [profit] margin," said Sam Hirbod, owner of the Chevron station on El Camino Real and Mary Avenue. "We always get squeezed as gas prices go up."

In addition, station owners say because they cannot sell groceries, they are forced to raise gas prices to make up the difference, which station owners in cities where grocery sales are permitted don't have to do.

Another item up for study that the council will likely address in the coming year, which has also been receiving a lot of council attention lately, is the idea of expanding green development. Several residents called for new environmental requirements for projects, including civic structures, to help the city become a leader in sustainable, environmentally friendly construction.

"The city can't really expect landowners and businesses to do it if they're not going it with their own buildings," said longtime resident Bob Lawson. Along with his wife, Margaret, Lawson called for an "aggressive, resolute addressing of green buildings" in the city.

Along the green lines, several residents also called for a review of the city ordinances governing street trees and replacement of trees that pose a hazard or nuisance.

All study issues that have received council endorsement over the year will be ranked at the Dec. 15 study issues workshop. For a full list of study issues, visit the city's website at http://sunnyvale.ca.gov and click on the Study Issues Workshop link on the right side.