Burlingame shrinks Planning Commission from 7 members to 5

If the two commissioners who reapplied this year are reappointed, the Planning Commission will already have only five members, opening up a natural transition to reduce the number, staff said. 

The decision was made in part because the state has taken a larger and larger role in discretionary design and building decisions around housing in recent years, giving local Planning Commissions a smaller decision-making role.

“The state is just taking more and more discretion away from a body like this, and why [keep this] number [of] people if you’re going to tell them you can’t have an opinion about this, that or the other,” Mayor Michael Brownrigg said. “This is the right decision, but for a sad reason.” 

In the past, Burlingame benefited from its thorough planning process and seven-member body, he said. 

“I think we had a very robust planning process for many, many years, and I think the city is better looking as a result,” Brownrigg said. “Maybe things slowed down a little, but everything got done.” 

The decision, which will also formalize a vice chair position for the commission, will align the Planning Commission with the City Council, which also has five members, Councilmember Donna Colson said. 

Colson also pushed back on a former Planning Commission candidate who accused the City Council of being partisan and politically minded in their decision not to appoint her during their discussion on member reduction. 

“This council, as well as the commission on which we sit, are nonpartisan. We do not ask for people’s political affiliations,” she said. “We look for people that can collaborate and work across everything.” 

Chris Horan and Sean Lowenthal were reappointed during the council meeting. Walker Shores, Jennifer Pfaff and John Schmid are the other three commissioners.