Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening. This is the regular meeting of the Hollister planning commission on 01/22/2026. The meeting is now called to order, and it is 06:01. Staff, please call the roll.

Vice chair, Carla Torres Del Luna.

Here.

Commissioner Damien Perez.

Here.

Commissioner Julio Rodriguez. Commissioner Peter Hernandez is not currently here. And for the record, chair Steven Belong is absent tonight with an excused absence.

Okay. Would someone like to lead us in the pledge of allegiance?

I do. I think.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America, to every public for which you stand as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank

you.

And this is the time for public input. If anyone in the audience wants to speak on any item on the agenda within the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission, speaker cards are available in the lobby and are to be completed and given to staff before speaking. When the commission secretary calls your name, please come to the podium, state your name and city for the record to speak to the commission. If you are joining us by Zoom, please click on the bottom of the screen to raise your hand. And if you are joining us by Zoom using a cell phone, please press 9.

Each speaker will be limited to three minutes with a maximum of thirty minutes per subject. Please note that state law prohibits the commission from discussing or taking action on any item. Oh, and I forgot to mention about the there's a worldwide Microsoft technology issues. So if for those on Zoom, if something happens with technology, we apologize, but we will continue the meeting. So any public comment?

I have no hands raised online.

Okay. Do we have any questions from the commission on items on the consent agenda, or are there any items that the commission would like to pull for further discussion? Nope. And, staff, do we have any public comments on items from the consent agenda?

I have no hands raised online.

Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda?

I'll make a I'll make a motion to, approve the consent agenda.

Second.

All those in favor? Aye. Anyone opposed? Abstain. Motion carries. Three zero. Next is item six, public hearings. May we have the staff report for 6.1 site and architectural review?

Good evening. My name is Magda Gonzales, and I am presenting site and architectural review 2025 dash two. The applicant is Sunil Kapoor, and the proposal is located at 40 Santa Ana Road. Yeah. The parcel is designated, North Gateway.

It's, surrounded by mostly developed parcels with, adjacent to a bay vacant parcel with mostly commercial uses to the North, to the West, and residential to the South and the East. Thank you. Yeah. It worked the first time. Sorry. The pro the applicant is requesting, approval of site and architectural review to convert an existing car wash into a laundromat. The existing building is 2,790 square feet, and it's comprised of two different sections. Two thousand two hundred twenty thirty square feet will be

the laundromat, and 560, square foot will be a retail, which will

be an office. It also includes demolition of a wooden deck, which wouldn't be beneficial or used for the laundromat, removal of two pergolas, and improvements such as new concrete areas, new curb and gutter, new wheel stops, repaved parking spaces, an ADA, accessible space, a bicycle space, additional landscaping, that actually meets the current standards, and their hours of operation will be, they will operate operate daily from 6AM to 9PM. Next, please. This is the site plan they're proposing. It includes a pedestrian path of travel, a trash enclosure that's compliant with current requirements.

As I mentioned, additional landscaping on the front and on the sides and restriped parking as well as other infrastructure improvements. And, exterior improvements include, new paint and architectural features to enhance the existing building, which is, at the moment, a little bit outdated, especially when you consider the surrounding Starbucks and other areas. Yeah. So this will be a nice addition to to the building. Next, please.

This is what they're proposing for the West Building. Just most of the work is paint related and just new windows and architectural features. Next, please. This is the South view. Next, please.

And the North view. They have a color scheme including dark gray, light gray, and some browns. Next, please. The proposal, is compliant with both the general pan plan and the zoning in which it's located. The zoning requires for, I'm sorry, for exterior modifications to submit an oh my goodness.

I'm sorry. To submit a site and architectural review, to ensure that the what they're proposing, the elevations, the exterior modifications are compliant with what the zoning district requires of them. Since they're not proposing any exterior any expansions or any changes of use that are not allowed within a site architectural, application covers what they are, requesting. Next, please. The project is exempt from, California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to section one five three zero two because it's it is an existing facility.

And as I mentioned, they're not expanding the building. They're not doing anything else except changing the use, which is allowed in that zoning and complying with the general plan. Next, please. The planning commission, can choose one of the following options. Option number one is to adopt the resolution approving SNA 2025 dash two subject to the findings and conditions contained in the draft resolution.

Option number two is to adopt a resolution approving SNA twenty twenty five dash two with findings or conditions of approval modified by the planning commission. Option number three is to deny the proposed project, or option number four is to continue the hearing and direct staff to provide additional information or clarification. Staff recommends the planning commission, select option one for this item. And that completes my, presentation. If you have any questions for me.

