Governance Committee – Feb. 12, 2014 – Meeting Notes

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:

 

  1. Confirmed the members of the Committee for 2014 Commission year
  2. Elected David Hegley as Chairperson, Motion my Dixon, seconded by Oden.  Voting Yes: Dixon, Bach, Uhas-Sauer, Goodnight, Oden and Hegley.  Motion passed unanimously.
  3. 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.
  1. Review proposed by law changes related to zoning cases
  • Commissioner Keeny presented the Zoning Committee recommendations
  1. 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
        • 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
          • 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.
          • 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.

 

 

Next Meeting March 5, 2014 Northwood & High Building Room 100 @ 6:00 PM

 

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