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Model Outline of Motions fo anninn . . r PI_...... Commissions and Zoning Boards by David J. Allot 1. CALL TO ORDER NS I ND INA I NV Action of the chairperson to bring the members, staff, and audience into order. 2. CALL FOR QUORUM NS I ND INA I NV Acuon of the chairperson, with confirmation by the secre- tar3'., that the commtssion may conduct official business. 3. CALL TO FOLLOW THE AGENDA NS I ND INA I NV Action of the chairperson to proceed with the agenda as pub- Itsbed. so that persons attending and possibly wishing to testify may know the order of issues to be heard and decided. 4. Motion to AMEND THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA SIDIAIV For very specific reasons, other than those of inconvenience or unpreparedness, a commission member may move to alter the order but not the content of the agenda. 5. Motion to FIX THE TIME TO ADJOURN SINDIAI¥ Once the order of the agenda has been decided, a planning commission ts under an obliga- tion to estimate how much of its work it can reasonably and responsibly conclude within a single meeting. Where a public heanng is required, the chaiq~er- son can impose reasonable but equitable time constraints upon public testimony. 6. Motion to APPROVE THE MINUTES NSINDIAIV Action to approve the minutes of a previous meeting. The mtn- utes are amendable to improve clarity, accuracy, and complete- ness, but not to re-open debate on a previously decided agenda item. PLA N N I N G. C The following outlirte modifies, withdraws, and inserts motions into the order provided within Robert's Rules of Order (Revised 1971 and Newly ReVved 1990). However, the motions are not presented in order of precedence, but in the order in which they are most likely to appear within the meeting of a commission or board. In this outline, a single public heanng is heard ~qthin a deliberative meeting. BorroWing from Jon I_ Ericson~ Notes and Comments on Robert's Rules (1991). each motion is coded in four categories: requires Second (S), or not is Debatable (D), or not (ND), is Amendable (A), ornot (NA), and requires Vote (v), or not (NV). A simple majority is required, unless otherwise noted. Immediately below the motion and its codes is a brief explana- tion of the motion~ use and relevance. 7. Motion to RECONSIDER 5IDINAJV A procedural mouon, used where a commission member in the majority on a previously decided uem w~shes to have the commission reconsider its vote. The mouon ~s appropriate only where: ~ 1 ) crucml information, not available at the time of the initial vote. is now avmlable, or (2) there has been a substantial change of cm:umstances since the initial vote. Great care should be taken W~th respect to this motion so as to not violate notice requirements or time limitaUons on action. If the mouon for RECONSIDERATION is passed, the teem is re-presented in total, after which a new sub- stantive motion may be made. 8. Motion to RECESS INTO PUBLIC HEARING SINDINAIV To this point the commission is in regular deliberative meeting, it now may RECESS INTO PUB- LIC HEARING in order to take ' public testimony on a specific agenda item. During a public hearing, a commission member may not make substantive motions. 9. Motion to ACCEPT FOR THE RECORD SINDINAIV A procedural motion to officially incorporate an application, agency report, consulrant~ report, letter, petition, or other Wnnen or V~Sual matenah into the public record. 10. Motion to CLOSE THE PUBLIC RECORD SINDINAIV If the planning commission wishes to proceed with debate on the item. it must close the public record. Both the record of written and visual materiaLs and the oral testimony form the basis of con- stderation and decision. Where the commission ts to deliberate the case at a future meeting, it may leave the public record open for a specific period of time, usually two business days, to receive any additional written materials. 11. Motion to CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SINDINAIV A procedural motion made when all public testimony has concluded; the planning commis- sion has now returned to dellbera- tive meeting, OMMISSIONERS JOURNAL / NUMBER 20 12. CALL TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION NS I ND INA I NV After broad discussion and deliberation among the members of the planning commission, the chairperson may invite, but may not make, a motion. 13. Motion to CLOSE DEUBERATION SINDINAIV A procedural motion to test whether the planning commis- sion is ready to move from delib- eration to decision. For smaller ' commissions, the CALL TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION (see #12) would be sufficient to move the commission toward substan- tive motion. 14. Motion to APPROVe, APPROVE 'vVITH CONDITIONS, or converse motion to DISAPPROVE SIDIAIV A substantive motion (often called the MAIN motion): tt may take one of two forms: (1) a definitive action, or (2) a recom- mendation. Requires recitation of reasons in support of the motion: both thc Mover and Seconder must concur in the reasons and tn the conditions, ff such are attached. A tie vote constitutes defeat of the motion. When a motion to DLSAPPROVE ts defeated, a converse motion should be made to secure APPROVAL or APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS. 15. Motion to AMFND the Prt~ous Motion SIDIAIV Amending motions may be either procedural or substantive. When a motion has been moved and seconded and ts witl'tLn the period of deba-., it is subject to substitution, alteration or perfec- tion. When an amendment ts seen as "friendly,' that is, compat- ible with the previous motion by lh~ initial_ l~o~r and seconder, the amemimmt may be incorpo- =~,..='_ , .... '~--'~.;.'~-"~ .... '.. -.