Thank you. Do we have questions from the commission?

Yep. I'm just curious. So you're the, you're representing the applicant?

I'm the planner. The applicant, should be available online.

I'm not Yeah.

They have a

they might have a presentation.

Okay. I just had a question. This might be more for staff. Or how long does a does a process like this typically take, would you say, ballpark?

I would say it typically takes about two reviews for your typical commercial projects. So that's in the city's hands with three months, and then it usually takes about a month in between on a relatively fast project for comments to be addressed by the applicant. So my average short, fast turnaround project would be, like, a five month project for commercial renovation like this. If it's in the applicant's hands, takes longer to respond to comments. It can take longer.

Okay. I just wanna assume worst case scenario. And if the applicant is here because I know business, you know, you need to start making money on that commercial property. I understand that you have, you know, bills to pay. What is your deadline looking like? Like like like, what's the worst case scenario? Like, this takes a year. Is that feasible or not feasible?

Do you wanna have them do their presentation?

That's yeah. That will do that. I just wanted to set that kinda precedent.

Okay.

Thank you. We can now open up the public hearing at 06:11. Do we have a presentation from the applicant?

I I don't know that there's a presentation, but I did see a hand raised, but it may have just gone down. Just give me one moment.

The last one would be the applicant. The red in red. Yeah. That one.

Yeah. Can you guys hear

Yes.

Yeah. So I'm I'm the owner of this parcel once I got the approval. So we will construct this side and remodel it within six months. So all the funds are there. And and to add more, we are bringing state of the art machines for the community.

Are you still there?

The app

applicant is Our eScribe just went down.

So we can't hear them?

Can you guys hear me?

Oh, there we go. Yes. Yeah.

So answering to the to the question of the commission members upon once upon approval. So we'll we'll construct this site within six months after building approvals building department approvals.

Okay. Thank you. Is there anything else you'd like to share before we go to public comment?

The the other thing I'll add, we'll be bringing state of the art machines as big as 120 pound washers and multiple 80 pound washers, which are not currently currently available for the community. So that's what we are planning for for our community here.

Thank you. Steph, do we have any public comments on this item?

We have no speakers online and no speakers in the chambers.

Okay. Thank you. We will now close the public hearing at 06:14. Is there further discussion from the commission on this item? Do you all have any comments, questions, concerns?

Like I said, I'm just gonna go back. My only I I just I'm hoping that, like, we can get get this project through in, like, a timely manner. And I think I guess that's all I wanted to reiterate because I know that's been a topic of of contention. I just wanted to reiterate that. That's all I have to say.

Thank you. I do have a couple comments or questions I would like the commission to consider and and see if you have the answers. I live in that neighborhood, and so I know that the building is outdated. And but I'm curious where the other what do the other businesses say about a laundromat in that area?

We haven't received any comments supporting or opposing. Yeah.

Okay. I I would just be curious to see if if we can check-in with the neighbor. Is that something that is normally done? Is it a protocol? Is it

We do require them to post signs, advertising, letting the community know what's proposed, and that was done. We do have confirmation that that was done, and we did not receive any input. We also send out, notifications to surrounding property owners. We also didn't receive any input on that.

Either way. Yeah. Okay.

Yeah. I think my understanding is that, normally, it it would be if if it's a potential nuisance, that's where the the neighbors would respond, but but that's all assuming the impacts. Right? Right. And it sounds like it's not gonna be too much of it. Actually, yeah, I I don't I don't see it being very different.

Plus there's other office space it's set in? Yeah. Yeah. So it'll be

a portion

of It's gonna be the retail office space.

Is there a motion on this item?

I'll make a motion to approve staff's recommendations, first, item 6.1, site and architecture review 2025 to converting an existing, parcel at, 40 Santana Road.

Is there a second?

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye. Anyone opposed? Abstain? Four zero. Motion carries. Thank you. Next item on our agenda is commission business, 7.1, review of proposed phase three zoning ordinance amendment language of City Of Hollister zoning.

Good evening. There it goes. Tonight is the third study session for phase three of the zoning ordinance amendments, which is the permitting sections of our chapter. Again, once we get through all the study sessions, we'll go to a public hearing where we'll be repealing and replacing the current chapter 17.24 of the zoning ordinance.

