HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/25/2019 Item A, Cross
Purrington, Teresa
From:Brett Cross <brettcross@yahoo.com>
Sent:Tuesday, September 24, 2019 9:32 PM
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:Planning Commission Commission Purview and Expectations
Dear Commission members:
I saw this item on the agenda and wondered if you've thought about what the community's expectations are of the
Planning Commission?
Just a little background. I served on the Planning Commission way, way back in 1992 to 1996. I don't attend very many
Planning Commission meetings anymore. One reason is I felt that Commission wasn't listening to public comment as it
related to the City's adopted policies, especially Land Use policies. There were some serious Land Use and Housing
Element policies that the then Commission completely ignored during the review of the San Luis Ranch project. I won't go
into those issues and if you're interested you can take a look at my submitted comments regarding the adopted policies
that the San Luis Ranch project was not in conformance with.
So here are my expectations. In no particular order
1. You familiarize yourself with General Plan Elements, especially the policies and programs in the Land Use, Housing,
Circulation, and Open Space Elements. You don't need to memorize every policy or program but be familiar enough to
determine if the staff report has included all the relevant policies and not just those that are supportive of their
recommendation.
2. You have a basic understanding of CEQA and the requirements of alternative project analysis. Plus the understanding
that CEQA allows a project to be modified in order to reduce substantial impacts as long as the BASIC project goals are
met. Apparently that is not understood.
3. That you question staff when they are recommending an exception to a Zoning requirement. You are representing the
public, not staff or the developer. Every exception has the potential to be precedent. (And probably will be viewed as such
by developers)
4, Since you represent the public, it's your obligation to see that staff answers pertinent questions about a project
submitted to your Commission by the public either during oral or written comments. Nothing stops people faster from
engaging in the process if they feel they are not being listened to.
5. If you have follow up questions after listening to comments during a hearing, ask them then when the person is still at
the podium. Don't wait until that person sits down and the hearing item is closed to bring up an issue or question that
would have been better asked with that person still at the podium.
6. Determine if a finding is staff's opinion or actually a finding based on State planning law. And like I mentioned earlier
be sure if that opinion is based on all City policies not just those supportive of the staff's recommendation.
7. Be very cognizant of being led into a direction by staff through a series of questions that then becomes the basis for a
future approval. It's what I call the "non approval, approval".
And lastly, I've learned you're never at the right meeting. Every meeting is a part of development process that leads
project review and potentially project approval. Listen to every comment and don't allow staff to tell the public that this
meeting isn't part of the actual review process because that is never been my experience.
Sincerely,
Brett Cross
San Luis Obispo, CA
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