Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Appointment of Planning Commission Members
Date: January 24, 2023
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Council ratify, by adoption of a motion, Councilmember Rivers' and Councilmember Lemus' nominations to fill the vacant Planning Commission positions.
Background
Qualifications, terms, and appointment process for the City’s Planning Commission (Commission) are set forth in Chapter 2.16 of the City’s Municipal Code. The Commission is comprised of five members, each of which is nominated by one of the five Council members, and ratified by a majority of the Council. Commissioner terms are coincident with, and at the discretion of, the nominating Council member. Section 2.16.050 of the Municipal Code requires all Commissioners to be residents of the City.
The vacant position was advertised on the City’s social media, in the Community Voice newspaper, and on the City’s Website. Applications were received up to and on the January 13, 2023 deadline.
A total of two applications were received for Planning Commission. The applications are attached for review and indicated in the table below.
Analysis/Discussion
The current composition of the Commission is as follows:
COMMISSIONER NOMINATING COUNCIL
MEMBER
CURRENT TERM
EXPIRATION
Vacant Sylvia Lemus 2026
Vacant Kay Rivers, Ph.D. 2026
Lisa Moore Susan Harvey 2024
John T. Savage Laura Sparks 2024
Neil Hancock Ben Ford 2024
The applicants for Planning Commission are as follows:
Nominees: Responsible Councilmember:
Ed Gilardi Sylvia Lemus
Michelle Berman Kay Rivers, Ph.D.
The Council can ratify Councilmember Lemus’ and Councilmember Rivers’ nominations by a majority adoption of a motion.
Financial Considerations
The Community Development Department, as staff to the Planning Commission, supports the needs of the Planning Commission through the Department’s operating budget.
Environmental Issues
The action of appointing a Planning Commissioner is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because they are not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
Attachments:
Ed Gilardi Redacted Application (PDF) Michelle
Berman Redacted Application (PDF)