RESOLUTION 05-113

A RESOLUTION OF THE HOMER CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHING A FORMAL PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING COMMUNITY PLANNING ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED BY THE COUNCIL, THE ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION, THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, AND THE PUBLIC.

WHEREAS, The City Council recently adopted Resolution 05-91 (A) entitled “ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOMER REQUESTING THAT THE CITY MANAGER BEGIN THE PROCESS OF RESTRUCTURING AND UPGRADING THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT”, and

WHEREAS, Resolution 05-91 (A) addressed the unprecedented growth the City has experienced over the past few years, outlined the increased workload and responsibility this has created for staff with respect to planning and code enforcement, and articulated the Council’s desire that growth proceed in an orderly and well planned manner, and

WHEREAS, The NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED section of this resolution “requests that the City Manager begin the process of restructuring and upgrading the planning department and conduct public hearings for public input into the process”, and

WHEREAS, Resolution 05-91 (A) focused exclusively upon upgrading the Planning Department as the solution to addressing the planning issues and concerns this community is confronted with, and

WHEREAS, Subsequent to the adoption of Resolution 05-91 (A), the City department heads and the City Council have separately discussed this topic and there appears to be general agreement that the scope and extent of community planning issues that should be addressed extends far beyond the question of whether the Planning Department should be restructured and upgraded, and

WHEREAS, The City Council believes that addressing these issues in a direct, open, and honest manner will benefit the entire community and wishes to set in motion a process that will accomplish this goal, and

WHEREAS, The Council believes that it would be beneficial and more productive to hold a series of meetings and workshops before a public hearing is held.

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Resolution 05-113

City of Homer

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the City Council hereby establishes the following general process for identifying and addressing outstanding community planning issues and concerns that have been raised by the Council, the Advisory Planning Commission, the City Administration, and the public.

STEP 1: Establish a small working group that consists of two Council members, two Planning Commission members, the City Planner, the Public Works Director, and the City Manager. This group can get together as many times as is necessary but should complete its work within one month. The working group’s charge is to identify the outstanding issues and concerns of all parties and to develop an agenda, meeting format, and goals and objectives for a workshop between the Council, the Commission, and the administration.

STEP 2: Conduct a workshop. The participants are the City Council, the Advisory Planning Commission, and the Administration. The workshop or workshops will be open to the public but the public cannot participate directly in the discussions. The purpose is to have direct dialog between the Council, the Commission, and the Administration. The workshop will be conducted using the format and agenda developed by the working group. One of the goals of the workshop will be to agree upon a list of issues and topics that the Council would like to solicit public testimony on.

STEP 3: The working group drafts a proposed action plan which identifies outstanding issues and problems and recommends steps that can be taken to address them. These recommendations are forwarded to the Council and the Planning Commission.

STEP 4: The Council schedules a public hearing on planning issues and concerns generally and on the proposed action plan specifically.

STEP 5: The Council, after considering the public comments, and hearing recommendations from the Planning Commission and the administration, takes steps to adopt an action plan to improve the overall community planning function within the City in order to better serve the public and provide the level and quality of service Homer’s residents desire.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council this 14^th day of November, 2005.

CITY OF HOMER

JAMES C. HORNADAY, MAYOR

ATTEST:

MARY L. CALHOUN,CMC,CITY CLERK

Fiscal Note: No impact