I don't know

why it works and then it's. Tonight, we're looking at four chapters. We have zoning ordinance amendments, pre zoning and annexations, development agreements, and temporary use permits. Next slide, please. Chapter 17.84 will be the new chapter for zoning ordinance amendments.

This chapter is to establish the procedures for amending the text of the zoning ordinance as well as amending the zoning map, which is a rezone of a property. An amendment to the text of a zoning ordinance can be initiated by staff, the planning commission, or the city council, and an amendment to this to a zoning map can also be amended can be requested by the planning commission staff or the city council as well as an applicant or a property owner. This chapter is rewritten to comply with state law and to move sections around from within the current zoning ordinance so that they're all in one location so they're easier to find. But no major changes are proposed to this this chapter. Next slide, please.

Chapter 17.86 will be pre zoning and annexation. This chapter establishes the rules and procedures for requesting an annexation into the city of Hollister. Prior to applying to LAFCO for annexation, an applicant is supposed to come into the city. They are going to request the initiation of a prezone and general plan amendment, and the city council would then determine if they would like them to proceed or not. They would then if council gives them authorization, would begin the process.

For prezonings, same as with general plan amendments, you would be making a recommendation to the city council on their request, and then the city council would make the decision. After that, they would then, apply to LAFCO for annexation into the city. In regards to this section of the zoning ordinance, I it was cleaned up to make it more clear from the existing. We added some more information consistent with state law, but we are proposing one, significant modification. Right now, when an applicant receives pre zoning approval, their pre zoning does not expire.

And we have several that are were pre zoned several years ago, and their pre zone is to a zoning ordinance that doesn't exist anymore. And so what we are recommending is that after a two year period, if they aren't moving forward with their annexation, that that pre zoning then expires so that we don't continue to have old pre zones on the records where when they eventually annex, they are annexing to a zoning district we no longer have. So that is one major change we're recommending in that chapter. Next slide, please. Chapter 17.88 is development agreements.

Development agreements are an agreement between the city and a property owner applicant that allows the applicant to have special concessions as well as the city can ask for things as well within a development agreement. This chapter is designed, again to take the existing chapter, make it a little bit more clear and make sure that we comply with state law. Government development agreements are regulated by the government code. We, within the chapter, inputted what you might have in a development agreement. And typically, what we do see for development agreements is the applicant might want a longer extension of their project approval.

So now if you have a site and architectural review, for example, you get two years plus you can have extension. They may request a a number of years. Development agreements for projects would come before you as part of the project, and you're gonna make a recommendation to city council. The city council then adopts it. They're adopted by ordinance.

No significant changes have been made other than making sure that the section the chapter is a little bit more clear and that it does comply with state law. Next slide, please. Chapter seventeen point one hundred is temporary use permits. And temporary use permits are required for temporary uses that are not otherwise allowed for the zoning the zoning district in which a property is located, but they should be allowed on a limited basis to support businesses. The city currently and and will continue to do so as recommended, categorized as temporary use permits as either minor or major.

Minor temporary use permits are typically reviewed within ten days or even over the counter. Those are things for that are very minor such as a flower sale or a parking lot sale that we can review their site plan and typically approve it very quickly. Major temporary use permits are uses that do have the potential to result in significant impacts on the city. So for example, a circus, a carnival, something where they are taking up a large space. There could be a need for more emergency services, police services, traffic could be impacted.

So those do take a little bit longer, and those are typically reviewed within forty five days, sometimes longer depending on the nature of project. Obviously, if a project involves a significant number of resources for the city, will take a little bit longer. Staff is not recommending many significant changes to this chapter. We are still keeping the major and minor. We listed it out a little bit more clearly in the draft so it's easier to understand.

And then we did add a few other events that we would like to allow within the city that we think would be beneficial. Those are temporary parking for an event. So if a site wanted to provide temporary parking for an event, they could do so with the permit. Major one day events, outdoor company events, and then temporary live entertainment associated with a commercial use. So for example, if a business wanted to have live entertainment one day of the year on Saint Patrick's Day, they could apply for their temporary use permit, whereas otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to do it because the code requires a conditional use permit.

So we're trying to give them a few more opportunities through the temporary use permit process. Next slide, please. So next steps are if you have any recommended changes, we will incorporate them into the draft. We will continue to bring draft chapters back to you on an ongoing basis until we are done. I believe we have anticipated two to three more study sessions, so we then we will be complete with the permitting chapter. And then once all study sessions are complete, we'll move on to public hearings.

It's okay. Right?

