Staff Report - TC/Planning Commission RetreatMEETING DATE: 5/24/06
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COUNCIL RETREAT REPORT
!pS GAZpS
DATE: May 22, 2006
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: DEBRA J. FIGONE, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: TOWN COUNCIL/PLANNING COMMISSION RETREAT-MAY 24, 2006
Attached are the agenda materials for the Town Council/Planning Commission retreat scheduled for
May 24, 2006. The retreat will be facilitated by Shawn Spano. The retreat agenda and materials
were developed based upon adiscussion with Mayor Diane McNutt and Planning Commission Chair
Phil Micciche. The overall focus will be to discuss and reach consensus on practices that contribute
to excellent Council and Commission performance.
To facilitate discussion, the attached draft Best Practices for Excellent Performance document was
prepared. These "best practices" are derived from statements and policies contained in the Council
Code of Conduct and the Planning Commissioner's Handbook. The "best practices" identified at
the retreat could also serve as a reference guide for future Council members and Planning
Commissioners.
Attachments:
1. Memorandum from Bud Lortz dated May 17, 2006
2. Retreat Agenda
3. Draft Best Practices for Excellent Performance
Distribution:
Shawn Spano, Public Dialogue Consortium
N:\DEVaANDY\Town Council\TGPC retreat report 052406.wpd
PREPARED BY: Bud N. Lort , C unity Development Director
Reviewed by: Assist t Town Manager Town Attorney Clerk Administrator
Finance Community Development Revised: 5/22/06 11:15 am
Reformatted: 5/30/02
ME-M-ORANDUM
!OS GAS°S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
To: Planning Commissioners
From: Bud Lortz, Community Development Director
Subject: Town Council/Plannin2 Commission Retreat
Date: May 17, 2006
In planning for the upcoming May 24th Town Council/Planning Commission Retreat, staff met
with Mayor Diane McNutt and Planning Commission Chair Phil Micciche to discuss possible
agenda topics and meeting logistics. The retreat discussion will be facilitated by Shawn Spano.
The meeting will be two hours and will start at 7:00 PM. We plan to meet in the Council
Chambers but if for some reason there is a change of venue we will let you know.
Given the limited time available and the need to make this meeting as meaningful and productive
as possible, it was agreed that it would be beneficial to discuss how the Town Council and
Planning Commission carry out or perform their duties as part of our ongoing goal of creating a
culture of excellence in the way the Town conducts the public's business. For example, how
would you expect the Town Council and Planning Commission to act if you were an applicant,
watched them on television or were in attendance at a meeting? What are your expectations of
these two critically important bodies in terms of how they perform their duties?
Attached is the agenda for the retreat. To help stimulate discussion, we developed the attached
draft Best Practices for Excellent Performance as a Town Council Member/Planning
Commissioner. These "best practices" are derived from many of the statements and policies that
are set forth in the Council Code of Conduct and the Planning Commissioner's Handbook. As
previously mentioned, this set of "best practices" is intended to stimulate discussion but it could
also eventually serve as a reference guide for future Council members and Planning
Commissioners as they evolve in their respective roles. Please review the "best practices" and
edit or add to them as you see fit. Then be prepared to discuss your edits and additional "best
practices" and to interject your thoughts and opinions.
If you have any questions about the upcoming retreat, please call me.
NADEV\ADMINSEC\MEMOS\TC-PC Retreat'06.#1.wpd
ATTACHMENT 1
Town of Los Gatos
Council - Planning Commission Retreat
May 24, 2006
Purposes
• To explore the practices that contribute to excellent Council and Commission
performance.
■ To develop a common understanding between Council and Commission about the
practices that contribute to excellent performance.
■ To provide Council and Commission members an opportunity to assess and develop their
own practices and performance.
Overarching Goal
■ This retreat, and specific purposes listed above, is designed to contribute to the larger,
ongoing goal of creating a culture of excellence in the way the Town performs its
functions and conducts the public's business.
Working Agenda
Setting the Context
■ Preview agenda and purposes.
■ Establish ground rules for good communication:
13 Be concise
13 Respect differences (respect does not mean agreement)
Each member helps the group achieve the overarching goal.
