PC meetings

[JJ]

How to best run a PC meeting?

[owner]

How to best run a PC meeting, please?

[JJ]

There are many ways to run a PC meeting but here are my suggestions:

consider a work session prior to, but be careful to just share info and not opinions.

Start the meeting with a PC chair spiel about how the meeting works – discuss admin versus legislative items, demeanor/decorum, expectations

PC chair opens the meeting – you don’t have to have a motion, you don’t have to “accept” the agenda (you have already posted it!!!)

Often there is a thought or prayer – not required though.

Separate the meeting into two categories – administrative items (permitted uses if you lack staff to handle those, conditional uses, subdivisions) and then legislative (all require a public hearing) (rezones, General Plan changes/updates, zoning text changes, development agreements).  More folks show up for the legislative items so maybe place those first.

For each administrative application you do not need to have a public hearing – consider this in any notices that you might send out – you are only looking for new info not opinions.

Item order – Staff presentation if you have staff (they go over the staff report), PC can ask questions, Applicant presentation, PC can ask questions, Decide if you are going to allow comment but limit it to new info and not opinion, close the meeting item, PC deliberates, PC motion

For each legislative application public hearing is required

Item order – Staff presentation if you have staff (they go over the staff report), PC can ask questions, Applicant presentation, PC can ask questions, then Chair can open the public hearing (as PC chair ask to not repeat opinions, ask to limit their talk to 3 minutes), listen but don’t try to justify the applicant’s request (consider a step where the applicant answers issues raised), close the hearing.  PC deliberates (talk among yourself), then make a motion.

You can adopt Robert’s rules (which are very technical and somewhat difficult) or allow a loose Robert’s rules (much easier!)

PC chair can close the meeting.

[Author]

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