RULES OF ORDER FOR A PUBLIC HEARING
COMMISSION CHAIR READS TO THE PUBLIC:
a.The Planning Commission will open public hearings today to consider the matters listed on the agenda. Please silence your cell phones. Will those attending in person please sign in at the back table. Will those attending online please introduce yourselves at this time.
b.State law designates these hearings as “quasi-judicial” hearings; therefore, “courtroom-style” decorum is expected. Planning Commission ex-parte (pre-hearing) contacts must be disclosed. Pursuant to Utah Code requirements for ethical behavior, are there any members of the Commission who wish to announce pre-hearing contacts, site visits or conflicts of interest?
c.The hearings will be conducted as follows:
1.Staff will present a report that includes applicable ordinance criteria and standards for the matter under consideration in the application. Staff will make a recommendation whether the request should be approved, approved with conditions or denied.
2.The Chair will accept testimony relating to the application. The Chair may state a time limit for testimony. To be most effective, testimony should be directed toward the applicable ordinance criteria.
3.The proceedings are being recorded and will be transcribed to written minutes. Thus, only one person should be speaking at a time.
4.When testifying, please step to the podium and state your name and mailing address.
5.To ensure compliance with Utah Code requirements for civil discourse, the audience shall remain quiet while the hearing is in progress. The Planning Commission may remove persons from the meeting if they create a disruption to the orderly conduct of the meeting. Unacceptable conduct includes the utterance of loud, threatening or abusive language, whistling, clapping, booing or similar disruptive acts.
6.The applicant will be invited to speak first, followed by proponents, then by opponents, and then by any parties neutral to the application. Proponents will then be provided an opportunity to clarify any issues or to rebut opposition testimony.
7.Members of the Planning Commission may ask questions of the staff or hearing participants at any time. The Chair will then close the hearing or continue the hearing to a specified time and place.
8.All decisions must be based on findings from the staff report or evidence and testimony received which relate to the criteria of the land use decision.
9.Decisions of the Planning Commission may be appealed to the Duchesne County Commission within ten (10) days of the date that the notice of decision is mailed.