DATE: June 6, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Andreas Borgeas, Supervisor District 2
SUBJECT: Residency of Planning Commissioners
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Conduct first hearing to amend the Fresno County Ordinance Code, Title 2, Chapter 2.48, by amending Section 2.48.020, relating to residency requirements for Planning Commissioners; waive the reading of the ordinance in its entirety; and set second hearing for June 20, 2017.
2. Designate County Counsel to prepare a fair and adequate summary of the proposed ordinance, and direct the Clerk to the Board to post and publish the required summary in accordance with Government Code Section 25124, subdivision (b)(1).
REPORT
The proposed amendment to the residency requirements for Planning Commissioners would permit the Board to appoint up to three members who reside in a single Supervisorial District where the Board finds that doing so would be in the interests of the residents of Fresno County.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the Recommended Actions are not approved, residency requirements for Planning Commissioners will remain unchanged.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions.
DISCUSSION:
The Fresno County Planning Commission is comprised of nine members. (Fresno County Charter, § 18; Ord. Code, § 2.48.010.A. Each member’s term is four (4) years. (Ord. Code, § 2.48.010.A.) The Ordinance Code requires that each Supervisor nominate one person who resides in the Supervisor’s district to serve on the Commission, with the appointment of such person subject to confirmation by a majority of the Board (hereafter “District Member(s)”). (Ord. Code, § 2.48.010.A.) A District Member must reside in the Supervisorial District from which he or she was nominated for his or her entire term. The remaining four members of the Commission are appointed “at large”, meaning that nominating Supervisor need not reside in the same Supervisorial District as the nominee (hereafter, “At Large Member(s)”).
However, currently, no more than two members of the Planning Commission may reside in a single Supervisorial District. (Ord. Code, § 2.48.020.) While the goal of geographical diversity is appropriate, this limitation can restrict the Board’s ability to appoint qualified persons to the Planning Commission and may present potential challenges if those on the Planning Commission relocate their residence to another district.
The Proposed Ordinance addresses this problem by (A) as a general rule, maintaining the limit of two members of the Planning Commission from any single Supervisorial District, but (B) in limited circumstances, permitting the Board to appoint up to three (3) members of the Planning Commission who reside in the same District, where the Board determines that doing so would be in the interest of Fresno County. It is submitted that the Proposed Ordinance strikes the appropriate balance between ensuring geographical diversity of the membership of the Planning Commission, and ensuring that the Board can appoint qualified individuals to seats on the Commission when they become available.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Redline of Proposed Changes to Ordinance Code section 2.48.020.
Proposed Ordinance
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander