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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution for Adopting Planning Commission BylawsBOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COUNTY OF KITTITAS STATE OF WASHINGTON RESOLUTION NO. 2021-____ A RESOLUTION ADOPTING UPDATED KITTITAS COUNTY PLANNING COMMISION CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS WHEREAS, On May 9, 1935, subject to Chapter 44, Laws of 1935, the Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners created the Kittitas County Planning Commission by resolution enumerating its powers and duties for the physical development and general welfare of the county; and WHEREAS, The Planning Commission functioned until January 1941, when it ceased to continue; and WHEREAS, On July 21, 1958, the Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners re- established the Planning Commission by resolution; and WHEREAS, The Kittitas County Planning Commission Constitution and By-Laws have not been updated since 2006; and WHEREAS, The Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners desires to update the Planning Commission Constitution and By-Laws; and WHEREAS, The Kittitas County Planning Commission recommended approval of the attached updated Constitution and By-laws at its June 8, 2021 regular meeting. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners hereby adopts the Kittitas County Planning Commission Constitution and By-laws as attached hereto. The Constitution and By-laws shall replace and supersede any and all previous versions of the Kittitas County Planning Commission Constitution and By-Laws. ADOPTED this __17th____day of ____August______________, 2021 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON _____________________________ Brett Wachsmith, Chairman _______________________________ Laura Osiadacz, Vice-Chairman _______________________________ Cory Wright, Commissioner ATTEST CLERK OF THE BOARD ☐Clerk of the Board- Julie Kjorsvik ☐ Deputy Clerk of the Board- Mandy Buchholz APPROVED AS TO FORM: __________________________ Neil Caulkins, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney 1 of 3 Kittitas County Planning Commission – Constitution and By-laws KITTITAS COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION CONSTITUTION and BY-LAWS In harmony with the general trend for planning for future developments of the State of Washington and its political subdivisions and solely as an advisory body on local public matters, the Kittitas County Planning Commission has been created by the duly constituted legislative authority of Kittitas County, Washington. The commission desires to make surveys of conditions in Kittitas County, Washington which may be benefited by local authority and through counsel and suggestion to assist in future developments of our County. Further, with the encouragement of dialogue on land use planning from county residents, an important purpose of the Kittitas County Planning Commission is the formulation and implementation of the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan of Kittitas County, as outlined in RCW 36.70.470. The commission has, therefore, adopted the following for its guidance. 1. The official name of this organization shall be Kittitas County Planning Commission. 2. The Office of the commission shall be the Kittitas County Commissioners’ Auditorium, 205 West 5th Avenue, Room 109, and regular meetings shall be held there on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m., except on such occasions and at such times as the commission may otherwise direct. 3. Kittitas County Planning Commission shall hold not less than one regular meeting in each month; provided that if no matters over which the planning agency had jurisdiction are pending upon its calendar, a meeting may be canceled. (RCW 36.70.130) Special meetings (with at least 24 hours notice to the public), public hearings, and study sessions with at least seven days notice to the public may be scheduled from time to time at the call of the Chair or upon request of the majority of the commission. 4. Attendance at regular and special meetings is expected of all commission members. Any member anticipating absence from a meeting must notify the commission secretary in advance of the meeting. Failure to provide this notification shall result in an unexcused absence. Unexcused absences from two or more regular meetings in any calendar year shall be reported to the Board of County Commissioners for appropriate action. 5. Members of the commission shall be seven in number as appointed by the Board of County Commissioners of Kittitas County, Washington in accordance with RCW 36.70.070. 6. Each County Commissioner district shall be equally represented on the Planning Commission in accordance with RCW 36.70.080. In order to accomplish this equal representation, the Planning Commission shall be made up of two members from Commissioner District 1, two members from Commissioner District 2, two members from Commissioner District 3, and one-at large member that shall rotate in sequential order between the three commissioner districts. 7. Planning Commission member terms shall be staggered in accordance with RCW 36.70.090(2). Upon adoption of these bylaws, the existing terms for members of the Planning Commission shall be modified as follows: a. District 1 members shall serve a two-year and a four-year term. The two-year term shall expire on December 31, 2023 and the four-year term shall expire on December 31, 2025. 