| Item No. 1. | |
| MEETING DATE: June 24, 2024 |
|
| TO: | PLANNING COMMISSION |
| FROM: | SUSAN KIM, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT By: Veronica Lopez, Community Development Administrative Assistant |
| SUBJECT: | REORGANIZATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
|
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA):
This is an administrative action and not a project subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Planning Commission appoint a Chair and a Vice Chair to serve from the period of June 2024 through April 2025.
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to Section 2.24.040(C) of the La Habra Municipal Code (LHMC), the Planning Commission is required to select a Chair and Vice Chair at the first regular meeting in April. Traditionally, the positions of Chair and Vice Chair have been rotated equitably between the members of the Planning Commission; however, there is no LHMC provision or City policy that governs this process. The following table shows the appointment history for the past five years.
Recent Chair and Vice-Chair Appointment History
As noted above, on April 8, 2024, the Planning Commission appointed Carrie Surich to serve as Chair, and Jason Manley to serve as Vice Chair, for the 2024-2025 term. However, following this appointment, on April 15, 2024, the City Council appointed Carrie Surich to fill a vacancy on the City Council, leaving the Planning Commission without a Chair. Since the appointment of Carrie Surich to the City Council, Vice-Chair Manley has been serving as the Acting Chair. In addition, in order to fill Carrie Surich's vacancy on the Planning Commission, the City Council has appointed Minerva Gomez to serve as a Planning Commissioner. The current membership and tenure of the Planning Commission is shown in the table below.
Planning Commission Membership
Recent Chair and Vice-Chair Appointment History
| Year | Chair | Vice-Chair |
| 2019-2020 | Michelle Bernier | Ray Fernandez |
| 2020-2021 | Daren Nigsarian | Jason Manley |
| 2021-2022 | Jason Manley | Manual Munoz |
| 2022-2023 | Manuel Munoz | Esther Rojas |
| 2023-2024 | Esther Rojas | Carrie Surich |
| 2024-2025 | Carrie Surich | Jason Manley |
As noted above, on April 8, 2024, the Planning Commission appointed Carrie Surich to serve as Chair, and Jason Manley to serve as Vice Chair, for the 2024-2025 term. However, following this appointment, on April 15, 2024, the City Council appointed Carrie Surich to fill a vacancy on the City Council, leaving the Planning Commission without a Chair. Since the appointment of Carrie Surich to the City Council, Vice-Chair Manley has been serving as the Acting Chair. In addition, in order to fill Carrie Surich's vacancy on the Planning Commission, the City Council has appointed Minerva Gomez to serve as a Planning Commissioner. The current membership and tenure of the Planning Commission is shown in the table below.
Planning Commission Membership
| Commissioner | Original Appointment | Last Appointment | Term Expires |
| Jason Manley | 04/15/19 | 03/20/23 | 03/31/27 |
| Esther Rojas | 07/21/21 | 04/04/22 | 03/31/27 |
| Maria Mahecha | 02/13/23 | 03/18/24 | 03/31/28 |
| Danitza Cardenas | 03/18/24 | 03/18/24 | 03/31/28 |
| Minerva Gomez | 05/06/24 | 05/06/24 | 03/31/27 |
At this time, due to the vacant Chair position, staff is recommending that the Planning Commission repeat the appointment process to select a Chair and Vice Chair to serve from the period of June 2024 through April 2025.
Staff recommends that the Chair direct the Planning Manager to facilitate the appointment process. The Planning Manager will follow the process outlined below, which generally follows Robert's Rules of Order:
Staff recommends that the Chair direct the Planning Manager to facilitate the appointment process. The Planning Manager will follow the process outlined below, which generally follows Robert's Rules of Order:
- The Planning Manager will ask for nominations from the Commission for the Chair position.
- A Commissioner will make a nomination.
- The Planning Manager will call for other nominations.
- Once all nominations have been made, the Planning Manager will close the nominations.
- The Planning Manager will direct the Secretary to hold either a roll call or electronic vote, as needed, on the nominations, in the same order that the nominations were received.
Once a Chair is selected, the process will be repeated for the Vice Chair.
FISCAL IMPACT/SOURCE OF FUNDING:
This is an administrative action with no fiscal impact.
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES):
This is an administrative action and not subject to NPDES requirements.
GENERAL PLAN RELEVANCE/CITY COUNCIL GOALS & OBJECTIVES:
This is an administrative action and not a project subject to a finding of relevance to any General Plan Goals or Policies.