Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Appointment of Planning Commission Members
Date: April 11, 2023
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Council ratify, by adoption of a motion, Mayor Harveys' and Councilmember Fords' 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, downtown marquee, and on the City’s Website. Applications were received up to and on the March 30, 2023 deadline.
A total of three 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
Ed Gilardi Sylvia Lemus 2026
Michelle Berman Kay Rivers, Ph.D. 2026
Vacant Susan Harvey 2024
John T. Savage Laura Sparks 2024
Vacant Ben Ford 2024
The applicants for Planning Commission are as follows:
Nominees: Responsible Councilmember:
Kimberlyn Moffet Susan Harvey
Ryan Long Ben Ford
The Council can ratify Mayor Harveys’ and Councilmember Fords’ 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:
Kimberlyn Moffet Application (PDF)
Julie Dempsey Application (PDF)
Ryan Long Application (PDF)