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L i * Lty {� LEGAL COMMITTEE <br />L ouisvill COMMUNICATION <br />COLORADO -SINCE 1878 <br />SUBJECT: DISCUSSION/DIRECTION — OPTIONS FOR MEETINGS FOR <br />QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARINGS SUBJECT TO REFERENDUM <br />DATE: JULY 7, 2020 <br />PRESENTED BY: MEREDYTH MUTH, CITY CLERK <br />KATHLEEN KELLY, CITY ATTORNEY <br />SUMMARY: <br />Staff continues to look into options for holding in -person meetings during the COVID-19 <br />outbreak while there are strict limitations on in -person gatherings. While there is no <br />requirement quasi-judicial hearings be held in -person, under the current City Council <br />Rules of Procedure the City Council may not hold electronic meetings for those land use <br />applications the final decision regarding which is subject to referendum. The City <br />Council has asked the Legal Review Committee to review options for how to hold public <br />hearings in -person to address such items. <br />As of July 1, the COVID 19 pandemic and its increasing infection rates mean it is very <br />unlikely the Council will be able to hold an in -person meeting for all participants in the <br />near future, even with safety protocols and social distancing. Under the current rules <br />indoor gatherings are allowed but must meet strict social distancing regulations for the <br />room size. Given that, staff recommends Council consider changing its Rules of <br />Procedure to either allow for quasi-judicial hearings items to be heard at a hybrid <br />electronic/in-person meeting or to allow for those items to be heard at an all electronic <br />meeting. <br />Electronic Participation at In -Person Meetings <br />Staff is working on the process to allow for a hybrid electronic/in-person meeting that <br />would meet current social distancing rules. This would involve continuing to have every <br />Councilmember and staff on zoom but those who chose to could attend in -person while <br />those not comfortable with that may join from home. <br />The social distancing rules would not allow for many members of the public to attend a <br />meeting in Council Chambers as the room is relatively small. Using the current State <br />social distancing calendar, staff has determined a meeting could be held at the <br />Brooks/Crown Room and it would allow for at least 19 members of the public to attend <br />with Council and two members of staff in the room; everyone else would join <br />electronically. (See the attached room layout.) Staff continues to look at that room and <br />layout to see if there are other options that would allow additional people to attend <br />safely. <br />CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION <br />