02-05-2007 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Better gender balance was listed as a goal in several replies. Cindy Gray, a senior planner and zoning administrator in Fargo, North Dakota, told us of efforts to increase gender diversity on the Fargo Planning Commission. Three women now serve on the 11 member board (up from just one recently). Interestingly, Gray also reported that "we have tried to get an age balance on the Planning Commission ... and have made efforts to have someone on the Planning Commission who lives in rental housing or in the downtown area"" though, Gray observes, "that's been difficult." Criteria for Board Composition We did hear back from several communities which do have written criteria on planning commission composition. For example, Bryan Wood, Zoning Administrator for the City of Greenville, South Carolina told us that by city ordinance planning commissioners are to be appointed "in consideration of their professional expertise, knowledge of the community, and concern for the welfare of the total community and its citizens" and that "membership shall represent a broad cross section of the interests and concerns of persons residing and doing business within the city." Reflecting this charge, the Commission currently includes an architect, two lawyers, a residential builder, a realtor, a planning professor, and one retiree. Allara Mills-Gutcher, a senior planner with the Bay County Board of Commissioners in Panama City, Florida, reported that her county's land development regulations call for the planning commission to include three members "who have demonstrated an involvement or expertise in the development of land, such as an architect or landscape architect, an engineer, a person in real estate or development or a general contractor; three people who have demonstrated an involvement or expertise in the protection and conservation of the environment ...; and three who do not have ties to either of the above." Planners from Michigan noted that under their state's Municipal Planning Act, [see §125.33] a planning commission must "represent insofar as is possible different professions or occupations." Another state with specific requirements is Minnesota, which requires that on county planning commissions: "No voting member of the commission shall have received, during the two years prior to appointment, any substantial portion of income from business operations involving the development of land within the county for urban and urban related purposes." MN County Planning Enabling Act §394.30 Who's on Board Not surprisingly, attorneys are well represented on planning boards (7%). We can't tell you whether that's good or bad , but attorneys can take heart from what we heard from Carolyn Braun, Planning Director for the City of Anoka, Minnesota: "We have four attorneys on our seven member commission. At first I thought it would be an impossible situation. However, the attorneys have various legal backgrounds and bring a reasoned approach to decision-making. As such, the commission as a whole makes well-thought out recommendations." It also came as little surprise that a relatively high proportion of commissioners work in development, real estate, building, and related fields (13%). While some replies pointed out the benefits of this, others expressed concern about potential conflicts of interest. One planner from Georgia noted the need for balance: "Applicants for commission openings tend to be concentrated in the development and real estate fields. We make a concerted effort to balance representation and limit self-serving interests."