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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Rules Amendment - Rule No. 9 - Amending Council/Agency Meeting Held: 0 &Tko� Deferred/Continued to: ppr ve6"IMAU ed ❑ Denied �.�Cit C erk' Signat Council Meeting Date: 10/19/2009 Department Number: PL09-22 CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION SUBMITTED TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SUBMITTED BY: PLANNING COMMISSION PREPARED BY: CHAIR ELIZABETH SHIER BURNETT, PLANNING COMMISSION SCOTT HESS, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING SUBJECT: APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION RULES (RULE NO.9) Statement 7ofissue,Funding Source,Recommended Action,Alternative Action(s),Analysis,Environmental Status,Attachment(s) Statement of Issue: Transmitted for your consideration is a proposed amendment to the approved Planning Commission Rules. The Planning Commission approved the amendment to Rule No. 9 of their Planning Commission Rules and is recommending approval. Funding Source: Not Applicable Recommended Action: Motion to: "Approve the Planning Commission Rules as amended by the Planning Commission." Planning Commission Action on July 28, 2009: THE MOTION MADE BY SCANDURA, SECONDED BY FARLEY, TO APPROVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION RULES AS AMENDED AND FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL CARRIED BY THE FOLLWING VOTE: AYES: MANTINI, FARLEY, SHIER BURNETT, SCANDURA, DELGLEIZE NOES: NONE ABSENT: LIVENGOOD ABSTAIN: SPEAKER REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION MEETING DATE: 10119/2009 DEPARTMENT ID NUMBER: PL09-22 Alternative Action(s): The City Council may make the following alternative motion: "Continue the Planning Commission Rules and direct staff accordingly." Analysis: The Planning Commission established a new set of Rules and approved them at a meeting on January 10, 2006. The Rules were forwarded to the City Council for their review and the City Council approved them on May 15, 2006. The Rules regulate how the Planning Commission conducts their meetings, how they work with staff and how they may request an item be placed on an agenda. The rules were primarily taken from past Planning Commission Protocols. The Planning Commission recently amended (reworded) Rule No. 9 of their approved Rules. The amendment serves to make the Planning Commission's rules track the Political Reform Act ("PRA") more closely. The amendment specifies that the Commissioners must abstain when there is a financial interest in a decision as determined by the PRA. Further, the financial interest must be identified and the Commissioners must leave the dais until the item has been concluded unless the PRA provides otherwise. The Planning Commission discussed the various circumstances in which a Commissioner could possibly remain in the room under the PRA. Strategic Plan Goal: The Planning Commission's amendment to their approved Rules is consistent with the City Council's Strategic Plan Goal to "Improve Internal and External Communications" by the continued community involvement and dialogue during their public meetings. The Planning Commission continues to provide opportunities for citizens to become involved in local government during the public hearing process regarding the various projects they review. Environmental Status: Not Applicable Attachment(s): , o - Tu 1. Legislative Draft Planning Commission Rules dated July 24, 2009 -2- 10/8/2009 1:48 PM ATTACHMENT # 1L] RULES OO PLANNING COMMISSION �a of the CITY OF HUNTI6NGTOVN BEACH (Legislative Draft m July 24, 2009) DURING STUDY SESSIONS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1. Commissioners shall not speak until recognized by the Chair or as provided in Robert's Rules of Order. 2. Commissioners shall not debate members of the public who are providing testimony. 3. Neither the Chair nor any Commissioner shall permit members of the public to engage in a dialogue with Commissioners, staff or other persons in the audience during the meeting. 4. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public or applicants during the public hearing portion of the meeting or during breaks in the meeting. 5. Commissioners shall not indicate or communicate electronically, or by word or action how they intend to vote prior to a meeting and during study sessions and public hearings. Commissioners shall wait until all the testimony has been heard and the public hearing is closed. 6. Commissioners shall disclose any communications with the applicant or other interested parties, or any site visit performed, or other relevant evidence, prior to voting on the item. 7. Commissioners shall give a brief reason when making a motion for approval, denial or continuance. 8. Commissioners shall state the reason for any abstention. 9. When abstaining from an item due to a financial interest in a decision within the meaning of Government Code Section 87100, GenfliGt of int�ct, Commissioners shall identify the economic interest that gives rise to the conflict and leave the room until the Commission concludes that item, except as otherwise provided for in state law. WheR abstaining from an item due potential n (anmmio n�rs shall leave the dam until the TC�G1T"1—G1�f�t��7Q[GTfCfal'�AiL�J�"�TTTRTJ.7'NTfGTa��7. TI GRT ���crr a v Gemmiocien nnnnludes that item Legislative Draft-July 28,2009 1 10. Commissioners shall allow the staff to state their professional opinions even if they clash with those of the Commission. 11. Commissioner comments deemed out of order are cause for the Chair to re-take the floor subject to Robert's Rules of Order. 