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COMMUNITYGROWTH city°l I N S T I T U T E P'equot F-yeris in Small Town Planning Ups— NEW BUSINESS Agenda Item:8a—Ethics Policy Background Information: Last month the Planning Commission had the following discussion on a potential ethics policy(from the preliminary minutes): Zoning Administrator Bittner explained the Staff Report and requested direction from the Planning Commission how they wished to proceed. The following comments were made: • The Planning Commission member could state that it is his/her duty to ensure all Planning Commission members hear the same information and that he/she will bring the information to the meeting; • If a Planning Commission member repeats the information at a meeting, it may be interpreted that he/she agrees with it; • The Planning Commission member could state that anything said to the Planning Commission member, he/she has the responsibility to share it with the rest of the Planning Commission; • Save the information for the meeting; • The public should feel free to talk to anyone, elected or appointed. We represent the people at large; they need to feel free to talk to us. • It could be helpful from an applicant's point but in other situations it could be sticky. • The Planning Commission cannot provide an answer; submit the information at the meeting and a decision will be made; • The Planning Commission cannot give an indication of the outcome when speaking with an applicant. • We don't want to create a rule for a situation that may only come up every eleven years. Commission Member Williams suggested the following: Under the Duties of the Board of Adjustment (Section 17-11.2) and Planning Commission(Section 17-11.3) of the City Code, the following could be added:"In an effort to ensure the integrity of the Board, it is the duty of the Planning Commission to encourage the public to present their comments at the time of the public hearings, either in writing or to testy in person." As Staff, we would respectfully suggest a different approach. We recommend the Planning Commission consider an ethics policy comprised of the following: 1. Between meetings, except the Chair and Vice-Chair, all Planning Commission members should accept information from applicants and property owners only Pequot Lakes Staff Report 7(a)-1 March 18,2oio