2 of 3 Kittitas County Planning Commission – Constitution and By-laws b. District 2 members shall serve a two-year and a three-year term. The two-year term shall expire on December 31, 2023 and the three-year term shall expire on December 31, 2024. c. District 3 members shall serve a one-year and a three-year term. The one-year term shall expire on December 31, 2022 and the three-year term shall expire on December 31, 2024. d. The at-large member (currently representing District 1) shall serve a four -year term that shall expire on December 31, 2025. Thereafter, successors to these members shall be appointed to four-year terms. 8. The action of the commission dealing with official controls or amendments thereto as defined in RCW 36.70.020 (11) shall be determined by not less than a majority of the total members of the commission, as outlined in RCW 36.70.600. The actions of the commission dealing with commission business issues, expressly setting agendas, approving minutes, and other commission business items shall be determined by not less than a majority of a quorum. No official or public approval of any plan or project requiring the expenditure of public funds shall be approved except by a majority vote of the entire membership of the commission. Four members shall constitute a quorum. 9. Each commission shall elect its Chair and Vice-Chair from among the appointed members. The commission shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the commission. (RCW 36.70.120) The commission shall hold its election at the first regular meeting in each calendar year. 10. After public hearing, any appointee member of a commission may be removed by the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners with the approval of the board, for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. (RCW 36.70.110) 11. The Chair shall preside over all meetings of the commission. As a member of the commission, the Chair shall have his/her vote recorded in all deliberations of the commission. 12. The secretary shall keep the record of all meetings including study sessions of the commission and its committees. These records shall remain the property of the commission and be retained at such office as the commission may direct. 13. Commission agendas shall be set by the Planning Official and the Chair. Complete agenda packets will be provided to each commission member at least seven days prior to any meeting. Meeting materials will be available to the public on the County’s website or upon request to Community Development Services. 14. The members of the planning commission including the Chair and the Vice-Chair shall serve without salary. Members shall receive compensation for conference and travel expenses as outlined in RCW 36.70.310 upon submission of proper documentation. 15. The Planning Official shall present public proposals concerning land use planning policy matters, in writing, to the planning commission for review and comment. 16. The commission shall have full power, from time to time, to create standing or temporary committees of one or more members and these committees shall be charged with such duties of examination, investigation and inquiry relative to some one or more subjects of interest to the commission. No standing or temporary committee shall have the power to commit the commission to the endorsement of any plan or program without its submission to the body of the commission and without a majority vote, as required by these by-laws. 3 of 3 Kittitas County Planning Commission – Constitution and By-laws 17. All meetings, including study sessions, except executive sessions of the commission shall be open to the public as outlined in RCW 42.30.030. A short time for public comment on agenda items shall be provided and controlled by the Chair after each item. 18. In the event that any meeting is interrupted by a group of persons so as to render the orderly conduct of such meeting unfeasible and order cannot be restored by the removal of individuals who are interrupting the meeting, the members of the governing body conducting the meeting may order the meeting room cleared and continue in session or may adjourn the meeting and reconvene at another location selected by a majority vote of the members. In such a session, final disposition may be taken only on matters appearing on the agenda. Representatives of the press or other news media, except those participating in the disturbance, shall be allowed to attend any session held pursuant to this section. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the governing body from establishing a procedure for readmitting an individual or individuals not responsible for disturbing the orderly conduct of the meeting. (RCW 42.30.050) 19. Neither the commission nor any committee or officer acting for it shall have the power to incur any indebtedness to be chargeable against the individual members of the committee or the commission, or against the Kittitas County Planning Commission, while the commission or members are in the performance of the duties of the committee or the commission. 20. The Constitution and By-laws may be amended by the Board of County Commissioners. 21. Kittitas County will defend and indemnify Committee members as provided for in Kittitas County Code Chapter 2.73.