That was a got some computers restarting over here, so hopefully, we don't lose our main one.

So that concludes our presentation. If you have any questions or recommended changes, for the draft ordinances, I'd be happy to hear.

Thank you. Do we have any questions from the commission?

To clarify on the developer agreement, what is the change that you're proposing in this

So for development agreements, there's not really any changes proposed. Development agreements really come out of state law, and there is not much that we can change. The chapter is just cleaned up from what's existing to make it more clear that this is what the process is. These are the things you can request as part of your development agreement, so it's a little bit easier to understand.

Okay. So it's just formatting?

Yeah. It's just formatting in a little cleanup language.

You meant you mentioned, that that if, someone has a they had an annexation that goes beyond, like, forever, basically, and there's new what is it? There's new codes, I guess, and that that, that might not be consistent with that the way it was annexed or it was considered to be annexed, I guess, at the at that time. Right? And so that means it wasn't officially finalized. It was just in process.

We have several properties where they received approval from the city, but they never applied to LAFCO. So they never even took the next step. Two years should be enough time to get your process get your project through through LAVCO. But we have many that I think are over fifteen years old Mhmm. That they've never moved forward.

So can can you, like, just give me a quick example so I kinda understand how there's a conflict?

So there's one on

Yeah. So the the what happens is we've changed like, in 2008 when we adopted our current zoning map and our current zoning languages, which is your R 1 and your R 2 and and your general commercial, your North Gateway, our West Gateway mixed use, all of our current zoning districts. The current zoning districts did not exist at all. So we didn't go from R 1 to R 1. We had zoning districts like R 1 S and C 2 and C S 1 and C S 2.

So those zoning districts don't even exist anymore. So when the city does a big zoning change, like, right now, you know, as you know, we're doing a general plan update. And along with that, we'll be rezoning a bunch of properties. And so these properties that were prezoned in anticipation of annexation, but then never finished the rest of the annexation process to actually become incorporated into the city, they're kinda just floating because our current ordinance doesn't have a timeline from once you have your pre zone approval to when you need to get annexed. And so then that then you're actually zoned and in the city. So we're proposing to adopt into the new ordinance a a timeline to make sure those annexations happen.

Okay. And so and thank you for that. So then that means that if they changed the the zoning designation or whatever the from r one or from r whatever it used to be to r one, does that mean that the use is different, or does that does that mean the

Could. It depends. Yeah. It really depends because the the entire r one s zone in this case are it it just isn't in the city's ordinance anymore. But they have an approval to come into the city, and then once they're annexed, they would be zoned r one s.

Because all these

But the ordinance doesn't include r one s anymore.

All these are, like, defined based off of use. Right? Or

Yeah. Yeah. So they're so, you know, our zoning code will have our use tables, like our commercial use table that we recently adopted, right, where it tells you all the uses that are allowed in West Gateway mixed use and the downtown mixed use. Prior to 2008, the city didn't have those mixed use designations. That was one of the big changes that happened in the 2005 general plan was they created mixed use as a new zoning district, and so they had to rewrite the whole zoning code.

So something that was like I think we had a highway commercial zone or something like that, that we just don't have that name anymore. We don't have any regulations for highway commercial anymore. Everything got changed into the current general commercial or North Gateway commercial, whatever we whatever it currently is in our current zoning map. And those pre zones, there's not very many, but there are a couple. The the zoning district doesn't even exist anymore.

Got it. Thank you. That makes sense.

So all these outdated applications, they're just null nullified?

Or If

this gets passed, they would be.

Okay.

There's there's under 10, I think, at this point.

Yeah. There's not there's not that many.

So you'd probably just notify them, hey. By the way, it's this Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. The one Yeah. The council would have to amend the the zoning map and adopt the ordinance. It would it would be a process to to eliminate those pre zones, but we are proposing in this chapter that pre zones that follow this chapter would have a timeline on them.

K. I

definitely support that. Those pre zones, especially if it's just R 1, because I know, like, R 1 is kind of you know, people like a lot of developers still like the r one. So I'm definitely in support of having kind of, like, a expiration on some of these. So

Alright. Do we have public comments on this item?

We have, no speaker cards and no hands raised online.

Thank you. Is there further discussion from the commission on this item? Okay. Thank you. We'll move on to eight, informational reports. Does anyone have reports?

Vice chair Torres, actually have a seven two, which is the planning commission minutes discussion.

That's what I thought, but it's not on this one.

