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Planning Commission Rules of Procedure - Page 1 CITY OF KENNEWICK PLANNING COMMISSION RULES OF PROCEDURE WE, THE MEMBERS of the Planning Commission of the City of Kennewick State of Washington, pursuant to Ordinance Number 856, passed on October 18, 1955, by the City of Kennewick, do hereby adopt, publish and declare the following Rules of Procedure: I. NAME The Official name shall be "The Kennewick Planning Commission" II. MEETINGS 1. All meetings shall be held in the City Hall of Kennewick, Washington, unless otherwise directed by the Planning Commission. 2. The Commission shall hold at least one regular meeting or workshop in each month for not less than nine months, in each year. Regular meetings shall be held on the first and third Mondays of the month. Additional special meetings may be scheduled as directed by the Chairman. 3. If the first or third Monday of the month is a legal holiday, then that meeting may be canceled or held on a date as determined by the Chairman. III. MEMBERSHIP The Planning Commission is a seven-member body appointed by the Mayor with the consent of Council to serve in an advisory role on all matters relating to the growth and development of the City. Terms will be 4 years in length for anyone appointed after 4/22/00, expiring on March 31 or until such time as their successor is selected. IV. ELECTION OF OFFICERS 1. The officers of the Commission shall consist of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and such other officers as the Commission may, by majority vote, approve and appoint. 2. The officers shall serve for a period of one year, provided, however, that any officer may be removed at any time by vote of a majority of the Commission entered on record. The election of officers shall take place once each year, on the occasion of the first meeting of the year. V. CHAIRMAN ---PAGE BREAK--- Planning Commission Rules of Procedure - Page 2 1. The Chairman shall preside over the meetings of the Commission and may exercise all the powers usually incidental to the office retaining, however, to himself as a member of the Commission, the full right to have his own vote recorded in all deliberations of the Commission. 2. The Chairman shall have full power to create standing or temporary committees of one or more members, charged with such duties, examinations, investigations and inquiries relative to one or more subjects of interest to the Commission, as it may, by motion or resolution, determine. 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. VI. VICE - CHAIRMAN The Vice-Chairman shall, in the absence of the Chairman from any meetings, perform all the duties incumbent upon the Chairman. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman, both being absent, the members present may elect for the meeting a temporary chairman who shall have full powers of the Chairman during the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman. VII. SECRETARY The Secretary to the commission shall be the executive director of Community Planning or his/her designee. The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Commission and of its committees when requested to do so, and these records shall remain the property of the Commission and be retained at such office as the Commission may direct. In the absence of the Secretary from any meeting, a Secretary pro-tem shall be appointed. The Secretary shall have no voting privileges. VIII. QUORUM A majority of the membership of the Commission, being not less than four members, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Any action taken by a majority of those present, when those members constitute a quorum at any regular meeting of the Commission, shall be deemed and taken as the action of the Commission. IX. ABSENCE OF MEMBERS The Commissioner shall notify the Chairman or Secretary as soon as possible regarding an absence due to a bona fide emergency situation: a situation where in good faith prevents the prior notification to the Chairman or Secretary. The Chairman will advise the Recorder the status of the absence. All members of boards, commissions or agencies shall be removed from their appointment if they have two or more unexcused absences in any calendar year. An unexcused absence is defined as a failure to notify the Chairperson or Secretary of their absence prior to the meeting, unless for a bona fide emergency. (Ord. 3915 Sec. 18, 2000) ---PAGE BREAK--- Planning Commission Rules of Procedure - Page 3 X. APPLICATION AND PETITION Petitions and applications will be accepted by the Planning Commission only when properly filed with the Planning Commission on those application forms furnished by the office of the Community Planning Executive Director. XI. AGENDA An agenda shall be prepared for each regular meeting, consisting of the following order of business: 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Consent Agenda 4. Public Hearings 5. Visitors not on agenda 6. Old business 7. New business 8. Reports, comments or discussion by Commissioners and Staff 9. Adjournment XII. CONSENT AGENDA The consent agenda may contain items which are of a routine and non-controversial nature which may include, but are not limited to, the following: Approval of minutes; Approval of the Agenda; Accepting the staff report for the record; Communications; Memos and reports for information of the Commission; Resolutions; and Petitions. This item will be accepted by consent of the Commission by as single vote, without reading, unless a member of the Commission or any person attending a Planning Commission meeting should request such reading. Any item on the Consent Agenda shall be removed and considered separately as an agenda item at the request of any Commissioner or person attending a Planning Commission meeting. XIII. AMENDMENT PROCEDURE The Rules of Procedure may be amended at any regular meeting of the Commission by a majority vote of the entire membership. XIV. MOTIONS Motions shall be restated by the Chairman before a vote is taken. The name of the members making and seconding a motion shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. ---PAGE BREAK--- Planning Commission Rules of Procedure - Page 4 XV. VOTING Any action by a majority of those present, when those present constitute a quorum, at any regular, recessed or special meeting of the Planning Commission shall be deemed and taken as the action of the Commission. A voting quorum is required for all items. Abstaining or withdrawal is not considered a vote. XVI. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES Parliamentary procedures in Planning Commission meetings shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order, Revised, unless it is specifically provided otherwise in these Rules, in other Planning Commission Resolutions, in City Ordinances, or in the State of Washington Planning Enabling Act (RCW 35.63). XVII. CONFLICT OF INTEREST/APPEARANCE OF FAIRNESS Any member of the Commission who in the Commission's opinion has an interest or a potential conflict of interest related to any matter before the Commission shall so publicly indicate, shall step down leaving the hearing room, and shall abstain from all proceedings, deliberations and voting on the matter . Except at a public meeting, no member of the Planning Commission shall discuss with any citizen any matter which will be coming to the Planning Commission for action. If a Planning Commission member receives such communication, the member should immediately inform the citizen that they may not discuss the matter while the matter is pending before the Commission and terminate the conversation. If a Planning Commission member has been lobbied by a particular group, the member may continue to participate in the matter, so long as the Commission member completely discloses the extent and nature of the ex parte communication, and is of the opinion that the member's objectivity has not been influenced. XVIII. PROCEDURE FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS The following procedure shall be utilized for all public hearings, and any other Agenda item, as determined by the Chairman: 1. Staff Report. 2. Questions of staff. 3. Chairman open public hearing and ask for comments from applicant. 4. Chairman asks for comments in favor. 5. Chairman asks for comments in opposition. 6. Applicant rebuttal. 7. Close public hearing. 8. Motion for recommendation / 2nd. 9. Discussion and deliberation. 10. Vote. ---PAGE BREAK--- Planning Commission Rules of Procedure - Page 5 11. Item will go to next applicable City Council. XIX. EXHIBITS SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSION All petitions, letters, date, photographs, sketches, drawings, documents, study reports or results, architectural and engineering renderings, and any item submitted by any persons, companies, agencies, and City Officials or staff prior to and/or during public hearings in order to qualify for consideration by the Commission, shall become exhibits for the related matter and shall be numbered, upon receipt, by the Secretary or recorder. Further, in accordance with RCW 17.020, all such exhibits and items shall become part of the record for said matter and be retained on file, and kept available for public inspection by the Community Planning Department. AMENDED: March 8, 1971 March 19, 1973 June 25, 1973 April 28, 1975 September 27, 1976 June 27, 1977 December 4, 1978 April 21, 1980 November 1, 1982 July 16, 1984 March 4, 1985 November 3, 1986 November, 1987 January 9, 1995 April 17, 1995 August 2, 2004