Title
Planning Commission Liaisons to other Advisory Committees - Annual Appointments
Recommended Action
Commission's Chair to designate members of the Commission to serve as liaisons to other City advisory committees as described below.
Report
Issue:
Selected members of the Planning Commission customarily attend meetings of and serve as liaisons to various other City advisory committees. These have been one-year renewable appointments made by the Chair of the Planning Commission.
Staff Contact:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development Department, (360.753.8597)
Presenter:
Discussion to be led by the Chair.
Background and Analysis:
For many years the Planning Commission has selected individual members to attend the meetings of certain other City advisory committees. This activity is at the discretion of the Commission and its Chair and is not required by rule or law. These "liaisons" often report to those committees regarding Commission activities and business, report to the Commission regarding the activities and business of the other committee, and have some authority to speak for the Commission in this role.
Pursuant to Commission rules, these appointments - if any -- are made by the Chair. However, they are customarily 'volunteer' positions based on individual member interests. For continuity, a Commission member will usually serve as a liaison from April 1 to March 31 of the following year. (This year appointments are being made a bit later than usual.)
Until this year, City ordinances also provided that the Commission was to select a Planning Commissioner to serve as a member of each the Design Review Board, the Utility Advisory Committee and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. Due to a recent ordinance amendment, these memberships will end in April of 2015. The staff recommends that the Commission consider appointing liaisons to these advisory committees in lieu of the membership position.
Each of the potential liaisons is briefly described below. More information regarding each of these advisory committees is available on the City's website.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
None known.
Options:
Appoint liaisons to
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Known as "BPAC" (pronounced 'bee-pak') this committee advises the staff and City Council regarding non-motorized transportation issues. BPAC meets at 6:15 p.m. on a half-dozen fourth Wednesdays each year. Commissioner Parker served as OPC's liaison to BPAC in 2014. (For this summary, April 1, 2014 through March 31, 2015 is described as "2014.")
Design Review Board (DRB). The Board reviews development projects for compliance with the City's design criteria and advises staff and the City Council regarding development architecture and landscaping design issues. Due to the nature of development review, the Board is a 'quasi-judicial' body. The Board meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Until April of 2015 the Planning Commission appointed one of the DRB members. Commissioner Hoppe filled this role in 2014.
Heritage Commission. The eleven-member Heritage Commission reviews buildings and sites for Heritage registration, and advises staff and the City Council regarding issues related to the community's heritage and historic preservation. Many of its roles are defined by state and federal rules. The Heritage Commission meets nine times each year at 6:30 p.m. on 4th Wednesdays. Commissioner Bardin served as liaison to the Heritage Commission in 2014.
Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC). This committee advises the City Council regarding parks and recreation plans, policies, programs and projects. PRAC meets at the Olympia Center eight times each year at 6 p.m. on first Thursdays of the month. In 2014, the Planning Commission appointed a member of PRAC. Commissioner Hoppe served in this role in 2014.
Utility Advisory Committee. The UAC is the principal policy advisor to the City Council and staff on utility matters, including drinking water, wastewater, storm and surface water and solid waste. The UAC meets at 5:40 p.m. at city hall on the first Thursday of each month, except July and August. In 2015 UAC is scheduled to play a prominent role in updating the city's stormwater regulations. Planning Commissioner Richmond served as member of UAC in 2014.
Note: CERC Citizens' Advisory Committee. During 2014 Commissioners Brown and Parker served on this 'ad hoc' committee. This committee has completed its tasks and will not be meeting in 2015.
Other similar committees - to which the Planning Commission could but has NOT traditionally appointed a liaison:
Arts Commission. The Arts Commission advises the City Council, supports local arts and artists and guides the City's public art program. The Commission meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at City Hall.
Coalition of Neighborhood Associations. The Coalition is a private entity composed of representatives from many of the neighborhood associations recognized by the City pursuant to a City ordinance. The relationship of the Coalition and the City is established by a 'memorandum of understanding.' The "Steering Committee" of the Coalition meets at city hall at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month.
Human Services Review Council. HRSC is a regional body composed of one elected official and one citizen from each major jurisdiction to recommend annual countywide social service funding.
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. This five-member committee meets twice each year to advise the Council regarding lodging tax expenditures. It is chaired by a Council member.
Parking and Business Improvement Area Board (PBIA). PBIA members are elected by ratepayers to advise the City Council regarding PBIA fund investments and budgets, and to prepare a communication plan. PBIA meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall on the second Thursday of each month.
Financial Impact:
None.