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Des Moines council votes to reinstate planning commission; staff to return with draft charter
Summary
After public comment and a staff presentation, the council voted 6–1 to reconstitute a planning commission and asked staff to return with proposed membership, meeting frequency and scope, citing the advisory role of a commission to improve public review of land‑use matters.
City planning staff and members of the public urged the Des Moines City Council Feb. 6 to reinstate a planning commission and to return decision‑making to a regular advisory forum. The council voted 6–1 to direct staff to bring back a draft planning commission charter and implementation plan.
Planning Manager Rebecca Denning reviewed the legal role and typical functions of a planning commission under Washington law: she said the commission is an advisory body appointed by the governing body that provides citizen review and recommendations for long‑range growth, the comprehensive plan, and land‑use regulations. “The commission acts in an advisory role and provides recommendations to the council,” Denning said during her presentation.
Denning summarized staff research showing the city had previously operated a seven‑member commission (dissolved by council action in 2013) and that in the past two years only a handful of matters would have required planning commission review: a housing action plan, a business‑park text amendment, a business park master plan and a zoning map amendment. She told council the planning commission can improve public engagement on code and plan updates but also adds another public forum and requires staff time and recruitment of volunteers.
Council discussion asked staff to return with specifics on membership size, term lengths, meeting cadence, member qualifications and outreach strategies. Council members also asked staff to ensure alignment between commission work and other public engagement tools and to provide recommendations on minimizing added administrative workload. The council gave staff direction by consensus and asked for the item to return as a formal agenda item with a draft charter.
Ending: Staff will draft a proposed planning commission charter, membership and implementation plan and return to council for a formal decision. The council indicated it expects the commission to be an advisory body and asked that staff plan for evening meeting times and outreach to secure qualified members.
