REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Referrals from the September 14, 2020 Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting as follows:
a) Discussion and Possible Action on a Joint Meeting with West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees;
b) City’s Early Consideration Policy for General Plan Amendment Applications; and
c) Review of Newly Added Planning Commission Policies and Procedures, and Direction Regarding Management of Agenda-Related Requests from Boards and Commissions
[Council Pillar: Manage Strategically Our Workforce Capacity and Resources]
Report
BACKGROUND
The Governance and Ethics Committee (Committee) met on September 14, 2020. During the meeting, the Committee referred three items to City Council for approval.
Referral # 1
The Committee recommended staff forward a request to the City Council to schedule a joint meeting with the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees. For reference, the report to the Committee on this item is attached as Attachment 1.
Referral #2
The Committee reviewed the City’s Early Consideration Policy for General Plan Amendments (Early Consideration Policy) (Attachment 2). The Committee directed staff to bring the Early Consideration Policy to the City Council with a recommendation that it be rescinded and replaced with a new policy for community outreach and community benefits. For reference, the report to the Committee on this item is provided as Attachment 3.
Referral #3
The Committee discussed the need for a uniform process for City Council review of workplan items proposed by all City Boards and Commissions. The Committee recommended staff forward a request to the City Council to establish a process for Board and Commission to propose workplan items for City Council consideration at their Priority Setting Session on an annual basis. For reference, the report to the Committee on this item is provided as Attachment 4. The Planning Commission referrals to staff were not recommended for approval by the Committee.
DISCUSSION
Referral #1: Schedule a joint meeting with the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees and recommend the scheduling be forwarded to the City Council for approval.
City staff is prepared, upon City Council approval, to work on scheduling a joint meeting with the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees.
Referral #2: Eliminate the City’s Early Consideration Policy for General Plan Amendments and develop a new policy focused on community outreach and community benefits.
If approved, staff will bring a proposal to the City Council at their October 13, 2020 meeting for the elimination of the Early Consideration Policy. For Council discussion, staff will provide a list of the projects which would be anticipated to be reviewed under the Early Consideration Policy in the next three months. Staff will also be seeking Council input on the scope of projects that would be subject to the new outreach and community benefit requirements and the types of community benefits that the Council would like to address through a new Policy that would be brought back to the City Council at a future meeting.
Referral #3: Forward a request to the City Council to approve an annual review process for Board and Commission workplans that allows City Council to review the proposed workplans at their Priority Setting Session on an annual basis.
The Committee unanimously approved a recommendation to have all City Boards and Commissions provide a workplan or potential work program initiatives for the City Council to review and approve at their annual Priority Setting Session. A uniform process will assist with managing staff resources and capacity, as well as maintain alignment with City Council policy priorities. It will allow the Council to confirm that these workplans match the group’s scope of work and manage the allocation of staff resources amongst potential projects. To this end, the Committee recommended that staff work with the City’s Boards and Commissions to solicit workplan priority recommendations for 2021 that can be considered by the City Council at their 2021 Priority Setting Session (tentatively scheduled for February 1-2, 2021).
If City Council approves this recommendation, staff will work with the City’s Boards and Commissions from October to December 2020, to review their overall scope and responsibilities and develop a prioritized list of three to five potential workplan items for the upcoming year. Both the proposed workplan items should be within the scope and responsibilities of the Board or Commission and align with the approved City Council policy priorities. Once the Board or Commission workplan proposals have been identified, staff will prepare an analysis of the necessary resources to support each proposal. This analysis will be shared with the City Council prior to their Priority Setting Session to help inform the review process.
If approved, this process will continue annually and be incorporated into the City Boards and Commissions Handbook.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact other than staff time.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Clerk’s Office and the Community Development Department.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov>.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the referrals;
2. Disapprove the referrals;
3. Approve one of the referrals;
4. Approve two of the referrals; or
5. Modify referrals as deemed appropriate by Council.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve the Governance and Ethics Committee’s referrals:
a) The scheduling of a joint meeting with the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees;
b) The elimination the City’s Early Consideration of General Plan Amendments Policy and developing a new policy focused on community outreach and community benefits via the process outlined in this report; and
c) The approval of an annual review process for Board and Commission workplans that allows City Council to review the proposed workplans at their Priority Setting Session on an annual basis as outlined in this report.
Staff
Reviewed by: Nadine Nader, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. RTC 20-311
2. City’s Early Consideration of General Plan Amendments Policy
3. RTC 20-314 (3C)
4. RTC 20-786