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Fresno City building appeals board adopts rules, asks staff to draft attendance amendment
Summary
The newly formed Fresno City Building Standards Appeals Board adopted its rules and regulations and directed staff to draft proposed language on member attendance and quorum after members raised concerns about chronic absences and removal authority.
The Fresno City Building Standards Appeals Board voted to adopt its proposed rules and regulations and asked staff to return with recommended language on attendance and vacancy procedures.
Ashley Atkinson, assistant director for planning and development, said the draft rules were modeled on the city’s planning and historic preservation commissions and invited questions from board members. "We do not have a presentation on the rules and regulations proposed for adoption, but, we're happy to take any questions," Atkinson said.
Board members pressed staff about adding a clause that would limit unexcused absences and clarify how quorum is determined when seats are vacant. One member warned that a pattern of missed meetings can stall board business: "We just happened to have a specific commissioner at one time that was trying to stall a project by making sure we weren't getting a quorum," an unidentified speaker said during discussion of possible remedies.
Atkinson said staff had consulted the city attorney recently on related quorum questions and could return with proposed amendment language. She also read the draft amendment procedure from the rules, noting Article 5 allows amendments by a majority of all members with written notice or when an amendment appears in the previous meeting’s minutes.
A motion to "adopt [the rules and regulations] as proposed" was made by Board Member Ratzlaff and seconded by Board Member Field. The board adopted the regulations by voice vote; the chair announced the motion was approved.
Board members directed staff to draft specific verbiage addressing the number of allowable absences, distinctions between excused and unexcused leave, and the process for recommending removal to the mayor's office if warranted. Staff said it would return with proposed language and seek the city attorney’s opinion on any removal authority.
The board’s adoption of operating rules clears the way for the board to proceed with upcoming appeals while allowing members to propose amendments at a later meeting.
