During public comment at the Oct. 28 meeting, residents asked why the planning commission had not been informed about a council discussion related to a land bank and urged better communication between council and the commission.

A public commenter said she learned about the land-bank discussion "through the grapevine" and asked why commissions and residents were not told in advance. Planning commission members replied that land-bank decisions reside with council and are not a statutory planning-commission obligation, but they acknowledged the importance of improving communication pathways.

Commission members discussed options including periodic council updates to the commission, a standing agenda item that summarizes recent council actions, and preparing an annual report to the state as part of standard planning-commission practice. One commissioner said best practice is for planning commissions to remain independent of council membership while maintaining a formal update channel.

No formal policy change was made at the meeting. Commissioners invited residents to forward agenda items to staff if they want them included and said they would seek improved notice and informal updates on issues that intersect with planning work.