Oh, that that might have been just our mistake on the the backup. Apologies for that.

I did see that and

but I didn't see it in Yeah. No. Scott. That's on us. Oh, yes. 72.

Okay. 72. Do we have

Yes. So this will this will be me. So this item is coming from a request of the commission to talk more about the planning commission minutes at the November 20 meeting of last year. So I just prepared a quick staff report about our current process. But the current process, we do take action minutes, which is what the city council takes.

And then as long as we aren't having worldwide Microsoft issues, we record our meetings and we're livestreamed to YouTube, Zoom, C MAP TV is here at local news station. And then eScribe, our agenda software, records that as well, and all those recordings are available. So the the city just takes action minutes and staff takes action minutes. And what what we capture as far as discussion and action is gonna be if you're making, you know, a a change to the resolution draft and then adopting it at the last meeting if the commissioner will recall. You I I believe it were.

At the November meeting, you took action on the October minutes, but you made a change to them. And so that change is detailed in the minutes so that the action you took, which was revising the October minutes, says what change you made from the recommendation. And so we're gonna capture the discussion that's relevant to those actions and actions that are relevant to the items. And then what we do is the commission gets to see these minutes before they're published and make a motion on them. So you always have an opportunity to say you you made a spelling mistake, or we'd like you to include this other discussion that we had, and then we're happy to do that.

So with those October minutes that you approved in November, we made that change that is reflected in your motion in the November minutes, and those October minutes were published with the change you made through your action. So with that, because it was a request of the commission to talk more about this, happy to have any further discussion or questions on the minutes that you guys see for your meetings.

Are there questions from the commission?

So it I mean, it sounds like, basically, we're agreeing that, there should be at least a little bit more ultimately, information referencing at least the discussion of the items, not necessarily. And I get it. Like, I mean, I guess prior commissions, it was only recorded what was, like, actions taken. But I I personally I'm just not used to that, and I I honestly think it's a little it's harder to trace back how decisions first started, like because, ultimately, it first starts as a conversation, then it gets into actual, like, recommendations and, ultimately, to potential changes, until you can that's why, to me, minutes should at least reflect the summary of of kind of the recommended thoughts, right, of a potential decision, you know, whether it's a policy change, right, or or recommendation to the council. I mean, I know now the the city council has, you know, ultimately made it explicit in our bylaws that says we can actually make recommendations, policy recommendations to the council.

So and, obviously, I don't wanna make staff have to type up word for word, but I do believe that at least kind of a reference point of, know, there was a recommend recommendation from commissioner, you know, Torres on x y z. And that you know? And then from there, at least you can trace back how the conversation started.

And that's not pretty much what's gonna happen. Right? Is that what you just I

I think that I would say that it is. I think what happened with the particular item that kind of brought this all to the attention is that that item was a study session, just a presentation by by staff. And the unfortunately, the the items that we talked about bringing back aren't something that I can bring back. And so that's why I didn't capture them, but but we did put them in the minutes at your recommendation. So if if there ever was a discussion where it was something that, you know, you were asking for more information, so an item was continued, and then that information needed to be captured so that stock could bring that back, it that that is something that that happened, and it's gonna get brought back, and that's specifically why.

So I do apologize for not capturing those things. It was because of the conversation we were having in September at that meeting about how those things weren't things that could come back. So I didn't capture them in the minutes to say they were gonna come back because because they they they weren't gonna come back. So, like, for the example, these minutes discussion, they are in the minutes, and they they were gonna come back. And and so that's captured in the minutes.

And I will also say I'll capture a little bit more nuanced detail of discussion kind of for for topics in the the planning commissioner reports section of the minutes every time. Try to get what you're saying about events that you might attend have attended or things like that. It's really gonna be the actions about those items that are on the agenda are gonna be pretty we talked about amending this condition, and then the motion amended that condition as we discussed. That's kind of how we capture those action minutes.

Okay. Do we do public comment on these two? Okay.

In general, I mean, basically, from what it sounds like because right. So we're planning commission. We're not legislators. We're not councilmen or supervisors, so we're not you know, when they report out, they're, like, reporting out, I went to go visit the grand opening or the whatever, and it's like, that's that's stuff that's neither here nor there. Right? Unless it's, like, you know, maybe pertinent to something that is gonna is gonna come. That's where it gets it gets a little nuance. So but I get it. I mean, obviously, yeah, those kind of things aren't necessarily as important. But sometimes it's like a question could even become an eventual discussion, which will become a policy consideration.

