Planning Commission Moves to Limit Public Participation

Open Letter from the Jefferson County Foundation

Recently the Jefferson county planning commission has move to limit public participation in public workshops and public hearings, thus limiting public participation in development and planning decisions. As I’m sure you can imagine this can have negative impacts on our ability to protect our watersheds including the Opequon. We are encouraging the public to submit public comments and attend a demonstration in support of public participation at the next planning commission and attend a demonstration in support of public participation at the next planning commission meeting where they plan to hold a final vote on the policy. Please consider forwarding the following message or one to the same effect to your members and or followers.

The Planning Commission is working to limit the public portion of public hearings in public workshops to 90 minutes. This will infringe on the public’s due process rights and ability to seek judicial relief from decisions of the planning commission. The planning commission and seeking to do this through policy rather than amending its ordinance or bylaws is cutting out the required public hearing and vote of the elected County Commission. If you have ever cared about something at the planning commission you should care about this.

There is going to be a demonstration of “support for public participation” July 8 at 6:30pm before the planning commission meeting outside the county commission meeting room. Come early. Tell the planning commission – to represent us you must hear us! Vote NO on the new policy!

Learn more and submit public comment – go here https://www.jeffersoncountyfoundation.org/our-work/effective-and-accountable-government/public-participation-at-the-planning-commission/