There is hereby created and established a commission consisting of five members to be known as the city planning commission. The planning commission shall be and constitutes the planning agency for the city, as the same is defined in Government Code title 7, division 1, chapter 3, article 1.
(Ord. 87-63, 1987)
A. 
Appointment. Consistent with subsection C, each city council member, on behalf of their respective city council district, shall appoint one planning commission member and the mayor shall appoint one planning commission member. Such appointments shall be subject to ratification by majority vote of the city council. In the event a city council member or the mayor declines to make an appointment, the appointment will be made by a majority vote of the city council. Notwithstanding appointment by a city council member from a city council district, members of the planning commission shall not be required to reside in the same city council district as the appointing city council member, and all members of the planning commission shall serve at large.
B. 
Qualifications. Each member of the planning commission shall be a legal resident within the city at the time of his or her appointment and during his or her tenure in office.
C. 
Term.
1. 
The term for each planning commission member appointed by a city council member shall be for four years, and the term for each planning commission member appointed by the mayor shall be for two years with such terms commencing on March 1 in the year following the regular election of the appointing city council member or mayor.
2. 
All planning commission members shall continue to hold and exercise their respective positions on the planning commission until the appointment of their respective successors.
3. 
Notwithstanding subsection C.1., a person elected or appointed to a city council seat to fill a vacancy created by election or appointment of a sitting city council member to the office of mayor shall appoint the planning commission member for the two year term on behalf of the newly elected or appointed mayor so that, except in the event of a vacancy, all members of the city council, including the mayor, shall have each appointed only one planning commission member.
D. 
Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as set forth in subsection A of this section by the mayor or the current representative of the city council district making the original appointment.
E. 
Removal. Planning commissioners serve at the pleasure of the city council and may be removed at any time by affirmative vote of three or more members of the city council. A member who is absent for three consecutive meetings without approval by a majority of the planning commission members shall be automatically removed from membership without further action by the city council. Removal by council or due to unapproved absence shall create a vacancy under subsection D of this section.
F. 
Compensation and expenses. Any compensation of the commissioners shall be fixed by resolution of the city council, and commissioners may be reimbursed for their valid expenses incurred on official city business.
(Ord. 05-255, 2005; Ord. 25-0384, 11/24/2025)
A. 
Organization.
1. 
Officers of the planning commission shall include the chair and vice-chair. The vice-chair shall serve as the chair, pro tempore, when the chair is absent. The chair and vice-chair shall be elected from among the planning commission members by a majority of the members present at the first regular meeting of the planning commission on or after March 1.
2. 
The planning manager of the city shall be ex officio secretary of the planning commission. Whenever in this code or any other ordinance of the city the words "planning manager" are used, they shall refer to and mean the planning manager of the city or the planning manager's designee and, if and when a planning manager has not been appointed or is absent, the city manager and the city manager's designee.
B. 
Regular Meetings. The commissioners shall hold at least one regular meeting each month.
C. 
Rules. The commissioners shall adopt rules for the transaction of its business and shall keep a public record of its resolutions, transactions, findings and determinations.
D. 
City Officers to Cooperate. All officers and employees of the city shall cooperate and furnish all reasonable and necessary assistance to the planning commission.
(Ord. 87-63, 1987; Ord. 22-0355 § 1; Ord. 25-0384, 11/24/2025)
A. 
General. The planning commission shall have the responsibilities for:
1. 
Developing, preparing, periodically reviewing, revising and maintaining the general plan;
2. 
Implementing the general plan through actions including, but not limited to, the administration of specific plans and subdivision ordinances;
3. 
Annually reviewing the capital improvement program of the city and the local public works projects of other local agencies for their consistency with the general plan, pursuant to Government Code section 65400 et seq.;
4. 
Preparing, adopting and recommending to the city council plans and drafts of such regulations, programs and legislation as may, in its judgment, be required for the systematic execution of the general plan;
5. 
Acting as an advisory agency for the city council in connection with the Subdivision Map Act;
6. 
Investigating and recommending plans to the city council for the improvement and beautification of the city, including matters such as the opening, straightening, widening, closing of or parking on streets, improvement and development of public streets, improvement and development of public buildings and works, the subdivision of lands and the supplementation or the change of zoning regulations and districts;
7. 
Promoting the public interest in, comment on and understanding of the general plan and regulations relating to it;
8. 
Consulting with and advising public officials and agencies, public utility companies, civic, educational, professional and other organizations and citizens concerning implementation of the general plan;
9. 
Promoting the coordination of local plans and programs with the plans and programs of other public agencies;
10. 
Reviewing and approving, disapproving or conditionally approving, or providing recommendations to city council, all applications submitted for development plans, conditional use permits, tentative map, specific plans, and any other application as specifically provided under this code.
11. 
When reviewing and approving, disapproving or conditionally approving, or providing recommendations to city council, on any application for which the design review committee has provided advice and recommendation to the planning commission, the planning commission shall defer to the design review committee's advice and recommendations made pursuant to the design review committee's authority under section 2-4-4, unless specific circumstances warrant otherwise. If such specific circumstances exist, the planning commission shall explain why any deviation from the design review committee's advice and recommendations is warranted and how any deviation is in compliance with the design guidelines. The planning commission shall send an application to the design review committee for further review when the planning commission determines there have been changes significantly effecting the design of the project.
12. 
Such other functions and duties as imposed by law or as the city council may provide.
B. 
Board of Zoning Adjustment. The planning commission shall act as a board of zoning adjustment and shall have all responsibilities and all duties as may be imposed by law or by the city council.
C. 
Employment and Liability Restrictions. The planning commission shall have no authority to employ any person or incur any liability on behalf of the city.
(Ord. 87-63, 1987; Ord. 22-0355 § 2)