Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved as to legal form_Final Proposed 2023 Planning Commission ByLaws (2)Renton Planning Commission Bylaws (April 2023) Page 1 of 3 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 Renton Planning Commission Bylaws (April 2023) Page 2 of 3 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. Renton Planning Commission Bylaws (April 2023) Page 3 of 3 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