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planner to lead the discussion of their assigned project at DRC so that issues can be
highlighted and discussed and the planner can act to facilitate decision-making among
the interdisciplinary DRC team when needed.
140.
Recommendation:
The DRC should continue to be chaired by the
Senior Planner, but Planners should attend DRC meetings to lead the
discussion of their project as a Project Manager, highlight issues and
facilitate decision-making and challenge conditions of approval when needed,
and ensure applicants are provided with decisive feedback to help eliminate
the need for multiple review cycles.
The DRC is comprised of a cross-functional review team consisting the Fire Marshal,
Building Division Technician, Associate Engineer, Police Analyst and Chemical
Control Specialist. The Housing Division and Economic Development are invited
participants, but do not attend regularly. In addition, it was reported that some
members, such as Engineering are frequently not fully prepared, in that they have not
yet completed their written comments and/or conditions, which are supposed to be
sent directly to the assigned planner and MSA for filing.
141.
Recommendation:
The City Manager should direct all designated
DRC participants to attend each meeting and arrive fully prepared with
written comments and conditions that they are prepared to discuss.
DRC meetings are held weekly (e.g., Wednesdays), which is good. However, staff
stated that agendas are not prepared for meetings and that projects are often scheduled
for two consecutive DRC meetings.
Staff noted that some projects are scheduled for two DRC meetings due to the lag
time between project submittal and the Director assignment. Since the Director
assigns projects at the Tuesday staff meeting, there can be up to a one-week lag time
between submittal and assignment of the project to a planner. So as a courtesy, the
Senior Planner in charge of the DRC takes unassigned projects to the DRC to
introduce them so the DRC members are aware that the project has been submitted
and will be discussed at next week’s meeting.
Earlier in this section, we recommend that projects immediately be assigned rather
than waiting to assign them at staff meetings, which will eliminate the lag time issue.
In addition, the practice of requiring the Senior Planner in charge of DRC to schedule
projects at a DRC for introduction only is unnecessary. In best practice communities,
projects are scheduled for one DRC within two weeks of the submittal in order give