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Planning Commission
Trinidad has a five-member Planning Commission to review matters related to planning and development. Trinidad Planning Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council for four-year terms. Commissioners must reside in the city limits.
The Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of each month. Their meeting schedule is posted on the Planning Commission Meetings page, where you can find the documents for their meetings.
The Planning Commission holds public hearings on a regular schedule to consider land use matters. These include permit applications for development needing a Coastal Development Permit, Design Review, Conditional Use Permit, Variance, Lot Line Adjustment, Subdivision or Grading Permit. For more information about these various types of permits, please see Permits and Design Review. The Planning Commission also considers and guides the City's land use planning and policies; this is the rewarding part of being a Planning Commissioner. The Planning Commission is involved in long-range City planning through updates of the General Plan. The Planning Commission may also initiate projects such as proposing new trail signage or a new sign ordinance.
Commissioners serve at the pleasure of the Council so Commission membership changes in response to changes in those bodies. The Commission is the City Council's advisor on land use planning. The Council may choose to follow the recommendations of the Commission or not. Accordingly, they may reverse or modify commission actions or send proposals back to the Commission for further review. In addition, Commission decisions are subject to appeal to the Council. The Council has the final say in all City matters.
Because the Commission focuses on planning issues, it is a valuable intermediary between the public and the City Council. When matters run smoothly, the Commission has a low profile. However, when there is a controversy, the Commission is there, in the thick of things, doing its best to sort through the facts and make a good decision.