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Court order suspends Yakima City ordinance expanding Planning Commission; commission reverts to seven seats and elects Hitchcock vice chair
Summary
A judge's March 7 order suspended ordinances that had expanded the Yakima Planning Commission from seven to 11 members, the city attorney told commissioners March 12. The commission returned to its original seven-seat roster and elected Commissioner Charles Hitchcock as vice chair by voice vote.
At its March 12 meeting, the Yakima Planning Commission learned a judge had suspended ordinances passed by the City Council in March 2024 that would have expanded the commission from seven to 11 members, City Attorney Sarah told the commission. As a result, the commission reverted to the original seven-seat roster and selected Commissioner Charles Hitchcock as vice chair by voice vote.
The city attorney described the sequence for commissioners: the council passed ordinances in March 2024 to change the commission; a lawsuit was filed in May 2024 challenging that process; and “on March 7 … the judge entered an order suspending the ordinances that were passed by the council, which made the changes to the planning commission,” City Attorney Sarah said. She added that the council voted the previous night to appeal the order, but the court order remained effective because no stay had been granted.
The suspension means the four seats created by the ordinance “do not exist right now,” City Attorney Sarah said, and the city must follow the court’s order unless another court action alters it. Commissioners discussed that bylaws and internal positions established for an 11-member commission would need adjustment; the commission added an item to the agenda to elect a new vice chair.
Commissioners nominated and elected Commissioner Charles Hitchcock as vice chair. A motion to nominate Hitchcock was made and subsequently seconded; commissioners approved the nomination by voice vote and Hitchcock was declared elected. The commission also approved minutes from the Feb. 26 meeting after a motion and second.
No additional formal action was taken at the meeting to challenge or change the court order; City Attorney Sarah said the city would keep the commission informed about developments in the court proceedings.
Votes at a glance - Motion to accept minutes of Feb. 26, 2025: motion made and seconded; outcome recorded as approved (vote taken by voice; detailed tally not specified). Note: the Feb. 12 minutes will be corrected and returned at a later meeting. - Motion to elect Commissioner Charles Hitchcock as vice chair: nomination made and seconded; outcome recorded as approved by voice vote (detailed tally not specified).
