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Background: The Planning Commission asked Staff to provide information to develop a �... policy regarding ethics when dealing with applicants, developers or those opposing an application prior to a Planning Commission meeting. The League of Minnesota Cities has a Template Code of Conduct and Model Statement of Values available on line. After reviewing them, Staff felt they did not represent the wishes of the Planning Commission. If any Planning Commission Member would like a copy of these Staff will provide them. Staff contacted the Community Growth Institute and their comments and suggestions were to keep something like an ethics policy simple. Staff there has attended APA trainings where this was discussed and suggestions were to tell people that would call a Planning Commission member or try to visit with them that they have a duty to ensure that all Planning Commission members have the benefit of hearing the same things. Some things the commissioners could do would be to politely request the person submit their comments in writing or in person at the public hearing. This would give the commissioners a "cover" of a City policy to blame it on. They also indicated that the City would have the freedom to set something like this up however they want and perhaps the simplest way would be to let the person know that they will listen to the comments but they are obligated to share those same comments with the rest of the commission at the hearing and note who they came from. They also suggested that the City Attorney should give a review or some advice of the policy should it be made as it does pertain to legal issues. Staff has also contacted The League of Minnesota Cities and they have indicated that it would be difficult to craft a policy that significantly limited people's ability to contact members of the public body. The League indicated that the City has the right to adopt a policy of this sort but they should work closely with the City Attorney. The League offered the fowling information regarding the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act(MGDPA): Minnesota Statute 13.601 (part of the MGDPA): Subd. 3.Applicants for appointment. (a) Data about applicants for appointment to a public body collected by a government entity as a result of the applicant's application for appointment to the public body are private data on individuals except that the following are public: (1) name; (2) city of residence, except when the appointment has a residency requirement that requires the entire address to be public; (3) education and training; (4) employment history; (5) volunteer work; (6) awards and honors; (7) prior government service; and (8) any data required to be provided or that is voluntarily provided in an application for appointment to a multimember agency pursuant to section 15.0597. (b) Once an individual is appointed to a public body, the following additional items of data are public: (1) residential address; and (2) either a telephone number or electronic mail address where the appointee can be reached, or both at the request of the appointee.