EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: June 21, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
BY: Elena Lee, Planning Manager
Amy Chen, Community & Economic Development Director
SUBJECT: Planning Commission Stipend Increase
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopted a resolution to
1. Increase the Planning Commission stipend from $35 to $50 a meeting
2. Appropriate the increase in the budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 3: Increase Organizational Effectiveness and Efficiency Priority No. 5: Improve Communication and Enhance Community Engagement Background
In December 2019, the Planning Commission expressed interest in discussing the stipends they receive as commissioners. Subsequently, at the April 27, 2020 Planning Commission meeting, following an information presentation, the Commission voted to direct staff to recommend to the City Council to increase the Planning Commission stipend from $35 to $50.
Analysis
Planning Commissioners receive stipends on a biannual basis. Per Resolution 1696 (Attachment 2), the stipends are paid to each individual Commissioner based on attendance ($35 per meeting). An absence, excused or unexcused, is not paid.
Staff reached out to several nearby cities to determine stipend payments for their Planning Commissioners. Neither the City of Palo Alto nor the City of Menlo Park pay stipends for their respective Planning Commissioners. The City of Newark pays their Planning Commissioners $75 per meeting. The City of Fremont pays their Planning Commissioners $200 per meeting.
Based on staff’s analysis, staff recommends the stipend for each Planning Commissioner be raised to $50 per meeting which would be $15 increase for each commissioner. Due to the long hours spent reviewing major projects for the City and attendance at meetings twice a month, staff believes that the proposed increase to the stipend is justified. The Planning Commission is the decision-making body for multiple types of permits, such as Design Reviews and Conditional Use Permits. The Commission also makes recommendations to the City Council on complex legislative actions, such as General Plan and Zoning amendments.
The Planning Commissioners stipend has not been increased since 1999.
Fiscal Impact
There will be a fiscal impact based on the potential increase of $15 per meeting for each Planning Commissioner. Currently, the yearly projection for seven (7) Planning Commissioners and one alternate Commissioner is $6,700 based on 24 meetings per year (two meetings per month). That yearly amount would increase to approximately $9,600. The difference would be $2,900 increase per year. The funds would be generated from the Planning Division budget.
Public Notice
The public was provided notice by making the agenda and report available on the City’s website and on a bulletin board located at City Hall: 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto.
Environmental
The action being considered does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378 (b)(5), in that it is a government administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
Attachments
1. Draft Resolution
2. Resolution 1696 - Setting a Stipend for Members of the Planning Commission