The City of Yakima Planning Commission on May 28 discussed how advisory committees such as BikePed, the Tree Board and Historic Preservation should deliver their findings and requests to the commission and, if needed, to Yakima City Council.

Commissioners asked whether committees should send written memos to staff, bring items directly to Planning Commission meetings, or make brief presentations. The commission noted the city council had previously said committees should send memos but several commissioners said they preferred having committee members attend and present in person when possible so commissioners can ask questions and understand the committees’ work.

Staff said the commission may forward committee information to council either as individual items or as a compiled report. Staff also offered to attend committee meetings to explain the commission’s expectations and to return to the commission with guidance. Commissioners agreed as an action item to contact the committees about the preferred format and to receive any materials the committees wish to provide.

No formal ordinance or code change was proposed at the meeting; the discussion produced direction to staff and an action item for commissioners to follow up with committees on reporting format and timelines.

The commission also clarified that if the commission receives material it believes council should see, it can forward written reports to council either item-by-item or as a compilation of committee reports.