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Woodland Park Board of Adjustment adopts planning-commission style term-limit language, sets three-term cap
Summary
On Dec. 15 the Woodland Park Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to adopt staff-recommended bylaw language ("option 2b"), to limit members to three consecutive full terms and to retitle its rules document "Bylaws and Rules of Procedure." Staff said the changes implement a 2020 charter amendment that returned term-limit authority to boards.
The Woodland Park Board of Adjustment on Dec. 15 adopted a planning-commission style approach to term limits and set a maximum of three consecutive full terms for board members, voting unanimously on both measures.
Planning Director Karen Schmidt told the board that a 2020 charter amendment amended section 5.3 of the Woodland Park Charter to return authority over term limits to individual boards and commissions. "So basically passing that power back to the individual boards and committees to establish what any limit on number of terms should be," she said, summarizing the change staff brought forward.
Why it matters: the board and staff said the change responds to concerns about balancing voter intent with the practical need to recruit and retain qualified volunteers. Schmidt told members that some boards with specialized expertise (for example, the building board of review and historic preservation) had kept no limits because they require specific qualifications, while Planning Commission adopted a capped limit using alternate language. The board discussed seat numbering, how partial terms would be counted, and the role of alternates; staff clarified that a full term is three years and proposed language would not count partial terms toward the limit.
What the board did: members moved to adopt "option 2b," the planning-commission-style wording, and the motion passed by a unanimous 4-0 vote. The board then voted 4-0 to limit members to three consecutive full terms; partial terms would not count toward that total. Members also voted 4-0 to change the title of their rules document to "Bylaws and Rules of Procedure," as recommended by the city attorney.
Board members emphasized recruitment concerns and outreach. One member suggested using the city's Citizens Academy to attract younger volunteers; staff noted that promotional efforts run annually and that the Planning Department also provides informational sessions on serving boards.
Next steps: staff said they will prepare the amended bylaws for the chair's signature and forward them to City Council for consideration at its Jan. 15 meeting. The board's action implements the charter change while allowing the board to set specific numeric limits in its bylaws.
