Planning commission recommends code changes for commissioner appointments

At its April 1 meeting, the Greenfield Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council adopt amendments to Chapter 17.10 and Chapter 2.20 of the Greenfield Municipal Code that change how planning commissioners are appointed and clarify voting rules.

The changes would require an incumbent planning commissioner who wishes to serve another term to submit a letter to the city clerk by Nov. 15 of the year the term ends, and the council would consider reappointments at its first December meeting, Planning staff said. If an incumbent does not submit a letter, the city clerk or planning director would solicit applications from the community for that seat.

Planning staff told the commission these edits codify a process the City Council discussed in recent meetings and are largely procedural. “The primary change is that when a planning commissioner who is currently serving, when their term is ending and they would like to serve another term, they're required to submit a letter to the city clerk by November 15 of the year that their term is ending,” Planning staff said.

The draft ordinance also adjusts the residency area from a one-mile buffer outside city limits to the city’s sphere of influence and updates voting language to conform to state law — replacing a previous rule that required a majority of the full five-member commission for certain votes with language that applies a majority of those present, staff said.

Commissioners asked procedural questions about the pulled agenda item and were directed to discuss specifics with the planning director outside the meeting because the item had been removed from the agenda. Following discussion, Commissioner (title) made the motion to recommend the ordinance to the City Council; the motion was seconded. The chair called the vote and said, “Motion carries.”

The commission’s recommendation will now go to the City Council for final action at an upcoming meeting.