New planning commission seated

With the terms on the current Calabasas Planning Commission expiring this Monday, the city council has appointed five new commissioners to the panel.

The council is still seeking an alternate commissioner who can vote on issues in the absence of a permanent commissioner.

City council members reappointed all current commissioners with exception of Vice Chair Jack Solomon.

“A few months ago, the council decided to change the way that planning commissioners were appointed,” said Tony Coroalles, Calabasas city manager. “Rather than appointing them . . . from a list of volunteers, council opted to have each . . . member make a nomination and council would then vote on that nomination. The council’s intent in modifying the way that commissioners are appointed was a reflection of just how important planning decisions are to this city.”

All five sitting planning commissioners and the alternate expressed an interest in appointment or reappointment to the planning commission, according to Coroalles.

“We also asked for interested volunteers from the general public, and advertised for such in The Acorn,” Coroalles said. “We received no applications from the general public. I then made the list of candidates available to all council members. Further, I asked all council members to inform me of their nominations and I shared these with all other council members so that duplicate nominations would be avoided.”

Councilmember Jonathon Wolfson nominated Gary Klein, Councilmember Mary Sue Maurer nominated John Mueller (who was the former alternate commissioner), Councilmember James Bozajian nominated Mark Sikand, Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Washburn nominated Martha Fritz and Mayor Barry Groveman nominated Dave Brown.

“The nominations were considered individually and council voted to seat each nominee on a 50 vote,” Coroalles said.

The city is now asking the public for volunteers to fill the alternate commissioner position.

“Each council member may make a nomination, which he or she shall submit to the mayor,” Coroalles said. “The mayor will review the nominations and select a candidate to be voted on by the council. If that candidate receives a majority of votes, (he or she) will be appointed as the alternate.”

Commission terms are two years and if there’s turnover on the council, a new councilmember has the opportunity to nominate a planning commissioner of his or her choice immediately after election.