Planning Commissioner Sherry McCoy is interested in retaining her position, but Raoul Maltez is not, so there will be at least one new member on the Planning Commission in April (or possibly a rerun of a former commissioner). And although I wouldn’t put money on it, a Waterfront resident may be appointed for the coming term. It could happen. (I assume McCoy’s appointment is safe.)

I sat in a conference room in City Hall with the City Council in the early evening last Friday as I interviewed for an opening on the Community and Library Services (CLS) Commission. (Don’t ask me why.) After I tried to answer the Council’s questions and made a suggestion or two (e.g., a library shuttle, reducing the size of the commission), I took the unique opportunity to ask about the upcoming Planning Commission appointments after Councilmember Ed Balico offhandedly broached the topic.

Balico had said that the Council makes an effort to evenly distribute the members of the CLS Commission throughout the community, and I asked if that would be the case for the upcoming Planning Commission appointments as well (due this evening) — if that would mean a Waterfront resident would be appointed to the commission (provided one was interested and qualified) — since there is a distinct lack of representation of the Waterfront on the two City commissions (as well as the Council itself, but that is for the voters to decide).

Balico — clearly the alpha dog in the small room, although Mayor Kris Valstad did his best on the far end of the table — presumably spoke for the council and answered the question: “Maybe. If the person can read plans right.” I couldn’t help but take that response with guarded optimism.

I had been interested — and still am, admittedly — of serving on the Planning Commission (I interviewed for the position in 2007 and 2008), even if that means ending this blog, but I realize that I am not exactly what the City Council is looking for. Snarkily put, if the City Council believes that Jose Bibal is doing a good job as a planning commissioner, I am not fit for the job. (There are probably other reasons, too.)

I am interested in serving the community however, and if that is in the form of the CLS Commission (whose responsibility is growing, and only meets once per month), count me in. Although I enjoy the fame and fortune this blog provides, I would forgo all of that for the opportunity to be in a position to deliver an ounce of change. (I am not sure why.)

If I were to be appointed — even to the CLS Commission — I would most likely have to stop blogging, or at least refrain from writing on subjects that are related to the commission’s work (library, parks, activities, etc.). So the parking lot issue at Duck Pond Park, for example, would probably be off-limits since my comments and opinions may influence other members of the commission, or so they say, and that could potentially be in violation of the Brown Act. Apparently. None of this has been explicitly ruled upon by the courts, but I do not necessarily want to be a test case either. I am not sure if I would need to temper my criticism of the Council as well. (I wouldn’t.)

That being said, my first order of business — assuming I were to be appointed (the odds were reportedly in my favor, although I’d be surprised if I were) — would be to reduce the size of the proposed parking lot at the planned Duck Pond Park. It is too big. It is twice the size of the parking lot for the Sala Restaurant at the restored historic Civic Arts Building, a full-sized restaurant that will seat upwards of 100 patrons each night. Duck Pond Park will include a building (the restored Queen Anne) that will host events up to 40 people possibly four or five times a year. And it is on a street — Sycamore Avenue — with virtually unlimited on-street parking. I think it is as simple as that.

My second order of business is the library shuttle, and my third is a film competition. (Something tells me my appointment, if it exists, may not end well.)

UPDATE — I was appointed. (Six openings; five candidates. I was the last one named.)

UPDATE — The new planning commissioner is Cletia Hart (not a Waterfront resident), and as expected, Sherry McCoy was reappointed.