Board members ask staff to investigate virtual or alternative meeting formats after run of very short sessions

A Zoning Board of Adjustment member raised concerns at the March 6 meeting that the board's last three sessions had each lasted less than 10 minutes and asked staff to examine whether alternative meeting formats could be used to make attendance more efficient for members and the public.

The member said the short sessions felt wasteful for members who travel to meetings and suggested exploring virtual or hybrid options used by other decision-making bodies. "I think that that wasting time to come to a public meeting, if we can take care of it virtually or in other ways, and yet still have the public come forth, I think that's appropriate," the member said.

Chair Matt Perry acknowledged the concern but cautioned that quasi-judicial meetings share a common "look and feel" across bodies such as the Heritage Preservation Commission and the City Planning Commission, and that any change could apply broadly. Perry said he would "ask staff to talk to the clerk, the city clerk, about what that would entail to do an investigative, look at that."

A staff member responded that the city has considered hybrid meetings post-pandemic and that the City Attorney's Office vetted the approach. "I will forward your concerns to Mister Carl, the city clerk of Minneapolis, and see if he can at least provide some additional information as to why it's not possible at the city when it's possible with the other boards," the staff member said.

The board did not adopt any formal policy changes at the meeting; members noted the issue for staff follow-up and scheduled further routine business for the March 20 meeting.