Keizer planning commission recommends residency and term-limit changes to city council

The Keizer Planning Commission on Jan. 8, 2025 voted to send a recommendation to Keizer City Council that no more than one member of the planning commission be a nonresident and that any nonresident hold property or operate a business in the city. The commission also approved language keeping the basic term length at three years and adding a limit of four consecutive terms (a potential maximum of 12 years) for appointed members. The motion passed unanimously with one commissioner absent.

Neighborhood leaders urged the commission to favor residents and shorter terms during the meeting’s public comment period. "My name is Rhonda Rich. I'm president of the West Keizer Neighborhood Association," said Rhonda Rich, who told commissioners, "we feel strongly that a member should be a resident of Keizer, not just a property owner who maybe lives out of state or a business owner who lives somewhere else." Tammy Kunz, Greater Northeast Keizer Neighborhood Association president, told the commission she and her board "are for the 3 year term limits and consecutive up to 9 years and keeping it to Keizer residents." Both speakers asked the commission to prioritize people with a stake in the city.

Staff told commissioners the item returned to planning commission after City Council asked for additional input. "When we went to council ... they had some pause in that area collectively and ultimately directed staff to bring this issue back to planning commission to get some further input from y'all," staff said during the presentation. Commissioners spent extended time defining the appropriate nexus for a nonresident member: options discussed included property owner, business owner, employee, county residency or mileage limits, and limits on ownership through entities such as LLCs.

Commissioners reached several specific conclusions during deliberations: they removed “employee” from the proposed nonresident nexus language, agreed the allowed nonresident should have a demonstrable tie to the city (property ownership or business operation), and asked staff to note a limit of one nonresident member. Commissioners debated whether to add sideboards (for example, Marion County residency or a mileage limit) and discussed the practical effects of recusal when a member has a direct conflict on an agenda item.

The motion that commissioners approved as written at the meeting reads in summary: change Keizer code section 2-123(b) so that no more than one member may be a nonresident of the city and that such a member must be a property owner or business owner in the city; keep the term of office at three years and add a limitation that an appointed member may not serve more than four consecutive terms. The meeting record shows the motion carried unanimously with one absence.

The commission’s action is a recommendation to City Council; the council must consider and adopt any final ordinance changes. Staff said they will prepare a report and scheduled follow-up with council. The public-comment speakers and other residents who testified may speak again when council takes the measure up.