Planning commission extends remote hearings for 30 days amid mixed public feedback

The Planning Commission voted unanimously Oct. 7 to adopt a resolution to extend remote hearings for 30 days and to schedule subsequent 30‑day extensions while the city awaits state guidance on Brown Act waivers and a return to in-person meetings.

Staff told commissioners that the governor’s Brown Act waiver had not been extended and that reopening City Hall for in-person hearings remained uncertain; 30 days is the legal maximum for the short-term extension being proposed. "30 days is a legal requirement, which is why we're sort of limited to that time period," staff said in presenting the resolution.

Public commenters expressed mixed views. Sue Hester urged the commission to schedule an in-person meeting on Oct. 28, calling remote hearings "extremely bad and frustrating to the public." Several callers asked for longer speaking time and better hybrid arrangements (such as hallway TV screens) if the commission resumes in-person hearings. Planning staff said most of the correspondence their office received had been positive: "I think the overwhelming [comments] that my office has received have been positive," the secretary said, while acknowledging audio glitches and user difficulties.

The commission discussed those mixed experiences and the practicalities of hybrid formats. Commissioner Tanner said she supported the 30‑day extension "until we can really come back in person with a great deal of confidence and safety for ourselves and for the public." On a motion to adopt the resolution, the commission voted unanimously to extend remote hearings.

Next step: The resolution extends remote proceedings in 30-day increments; staff will return with further updates as the city's public-health posture and legal guidance change.

Attribution: Quotes and attributions come from public comment and from staff remarks at the Oct. 7 meeting.