Now Accepting Applications for Planning Commission Pro Tem to fill two vacancies with terms ending December 31, 2025.
The Commission shall consist of five members who are not officials or employees of the City, not more than one of which may be nonresidents of the City. Nonresidents must live within five miles of the Yamhill City limits and live within the 97148-zip code.** The Mayor and City Council shall not be entitled to sit with the Commission and take part in its discussions and shall not have the right to vote.
Members of the Planning Commission shall be appointed by the City Council for a term of two years from the first calendar day of this year, except that initial appointments of some members shall be for other specified terms in order to establish an approximately equal expiration of terms each year.
At its first meeting of each calendar year, the Commission shall elect a chairperson and secretary to serve one-year terms.
A majority of the members of the Planning Commission shall meet at least once a month. Currently, Planning Commission meetings are held on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public. Meetings other than at regularly scheduled times may be announced at a prior meeting and thereby be made a part of the meeting records. The chairman, upon his/her own motion may, or at the request of three members of the Commission, shall, by giving notice to members of the Commission, call a previously unannounced special meeting of the Commission for a time not earlier than 24 hours after the notice is given.
The Commission shall have the powers and duties which are now or may hereafter be assigned to it by charter, ordinances, or resolutions of this City and general laws of this State.
Duties and responsibilities include the following:
(A) To provide for widespread citizen involvement in land use and land use decisions.
(B) To assure effective two-way communication with citizens in land use and land use decisions.
(C) To provide the opportunity for citizens to be involved in all phases of the land use and land use decision process.
(D) To assure that technical information is available in an understandable form on land use and land use decisions.
(E) To assure that citizens will receive a response on land use and land use decisions.
(F)To perform the duties of a Citizen Advisory Committee as set forth in the Comprehensive Plan adopted by the City Council of the City of Yamhill.
Planning commissions are authorized by statute. Although it is discretionary for the governing body to form a planning commission, once authorized, state law places restrictions on the membership. The law limits the planning commission to two voting members engaged “principally in the buying, selling or developing of real estate” and no more than two members “shall be engaged in the same kind of occupation, business, trade or profession.”
**The nonresident position on the planning commission is currently filled until December 2026.
If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out an application at the link below and return to the City Recorder at a.fowler@cityofyamhill.org. You may also drop you application off in person at 205 S Maple St., Yamhill, OR 97148 or send it via mail to PO Box 9, Yamhill, OR 97148 Attn: City Recorder.
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