University Area Commission | Governance Committee Report
Meeting Details: Wednesday February 12, 2014 Northwood and High Building, Started 6:05 PM and Ended 7:02 PM
Attendance: (P: Present, A: Absent, E: Excused, G: Guest, R: Resigned) Sharon Young (P), Lucas Dixon (P), Jim Bach (P), Doreen Uhas-Sauer (P), Terra Goodnight (P), Colin Oden (P) Susan Keeny (G) and David Hegley (P)
Agenda:
- Confirmed the members of the Committee for 2014 Commission year
- Elected David Hegley as Chairperson, Motion my Dixon, seconded by Oden. Voting Yes: Dixon, Bach, Uhas-Sauer, Goodnight, Oden and Hegley. Motion passed unanimously.
- Discussed making copies of the UAC Commissioners Handbook
- Commissioner Keeny has a clean copy of the original handbook
- Commissioner Oden agreed to scan the book and make available as a PDF.
- Commissioner Dixon will contact Commissioner Talbots office to see if hard copies can be produced for Commissioners who would like one.
- Review proposed by law changes related to zoning cases
- Commissioner Keeny presented the Zoning Committee recommendations
- Discussed proposed by law changes related to zoning cases
- General thoughts:
- Zoning should present the case first
- We should consider mimicking what done at BZA
- Note: BZA may not include any of the conditions the UAC puts on a property.
- Columbus City Council, the applicant speaks first
- Some members felt by having the applicant go first they don’t have to feel defensive about the application they are presenting
- Method used by UARB may prove helpful to the Commission
- All the variances being requested are clearly written out on the meeting agenda
- There was so key discussion about finding ways to keep the meeting focused on Zoning variances that are being addressed by the case.
- Discussion on the motion by the Commission should be limited to only talking about the variances. All other comments could be taken as out of order
- Some members felt a report that contains the essence of what the Zoning Committee talked about in order to reach a decision on case would be very helpful to read ahead of the full Commission meeting
- There was so key discussion about finding ways to keep the meeting focused on Zoning variances that are being addressed by the case.
- All the variances being requested are clearly written out on the meeting agenda
- Other items discussed that can be helpful for the Commission to consider when making decisions on zoning cases
- The Commission should consider being consistent on the conditions they put on a property when deciding a case
- The Commission could solicit help putting together a list of what the Commission has decided before, this could then be considered as the precedent.
- We should consider increasing the range requirement for sending post card notifications to property owners.
- This would require a rule change by the City of Columbus
- Devise a way to filter comments from the Commissioners
- This could be done by having a formal question time for the chairperson of zoning .
- We could limit the time to ask and answer these questions
- Do not allow questioning the applicant
- This could be done by having a formal question time for the chairperson of zoning .
- It was also suggested to a louder and longer buzzer should be used to notify speakers their time is up.
- Discussion on Public Comments for Zoning cases
- Is there a way to prevent putting a limit on public comment
- Currently 3 for and 3 against are allowed and each speaker gets 3 minutes
- Note: The 3 for and 3 against was modeled after the City
- Consider allocating 24-30 minutes for public comments and take as many speakers than we can during that time.
- Commissioner Young offered to make laminated copies of the public speaking guidelines so they are posted for the meeting.
- Currently 3 for and 3 against are allowed and each speaker gets 3 minutes
- We should also consider making it a hard deadline requiring all public speaking slips be in to the chairperson by 6:30 PM the night of the meeting.
- Is there a way to prevent putting a limit on public comment
Next Meeting March 5, 2014 Northwood & High Building Room 100 @ 6:00 PM