Lane County News

At the Springfield Planning Commission meeting on January 18, the election of their 2023 Chair and Vice Chair as well as the Liaisons for key City of Springfield committees, occurred. Commissioners re-elected Matt Salazar and Grace Bergen as Chair and Vice Chair, commending their leadership over the past six months.

The Commission elected the following members as Liaisons for 2023:

• Springfield City Council – Commissioner Schmunk
• Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) – Commissioner Buck
• Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) – Commissioner Thompson
• Governance Committee for Development Code Update Project (currently inactive) – Commissioner Bergen. A second liaison will be appointed once the two Commission vacancies have been filled.

The Commission extended its heartfelt gratitude to Commissioners Kuri Gill and Michael Koivula, who termed off the Commission, for their outstanding volunteer service to the City. The City benefited greatly from the dedication, passion, and expertise they brought to the Planning Commission during their terms of office. Commissioner Koivula completed two terms (eight years), and Commissioner Gill completed one term (four years).

Chair Salazar commented on the fresh perspective that Commissioner Gill brought to deliberations and Commissioner Buck stated, “I really appreciated your way of conceptualizing a problem, with looking at the priorities, and considering all the different aspects… with the mind of what’s best for the community.”

Vice Chair Bergen spoke of Commissioner Koivula and said, “No matter what seat you sat in, your leadership shined all the time. No matter who …was presenting … you always asked your question in a way that was respectful… and allowed them to feel like they were heard, but also allowed us to us think about things we hadn’t thought of before.”

The Springfield Planning Commission consists of seven appointed volunteers who together make land use decisions on complex development applications, advise the City Council on land use policy, and serve as the Committee for Citizen Involvement. The City is accepting applications until 5 pm on Friday, February 10, 2023, from those interested in filling the positions of the two outgoing Commissioners.

Who: Springfield community members

What: Planning Commission Chair and Vice Chair Appointments

When:  For 2023

Where: Online at springfieldoregonspeaks.org

Additional Information: For information about upcoming Planning Commission meetings, contact Sarah Weaver at 541.726.3653 or sweaver@springfield-or.gov

Original source can be found here.