9/24/2013 Council Preview – Payday Lending and Recycled Water

Diverse night.  Note that Councilmember Davis will be teleconferencing.

We start the evening with a study session involving a new project proposed in Moffett Park.  A developer is proposing to use up almost all of the remaining planned but unused office space allotment in one project, and we’ll be hearing about what the project may involve.

Next is the general meeting.  There aren’t any special orders or presentations.  There’s a decent-sized consent calendar, including two public safety grants, an increase in the cost of the road modifications near PAMF, a major IT network upgrade, and a resolution involving Safe Routes to Transit.

Item 2 involves regulation of payday lending establishments.  This reflects a growing concern about the predatory nature of some of these establishments, and we’ll be looking at possibly adopting restrictions.  Staff identifies four options: A) place restrictions on new establishments, B) outright ban new establishments, C) cap the number of establishments, and D) do nothing.

Item 3 involves possible revisions to the sign code.  We recently did an update to the sign code, and unbeknownst to some councilmembers, the recent update seems to have legalized the placement of temporary (political) signs in landscaped areas between sidewalks and streets.  I expect the discussion will look at whether or not this was a desired change, and whether or not to pursue restoring the previous restriction on political signs.

Item 4 involves adopting a cost-sharing agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Water District to extend the scope of Sunnyvale’s recycled water system down Wolfe to the far southern part of the city.

Item 4 has us potentially taking positions on the November ballot measures.  Staff is recommending supporting the transient occupancy tax increase, and taking no position on the other two.

And item 5 is possible ratification of Councilmember Davis’ appointment as the “Central County” representative to the Santa Clara County Emergeny Operational Area Committee.

Pretty straightforward agenda, although I expect a lot of speakers on the payday lending issue.

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9/24/2013 Council Preview – Payday Lending and Recycled Water — 1 Comment