On April 12th, 2022 the Monroe City Council will consider decreasing the Planning Board from 10 (1 alternate) to just 7 citizen members.
The citizens of Monroe worked hard to get positive changes made to the upcoming UDO. Citizens signed a petition that was presented to the City Council which asked for major changes to rezoning proposals to be sent back to the Planning Board for a second public hearing. We had some success and the City Council created an option for this to happen in the new UDO.
But with that step forward in public input it now appears that after nearly 20 years there is a chance of a reduction in the number of Planning Board members.
The Planning Board is composed entirely (except for 1 ETJ member) of citizens who live in Monroe. The Planning Board members drive in the same traffic, shop at the same stores, and pay the same taxes as every other citizen of Monroe. The members come from various backgrounds (military veterans, business owners, retirees, and public safety for example) and reside in different parts of the city. This means that each of the Planning Board members adds a different viewpoint to the recommendations that they make to the City Council.
The Planning Board members volunteer to serve the City of Monroe by reviewing rezoning proposals, visiting the proposed rezoning sites, speaking with planning staff, speaking with citizens, and conducting public hearings. If the process works correctly the Planning Board’s recommendation of approval or denial should provide the City Council with much needed information for their final decision.
Simply put, dropping the number of Planning Board members from 11 to 7 reduces citizen input in the rezoning process. By removing members it limits the perspective of the board. This reduction also comes at a time when there is unprecedented growth in Monroe. We all want that growth to create a sustainable community of lasting values by preserving our past and planning for the future while enhancing the quality of life of the existing neighborhoods. That would seem difficult to do with a Planning Board that is handicapped by a such a small number of citizen members.