Extend the terms of Michael Alexander, Wade Lange, Michael Pouncil, and Eli Spevak to the Planning Commission through June 30, 2025
TO THE COUNCIL:
I request your confirmation to extend the term of four Planning Commission (PC) members, whose terms are due to expire on February 28, 2025, to June 30, 2025.
I’m requesting this extension to allow sufficient time to conduct the recruitment process during this period of significant transition. The Planning Commission was newly seated in March 2023, and the nine commissioners were given staggered two- and four-year terms to ensure that, going forward, only half the Commission seats were up for reappointment at any given time. With the change in government and many other institutional changes, we want to ensure continuity of the Planning Commission in the near term and to provide the opportunity for the new Mayor and City Council to have a role in filling the vacant Planning Commission seats. A recruitment is anticipated to begin in early 2025 with the new and/or re-appointed members beginning their terms July 1, 2025.
The dedication of these members in just 18 months of being on the Commission has been remarkable. In this short time, the Planning Commission has forwarded important recommendations to this current City Council including the Housing Needs Analysis, the Housing Regulatory Relief Project, Regulatory Improvement Code Amendment Package (RICAP) 10, the Land Division Code Update project, and 6 new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts. The appointee biographies and statements of interest are provided in Attachment A.
Therefore, I request your confirmation for the following positions and term extensions:
| Position | Appointment | Current Term | Extended Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Alexander | 3/1/23-2/28/25 | through 6/30/25 |
| 2 | Wade Lange | 3/1/23-2/28/25 | through 6/30/25 |
| 4 | Michael Pouncil | 3/1/23-2/28/25 | through 6/30/25 |
| 5 | Eli Spevak | 3/1/23-2/28/25 | through 6/30/25 |
Respectfully submitted,
Mayor Ted Wheeler
Official Record (Efiles)
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
Extend the terms of four Planning Commission members through June 30, 2025, to ensure continuity of the Commission during our governmental transition.
The Planning a Commission (PC) is composed of nine (9) volunteer members with expertise in a range of areas. The PC focuses on land use planning while continuing to advance the policies in Portland’s Comprehensive Plan, including those related to sustainability.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
Not applicable. These are volunteer positions.
Economic and Real Estate Development Impacts
none.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
The Planning Commission makes recommendations to City Council on the City’s long-range goals, policies, and programs for land use and planning. In making recommendations, it considers the economic, environmental, and social well-being of the city in an integrated fashion. The Commission has specific responsibility for the guiding, developing, maintaining, and updating of the City’s Comprehensive Plan and zoning code. The Commission deliberates using a climate and equity lens and is committed to effective public involvement and leadership in its work and in the decisions it considers.
In early 2025, a recruitment for these extended terms will begin, with a goal of seating new (or second-term) Commission members in summer 2025. Anyone with an interest in a PC position is welcome to apply.
100% Renewable Goal
Not applicable