Details on the changes proposed for advisory boards, commissions

West Hollywood City Council is set to introduce an ordinance that will amend the Municipal Code with respect to City Commission names and purview, member attendance and eligibility requirements, and Commission references throughout the Municipal Code. The ordinance, which is not subject to CEQA, will be brought before the Council for a first reading.

In addition, the City Council will adopt a resolution to provide for parental leave for advisory board members.

The proposed ordinance will change the names of two commissions, amend the purview of several commissions, establish term limits, include parental leave provisions, establish background checks for certain commissions, include a residency requirement for the Public Facilities, Recreation, and Infrastructure Commission, and update references to the newly-named Commissions throughout the Municipal Code.

At the February 21, 2023 City Council meeting, the City Council directed staff to bring back an Ordinance regarding City Commissions. The proposed ordinance would change the name of two commissions, amend the purview of several commissions, establish term limits, add parental leave provisions, establish background checks for certain commissions, include a residency requirement for the Public Facilities, Recreation, and Infrastructure Commission, and update references to the newly-named Commissions throughout the Municipal Code.

The renaming of the Public Facilities Commission to the Public Facilities, Recreation, and Infrastructure Commission necessitated a few clerical edits in other Municipal Code chapters that reference these Commissions in order to maintain consistency and clarity. See Attachment “B” for these minor clarifying edits.

The newly-named Public Facilities, Recreation, and Infrastructure Commission will review and analyze the City’s public facilities, including those fixed in the public right-of-way, capital improvements, parks, and recreation programs to ensure the highest quality of land use, design, and transportation planning to meet community goals for aesthetics, durability, and functionality.

The Commission will annually review the condition of public facilities and the public right-of-way, including parks, city-owned buildings, landscaping, streetscapes, and the urban forest. The Commission will make recommendations to City Council on improvements for inclusion in the annual budget or five-year capital improvement program.

This Commission focuses on transportation infrastructure in the public right-of-way, rather than traffic and mobility, which is covered by the Transportation and Mobility Commission, discussed further below. Additionally, the proposed Ordinance incorporates recreation into the Commission’s purview and states that it will review and discuss recreation programs and use of recreation facilities twice annually.

The newly-named Transportation and Mobility Commission will analyze transportation, transit, and mobility in the public right-of-way, consider alternative transit solutions, analyze and develop regional transportation solutions for West Hollywood’s unique transportation needs, review certain on-street parking controls in accordance with a procedures policy adopted by the City Council, and review any amendments to the Circulation and Traffic Element of the General Plan.

In addition, this Commission will review the City’s transit and mobility options to ensure that they are ADA compliant. This Commission will no longer hear and decide appeals to City Engineer decisions; those appeals will be heard by the Director of Public Works.

The duties and responsibilities for the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, Human Services Commission, and the Public Safety Commission have also been amended. The Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission will continue to identify the arts and cultural needs of the community and is responsible for analyzing methods of fulfilling these needs and interests and presenting alternative recommendations for actions.

The Commission promotes activities to broaden the opportunities for citizen participation in the arts and cultural affairs. It acts as a sounding board for individuals and organizations that have an interest in the arts and cultural affairs of the City, and implements professional evaluation and screening of potential arts and culture activities. The Commission also reviews and approves final arts plans.