Yorkville’s struggles to fill Planning and Zoning Commission

Yorkville’s population is around 25,000 residents, but the city has consistently faced issues filling all seven seats on the Planning and Zoning Commission. To address the vacancy issues, the city council debated whether a qualified candidate should be allowed to serve on the commission if they live outside of city limits.

Mayor John Purcell proposed an amendment permitting one of the seven seats to be given to someone who lives within 0.25 miles outside the city limits. Many alderman pushed back against the proposal, arguing that only residents of the city should be allowed to serve on the commission.

The proposal failed to gain a majority of City Council support.

State law dictates the zoning authority of the city reaches out 1.5 miles past the city’s corporate boundaries into unincorporated land.

“We have a vacancy right now and I know some people that are very interested in serving,” Purcell said at the Nov. 26 City Council meeting. “We’ve have some challenges filling it and we have some people that have been interested that have recently left the city. It would give us some flexibility on getting some people who are interested, who mights have a business in the community, who’ve been in the community for a long time.”

Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission are appointed to 4-year terms. Members are appointed by the mayor but must receive confirmation by the city council.

According to city documents, because of difficulties reaching a quorum, the minimum number of staffing necessary to conduct business, the city consolidated the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals into one governing body.

Before they merged, members of the Planning Commission were allowed to serve and live within 1.5 miles of the city limits.

City documents state that since the body was consolidated, they have still faced consistent challenges in maintaining a full Planning and Zoning Commission membership.

The majority of aldermen were unconvinced that the proposal to allow one member to live 0.25 miles outside city limits was the best solution for the problem.

Alderman Chris Funkhouser said instead of giving preference to those outside the city limits, the city should improve their recruiting process.

Enough alderman sided with Funkhouser to prevent the proposal from reaching the majority it needed to become an amendment.