Planning Commission has new officer lineup

The beginning of April is that magical time when officer elections take place at the Planning Commission. After a year of service, most of which occurred during the all-consuming discussions of CodeNEXT, the commission’s executive team decided to really change things up this year. Chair James Shieh’s experience with CodeNEXT gave him the epiphany that instead of busying himself with the administrative tasks of chair, “I would actually enjoy taking the time and diving back into (the issues).” After he stepped down from the role of chair, he was elected unanimously to serve as parliamentarian. Former Vice Chair Fayez Kazi took his place as chair. The newly vacated vice chair position was filled by Conor Kenny after Yvette Flores declined a nomination for the position, filling up the commission’s executive team with fervent urbanists. Commissioner Todd Shaw noted that this chair/vice chair duo was likely to set the commission up for success as the new land development code starts to come through commissions. In an unexpected twist, the secretary, Patricia Seeger, was absent from the April 8 meeting and was unable to acknowledge on the record whether or not she wanted to continue in her position. Although she was nominated, only Commissioner Shaw voted for her. The remaining commissioners voted for Commissioner Flores as secretary, a position she happily accepted.