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AGENDA REPORT
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| | | | | | | | DATE:
| April 6, 2021
| TO:
| Mayor and City Council
| FROM:
| Stefan T. Chatwin, City Manager
| | SUBJECT: | First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance 2021-06 of the City Council of the City of Fairfield Amending Article V of Chapter 2 of the Fairfield Municipal Code to Establish an Attendance Standard for the Planning Commission |
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| | | | | | | | | RECOMMENDED ACTION | Waive full reading, read by title only; and introduce ordinance for first reading.
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| | | | | | | | | STATEMENT OF ISSUE | | The City Council wishes to consider establishing an attendance standard for the Planning Commission. The proposed ordinance would establish the attendance standard. |
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| | | | | | | | | DISCUSSION | At the City Council meeting of March 16, 2021, the City Council discussed an ordinance addressing the length of Planning Commissioners’ terms and setting for Commissioners an attendance requirement. Councilmembers concluded that they did not wish to change the length of Planning Commissioners’ terms but want to establish an attendance standard. Currently, the Municipal Code establishes no requirement. The Council provided direction to staff to return with an ordinance setting a standard that allows removal of Planning Commissioners if they miss three consecutive regularly-scheduled meetings or five in a 12-month period without being excused. Councilmembers also discussed whether removal should be automatic or by Council action. They directed that the ordinance prescribe removal by the City Council.
Staff prepared an ordinance to implement City Council’s direction. As drafted, the proposed attendance standard includes a provision to allow absences due to family or medical emergency. This language is consistent with language in place for the Youth Commission, as described to the City Council by the Deputy City Clerk at the March 16, 2021, Council meeting.
The proposed ordinance adds a new section 2.24.1 to Municipal Code Chapter 2, Article V (Planning Commission), and reads:
2.24.1 Failure to attend meetings.
Any Planning Commissioner who fails to attend three (3) consecutive regular meetings or five (5) regular meetings in any twelve-month period, without consent of the Planning Commission, will be subject to removal by the City Council. Absences due to medical or family emergency shall be exempt from this Section, pending a review and approval by the Planning Commission.
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| | | | | | | | | FINANCIAL IMPACT | | There are no financial impacts to the City. |
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| | | | | | | | | PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION | A notice was published in the Daily Republic newspaper on March 5, 2021, and the City Council took testimony on March 16, 2021.
No advisory body has reviewed or provided input on the proposed ordinance. On June 8, 2016, the Planning Commission discussed recommending that the City Council establish an attendance standard but voted 3-1 to not do so.
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| | | | | | | | | ALTERNATIVE ACTION | | The City Council may choose to not adopt the Ordinance, to adopt portions of the ordinance regarding either term or attendance, or direct that staff return with revisions to the ordinance. |
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| | | | | | | | | STAFF CONTACT | David Feinstein, Planning Division Manager
(707) 428-7448
dfeinstein@fairfield.ca.gov
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| | | | | | | | | COORDINATED WITH | City Attorney's Office
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| REVIEWERS: | | Reviewer | Action | Date | | Feinstein, David | Approved | 3/29/2021 - 6:38 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 3/29/2021 - 7:49 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 3/29/2021 - 7:55 PM |
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