Planning Commission

Meetings

  • 5:30 pm
  • 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month
  • Civic Auditorium
    400 N Douty Street
    City Council Chambers
    Hanford, CA 93230

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Members

  • Richard Douglas
    Date Appointed: January 21, 2020
    Term Expiration: December 31, 2023
  • Garry Curtis (Alternate)
    Date Appointed: March 7, 2023*
    Term Expiration: December 31, 2025
  • Jacob Sanchez
    Date Appointed: January 18, 2022
    Term Expiration: December 31, 2025
  • Martin Devine
    Date Appointed: February 16, 2021
    Term Expiration: December 31, 2024
  • Dennis Ham
    Date Appointed: June 23, 2022*
    Term Expiration: December 31, 2024
  • Gunther Norris 
    Date Appointed: January 17, 2023*
    Term Expiration: December 31, 2026

*Appointed to fill an unexpired term

The Commission elects a chair and vice-chairperson from among its members in January of each year.

Hanford Municipal Code (HMC)

  • Established in 1945 (HMC 2.36)
  • The Planning Commission has the principal duty of establishing and maintaining the General Plan of the community and advising on physical development, zoning, subdivision proposals, and special studies so that community values are maintained and protected. City residency is required. (HMC 2.20.030)

Overview

The Hanford Planning Commission was established in 1945. The Commission consists of five members appointed by the City Council. One member of the City Council, appointed by the mayor, and the Director of the Community Development Department (or designee) serve as nonvoting ex-officio members. 

The Planning Commission has the principal duty of establishing and maintaining the General Plan of the community and advising on physical development, zoning, subdivision proposals, and special studies so that community values are maintained and protected. Any proposed changes to the General Plan or Zoning Ordinance must be reviewed by the Commission and a recommendation made to the City Council. The Commission shall also perform any other functions which may be assigned by the City Council. City residency is required for Commissioners. Terms are 4 years. There is no compensation given to the Commissioners.

Unless appealed, the Commission has final authority on Conditional Use Permits, Planned Unit Developments, Variances, Tentative Parcel Maps, and Tentative Tract (Subdivision) Maps. The Commission makes recommendations to the Council for Annexations, Pre-zoning and Rezoning projects, General Plan Amendments, and Zone Text (Municipal Code) Amendments.

Key policies/documents that serve as the framework/backbone for the review and analysis of projects that come before the Commission

The General Plan Policies, Goals and Objectives and the Zoning Ordinance regulations are used for the analysis of projects. Staff includes the appropriate General Plan policies and/or zoning regulations, when appropriate, in the staff report on each project. The Subdivision Ordinance and the Subdivision Map Act (the applicable provisions of the Government Code of the state governing the subdivision of land in the state) regulate both parcel maps and tract maps.

Nuts & Bolts of the Commission

Schedule of Meetings, Roberts Rules of Order, Chair and Vice Chair selection. The Council established Robert’s Rules of Order for the conduct of its proceedings.