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Report regarding an ordinance amending Section 2.56.050 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code to change the regular time for the Planning Commission from 7:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. (Adena Friedman, Principal Planner and Tony Rozzi, Chief Planner)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council waive reading and introduce an ordinance amending Section 2.56.050 (Planning Commission Meetings) of the South San Francisco Municipal Code to change the regular meeting time of the Planning Commission.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Currently, the Municipal Code states that the Planning Commission meetings on the first and third Thursdays of the month, at 7:00 PM.
The Planning Commission often has agendas containing multiple complex projects, each of which require significant time for presentations, public comment, and Commission questions and deliberation. Planning Commission meetings can often last for several hours, ending late at night. City Council meetings, and the majority of other City board and commission meetings start at 6:00 P.M., if not earlier. At its February 18, 2023 meeting, the Planning Commission discussed the merits of changing the regular meeting time from 7:00 PM to 6:00 P.M., and was supportive of this change. The draft meeting minutes are attached to this Staff Report.
Beginning in March, 2023, Planning Commission meetings will be held in a hybrid format, allowing members of the public to join in-person or remotely. Additionally, members of the public are able to submit comments via email, mail, and phone in advance of meetings, ensuring multiple methods for public comment.
Changing the start time of the Planning Commission would require that the City Council amend Section 2.56.050 of the Municipal Code (Exhibit A to the Associated Ordinance).
FISCAL IMPACT
Amending the municipal code to change the start time of regular Planning Commission meetings will have no fiscal impact to the City.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
The proposed Municipal Code amendment helps achieve the following priority of the City’s Strategic Plan: Priority #6: Community Connections.
CONCLUSION
The proposed change to the Municipal Code will allow the Planning Commission to hold regular meetings at a start time of 6:00 P.M., rather than the current start time of 7:00 P.M. This change will be consistent with the 6:00 P.M. start time of City Council meetings, and will allow for longer agendas while minimizing meetings that go late into the evening. Staff recommends that the City Council waive reading and introduce an ordinance to amend Section 2.56.050 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code.
Attachment:
1. Planning Commission 2/18/2023 Draft Minutes
Associated Files and Exhibits:
1. Draft Municipal Code Amendment Ordinance (Legistar File 23-157)