REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Recommendation from the Governance and Ethics Committee for Approval of Proposed Amendments to Council Policy 035 ('Naming of City Streets, Parks and Other Facilities")
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara currently has an existing Council Policy 035 ("Naming of Facilities") (Attachment 1), which establishes the criteria and procedures for naming City facilities to ensure naming decisions are made equitably and consistently. However, the existing policy does not address the guidelines and procedures for the naming of parks, recreation facilities, or streets.
The naming of parks and recreation facilities has a separate procedure. Under this process, the Parks and Recreation Department submits naming recommendations for new parks and recreation facilities to the Parks and Recreation Commission, which serves in an advisory role to the City Council. The Commission then forwards its recommendations to the Governance and Ethics Committee and ultimately to the City Council for final approval.
Similarly, the naming of streets is managed through a separate process overseen by the Historical and Landmarks Commission (HLC). The HLC acts in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to historical landmarks, including the naming and renaming of streets, museums, and the establishment thereof in the City, and the marking and preservation of historical landmarks and places. The HLC makes a recommendation directly to the City Council.
To enhance clarity and consistency in the naming of all City facilities including parks and streets, staff reviewed Council Policy 035 and developed proposed amendments to the Council Policy. These revisions were presented to the Governance and Ethics Committee on June 2, 2025.
At the June 2, 2025 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting, the Committee reviewed the proposed changes to Council Policy 035 ("Naming of City Streets, Parks and Other Facilities") (Attachment ...
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