The existence of a volunteer board responsible for reviewing projects to ensure projects follow the town’s guidelines is in question given challenges finding members.
If interest in the board the Architecture and Site Review Board continues to decline, town officials are considering consolidating it with the Planning Commission or reducing the number of projects that require hearings. The state requires each city, town and county to have a Planning Commission, but ASRBs are not mandated.Â
“I don’t think we can do anything without [the ASRB] given the workload that’s coming down the pipe,” said Council member Dick Brown during an April 23 meeting. The board has existed since at least 1959. Its five members, who each serve four-year terms, meet twice a month on Mondays. Current members are: Don Lindsay, Vladimir Taft, Pat Del Gavio, Christina Kamra and David Mittelman.
The ASRB reviews residential applications for community character, site planning, building design and landscape elements, according to the town website. It also reviews applications for non-residential development; and makes recommendations to the planning director or Planning Commission regarding approval or disapproval, and suggests modifications or imposes conditions in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the town’s municipal code. The code charges the ASRB with protecting the rural character and natural beauty of the town. The ASRB ensures that projects keep with the town’s general plan and residential design guidelines.
One member needs to be a licensed architect, if available for appointment, and another needs to be a licensed landscape architect, if one is available for appointment, according to the town website.
According to the staff report, “the last time the council had more applicants than open seats” for the ASRB was in September 2022. The council appoints members to the board.
Woodside resident Marilyn Voelke, who previously served on the Planning Commission noted that getting rid of the ASRB entirely will drastically reduce participation in local government. She said if numbers within the Town Council, Planning Commission and ASRB continue to dwindle, “you reduce your pool of potential applicants in the future.”
“There are a lot of people who won’t take any of these jobs because it requires too much time,” Voelke added.
Craige London, who also served on the Planning Commission previously voiced his support for “letting the Planning Commission do more of the preliminary work with the individual that has a request … it makes it a lot easier for the committee.”
The council collectively agreed on the importance of maintaining the ASRB and Mayor Jenn Wall suggested that staff come back with a recommendation on how to “rebalance in a practical way that’s going to make the right trade offs in terms of staff and volunteer resources.”
