Form revised April 10, 2006

FISCAL NOTE FOR NON-CAPITAL PROJECTS

Department:	Contact Person/Phone:	DOF Analyst/Phone:
Legislative	Martha Lester / 4-8149	NA

Legislation Title:

A RESOLUTION submitting a proposition to the qualified electors of the City, at an election to be held on November 7, 2006, to amend Section 1 and Section 2 of Article XIV of the Charter of the City of Seattle so that the manner of appointment and removal of Planning Commission members may be determined by ordinance; calling on the City Clerk to certify the proposed amendment to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County and requesting and directing such Director to call a special election and submit the proposition to City voters; and providing for the publication of such proposed amendment.

· Summary of the Legislation:

This resolution would submit a proposition to Seattle voters to amend the City Charter to change the appointment authority for Planning Commission members.

· Background: (Include brief description of the purpose and context of legislation and include record of previous legislation and funding history, if applicable):

The City Charter currently provides that the Mayor shall appoint Planning Commission members, subject to confirmation by the City Council.  For a number of other City boards and commissions, the Council and Mayor share appointment authority, each appointing roughly half the members of the board or commission.  Sharing appointment authority for members of boards and commissions between the Council and Mayor provides for broader representation and greater accountability.  In addition, the Seattle Municipal Code is a more appropriate place than the City Charter to specify the details about appointment of members of boards and commissions, and in fact most boards and commissions are described and regulated via the Seattle Municipal Code and not via the Charter.

Therefore, the City Council is proposing in this resolution that the City Charter be amended to provide that the manner in which members of the Planning Commission are appointed shall be provided by ordinance.  The City Council has passed a companion ordinance to this proposed Charter amendment, and if the voters approve the Charter amendment, then this ordinance will take effect and will add language to the Seattle Municipal Code providing that the City Council and the Mayor will each appoint seven members of the Planning Commission and the fifteenth member shall be appointed by the Commission as constituted.

· Please check one of the following:

__X_ This legislation does not have any financial implications. (Stop here and delete the remainder of this document prior to saving and printing.)