2006 Seattle Elections

General Elections Voters' Guide

Chrtr Am 10-Planning Commission Appointments - Complete Text

A RESOLUTION submitting a proposition to the qualified electors of the City, at an election to be held on November 7, 2006, to amend Section 1 and Section 2 of Article XIV of the Charter of the City of Seattle so that the manner of appointment and removal of Planning Commission members may be determined by ordinance; calling on the City Clerk to certify the proposed amendment to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County and requesting and directing such Director to call a special election and submit the proposition to City voters; and providing for the publication of such proposed amendment.

WHEREAS, Section 1 of Article XIV of the City Charter currently provides that the Mayor shall appoint Planning Commission members, subject to confirmation by the City Council; and

WHEREAS, Section 2 of Article XIV of the City Charter currently provides that the Mayor may remove any member of the Planning Commission, also subject to confirmation by the City Council; and

WHEREAS, for a number of other City boards and commissions, the Council and Mayor share appointment authority, each appointing roughly half the members of the board or commission; and

WHEREAS, sharing appointment authority for members of boards and commissions between the Council and Mayor provides for broader representation and greater accountability; and

WHEREAS, the Seattle Municipal Code is a more appropriate place than the City Charter to specify the details about appointment of members of boards and commissions, and in fact most boards and commissions are described and regulated via the Seattle Municipal Code and not via the Charter; and

WHEREAS, the City Council has passed Council Bill 115644 as a companion to this proposed Charter amendment, and if the voters approve the Charter amendment, then this Council Bill will take effect and will add language to the Seattle Municipal Code providing that the City Council and the Mayor will each appoint seven members of the Planning Commission and the fifteenth member shall be appointed by the Commission as constituted; NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS

FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Subject to the approval of a proposition by a majority of the qualified electors casting votes thereon, Section 1 and Section 2 of Article XIV of the Charter of the City of Seattle are amended as follows:

ARTICLE XIV. City Planning Commission

Section 1. There shall be a City Planning Commission composed of such number of members, with such qualifications and serving such terms of office as shall be provided by ordinance. The manner in which members of such Commission shall be appointed shall be provided by ordinance. Appointment shall be by the Mayor, subject to the confirmation by a majority of the City Council.

Section 2. The Mayor may remove any member of the City Planning Commission subject to like confirmation. Members shall receive no compensation for service on said Commission as such. Such membership shall not constitute a violation of Article XIX, Sec. 10 of this Charter.

Section 2. If the amendment to Section 2 of Article XIV submitted by Resolution 30892 is also approved by voters, both changes to Section 2 of Article XIV shall be incorporated into the Charter.

Section 3. The King County Director of Records and Elections, as ex officio supervisor of elections, is hereby requested to call a special election and is directed to submit the charter amendment proposed herein to the qualified electors of the City at the election on November 7, 2006.

Section 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County as Supervisor of Elections the charter amendment proposed herein in the form of a ballot title prepared by the City Attorney pursuant to RCW 29A.36.071, and shall certify a copy of the proposed Charter amendment, and the same shall be published by the City Clerk in accordance with state law.

AN ORDINANCE changing the method of appointment for Planning Commission members; and amending Seattle Municipal Code Section 3.64.030.

WHEREAS, the City Charter currently provides that the Mayor shall appoint Planning Commission members, subject to confirmation by the City Council; and

WHEREAS, for a number of other City boards and commissions, the Council and Mayor share appointment authority, each appointing roughly half the members of the board or commission; and

WHEREAS, sharing appointment authority for members of boards and commissions between the Council and Mayor provides for broader representation and greater accountability; and

WHEREAS, the Seattle Municipal Code is a more appropriate place than the City Charter to specify the details about appointment of members of boards and commissions, and in fact most boards and commissions are described and regulated via the Seattle Municipal Code and not via the Charter; and

WHEREAS, the City Council has adopted Resolution 30897 as a companion to this Council Bill, submitting a proposition to the voters of the City to amend the Charter to state that the manner in which members of the Planning Commission shall be appointed shall be provided by ordinance; and

WHEREAS, if the voters approve the Charter amendment, then this Council Bill will take effect and will add language to the Seattle Municipal Code providing that the City Council and the Mayor will each appoint seven members of the Planning Commission and the fifteenth member shall be appointed by the Commission as constituted; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. The positions on the Planning Commission shall be numbered from one (1) through fifteen (15). Commissioners in office as of the effective date of this section shall be taken in order by the expiration date of the current term, and within each group with the same expiration date, in alphabetical order by last name, and shall be assigned to positions starting with position one through however many commissioners there are. Expiration dates of the current terms of commissioners in office on the effective date of this ordinance shall not be affected by this ordinance.

Section 2. Section 3.64.030 of the Seattle Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows:

3.64.030 Appointment and term.

Members in odd-numbered positions on the Commission from position one (1) through position thirteen (13) shall be appointed by a majority vote of the City Council, and members in even numbered positions shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the City Council, and the member in position fifteen (15) shall be appointed by the Commission as constituted. The Mayor shall appoint members of the Commission subject to confirmation by the City Council. The term of office shall be for three (3) years, and the terms of one-third (1/3) of the members shall expire each year. A Commission member whose term has expired shall continue to hold office until a successor has qualified. No member shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. Any vacancy shall be filled for an unexpired term in the same manner as for an original appointment under this section as amended. All Commission members shall be qualified electors of the City. Present members of the Planning Commission are appointed members of the Planning Commission, to serve for the remainder of the terms for which they were appointed.

Section 3. Sections 1 and 2 of this ordinance will take effect if and only if the voters approve the Charter amendment submitted to them by Resolution 30897 and if the voters approve that Charter amendment, then Sections 1 and 2 will take effect on the date that the Charter amendment takes effect.

Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days from and after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten (10) days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.