Planning Commission Study Session – Continuation of Roles and Public Engagement Discussion – August 18, 2021

The Erie Planning Commission convened virtually on August 18, 2021, at 6:32 PM under Chair Zuniga. With four commissioners present (Hoback, Sawusch, Witt, Zuniga) and three absent/excused (Ames, Luthi, Fraser), the meeting focused on a continued study session regarding the commission’s roles and responsibilities, public engagement strategies, and updates on development process improvements. A motion to continue the study session to September 1, 2021, passed unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of the Agenda – Motion (Witt, second Hoback) passed 4-0.
• Approval of Minutes – The August 4, 2021 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes were approved 4-0 (motion Sawusch, second Witt).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public attended; no public comments were taken.

Discussion Items

• Study Session Continuation (Agenda Item 21‑336) – Chair Zuniga led a discussion on the commission’s proposed biannual presentation to the Board of Trustees, emphasizing the need to increase public awareness of planning processes. Commissioners supported a goal of “increased engagement between the planning commission and the community,” with ideas such as improved town website resources and farmer’s market outreach. The discussion also covered the statutory purview of the Planning Commission (comprehensive plan, land‑use applications, quasi‑judicial duties) and whether the commission should adopt a policy document outlining its roles and responsibilities.
• Legal Counsel and Attorney‑Client Privilege – Commissioner Sawusch requested that Town Attorney Associate Austin Flanagan provide a bullet‑point summary of statutory roles for the commission. Commissioner Witt expressed disagreement with Sawusch’s proposal to seek separate legal representation for the Planning Commission independent of the Town Attorney’s office. Flanagan clarified that all town attorneys serve the Town as a whole, and that attorney‑client privilege rests with the elected Board of Trustees, not individual advisory boards. The commission discussed the possibility of contracting a separate land‑use attorney, but no decision was made.
• Commissioner Reports – Process Improvements and UDC Amendments – Commissioner Sawusch reported on a Board of Trustees study session that highlighted the Planning Department’s process improvements. Deputy Director Bachelder noted that since 2020, internal workflow changes reduced the preliminary plan/final plat timeline from 3.5 years (2017‑2019) to just over 1.5 years (2020‑2021). Staff Planner Autumn Gonzales will present a detailed overview to the Planning Commission at a future meeting. Regarding the Unified Development Code (UDC) amendments, Bachelder outlined the schedule: a study session on September 1, 2021; a Board of Trustees study session on September 21; a Planning Commission hearing on October 6; and a public hearing before the Board of Trustees on October 26. Commissioner Witt raised ideas for codifying xeriscaping allowances (referencing state statute CRS 37‑61‑126) and requiring prominent signage on properties approved for PUD/PD to indicate future development. Staff advised that these suggestions be addressed during the September 1 study session for full commission input.

Key Outcomes

• Motion to Continue Study Session – Commissioner Hoback moved, seconded by Commissioner Sawusch, to continue the study session to the regular September 1, 2021 Planning Commission meeting when more members would be present. The motion passed unanimously (4-0).
• Homework for Town Attorney – Austin Flanagan agreed to prepare a one‑page summary of the Planning Commission’s statutory roles and responsibilities for the next meeting.
• Future Agenda Item – Staff will add an item for Autumn Gonzales to present the Planning Department’s process improvement metrics to the commission.
• UDC Amendments Timeline – The next study session is September 1, 2021; the public hearing before the Board of Trustees is set for October 26, 2021.