Mission Statement
The mission of the Growth Management Plan Update Advisory Committee is to promote balanced consideration of a range of perspectives on issues affecting the future growth and quality of life in Carlsbad and to identify the key elements of a new plan to manage growth in Carlsbad in a way that maintains an excellent quality of life while also complying with state law.
Role of Growth Management Plan Update Advisory Committee Members
To achieve the mission of the Growth Management Plan Update Advisory Committee, the City Council is asking members to:
- Become familiar with the issues that affect future growth and quality of life in Carlsbad
- Attend periodic meetings over a period of time (approximately 1 year)
- Listen to and respect diversity in perspectives, facts and opinions
- Provide constructive feed back to city staff and consultants on process and draft work products
- In decision-making, balance individual and group stakeholder goals with the larger public interest and legal requirements
- Work collaboratively with other committee members in reaching decisions and making recommendations to the City Council
- Encourage community participation at committee meetings
Representation
The committee will be comprised of a total of 19 primary members and 19 alternate members as follows:
Two members (one primary and one alternate) from each of the following city boards and commissions:
- Arts Commission
- Beach Preservation Commission
- Historic Preservation Commission
- Housing Commission
- Library Board
- Parks and Recreation Commission
- Planning Commission
- Senior Commission
- Traffic and Mobility Commission
Four residents (two primary and two alternate) from each City Council district:
- District 1
-
District 2
- District 3
- District 4
Four at-large residents (two primary and two alternates)
Each respective commission/board will nominate two commissioners/members (one primary and one alternate) to serve as members of the committee. Once each commission/board nominates each member, staff will report to the City Council the nominations with a brief biography. Then, over a period of 30 days; the Mayor will consider and confirm the recommended nominations and will recommend four at-large residents (two primary and two alternates), and each council member will recommend four residents (two primary and two alternate) from the council member's district to serve on the committee.
The full City Council will make the final decision on all commission/board and district representative recommendations. From the appointed primary committee members, the Mayor will designate a Chair and Vice-chair.
Discussion Process
During committee meetings, committee members agree to abide by the following discussion process:
- The committee will establish ground rules about how members should conduct themselves during meetings
- The preferred decision-making process is collaborative problem-solving
- Consensus of the committee will take precedence over individual preferences
- In cases of non-consensus, the Chair may call for majority vote of the committee; however, alternative perspectives will be documented.
- City staff will be present at all meetings to assist the Chair and committee as-needed Role of Chair and Vice-chair
The Chair will ensure that committee meetings are conducted fairly and efficiently, that proper order and mutual respect among all participants is maintained, that there is full participation during meetings, that all relevant matters are discussed, that all committee members have an opportunity to participate in committee discussions, and that necessary decisions are made. To the extent reasonable, the Chair will seek consensus of the committee in decision-making. In instances where consensus cannot be reached, the Chair may call for majority vote of the committee following procedures set forth in Carlsbad Municipal Code Chapter 1.20. However, the Chair will ensure that minority viewpoints are heard and documented.
- The Chair will ensure that these Principles of Participation and agreed-upon "ground rules" are adhered to.
- The Chair is responsible for ensuring that members of the public desiring to address the committee have the opportunity to do so at the appropriate time.
- The Chair may speak to members of the media on behalf of the committee, and represent the committee at public workshops, hearings and other public events as appropriate.
- The role of the Vice-chair is to serve as the Chair in his or her absence.
Meeting Schedule
The committee will meet approximately once a month (about 10-12 times).
Full participation of committee members is essential to the effectiveness of the committee, and members are expected to attend all committee meetings. If a committee member is unable to attend a meeting, he or she shall notify city staff as soon as possible, and the designated alternate may attend in his or her place. The alternate is encouraged to actively participate in the meeting provided that he or she is adequately briefed as to the status of prior discussions and decisions.
If a committee member who was appointed to represent one of the boards or commissions has a term that concludes prior to the committee completing its work, the member is allowed to remain on the committee until the work concludes, but must report back to the represented board or commission at the represented board or commission's request.
If a committee member resigns his or her appointment before the committee's work has concluded, he or she shall notify the Mayor and City Council in writing, with copies sent to the City Clerk, City Manager and the Community Development Director. The resigning committee members designated alternate shall automatically become a regular committee member for the remaining duration of the committee. If the alternate member chooses not to fill the vacancy, at their next scheduled meeting, the committee will consider whether to recommend that the Mayor and City Council fill the vacated position.
Meeting Quorum
For meeting purposes, a quorum of the committee is met with eight members in attendance.
Open Meeting Requirements
All committee meetings and committee members are subject to the open meeting requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act (Brown Act). The Brown Act imposes public notice and access requirements on committee meetings, and places certain limitations on when and how committee members may communicate with one another. New committee members will be given a briefing by the City Attorney's office about the basic requirements of the Brown Act.
Meeting Agendas
Meeting agendas will be prepared by city staff in consultation with the Chairperson or a majority of the committee, following the procedures of the Brown Act. At the conclusion of each meeting, the Chair and city staff will summarize the results and identify items that may need further research or be carried over to the next meeting, preview new business for the upcoming meeting, and invite committee members to suggest new items for future meetings. Agendas for future meetings will be established by consensus of the committee with concurrence of the Chair and city staff.
Members of the public have a right to attend committee meetings and will have an opportunity to address the committee on any issue under its purview. Agendas will include time for public comment.
External Communications
The overriding consideration in all communications is to honor and sustain the constructive, collaborative process of the committee. Committee members are encouraged to communicate with their constituencies in order to keep them informed of the committee's mission and meeting agendas, and to encourage direct participation. Should committee members speak to the media, members are encouraged to provide accurate, factual information, but are asked to refrain from engaging in speculation, advocating a position on a specific issue, speaking on behalf of the committee (except for the Chair or unless authorized by the committee to do so), or otherwise making public statements that would tend to hamper constructive committee discussions. Committee members are asked to notify city staff of any media contact related to the committee and its work. City staff will be available to assist in any communications to the media, if desired.
Information Sharing
In order to ensure all committee members have the same information available to them, all documents will be distributed through city staff. If a member has information he or she would like to share with other committee members, the information should be given to staff for distribution to the entire committee. Maintaining this flow of information will facilitate a respectful, collaborative process, and help avoid unintended violations of open meeting laws (e.g., serial meetings).
Work Products
The committee will be responsible for reviewing work products and providing feedback to staff and consultants. The committee is expected to focus on input, review, and "buy-in" to carry out the committee's mission, rather than deliberating on precise details. The committee's work will conclude with a committee-supported report recommending to the City Council what should be included (key elements) in a new plan to manage growth and achieve an excellent quality of life while ensuring compliance with state law. The City Council will consider the committee's recommendations and direct the next steps to create a new growth management plan.
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