HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved as to legal form_Final Proposed 2023 Planning Commission ByLaws (2)Renton Planning Commission Bylaws (April 2023)
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CITY OF RENTON
BYLAWS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
The City of Renton (“City”) Planning Commission (“Commission”) has adopted the following as its Bylaws
setting forth the rules and procedures deemed necessary to carry out its duties as established in Chapter
2-10 of the Renton Municipal Code (“RMC”), and in compliance with the state’s Open Public Meetings
Act (“OPMA” RCW 42.30). After these Bylaws have been provided to the Renton City Council for their
awareness, the Commission will file a copy of these Bylaws with the City Clerk of Renton.
1. Appointment, Membership, Term, and Vacancies – shall be in accordance with RMC 2-10, and
are currently:
a. Appointment of nine (9) Commissioners by the Mayor, and confirmed by the City
Council
b. Members of the Commission must be a resident of, or own a small business in, the City
of Renton, with additional rules as described in RMC 2-10-5.
c. Term of appointment is three (3) years, with appointments in July and February of each
year and
d. Vacancies will be filled in the same way the initial appointments were made.
2. Election of Officers:
a. Officers to be elected: the Commission shall elect a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and
other officers as may be needed.
b. Elections to occur: Elections shall be held annually at the first regular meeting in
January. In the event other officers are needed, they will be elected and seated as the
need arises. Elections for each officer when there is more than one candidate for a
position shall be by roll call vote.
c. Officers to be seated: Newly elected officers shall take office at the first regular meeting
of each calendar year, after elections of all officers.
3. Meetings:
a. The Commission shall operate in compliance with the OPMA to ensure a transparent
process. This Article 2 will be interpreted to comply with Washington State open
meetings requirements and may be subject to change to assure compliance.
i. The Commission shall have a standard practice of meeting in person meetings at
the Renton City Hall, City Council Chambers. If that location is not available, and
a regular in-person meeting will still be held, the City will publish the new
physical location in accordance with OPMA requirements.
ii. In the event a regular meeting is canceled or re-scheduled prior to its regularly
scheduled time and date, the City shall post that information in advance.
iii. Any Commissioner may attend any meeting remotely at their discretion, if such
attendance is:
1. By telephonic or other electronic, internet, or other means acceptable
to, and arranged with, City staff prior to the meeting; AND
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2. The remote means allows real-time verbal communication with the
Commission without being in the same physical location, and is
available for the members of the public to hear as well.
iv. The Commission shall hold at least twelve (12) Regular Meetings throughout
the year according to the following schedule:
1. January through December: first and third Wednesdays of the month at
6:00 pm or as otherwise published by City of Renton on their website
and with advance notice and posting of the agenda; except:
2. August and December: first Wednesday of the month at 6:00 pm, or as
otherwise published by City of Renton on their website and with
advance notice and posting of the agenda.
3. In the event a regular meeting day falls on a holiday, or City operations
are canceled for emergency or other reasons, the regular meeting will
be postponed to the next available business day in the same location,
and the public will be notified through posting on the City’s website and
physical posting at the location.
v. The Commission may hold Special Meetings at the request of the Chair, or in
their absence by the Vice-Chair, or when approved during a regular meeting by
a majority of the Commission. City staff shall notify Commissioners at least
three (3) days in advance of such Special Meeting, and shall provide appropriate
public notice.
vi. The Commission may hold Emergency Meetings if there is a need for expedited
action of the Commission to meet an emergency. Such emergency meeting may
be called by the Chair at the regular meeting site, for a remote meeting without
a physical location, or for a meeting at which attendance by members of the
public is limited due to a declared emergency.
vii. The Commission may hold fully Remote Meetings as a result of the declaration
of an emergency and if the City determines it cannot hold a meeting in person
or will limit physical attendance by some or all members of the public because
of the emergency. Such remote meeting shall comply with OPMA rules
governing remote meetings, including real-time verbal communications and the
option for the public to listen.
b. Absences:
i. Failure to attend a meeting without providing City staff and/or the Chair twenty-
four (24) hours’ notice may be considered an “unexcused” absence.
ii. Three (3) “excused” absences is equal to one (1) “unexcused” absence.
iii. Commissioners with 3 or more unexcused absences in one calendar year may be
removed from the Commission by the Mayor.
iv. Remote attendance at an in-person meeting is not an absence from the
meeting.
4. Amendments:
a. These Bylaws may be amended or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted at any
regular meeting or special meeting by a majority vote of the membership. A copy of the
proposed Bylaws, or amendments thereto, shall be furnished to each member at least
three (3) days prior to the date of the meeting.
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b. All amendments to the Bylaws shall be submitted to the Mayor and City Council for their
awareness.
IT IS HEREBY UNDERSTOOD that the undersigned Chair of the Renton Planning Commission does hereby
certify that the above and foregoing Bylaws were duly adopted by the members of the Commission as the
Bylaws of the Commission on the ____ day of _______, 2023, and that they do now constitute the Bylaws
of the City of Renton Planning Commission.
ATTEST:
________________________________
Dana Rochex, Chair
Renton Planning Commission