Governance Committee – March 5, 2014 – Meeting Notes

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University Area Commission | Governance Committee Report

Meeting Details: Wednesday March 5, 2014, Northwood and High Building, Started 6:10 PM and Ended 7:10 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 (E), Colin Odden (P)  Susan Keeny (G) and David Hegley (P)

1.  Continue discussion on proposed by law changes to handle Zoning cases

    • General discussions
      • Public Comment – We should consider allowing the chair to extend the public comment period at their discretion.
      • Generally everyone likes the media presentations that Zoning is now doing, but there was a suggestion that someone besides the chair should run the presentation
      • We should investigate with the City if the Commission can buy a laptop or look for donations to get a laptop for the Zoning presentations
      • Rules for speaking – Once the final rules are adopted copies of the speaking rules and times should be made available to the applicants, public speakers and commissioners in a highly visible manner
    • There was much discussion on the order that makes the most sense for the Zoning presentations, but the following order was settled on:
      1. Zoning Committee presents the facts of the case (Example: the variances being requested and the hardship noted on the application for the related variances)
      2. Applicant presentation
      3. Zoning Committee report (Example: What the committee decided and the reasoning behind the decision)
      4. Public Comment
      5. Commission discussion
      • Consider allowing the Commissioners to make comments and ask questions directly to the zoning chair as long as they stay within the allotted time)
      • There was discussion on what to do with the current Applicant rebuttal.  Options discussed:
        1. Eliminate the applicant rebuttal
        2. Don’t allow Commissioners to directly engage with the applicant
        3. Consider having an Applicant closing statement prior to the Commission voting on the variances
    • Next meeting focus will be put on the time allocation for each of the sections of presenting a zoning case.

2.  Set agenda and direction for the Committee agenda in 2014

  • Proposed Agenda items for the year:
    1. Change to bylaws surrounding Zoning cases
    2. Ohio Sunshine laws Requirements on the Commission
    3. Email correspondence as a public record
    4. Document retention periods for the Commission
    5. By laws surrounding attendance
    6. A more succinct description of what is needed in MEMBERS (Article II section B)
    7. Create guideline for Committee chairs on the requirements of running a Committee
    8. Make electronic version of the Commissioner handbook available

 

 

Next Meeting April 2, 2014 Northwood & High Building Room 100 @ 6:00 PM

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