And then it's like, how did they get here if you don't have a record of it? So so I don't know. Maybe even a little bit more clarity on what that means for for these rec for these ideas to become an actual or thoughts, right, or or even questions. I mean

Well, I mean, we get the minutes, and maybe we cut it be are important. Yeah. And so we could review them and then like we did. Right? And then we'll say, oh, we didn't mention, you know, x discussion. Can we make sure that we include it, you know, as we go?

Yeah.

And if if I could potentially make a suggestion if we're into especially on these, like, study session items, If if as we're talking and the commission wants to make sure something's noted for the record, you could tell me that in this meeting, and I'll make sure that we capture that note just for when when it's kind of a topic of discussion, but it maybe isn't relevant to the action that's gonna be taken. Or in the case of a study session, there might not even be any action that's really on the agenda. But I'd be happy to and we're here capturing. You know, I'm taking notes. Miriam's taking notes.

My team's taking notes. So if there's something that we wanna sure gets captured, even if it might be just kind of a topic we're talking about, can we throw this in the minutes? And then so I'll grab that for you for the minutes so you'll see it at the next meeting if I can offer that suggestion.

Sure.

Thank you. Let's see if are there any public comments on this item?

We have no speaker cards and no hands raised online.

Okay. Is there any further discussion from the commission on this item?

No?

I mean, I I I think I agree. For me, like, I I guess we have to be forward thinking. Mhmm. Like, if I'm thinking of something that ultimately could lead to potential Mhmm. Decision action, then I'd have to make make it a point to to mention it to staff. Mhmm. Can we please put this on the record? Right. Then that way it's added to the minutes.

Right.

And that goes for all agenda items even if they're just informational? No action

Yeah. And I and I would I would lean towards the informational ones, especially when there's no action. So those are the ones where there's not gonna be much for the minutes unless it it is something like a request to bring something back that I actually can bring back. And and I know I'm understanding from the conversations we've been having over the months. Right?

Like, when we're having these discussions and it maybe it isn't something that will be brought back, but I can look at more of the details. But they're still gonna be action minutes for the most part. But when it comes to projects with actions and, you know, a resolution, we haven't seen it much because we haven't seen a lot of projects where we're making amendments. Staff, in my years, staff has been more able to be more proactive with our draft resolutions. But in the past, we used to make a lot of changes to resolutions here at the meetings.

We need to remove condition 56 because of this. We need to change the language in condition 40 because it said 10 foot landscape strip, but it actually only needs to be five. So we were making a lot of changes, and all that was being captured in the minutes because it led to a motion that was just we moved to adopt the resolution with amendment to condition 47 as discussed. Right? But that motion didn't have the whole conversation. So the conversation is captured so that the action can be understood.

That makes sense. It makes sense.

Thank you. Let's move on to informational reports, planning commission reports. Are there any?

I mean, I so I I kinda alluded to it. My only report is that we you know, the at the council officially decided that they're they they'd like to have recommendations on changes to, you know, ultimately, the process, right, with the planning department. One of the other things that I've really been thinking about and just for the the commission to consider is and we can have further discussion about it. I think it's important. I actually I remember it being brought up at a prior commission meeting when we're talking about projects, like, you know, what's in the queue, you know, kind of the because there's privacy elements, right, which I understand maybe potential NDAs, you know, there's kinda hesitancy for us to have that information.

Mhmm. I mentioned actually at the council meeting that the Brown Act technically requires us to have that information. But granted that because of the privacy elements, maybe we can have our own closed session element to certain things to make sure that we're, one, protecting the city, but, two, we have a better understanding. Because, really, it's for us to have a better understanding so that we can, figure out how to how to troubleshoot some of these issues that we're dealing with.

That's a good point.

Yeah. So I think the goal is to have a transparent conversation about items that the council is wanting to focus on, but it's not necessarily within our you know, by the bylaws, maybe not the bylaws. So what is the approach there? I just wanna be able to capture that and just like, what would be the next step to be able to, like after we read the process or have suggestions to the city council, like, what would be a transparent way to do

that? As far as the bylaws update, I'll I'll I'll let the commission give the full report. But, no, I'm I am gonna talk about the bylaws, and and hopefully, I can answer that question and what I was gonna let you guys know. But if not, we can we can talk to some extent because it's not on the agenda about it. Hopefully, I'll answer your questions, but I do wanna let the commission give their reports.

