Commissioners reappointed

Barbara Diamond

Planning Commissioners Linda Dietrich and Norman Grossman were

reappointed Tuesday by the City Council for another two-year hitch.

This will be Dietrich’s second term on the commission.

“It has been a huge learning curve,” said Dietrich, who previously

served on the Arts Commission. “I am on two commission sub-committees

-- the land use element and artist live/work.

“I’d like to see the projects through completion.”

Grossman has served the city since 1984. He was a member of the

Design Review Board from 1984 to 1986.

He was first appointed to the Planning Commission in 1988,

reappointed in 2001 and again in 2003.

“One of the primary reasons for my return to the commission in

2001 was to be actively involved in the development of the revised

Land Use Element of the general plan,” Grossman said. “This effort is

now underway and I am serving as a member of the commission

sub-committee to complete the project.”

Grossman also has an interest in developing the medium and

long-term solutions needed to complete the city’s “mansionization”

policies.

“Other tasks that I am looking forward to include implementation

of appropriate recommendations form the Design Review Task Force,

review and completion of the Community/Senior Center, review of the

Village Entrance project, possible modifications to the Civic Arts

District, implementation of parking solutions and revision of the

Open Space and Housing Elements,” Grossman said.

The Planning Commission reviews applications for use permits,

designs and signs for structures in the Downtown Specific Plan area

and elements of the general plan, many of which are required to be

reviewed and possibly updated periodically, and any other assignments

from the council.

Commissioners serve two-year terms. They regularly meet on the

first and third Wednesdays of the month. Additional meetings and

sub-committee appointments are often required for complex or citywide

projects.

The next appointments will be in 2006, when three terms will

conclude.