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Chairperson Fox noted that she cast the “No” vote because she was concerned about the <br />slope stability and that the site was approximately 600 feet from the Calaveras Fault. She <br />was also concerned about the issues brought forth in the geotechnical report regarding the <br />drainage plan and because the homeowners association had not yet reviewed the plan or <br />agreed to it. <br /> <br /> <br />7.MATTERS INITIATED BY COMMISSION MEMBERS <br /> <br />Commissioners Handbook Improvements <br /> <br />Commissioner Blank noted that at the last meeting, there was considerable controversy <br />about the contents of the Commissioners Handbook. He disclosed that he had discussed <br />his concerns with Ms. Harryman, and he learned that the rules surrounding the <br />Commissions were not required to be consistent among all the Commissions. He <br />believed that because all the Commissions were vital to the functioning of the City, no <br />Commission was more important than another. He believed the Planning Commission <br />had a special burden because people spent hundreds of thousands of dollars as well as <br />significant amounts of time preparing their applications and reports. He proposed that the <br />Planning Commission consider soliciting former Planning Commissioners Trish Maas <br />and Mary Roberts to review the Planning Commission section of the Commissioners <br />Handbook and to work with staff to make recommendations to help clarify certain <br />unclear sections of the Handbook. <br /> <br />Chairperson Fox believed that when City Council removed the dual voting for liaison <br />Commission members, it indicated that it wanted to ensure that all Commissions had <br />consistency with City Council proceedings. <br /> <br />Ms. Harryman advised that legally, commissions could have different rules. <br /> <br />Commissioner Blank inquired whether the Commissioners would support Ms. Harryman <br />examining this issue further. <br /> <br />Commissioner Narum noted that she would support that and expressed concern about a <br />Commissioner being able to continue projects for any reason. She concurred with <br />Commissioner Blank’s point about the time and money expended by applicants to present <br />their applications as well as staff’s time in preparing their reports, only to be continued by <br />one Commissioner. She would like to see a majority vote required to continue an item in <br />those circumstances. She believed that if there were a good reason to continue an item, <br />the Commissioners would be reasonable and respect that reason. <br /> <br />Commissioner Blank would be open to that suggestion and noted that there may be a <br />session with Ms. Roberts and Ms. Maas, if they were agreeable, to discuss the <br />inconsistencies of concern to the Planning Commission. <br /> <br />Ms. Decker noted that the most recent Handbook printing date was 2004 and did not <br />know the most recent revision date. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES May 23, 2007 Page 16 of 20 <br /> <br /> <br />