But may maybe so if if I could make a recommendation to have that that agenda item as the discussion item at the next meeting on a potential closed session element, You know? And and if that could be a recommendation that the council agree or the commission agrees that we could forward that as a recommendation again.

Wait. Point of clear point of clarification. You're talking about the having a agenda item to discuss the updates

to the budget? Just like the city council has closed session

Closed session.

Okay. We can add as a recommendation for the council to consider, closed session also so that we can get a little bit more of the inside info on these projects. And that way, there's a protection to the city. Right? Because un understandably so, they don't wanna they can't just completely disclose. Right? Because Right. There's privacy and legal elements. But we should be able to at least see it in full session. And that way, you know, when you report out, obviously, you're limited on what you're able to report out because you're not gonna report out what's what's legally protected to be.

Gotcha.

So before we go move on, you made a motion to put this on the agenda for next week. Item.

Is that Maybe this is a good time to go over the by what the bylaws change was just so you understand the process to add items to the agenda because the the council did adopt a specific process. Okay.

Yeah. So it's not it's not really to add items to the planning commission agenda. That that that remains this kind of casual how we got the minutes. You know? If it's something that I can bring back to you, it's in your purview, I I will.

You know? I can't promise the next meeting if it's something more complicated, but within our ability to write up the conversation, we will. What the bylaws is adding is that you can make a recommendation on really anything they didn't specify through their process, and it's a similar process to what the council does now for when they want to make a recommendation to the council to consider an item for a future agenda for the council. So there's a form. I did email it to you all this afternoon, but I know and I noted in that email that we're we're gonna appoint a new chair and vice chair, so I might have to make a a titles change depending on how that goes this evening, and then I'll resend that form to you.

But there'll be a form that you'll you can submit to me via email or to Miriam can also capture it the Wednesday before the meeting, and then we can put it into our agenda. And what'll happen is at the end of our meeting, it'll likely be planning commission report, staff report, and then council item recommendations. And then the discussion, it won't be a discussion. The discussion will center around, does the commission want to forward that form to the council? And, like, with the way that the council does it, I figured we'd follow a similar process of a kinda thumbs up, thumbs down.

We get three thumbs up. I'll pass it to the city clerk who will put it on the council's agenda through their process. Okay. And then the council will do a thumbs up, thumbs down at their meetings, and then it'll get on an agenda from whatever staff person it's relevant to. And then if it's a planning item, like a zoning ordinance that we're working on or things like that, that you make recommendations through the code that's in your preview.

It comes to you through that process that's already in the code. So this is really gonna be for those topics, like code enforcement and the building department and these things, fire department, all these things that aren't things we can have conversations here about. But you want to let the council know they wanted to give you as a body a different way to have conversations that are outside of your kind of codified conversation topics, you can go. Three of us want the form that you guys filled out to be passed along to them.

Thank you for that. Is there any other discussion on that? Can we move on? Thank you. To go ahead.

I mean, it's so it sounds like we have to agree on filling out a form.

Somebody will fill it out, complete it?

Right. Any one of you can fill out a form. You don't have to agree to it in advance.

And then it'll come back to our agenda, and then we will all, in the meeting, agree or not agree to the request. Right? That

is Correct.

So one of us would submit the form the Wednesday before.

Yeah. Or That gives me enough time to kinda get it through all those steps in our software.

Okay. That's specifically for items for the council

Correct.

For their agenda.

Yeah.

All we do is decide

to move forward or not.

Okay. Thank you.

So, yeah, because trying to remember. I was I was reading the red lines. The red line was all the changes. There's a lot of red lines, but but, yeah, it has to do with the planning commission may recommend future city council agenda items for city council consideration. Commissioners wishing to have an item included on a future city council agenda must first bring in the item before the planning commissioners. Any commission requesting an item for a future city council agenda must complete a city council future agenda item request form, which

is what

what, planning director is talking about. So it's kind of the same thing. It sounds like it's just filling out the form, prior, and then it goes and so from what I'm hearing, then someone fills it out, whoever it is, It it gets automatically put on the agenda at that point as long as it's before that deadline.

And so

then at that point, it's for we already get that information in advance. Mhmm. We decide on agreeing or disagreeing with it.

Right.

And then at that point, when there's an agreement, if there's an agreement, then it gets forwarded to the council. Right. Yeah. Which is kind of the same thing.