12. At any public meeting of the Planning Commission, Commissioners shall not characterize any individual or entity's position on any issue unless the individual or entity's position is contained in writing, or without first asking the individual or entity, at that meeting, their position on the subject in question. WORKING WITH STAFF: 13. Commissioners should discuss any concern relative to the agenda or procedure with the Chair. Any concern regarding staff reports, presentations, public information, staff performance, etc., should be directed to the Planning Manager and/or Planning Director. 14. Commissioners should meet or contact Planning staff prior to the meeting in order to have their questions or concerns addressed or resolved on any agenda item. 15. Commissioners should call and schedule meetings with staff in advance, as staff may not be immediately available to meet with a Commissioner. 16. Commissioners shall ask the project planner questions (information only) about their project. When seeking services (research, exhibits, revised findings and conditions, etc.) from anyone in the Planning Department, Commissioners should work only through the Planning Manager or Principal Planner. OTHER: 17. When speaking/presenting before the City Council, Planning Commission, or other legislative bodies at a public meeting, Commissioners shall clearly and affirmatively indicate that they are not speaking on behalf of the Planning Commission, or in the capacity of a Planning Commissioner, unless authorized to do so, and shall indicate their representative capacity at the beginning of the statement (e.g., a home owner or business owner, or as a private citizen). 18. Commissioners may meet with an applicant solely to gather information, and shall not negotiate terms and conditions of approval. 19. While Commissioners may encourage the general public to appear at any Planning Commission hearing or meeting to express their views, Commissioners shall not, directly or indirectly, encourage any members of the public to attend 2 any meeting to advocate a particular position, imagined or real, on any agendized item to be voted on by the Planning Commission. 20. Commissioners shall submit all written materials related to agenda items in time for inclusion in the staff report for the meeting that the items will be heard. These materials shall be included in the staff report that is distributed to the Commissioners, City staff, and the public for review. Any written materials that are not submitted by a Commissioner in time for inclusion in the staff report are deemed a late communication. The Commission shall consider a late communication from a Commissioner in the same manner as any other late communication received for that meeting, or may authorize by a majority vote to continue the agenda item to a future meeting in order to allow time to examine the late communications. COMMISSIONER REQUEST AGENDA ITEMS: 21. The process for Commissioners' request to place an item on the Planning Commission agenda for consideration shall be: a. Item should be of general interest and not a project already in process by staff. b. The request shall be communicated in writing or email to the Principal Planner and Planning Commission Chair with supplemental reports and/or information prepared by the Commissioner (not staff). c. The request shall be submitted at least one (1) week in advance of the Planning Commission meeting at which it is to be considered. d. Item shall be added to the appropriate meeting agenda under PLANNING COMMISSION REQUEST ITEMS. e. At the meeting, the Commissioner making such request shall make a presentation of the item. f. The Planning Commission, upon motion and by majority vote, may accept or deny the item, or may continue the item for further consideration at a subsequent meeting and direct staff accordingly. g. If a continued item requires more than four (4) hours of staff time, a memo from the Commission is prepared and submitted to the City Administrator and/or the City Council for approval and direction. h. If a continued item requires four (4) hours or less of staff time, or if an item requires more than four (4) hours of staff time and is approved by the City Administrator or the City Council, the item shall be placed on the Planning Department Work Program and prioritized as staff resources permit. i. If item does not receive a majority vote of the Planning Commission, consideration of the item (and any staff time) shall be deemed denied. 3 ADOPTION: APPROVED AND ADOPTED ON THE 24T" DAY OF JULY, 2009, as the Rules of the Planning Commission of the City of Huntington Beach, by a vote of 5-0-2 (Livengood Absent, Speaker Abstain). ATTEST: Scott Hess, Secretary Elizabeth Shier Burnett, Chair Planning Commission 4 CA ROUTING SHEET INITIATING DEPARTMENT: PLANNING SUBJECT: Planning Commission Rules a Amended Rule No. 9 COUNCIL MEETING DATE: October 19, 2009 RCA ATTACHMENTS STATUS Ordinance (w/exhibits & legislative draft if applicable) Attached ❑ Not Applicable Resolution (w/exhibits & legislative draft if applicable) Attached ❑ Not Applicable Tract Map, Location Map and/or other Exhibits Attached ❑ Not Applicable Contract/Agreement (w/exhibits if applicable) Attached ❑ (Signed in full by the City Attorney) Not Applicable Subleases, Third Party Agreements, etc. Attached ❑ (Approved as to form by City Attorney) Not Applicable Certificates of Insurance (Approved by the City Attorney) Attached ❑ Not Applicable Fiscal Impact Statement (Unbudgeted, over$5,000) Attached ❑ Not Applicable Bonds (If applicable) Attached ❑ Not Applicable Staff Report (If applicable) Attached Not Applicable ❑ Commission, Board or Committee Report (If applicable) Attached ❑ Not Applicable Findings/Conditions for Approval and/or Denial Attached ❑ Not Applicable EXPLANATION FOR MISSING ATTACHMENTS REVIEWED RE RNED FORWARDED Administrative Staff Deputy City Administrator Initial r`ry City Administrator Initial City Clerk ( ) EXPLANAT ON FOR RETURN OF ITEM: AIE k6)�LL�J-10,44J( RCA Author: SH:hf