Council votes to keep P&Z term limits

At a public hearing at the regular council meeting on Sept. 6, the Little Elm Town Council voted against reducing the number terms served on the Planning and Zoning Commission to match the number of terms served on the Town Council. With one council member absent, the vote did not pass with a 4 to 2 vote.

In the recent Town Charter Election, voters approved expanding the years allowed to serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission from two years to three years to allocate more experience. Voters passed the proposition with 64 percent in favor of the term years.

Not included in the Charter was the number of term limits. Instead, term limits are established under zoning ordinance, which is currently three terms and allows Commission members to serve a length of nine years.

Council Member Bill Roebken put forth on the council agenda to limit the term limits from three to two, bringing it in line with the Town Council term limits and six years of service.

"I'm not looking to get rid of anybody, I found it odd and not to my liking," Roebken said. "I think they do a great job, and I commend them for the work they do."

Roebken said he compared the terms between the council and Planning and Zoning and had a hard time understanding that it would be harder for Planning and Zoning to get a feeling of the ropes. He said council members have a difficult learning curve as well with budget, personnel and research issues.

"We have a lot broader scope we deal with than Planning and Zoning, and we can come up to speed and still have five years [to serve]," Roebken said.

Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended the denial of the proposed ordinance, citing that residents' vote to extend their service should be honored and to be effective, they require experience, especially when vacancies persist among the Alternates ranks.

Since the Commission recommended denial, the vote from the Town Council required a "super majority," where three-fourths of the vote from present members at the meeting is necessary to pass. The ordinance to change the term limits did not achieve the super majority vote.

Planning and Zoning Chairman Michael McClellan gave a speech during the public hearing portion of the meeting, stating that it takes up to two years just to bring a new member up to speed on the planning and zoning services. In 18 months, he said two senior members will be gone, which will affect the town.

McClellan urged the council to see the difference between serving on the Commission and serving on the council. He said members are appointed into the Commission whereas council members are voted in.

"Voters said they wanted people with the best experience," McClellan said.

Council Member Hal Grant was the other vote in favor of passing the ordinance change. He said he had mixed emotions about both sides after hearing McClellan give his speech opposing the change.

"I thought his statements were valid, but I also thought Bill Roebken's statements were valid. I sided with him [Roebken]," Grant said. "I didn't think it should remain the way [it is]."

Grant said he thought both sides of the issue had good points and his decision was not personal.

"I'm not anti-Planning and Zoning. I support them serving on the committee. They're very valid members," Grant said.

Council member Brandon Gerard voted against the ordinance, stating that the voters extended the years for a reason during the Charter Election.

"There is a learning curve," Gerard said. "The fact that there are nine years out there on the Commission, there is no reason to not allow them to stay."

Council member Richard Stevens supports his decision in voting against the ordinance, citing to support the voters of Little Elm, but he admitted to riding the fence on the issue most of the time.

"It was the understanding of the voters that after they voted what they did on the Charter, they would have the Planning and Zoning in there for a longer period of time," Stevens said.

Stevens said council has the option to remove a member of the Commission if the subject is acting in an unethical way.

"We have plenty of option there," Stevens said.

Council member Stephanie Shoemaker said she felt torn on the issue and could see both sides. She said the positions Planning and Zoning holds are important since they go through so many things.

"It takes awhile to get used to being on here and on the Planning and Zoning as well," Shoemaker said. "I like to have experience on there [Commission]."

Despite feeling uncomfortable with another group having a longer tenure than council, Roebken was not upset with the outcome of the vote.

"It is not a big deal for me," Roebken said. "It's not something I felt real strong about. It was something I had a concern about, something I didn't quite understand and wanted to bring it up before everybody."

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