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CANCELLATION OF 1-15-02 PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING: FLOW OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN L. STORM & CITY STAFF Here
is the complete flow of communication GRIT co-founder Loretta Storm
had with the city on this subject. The reader draw their own conclusions
as to what occurred.
PERSONAL
VISIT TO CITY HALL WEDNESDAY, January 9, 2002 (8:30 to 9'ish?):
My
purpose in going to the city personally was to view and read the ordinance
revisions and draft cluster and proposed comp plan amendment changes
that were scheduled to be heard at the originally-scheduled, but canceled
1-15-02 hearing, if they existed, and to obtain hard copies in order
that I could post them for folks to review. My efforts to secure
electronic communication on such public notiification items are becoming
increasingly more difficult, and despite at least two or three requests
to the city, I could not obtain a draft of suggested changes to ordinance. (And,
although at some point a "hard" copy of some code revisions
was available in hard copy at city hall, the comp plan amendment procedure
and the cluster ordinance draft were not made available.)
When
a conversation with Clerk Laura Koenig touched on the canceled hearing,
she told me "there may be a problem with that." I asked her what
that problem might be. She said that, following discussion with the
mayor that morning, Rick Cisar was checking with the attorney to determine
the legalities of the cancellation by the council. I asked her
why this was so, and whether or not the council had been either
communicated to, or advised of this new development. She said that I'd
have to speak with Rick on those subjects, since he was the one who
was handling it. I asked to speak with him. She said he
was in a meeting. I told her that I'd like to have him call
me. She said to leave a note with the city receptionist. As I
was hand-writing a note to Rick to determine whether or not the council
had been advised of this new development, a real estate agent came in
(who is also a resident and a pro-growth proponent), asked if Rick was
in, and the receptionist said yes, he was. The real estate agent said,
"Can I meet with him?" The receptionist picked up the phone, called
Rick and he came out immediately. I left my note to Rick with
the receptionist, to which I never received a response.
STORM EMAIL SENT January 10th AT 9:34 a.m.: Dear
Laura and Rick:
Please
advise the status of this hearing. Confirming information received
from Laura yesterday morning, you were checking with the attorney
to determine the legalities of having the council cancel this hearing.
Thank
you,
Loretta
Storm
RECEIVED
FROM 10:24 a.m. CYD DONK:
From: Cyd Donk To: Loretta Storm Cc: Rick Cisar Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2002 10:24 AM Subject: Notice of Hearing Change > Ms. Storm- > > Here is the notice that has been posted for the Public Hearing on 1-15-02. (There was nothing attached) > > Cyd Donk > Building & Planning Assistant > Building Department > City of Sultan > P.O. Box 1199 > Sultan, WA 98294-1199 > (360) 793-2231 (phone) > (360) 793-3344 (fax) SENT
at 10:46 a.m.:
Dear
Laura and Rick,
I will try one more time to find an answer to my question addressed to you both earlier this morning, responded to me below by Cyd Donk. Please advise what the status of this hearing is. As you're aware, this hearing was canceled by the council during Monday (1/8/02) night's meeting. As you are also well aware, in a conversation yesterday morning with Laura, she indicated that the mayor had spoken with Rick, and following that conversation, Rick was placed in charge of checking with the lawyer to determine the legalities of having the council cancel this hearing. At least, this is what Laura communicated to me. If this hearing is still being scheduled, I would appreciate, and am requesting, that you forward to me the legal opinion which has overturned the council's vote. Thank you for your prompt help and assistance, Loretta Storm FROM
DONNA RECEIVED & REPLIED TO BY ME at 1:02 p.m.
Thanks,
Donna. This is good news. It will allow folks to "digest"
this information first, so that their comments will have some
meaning.
Loretta
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Back to GRIT home page Read other communications with the city Read the Sultan Code that applies An Opinon on public hearings from MRSC
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16.128.030 Authority of the city council to amend the unified development code. A. Every proposed amendment to the unified development code, including changes in the zoning district maps or boundaries, shall be referred to the city council. B. The city council shall schedule a public hearing no later than 60 calendar days from the date it is officially notified of a request for an amendment to this unified development code. C. Upon submission of a petition for a unified development code amendment, the city council shall give due public notice and conduct a public hearing, wherein the parties in interest and citizens shall have the opportunity to be heard, under the requirements contained in this unified development code in Chapter 16.124 SMC. [emphasis added] [NOTE regarding Item C above: Any resident of Sultan may submit a petiton to the council for their consideration of code amendment.] |