Kirsten Thompson, chair of Woodland Hills' Community Development Committee, told the council on Oct. 28 that her committee is nearing a draft of the general plan and expects to vote on a final draft at its Nov. 17 meeting before submitting the document to the planning commission for review and public hearing.

Thompson asked whether the committee should adopt its own version of a draft based on committee votes or preemptively incorporate suggested edits from the planning commission. "When you guys voted to make this committee, how is what is the structure of it?" she asked, seeking a clear process for committee votes and forward movement.

Wayne (planning commission liaison) and Sunrise (consulting team) told the committee the standard sequence remains: the committee drafts and votes, the planning commission reviews and holds public hearings, and then the city council receives the planning commission's recommendation for legislative action. Sunrise staff said consultants will consolidate edits into a single document and will present both committee and planning commission perspectives so the council can see both positions when it considers final adoption.

Why it matters: Committee members expressed concern about efficiency and transparency. Some members said they did not want to be advised to remove or alter substantive goals simply because the planning commission indicated they would later reject them; others noted a practical benefit in resolving clear factual errors before a planning commission review to reduce rework.

Timeline and next steps: The committee expects to complete a draft on Nov. 17 and Sunrise told the council a 4-6 month timeline is likely for producing an implementation-focused strategic plan and implementation matrix once the general plan process advances. The council and planning commission agreed that the general plan is a community document and that the council should see both committee and planning commission rationales if disagreements persist.

Ending note: Council liaisons confirmed they will not exercise veto powers within the committee; the committee is responsible for producing a draft under council purview and then forwarding it to the planning commission for formal public hearings and recommendation.