02-06-2014 PC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING COMMISSIONERS M S T P R W R K Z S A T A A I A O A A T CITY PLANNING COMMISSION N S A K G ED S N K O MINUTES I E G E L O K N L L R E U T G 1 O ■ ■ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014, 9 A.M. O N ART PICK COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL N 3900 MAIN STREET E City ?f Arts Unnovation c c c W w w WARDS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 3 3 5 Patricia Brenes, Senior Planner, announced that the DEIR for the Riverside Community Hospital Specific Plan will be available on-line as of today with the comment period ending on March 24, 2014. Staff is anticipating bringing this item before the Planning Commission by April 3, 2014. It was noted that some of the commissioners requested an electronic version of the EIR. Staff will follow-up and provide those commissioners with the electronic version and a hard copy of the DEIR will be delivered to the rest of the commissioners. ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS Mr. Perez gave the Commission an update on future cases that staff will be bringing forth at the next meeting. Mr. Perez also introduced a new employee, Jay Eastman, Principal Planner. Mr. Eastman addressed the commission and introduced himself. Commissioner Zaki requested to go on record with respect to training and education opportunities for the commissioners. Training and education are critical areas and go to the heart of forming good solid boards and commissions. When the City provides opportunities to participate in education, it makes the City better and strengthens the effectiveness of the board or commission. Last year he attended the annual retreat in Pasadena and was not reimbursed for it. This year it will be held in San Francisco and he was informed that there was no funding available for this. Not withstanding the City's fiscal constraints, he wanted to go on record as adamantly opposed to this. He would like to request that the City Council consider education and training funds be allocated as part of the Planning Division's budget. Education and training should be taken seriously by appropriately ensuring those resources are available. The commissioners are volunteers because they love their community, the least the City can do is ensure they have the tools and resources available for the position. Mr. Tavaglione added that what the State does on many occasions is to let the commission select two or three members to attend the training but they have to return and give an update of what they saw and heard. He recommended something similar for the City as well, as these conferences are beneficial and the boards and commissions need to attend some of them. Planning Commission Minutes—February 6,2014 Page 2 of 3