02-05-2007 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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We were surprised to find a fairly high proportion of commissioners (6%) who are teachers (in either K-12 schools or colleges and universities). On the other hand, certain professions appear to be very poorly represented. Most striking, perhaps, is the paucity of medical professionals serving on planning boards (just 1%). Several of those responding stressed the importance of other traits over the value of any particular occupational background. As Larry Fronk, Community Development Director for Miami Township, Ohio, put it: "What I have found is the background/education of the Board member is less important than their commitment to the community, their willingness to learn and understand the planning and zoning process, and their willingness to do their 'homework' on upcoming planning issues or zoning cases." Similarly, Paul Ketelsen, Zoning Administrator for Clinton County, Iowa, succinctly noted: "People with intelligence and good judgment are better than trying to find specific backgrounds in the community." How Commissioners are Selected Planning commission recruitment and appointment processes were another focus of the questionnaire. 97% of the communities replying indicated that commissioners are appointed. The principal exception being Massachusetts, where 4 of the 9 communities we heard from have elected boards. The appointment process varies greatly, though the most common method by far is appointment by the governing body. Most planning commissions are comprised entirely of "at large" appointees. The most common exception to the above are commissions having a designated slot for a member of the governing body. The most unusual designated slot we heard about, however, was in Hoquiam, Washington, where one commission member must be a high school student! While few communities have guidelines for the appointment of new members, many require completion of a written questionnaire and/or interviews by the mayor and governing body. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, explained planning commission secretary Mark Johnson, "Commission candidates are given a questionnaire about views on development, environment, and their ability to face long, controversial meetings." Vince Hustead, a planner for Little Rock, Arkansas, sent us a copy of a detailed questionnaire potential commissioners need to complete. Berlin, New Hampshire, uses an intriguing approach to planning commissioner appointment. As city planner Pamela Laflamme reports, "We usually take new members on as non-voting associate members to allow for an educational immersion into the Board. Then, when they feel ready and there is an opening, the Planning Board votes to recommend an associate member to the Mayor for appointment." According to Laflamme, there are currently three associate members who attend the Board's monthly meetings. Several replies noted the difficulty of finding people to serve on small town (or county) planning commissions. As a planner from Montana noted: "Because we often don't get several people expressing interest in a vacancy, when someone does express interest, we tend to jump on it and appoint that person without much consideration of their 'qualification' or ability to make the time commitment."