■ Establish format:
Preview the six categories of best practices: (1) Professional, (2) Customer
Service Oriented, (3) Good Judgment, (4) Objective, (5) Efficient and (6)
Persuasive.
13 Open group discussion around each of the category scenarios. Begin by having
members share their individual perspectives and experiences. Conclude each
scenario by noting areas of consensus and agreement with the practices that
contribute to excellence (should be enacted) and the practices that do not
contribute to excellence (should be avoided).
Determine if any actions should be taken in light of group discussion outcomes.
TC-PCDrfAgenda'06 ATTACHMENT 2
Draft
Best Practices for Excellent Performance
as a Town Council/Planning Commission Member
As you consider this element of excellent performance, imagine a project that conflicts with
adopted policies and guidelines, you don't respect the applicant, and the project challenges
your personal values.
1. PROFESSIONAL
In practice, this means...
And avoiding...
• Understanding the roles of
Sarcastic or condescending remarks
standards, guidelines and the
Comments that force the
General Plan in decision-making
Mayor/Chair to have to cut you off
• Comments should be professional
Discrediting the Town or its
and respectful
consultants/staff
• Respecting the role of the
Comments that are inappropriate or
Mayor/Chair in running the
that can be taken out of context
meeting
• Respecting staff and the Town's
consultant's recommendation and
comments
• Being careful of your comments
since they can be taken out of
context, misinterpreted and lead to
litigation
ATTACHKENT 3
1 1 -7
As you consider this element of excellent performance, imagine an applicant that has a fair
project that is clearly very important to their family, but conflicts with a specific standard.
2. CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTED
In practice, this means...
And avoiding...
• Respecting the rights of residents,
Bringing up objections or questions
businesses and property owners to
after public hearing is closed
pursue their goals and dreams
The temptations to redesign from
• Asking questions of applicants
the dais
during the presentation and rebuttal
Trying to convince a colleague or
• Recognizing that the words and
applicant
decisions used by the PC and TC
Lecturing a colleague or applicant
have tremendous emotional impact
on the applicants and their quality
of life.
As you consider this element of excellent performance, imagine a complex project that is
generally a very good project but does not comply with a specific policy or guideline.
3. USE GOOD JUDGMENT
In practice, this means...
And avoiding...
• Feeling confident to make
• Being overly literal when
decisions by reading the General
interpreting policy
Plan in context
• Not looking for a way to deny a
• Granting an exception if the
project just because it is
situation warrants it
challenging
• Taking issues that are not addressed
• Being arbitrary
by guidelines off-line from the
• Continuing a project when a
project being considered
conditon of approval will suffice
• Holding up a project for an issue
that is not specifically addressed by
policies and standards
As you consider this element of excellent performance, imagine a complex project that strongly
conflicts with your personal values but generally complies with the Town's policies and
standards.
4. OBJECTIVE
In practice, this means...
And avoiding...
• Performing your duties and serving
Personalizing your decision (i.e., I
in a quasi-judicial manner
have a small house...)
• Demonstrating fairness
• Listening to all evidence and
considering all information
• Setting aside personal bias
F i
As you consider this element of excellent performance, imagine a complex project that causes
you to have many questions that remain unanswered, but the applicant is under severe time
constraints and is requesting an expedited decision.
5. EFFICIENT
In practice, this means...
And avoiding...
• Asking questions of staff prior to
• Waiting to asking questions at the
the meeting
meeting
• Identifying ahead of time primary
• Delving into minutia
issues or concerns and stay focused
• Waiting to create findings after the
on them
close of the hearing
• Outlining evidence supporting
• Having so many concerns that you
findings as the hearing progresses
start to dominate the meeting
• Identifying and prioritizing your
primary concerns
As you consider this element of excellent performance, imagine a project that has raised
conflicting points of view among your colleagues and everyone feels passionately about their
point of view.
6. PERSUASIVE
In practice, this means...
And avoiding...
• Respecting other points of view
• Dismissing other points of view or
• Making your case using logic and
trying to convince someone that
specific examples
your point of view is correct
• Terms like "I feel" rather than
citing codes and policies
F