MEMORANDUM

TO: Timothy Navarre, Assembly President

Members, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

FROM: Timothy Navarre, Assembly President

DATE: July 27, 2001

SUBJECT: Ordinance 2001-____ amending KPB 2.40 regarding planning commission membership and apportionment

This ordinance would amend the borough code to establish a maximum number of planning commission members. It would also eliminate the borough code requirement that each first class and home rule city have one member on the commission. Instead, it mirrors statutory language concerning planning commission apportionment.

Since the decennial census figures were published, the administration has determined that the planning commission membership must be adjusted to comply with the statutory requirement that the number of members from home rule and first class cities reflects the proportion of borough population residing in home rule and first class cities. The borough code requires that the planning commission consist of one member from each first class or home rule city of the borough and that the number of remaining members from outside of those cities comply with the required apportionment. If the borough code is amended to eliminate the requirement that one member come from each first class or home rule city, then the planning commission size need not be adjusted. Instead, the number of representatives from first class or home rule cities would have to be adjusted.

My intent in introducing this ordinance is to provide a mechanism for the assembly to address this issue with the planning commission and the mayor in order that the borough may determine the best way to handle the planning commission apportionment issue. This ordinance contains one of several possible approaches, all of which have issues that will need to be addressed. The eleven-member requirement is suggested as that is the size of the current commission. However, the statutes require a minimum of five residents, and, after further discussion, the assembly and other affected parties may conclude that a different number of members would be more appropriate.