The Board of Selectmen is putting the finishing touches on an ordinance change that, if approved by voters, would transition the Planning and Zoning Commission to an elected commission. The change would take time to implement — up to five or six years — as each member’s term would be staggered so not all members are up for election at the same time.
“I think all three members of the Board of Selectmen had heard from people at various times that they would like the opportunity to make (the commission) an elected position rather than an appointed position,” said Selectman Nicholas D’Addario. “I firmly believe that it should be an elected position.”
The selectmen will likely vote on the final proposed ordinance this month. It would then be taken up at the annual town meeting on April 28, along with town budgets and adjourned to a referendum vote on May 6.
There are currently five members on the Planning and Zoning Commission as well as two alternates. Until now the Board of Selectmen has been charged with appointing new members. The Democratic and Republican town committees submit names of interested candidates to the Board of Selectmen, and others interested in the positions may also come forward, said D’Addario.
The issue of having an elected commission has been raised in the past, but this is the first time that an ordinance change will be decided by voters.
“There are people who have concerns as to whether or not the existing commission aligns with their views,” said First Selectman David Bindelglass. “While Easton has always appointed members to the Planning and Zoning Commission, many municipalities have elected land use boards. There is a pretty good split in the state of elected versus appointed Planning and Zoning boards.”
If the proposal passes, “there is a process that will be phased in over several years,” D’Addario said. “You can’t just randomly replace the board that was appointed to their terms. They need to serve out their terms.
“Within five years or so, everyone will be elected, and it will become a fully elected board,” he said. Members will serve staggered terms.
Selectman Kristi Sogofsky said people are realizing the impact the commission has on the town.
“Planning and Zoning is taking on a larger role in recent years, and I think it is important for the people of the town—the voters—to be able to elect or not elect the people on that commission,” she said. “The decisions the commission makes have a very large impact on the town and the future of the town, and what is here and what is not here.”
Every now and then the issue comes up, she said, and several years ago, she herself raised it.
“There wasn’t much interest expressed at that point, so I let it go, but there has definitely been more interest expressed by several people over the last year that they would support something like this,” Sogofsky said. “There seems to be more interest in doing this now versus in the past.”
Several lawsuits are pending over some of the commission’s decisions, she said.
“There have been questions about the decisions made by Planning and Zoning of whether those were the best decisions, and if they were following the regulations that are in place,” Sogofsky said. “I think that those issues have sparked more interest in the Planning and Zoning Commission itself and the interest in electing them versus appointing them.
“There are many communities around us that elect their planning and zoning boards and commissions, so it’s not uncommon,” she said. “Some do still (appoint them), so we’re not behind the times, but we’re not trendsetters either.”
It’s important that the decision to transition to an elected board be made by residents at a referendum, said D’Addario.
“With something of this nature, I feel the town should vote on this at the polls, not at the Town Meeting,” he said, adding that he hopes the measure passes.
“I think it’s going to be a great step forward,” he said. “People have raised it as a concern and requested it multiple times, so I think this is a good step in that direction. I am a strong supporter of it, and I think all of us are.”
