Minutes 11-06-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner porosin said it appears that the flow chart has addressed his concerns about this structure for legislative items. He read through the flow chart as shown on page 18 of the abstract. He said the idea of this is not to eliminate the public input at all, but it is to make the process more equitable and streamlined. He said one of the changes is that as soon as an application comes in, there will be some sort of public notification or report. Perdita Holtz said that is correct. Commissioner porosin said the next substantive change he sees is that there will be a round of mail notifications to direct neighbors about Planning Board meetings for map amendments. He said the people attending will have opportunity to make comments and suggestions, and it is almost like a mini public hearing at the Planning Board. Perdita Holtz said that is correct. Commissioner porosin said someone could come to the Planning Board meetings now, but what is different is the provision of first class mail notification to nearby property owners. Perdita Holtz said currently the Planning Board does not discuss applications before the public hearing, and this would be a new change to increase public participation at this level. She said this moves the discussion up in the process, so that the Planning Board discussion occurs before the public hearing. Commissioner porosin asked if the notification was previously an agenda item voted on by the Board. Perdita Holtz said the legal ad was an agenda item. Commissioner porosin said the notification will not be on the agenda, assuming this is acceptable to the Board. Commissioner porosin asked if there is any legal requirement that the Board has to vote on this. John Roberts said no. Commissioner porosin said the proposal does not say that the Planning Board cannot participate in the public hearing; it just states that a quorum will not be required. Perdita Holtz said this is correct. Commissioner porosin said the public hearing, as laid out it in the proposal, would be the last step before a decision is made, whenever that may occur. He asked if there will be any reference back to the Planning Board. Perdita Holtz said it could be the Board of County Commissioners' purview to send something back to Planning Board if something new comes forward at the public hearing. She said the public hearing would be closed, and then the item sent back to the Planning Board. Commissioner porosin asked if the Board could also have the option to send something back to the Planning Board while still keeping the public hearing open. He does not want to have public hearings where the public cannot speak. Perdita Holtz said for legislative items, it is required that a public hearing is held, and it is not precluded that that the public cannot comment before or after the public hearing. She said it is the County's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that specifies written comments only being allowed after a public hearing. Commissioner porosin said it seems like this is getting close to a resolution. He agrees that the critical aspect is public participation, and he is in favor of the streamlining with targeted outreach early in the process. He said he not as wedded to the suggestion of not making a decision on the same night that it is presented at the public hearing. He can see both sides of this issue, and he is not sure it needs to be a matter of policy. He said there will be times when an issue is fully vetted by the time of the public hearing.