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Synopsis of September 25, 2014 Meeting between Planning Board <br />Chair Pete Hallenbeck and Planning staff <br /> <br /> <br />Legislative Items <br /> <br />1. Current process of keeping the public hearing open in order to allow for written <br />comments only after the public hearing is awkward. <br />2. People realize the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is final decision maker <br />so they tend to address the BOCC and see the Planning Board (PB) more as <br />“middle management” since the PB is advisory only. <br />3. If there was a PB meeting early-on, before the public hearing, that was noticed (first <br />class mail notifications to adjoining property owners plus post a sign on the property <br />for map amendments), the PB could be involved in projects/amendments early in the <br />process. This could be a “win” on several points: <br />a. Would result in more notification time for the public and people are informed <br />of the process earlier. <br />b. The PB meeting (the public could comment) could be viewed as a “dry run” <br />for the formal public hearing and could help all “sides” frame their <br />thoughts/arguments better. <br />c. The PB meeting could help determine which items have high public interest <br />and which items have lower public interest. (The BOCC might get a taste of <br />public reaction before the public hearing). <br />d. Having the PB make its recommendation after it has heard the opinions of all <br />sides at its meeting would enable the BOCC to have more options for action <br />at the conclusion of the public hearing: <br />i. Close the public hearing the night of the hearing and either: <br />1. Vote that night (this would enable quicker decisions on the items <br />that have lower public interest [once called the “no brainers” by <br />a former PB member]). <br />2. Schedule the decision on an item for a future BOCC regular <br />meeting. <br />3. Send the item back to the PB for reconsideration if the BOCC <br />believes that new information came forward at the public <br />hearing that had not been considered by the PB at its earlier <br />meeting. <br />ii. In legislative matters, it is not necessary to leave the public hearing <br />open since comments can be made at all meetings. Statutes require <br />only that a public hearing that meets statutory notice requirements be <br />held. <br />Attachment 1 <br />50