Politics & Government
Murray joins planning commission, Huether remains
Eleven Napans vied for two seats on the commission, a traditional stepping stone to higher city office. But what does the planning commission do?
After serving as an alternate member of the city's planning commission for more than a year, Michael Murray is now a full-fledged commissioner himself.
Murray was one of eight men and three women vying for two open seats on the commission, whose members are appointed by the Napa City Council. In a special meeting Tuesday night, the council named Murray and reappointed commissioner Gordon Huether, an artist and businessman whose two-year term expires at the end of this month.
Murray, the CFO of Napa Recycling and Waste Services, replaces Jay Golik, an architect who chose not to seek another two-year term on the planning commission. The other members of the commission are Michelle Benvenuto, Arthur Roosa and Tom Trzesniewski, whose terms expire at the end of 2011. Carole Whichard, one of the applicants the City Council interviewed on Tuesday, replaces Murray as alternate member, also with a term expiring Dec. 31, 2011.
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The planning commission meets twice a month and its five commissioners receive $100 compensation for each meeting for up to three two-year terms. Their job is to review proposals for development in the city and make recommendations to the City Council. Any proposal to build or significantly renovate property in Napa goes first to city planning staff and then to the planning commission for review, before the City Council confirms whether it is approved or denied. Planning commission appointments can be springboards for elected office: More than one Napa City Council member has started as a planning commissioner, and Huether's recent council run saw him finish within 500 votes of a seat.
Huether, Golik and others on the planning commission drew fire recently for their denial of a Napa property owner's proposal to redevelop a long-neglected building on Main Street, and some speculate that Heuther's position on the matter cost him the City Council seat he sought last month.
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Another recent commission decision approved George Altamura's plan to build a new hotel a few doors down from the Old Adobe Restaurant on Soscol Avenue.
Upcoming tasks for the planning commission include review of a new development of 18 houses in the Orchard/Solano area, town signage and more projects as development slowly comes back to Napa.