Yeah. It's really just the the discussion here about items that aren't in your purview. You can you can talk about, yep. We wanna forward that form. We like the idea to the council, but we can't really have the conversations here, like the things that we've talked about where it just isn't a council discussion, but you do have the ability to write it down and say, yeah, we think the council should talk about this council item. And so it'll be kind of a a a quick we got this form in. It'll be part of your agenda packets with all the details from whichever commissioner submits the item. And then you guys will have that background coming into the meeting, and so it'll be a matter of we got this this request request about this topic. You guys have seen it. Do you think we should pass that along to the council?

And then we will.

And I would just say that that form that you complete will be what goes to the city council. So the more information or that you can include to really describe to them what it is you want them to consider, it would be helpful. Okay.

Thank you. Okay. Are we ready to move on to eight point two planning division reports? Staff, do we have any reports?

So I just wanted to report on the bylaws, so we'll kind of say that was mostly my report. And the other thing that I just wanted to let the commission know, hopefully, your emails were included. I made sure to ask our consultant to update our mailing list with our new commissioner's emails. But the general plan, the public review draft of the revised general plan was published on Friday the sixteenth. So that's on our hollister2040.org project website for people to look at. And so that'll be coming to

you in March is the plan. Okay. Thank

agenda item in March?

Yes. Yeah. It it'll be coming to the planning commission for an adoption hearing at your regular March meeting is the plan.

Alright. And item number nine, appointment of our 2026 chair and vice chair so we get to figure out who you can nominate yourself or you can nominate someone.

We have a discussion for sure.

Yes.

I'm just gonna put it out there. I personally I'm thinking Peter Hernandez's chair, and the reason for that is just his his experience on the county, so his intergovernmental experience, his understanding of the Robert's rules. And I think he's really been instrumental on kind of giving us more of a voice and a platform. Yeah. So I digress. So that's just I'm gonna let you share what you guys think. But yeah.

So nomination, do you accept, first of all?

Sure. Yes.

Okay. Thank you. But is there and is there anyone else who wants to nominate anybody? Or

Nominate you if you're interested, but he made some good points about your experience. So, you know, just for your experience as well.

Thank you. And I accept too. So now so now we're how do we

I think the first nomination, you take a you do a motion, though.

Okay.

And then yeah.

And then we just default.

Then yeah.

Well, you you

go backwards. So the second, the second motion is considered first. So you would say, is there a second for the nomination of vice chair, Torres de la Luna de Luna. And then you would if there's no second and no yes vote, then you would move on to the first, if that makes sense.

Okay.

Yeah. You go backwards.

You go back? Okay. So is there a second or myself or Torres del Luna?

Also, I get that.

Then He calls

for a vote. Favor.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye. Anyone opposed?

Obviously. Me. I mean

Alright. Abstain. Okay. So three. For for her to be Yeah. Make sure you're chair.

Vice chair or chair?

Chair. Oh. Take it back?

I apologize. I thought No. No. For yourself to be vice chair.

I I miss I would. I yeah.

Yeah. Her current title.

That's that's Clarify. Let's clarify. Okay.

Okay. Sorry about that.

Okay. Because you nominated I know. Yes. Peters.

But, yeah,

I was like, okay.

So let's start over. Can we? Okay. So is there a second for me for Torres del Luna to be chair? We know the answer.

Yeah. Probably gonna be a stalemate. Right. It's gonna be You you could second yourself.

Oh, I could second myself. Okay. Well, there you go. Then I'll second myself.

That way you can get the vote.

Yeah. And then At

least call the vote.

All those in favor? Aye. Opposed?

Nay or abstain to be to be nice.

Okay. And, okay. Abstain. So then we have two.

I didn't hear Commissioner Rodriguez's vote.

I abstain from the vote.

So then we don't have a quorum.

Oh, so nay.

Okay. That's helpful. Sorry.

Okay. So Two yes, two no.

Yeah. Oh, no. There was one one One no.

Oh, right. One abstain. Right?

Right. So there was two yes and one no.

Yeah.

And so that's a yes. Oh, it is? Right? So right. So the quorum is three because there was an abstention. Okay. So so the majority is two of three. Okay. So that's why it's a yes. Yes.

Okay. So then we do the vice chair. Right. So is there so, yes, it's on the chairs. Yeah. So is there a nomination for vice chair?

I'll make a I'll nominate, Peter Hernandez to be, vice chair. Second.

Do you accept?

Yes.

All those in favor?

Aye. Aye.

Anyone opposed? Abstain? Okay. We're all

in

agreement. Okay. And I think that's everything. Yep. Meeting adjourned

at