Consolidating the Design and Planning Commissions

Yesterday the City Council meet to discuss the merging of the Design Commission and the Planning Commission to be renamed the Planning and Design Commission. This newly formed commission is expected to be adopted on February 28^thand the recruitment process for seating the new commission will take approximately three months. The City’s advisory board has recommended consolidating the Commissions but increasing the commission size to 13 members; and establishing required qualifications for each member.

A consolidation of the Commissions is anticipated on savings of multiple departmental staff time and resources. Currently estimated staff time directly associated with staffing the Design Commission meeting calendar is approximately $25,000. This direct amount would be a General Fund savings in the consolidation.

The Design Commission’s workload has dropped off since 2007 with only three (3) projects being heard in 2010 and only five (5) being heard in 2011. As you can tell by my postings here, things have really slowed down.