Title
Planning Commission Work Plan for 2015 - Review and Discussion
Recommended Action
Review Approved Work Plan and provide direction to the Chair and staff liaison as Commission members deem appropriate.
Report
Issue:
On March 31, 2015, the City Council approved the Planning Commission's Work Plan for April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016. The work plan included a "Schedule (Estimated Timeline)" for each item. Specific meeting agendas are generally established by the Chair in coordination with the staff liaison. The staff will provide an overview of the work plan. Commission members may wish to make suggestions regarding scheduling or other aspects of the work plan.
Staff Contact:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development Department, Phone 360.753.8597
Presenter:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner
Background and Analysis:
Each year the Planning Commission proposes and the City Council approves a "work plan" for Commission's coming work-year of April 1 through March 31. The work plan includes activities mandated by various rules and laws, and - to the extent resources are sufficient -- activities proposed by the Commission. On March 31, 2015, the Council approved the Commission's 2015 work plan. This work plan is consistent with the work programs of the various City departments. Subject to amendment by the Council, this work plan will guide scheduling of agenda items at the Commission's meetings for the next twelve months.
The attached work plan differs from the one recommended by the Commission in two respects. It includes a Council-approved "Council priority" column reflecting how each work item will, or may not, support goals established at the Council's annual retreat. And, because it has been many months since the original version was drafted, it includes a new "Revised Schedule" reflecting City staff's current best estimate regarding when each of the work items will be ready for presentation to the Commission. In addition, attached is a staff memo to Council regarding the potential need to revisit this work plan later this year - such as to address any yet-to-be-identified need to update critical areas regulations by June 31, 2016, to conform with the Growth Management Act.
At the meeting, the staff will provide background regarding each of the work plan items approved by Council. In particular, staff will provide an overview of the scope of the proposed Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendments that may be forwarded by Council for the Commission's review.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
No specific interest in general work plan known. Various members of public have interest in specific items including scheduling of those items.
Options:
Provide suggestions and recommendations to Chair and staff at the Commission's discretion. In particular the Commission may wish to address the timeframe for the Commission's annual retreat. The Commission may recommend that the 'Revised Schedule' replace the current "Schedule" on the version of the Work Plan posted on the Commission web-page.
Financial Impact:
None specific to this agenda item; so long as the Commission doesn't propose moving a work item forward on the schedule before resources are expected to be available.