Resolution 14-029 Amending Planning Commission Bylaws to Permit Four Instead of Five Members Approve a Conditional Use Permit and Variance and Allowing More Unexcused Absences

CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA

City Manager/Planning

RESOLUTION 14­-029

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, AMENDING THE HOMER ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION BYLAWS “QUORUM; VOTING” TO PERMIT FOUR INSTEAD OF FIVE MEMBERS TO APPROVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR A VARIANCE; AND “VACANCIES” TO CHANGE THE NUMBER OF SUCCESSIVE UNEXCUSED ABSENCES THAT MAKE A COMMISSION MEMBER SUBJECT TO REMOVAL FROM TWO TO THREE.

               WHEREAS, The Homer Advisory Planning Commission is made up of appointed members who despite their best efforts cannot attend every commission meeting; and

               WHEREAS, Requiring a supermajority of the commission’s membership to approve a conditional use permit or a variance impedes with their ability to conduct hearings and issue decisions on a timely basis; and

               WHEREAS, By expanding the Commission’s authority to approve a conditional use permit or a variance with four members instead of five members is in the City’s best interest to conduct business timely; and

WHEREAS, It has been difficult to recruit new commissioners and it is in the City’s best interest to increase the number of successive unexcused absences before a Commission member is subject to removal.

               WHEREAS, These amendments were reviewed and discussed by the Homer Advisory Planning Commission at their November 6, 2013 and January 2, 2014 meetings and received unanimous support from the commission.

               NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of Homer, Alaska, hereby amends the Homer Advisory Planning Commission Bylaws “Quorum; Voting” to permit four instead of five members to approve a conditional use permit or a variance; and “Vacancies” to increase the number of successive unexcused absences before a Commission member is subject to removal from two to three.

                    PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council on this ___ day of February, 2014.   

                                                                                                         CITY OF HOMER

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            _______________________

                                                                                                         MARY E. WYTHE, MAYOR

ATTEST:

______________________________

JO JOHNSON, MMC, CITY CLERK

Fiscal Note: N/A