Report Prepared by: Jennifer Levesque, Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk's Office
Title
SUBJECT: Annual Appointments to the Planning Commission (Districts 2 and 5)
REPORT IN BRIEF
Accept nominations to fill seats on the Planning Commission.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Accepting nominations and appointing individuals to serve as members of the Planning Commission (Districts 2 and 5); or,
B. Accepting nominations and appointing as many members as Council sees appropriate and directing staff to continue the recruitment of applicants.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended; or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Direct the Clerk's Office to continue recruitment for the vacancies.
AUTHORITY
Merced Municipal Code, Section 3.38.050.
DISCUSSION
The Planning Commission holds public hearings to periodically update the City's General Plan and to review applications for discretionary development within the City, including recommendations for projects requiring final City Council action. In doing so, it studies land subdivisions, planning, and zoning matters, and recommends to the City Council the adoption, amendment, or repeal of the City's General Plan for the physical development of the City. The Planning Commission also serves as the Design Review/Historic Preservation Commission and as the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
At the Council meeting of March 21, 2022, staff was directed to return to a yearly appointment process for the reappointment of eligible members and the appointment of new applicants to vacant board or commission seats.
The Clerk's office began a recruitment campaign that consisted of two 1/4 page ads in the Merced County Times in May and June, a social media push over several weeks coordinated with the Public Information Officer to alert citizens of the vacancies and expiring terms, and a series of emails for each board or commission sent to over 3,000 recipients notifying th...
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