Policy and Procedure

The purpose of this policy is to define the circumstances in which the County of Sonoma refers projects and applications to the Mark West Citizens Advisory Council (MWCAC) for comment.

All applications for General Plan Amendments, Rezonings, and Use Permits within the Mark West Area as shown on the attached Exhibit A shall be referred to the MWCAC for review and comment.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors created the MWCAC by Resolution No. 16-0231 to serve as an advisory body on applications for use permits, rezoning and General Plan amendments within the Mark West Area.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the circumstances in which the County of Sonoma refers projects and applications to the Mark West Area Municipal Advisory Council (MWAMAC) for comment.

General

All applications for General Plan Amendments, Rezonings, and Use Permits within the Mark West Area shall be referred to the MWAMAC for review and comment.

Authority

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors created the MWAMAC by Resolution No. 16-0231 to serve as an advisory body on applications for use permits, rezoning and General Plan amendments within the Mark West Area.

Procedure

1. 1. For projects referred by Permit Sonoma to MWAMAC for review, the County of Sonoma Planning staff shall deliver or have delivered a copy of the project application, and any available supporting materials to the Chairperson of the MWAMAC.
   2. The chairperson will determine, with the MWAMAC ’s Secretary, whether to place the project on the next available agenda of the MWAMAC for comment.
   3. If the item is brought to the MWAMAC for comment, it shall be the responsibility of the MWAMAC to prepare and deliver written minutes of the action to the County of Sonoma planning staff in a timely manner so that they may be forwarded to the hearing body at the time of project review.
   4. The hearing body shall consider the comments of the MWAMAC in the course of its review of the project, but the comments shall not be considered binding and the hearing body shall act on the project application as it deems fit.
   5. Project applicants must be provided notice of the MWAMAC meetings at which their project is being heard by the MWAMAC, and given an opportunity to attend and be heard by the MWAMAC.
   6. Projects referred to the MWAMAC for comment shall be reviewed by the MWAMAC within 45 days after the referral. The failure of the MWAMAC to make an advisory recommendation within 45 days after the referral shall be deemed to mean that the MWAMAC has no recommendation on the project.
   7. This policy does not preclude the County of Sonoma or planning staff from referring issues to the MWAMAC for advice and comment that may not be subject to environmental review as defined by this policy. Under state law, housing development projects cannot be subject to more than 5 hearings, which includes meetings of the MWAMAC. Further, state planning law is quickly evolving, and it is important for County staff to assess whether limitations or restrictions apply to any planning project before it is referred to the MAC. The MAC is not authorized to agendize a meeting on a planning project nor is any council member authorized to hold a meeting on a planning project without an express referral from Permit Sonoma.

1. The County of Sonoma is responsible for reviewing this policy no less than every ten years to determine whether it is still representative of the Mark West Area and still an effective review board for the County. Changes may be made by a majority vote of the Board of Supervisors.
2. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will review this policy from time to time, as it deems necessary.