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Bylaws of the
BAKERSFIELD PLANNING COMMISSION
ARTICLE 1 - Officers
1.1. Officers. The Commission will have the following officers: Chairperson, Vice
Chairperson, and Secretary.
1.2. Selection. The Commission must select the officers as follows:
1.2.1. Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. The Commission will elect a
Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson whose terms of office will begin on
May 1 of that year and continue until April 30 of the following year or
until their successors are elected. Should either position be vacated, the
Commission must elect a successor to serve the balance of the year.
1.2.2. Secretary. The Planning Director will be Secretary. In the Planning
Director's absence, the Planning Director must appoint a Secretary pro
tem.
1.3. Duties.
1.3.1. Chairperson. The Chairperson's duties include the following:
1.3.1.1. Preside and vote at all Planning Commission meetings and
hearings.
1.3.1.2. Call special meetings of the Commission as provided in these
bylaws.
1.3.1.3. See that all actions of the Commission are properly taken.
1.3.1.4. Make Planning Commission committee assignments.
1.3.1.5. Sign official documents of the Commission.
1.3.2. Vice Chairperson. The Vice Chairperson will perform the duties of the
Chairperson whenever the Chairperson is unavailable to participate in
Commission consideration of any matter. If both the Chairperson and
Vice Chairperson are unavailable, the Commission must elect a
Chairperson pro tem.
1.3.3. Secretary. The Secretary's duties include the following:
1.3.3.1. Keep the minutes of all meetings.
1.3.3.2. Give or serve notices required by law.
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1.3.3.3. Prepare and distribute the agenda for each meeting.
1.3.3.4. Serve as custodian for Planning Commission records.
1.3.3.5. Advise the Commission of correspondence relating to
Commission business.
1.3.3.6. Sign the minutes of the Commission Meeting.
ARTICLE 2 - Meetings
2.1. Regular Meetings. Unless cancelled by the Planning Director, the Commission's
regular meetings will occur on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 5:30
p.m. in the Council Chambers.
2.2. Adjourned Meetings. The Commission may adjourn any regular, adjourned
regular, special, or adjourned special meeting to a specified date, time, and
location. Notice of that adjourned meeting must be given as required by State
Law.
2.3. Special Meetings. A special meeting may be called by:
2.3.1. The Chairperson;
2.3.2. Any four Commissioners;
2.3.3. The Planning Director; or
2.3.4. City Council.
Notice of any special meeting must satisfy the requirements of California
Government Code section 54956 (or be waived as provided therein), and the
business transacted at that meeting must be limited to that specified in the call
and notice.
ARTICLE 3 - Order of Business
3.1. Preparation of the Agenda. In preparing the agenda for Commission meetings,
the Secretary will determine the order of business. The agenda will at least
include roll call and public statements and may include, as necessary, approval
of minutes of the previous meeting, consent calendar items, public hearings,
reports, staff communications, and Commissioner comments.
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3.2. Changing of the Order. After the agenda has been published, a majority of the
Commissioners in attendance at any meeting may change the order of business
as outlined in the agenda.
ARTICLE 4 - Rules of Order
The current edition of Robert's Rules of Order will govern the conduct of Commission
meetings in all cases not otherwise provided for in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE 5 - Hearings
5.1. Addressing the Commission. The public hearing of an item before the
Commission should be conducted in a way to provide all interested parties a
reasonable opportunity to be heard before the Commission debates and votes
on the item. To accomplish this, all those wishing to address the Commission on
an item will be provided the opportunity to do so after the public hearing has
been opened on the item in the following order:
5.1.1 Speakers in favor of the proposal;
5.1.2 Speakers in opposition to the proposal;
5.1.3 Rebuttal by speakers in favor of the proposal; then
5.1.4 Rebuttal by speakers in opposition to the proposal.
Each rebuttal period is limited to five minutes unless both rebuttal periods are
equally extended by a majority of the quorum.
The Commissioners, through the Chairperson, may ask questions of speakers at
any time during the public hearing portion of the hearing but may not debate
the item until the public hearing is closed.
After the public hearing is closed and debate has begun, the Commissioners,
through the Chairperson, may ask questions of staff but should avoid asking any
further questions of those in favor of or in opposition to the proposal.
5.2. Time Limits. Unless the Commission votes to establish time limits for those in favor
or in opposition of a particular proposal to address the Commission, there will be
no time limits imposed on public speakers on any item.
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ARTICLE 6 - Amendments
Subject to the requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act (Govt. Code § 54950 et seq.),
these Bylaws may be amended at any time if four or more Commissioners agree to the
amendment as long as each of the seven Commissioners are provided with notice of
the proposed amendment.
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S: \l Planning Commission \Bylaws \2013 \9 -5 -13 \Bylaws 2013 Final.docx
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