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Roseville City Council - Minutes of 2/06/07 Special Meeting Pg50f 10 hearings should be held at the Planning Commission level and the rationale for time-savings for Council meetings by moving the hearings to the Planning Commission on land use cases. Additional discussion included the Council majority appreciating the advance agenda and packet information; determining work load by Councilmembers in addition to staff; management of agendas to meet curfews; whether the agendas needed to have fewer business items; and how to find those efficiencies, particularly with land use issues. Discussion ensued regarding the Council's need to focus on long-teml issues; Charter City procedures; clarification between Councilmembers discussing issues or positions on a one-to-one basis and avoiding serial Council meetings; differing opinions on how much public comment to allow at City Council meetings; other options for public comment (i.e., e-mail, phone, written correspondence) and whether it needed to be in the context of a public City Council meeting; and how to structure a subcommittee process. City Manager Malinen noted that the purpose of the Public Hearing at the Planning Commission level was to reduce time for land use cases at the City Council level, by developing a record at the Planning Commission, legally noticing meetings with a deadline for receiving public comment - in writing or by public testimony. Mr. Malinen advised that this was a normal and legal process by government bodies, allowed for a deadline in order to pursue a timely resolution, and provided a respectful public process, as per State Statute. Mr. Malinen opined that the Planning Commission was a well-trained body who understood land use issues well; and that a repetitive process for public testimony that was already a matter of record served no one well. City Manager Malinen further noted that standing committees required a certain level of staff time for preparation, in addition to the City Council meeting preparation, and from his perspective, he encouraged more task forces, rather than creation of additional standing committees. Mr. Malinen described the effectiveness of the "three touch" rule: I) The City Council receives a preliminary memo regarding an upcoming issue; 2) Opportunity provided to discuss the issue in Study Session, depending on the item's significance; 3) Followed by action for an up or down vote at a future business meeting. Mr. Malinen opined that this process provided the City Council with ample opportunity for dialogue on the issue; staff input and