Council tables first reading of ordinance to add alternate planning-commission member for language changes

Town attorney Scott Simpson read Ordinance No. 2026-06 by title, a proposed amendment to the town's unified land-development regulations to add an alternate planning-commission member.

Simpson said the ordinance would add one alternate member, allow reappointments and explain that an alternate fills in when a regular member is absent or leaves the office. "If a regular member does not seek reappointment at the expiration of his or her term, the alternate member shall automatically be appointed as the new regular member for the full term," Simpson read, then asked whether the council wanted the language to remain as an automatic appointment or to require a formal council appointment.

Council members discussed term lengths and how to stagger them. Several members said they preferred staggered terms so appointments would be spread over multiple years rather than all expiring together. One councilor noted the council has not reappointed planning members regularly and suggested choosing a date to implement staggered terms.

After debate over whether terms should be three or four years, and whether wording should say the alternate would "automatically be appointed" or "automatically fill" a vacancy, the council asked staff and the attorney to revise the ordinance title and the term language. Simpson said staff would return with a new first-reading draft next week.

No formal final action was taken on ordinance 2026-06 at this meeting; the matter was tabled for revision and reintroduction.