Clintonville Area Commission

About our association

"Committed to the undertaking of the preservation of the values of the community through promotion, implementation and recommendation to city officials."

Welcome to the Clintonville Area Commission (CAC). The CAC was empowered in 1974 by the Columbus City Charter to represent the Clintonville community in the discussion of community concerns. By City Code, the purpose of the CAC is to "...afford additional voluntary citizen participation in the decision making in an advisory capacity and to facilitate communications, understanding and cooperation between neighborhood groups, city officials and developers".

The CAC is governed by a set of By-Laws (see below). These By-Laws establish the order of procedures under which the Clintonville Area Commission (CAC) shall execute those duties and functions set forth in and with the authority granted under Chapter 3109 of Columbus City Code. The Commission shall not endorse any candidate for public office.

The Clintonville Area Commission meets the first Thursday evening of each month at the Whetstone Library, 3909 N. High Street, in the Multi-Purpose Room at 7:30 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend. Meetings generally last until 10:00 p.m..

Meetings serve as community updates for special projects headed by the CAC or in which the CAC participates. Individuals, neighborhood groups and contractors working in conjunction with the City of Columbus often present status reports regarding ongoing infrastructure improvements and current issues or concerns.

Thank you for visiting the Web site for the Clintonville Area Commission. We welcome your input and involvement.


Clintonville Area Commission By-Laws

These by-laws shall establish the order of procedures under which the Clintonville Area Commission (CAC) shall execute those duties and functions set forth in and with the authority granted under Chapter 3109 of Columbus City Code. The Commission shall not endorse any candidate for public office.

I. Membership

A. There shall be nine members of the Commission who shall be known as District Commissioners and shall be elected from the districts set forth in the attached selection procedures and election rules. A Commissioner shall retain his or her residency in the District form which he or she was elected. Failure to maintain such residency shall constitute resignation from the Commission.

B. A term of office on the Commission shall be three years, with the Commission's nine District positions rotating so that each year, three Districts shall be open for election. The three year terms are to expire as provided in the addendum to these by-laws.

C. If a vacancy occurs in a District seat on the Commission because of death, resignation, disqualification, or other means, the Commission shall give public notice of the vacancy before the date on which the Commission will vote to recommend a candidate to fill the vacancy. After providing an opportunity for persons interested in filling the vacancy to indicate their interest to the Commission, the Commission shall vote by secret ballot to select a candidate to fill the vacancy for the un-expired term. The Commission Secretary shall send written notice of the candidate selected by the Commission to the Mayor, pursuant to section 3313.10 of the Columbus City Code.

D. A Commission member who expects to be absent from a Commission meeting shall notify the CAC Chairperson prior to the meeting. A Commissioner who is absent from three Commission meetings between annual meetings without such prior notice to the Chairperson shall be deemed a Resignation and notice of such shall be communicated to the Mayor, the City Council and the Director of the Department of Trade and Development. The Recording Secretary shall send written notice to a Commission member who has been absent from two meetings without prior notice to the Chairperson, informing the Commissioner that his or her absence without prior notification from one more meeting before the next annual meeting will constitute resignation form the Commission and notice of such shall be communicated to the Mayor, the City Council and the Director of the Department of Trade and Development.

E. No member shall represent the CAC in its official actions, except as specifically authorized by a majority at a regualr or special meeting. This shall not be construed as a restriction upon the right of the individual members to represent their own views before public or private bodies, whether in agreement or disagreement with the official action of the CAC.

II. Officers

A. The CAC shall elect from among its members a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and a Secretary. The officers shall be elected at the annual meeting and shall serve for a period of one year.

1. Chairperson: The Chairperson shall be a voting member of the Commission, preside at meetings of the Commission, prepare the agenda for the Commission meetings, approve the spending of all funds, and, in consultation with the other Commission members, appoint Chairpersons of standing and special committees of the Commission.

2. Vice-Chairperson: The Vice-Chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson in the Chairperson's absence. In addition the Vice-Chairperson shall be the CAC liason with the Clintonville Resource Center and other public and private agencies in the Clintonville area that provide social services.

3. Secretary: The Secretary shall maintain a file of minutes and such other records as the Commission may direct and shall send witten notice to the Board of Zoning Adjustment or other appropriate entity of zoning zoning-related actions of the Commission, and receive and disburse all fund with approval from the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson. The minues of all Commission meetings shall be open to public examination.

4. No person who has served three consecutive full terms in the office of Chairperson shall be eligible for election to a fourth term in that same office, but shall be eligible for election to any office in subsequent years.

B. The CAC Chairperson may appoint a Recording Secretary, subject to the approval of the Commission. The Recording Secretary shall record votes, take minutes of Commision meetings, distribute minutes and agenda to Commission members and perform such other duties as determined by the Commission. If there is no Recording Secretary, the Secretary shall perform the duties of the Recording Secretary.

III. Meetings

A. The regular meetings of the CAC shall be on the first Thursday of each month and shall be open to the public. Each meeting shall be held in the Commission's normal place unless otherwise specified fifteen (15) days prior. Notice of the meeting with an agenda shall be published in the city bulletin prior to the change in meeting time or location.

B. The regular meeting in July shall be known as the annual meeting and shall include the election of officers.

C. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or by a majority of the members in a regular or special meeting, and shall be called upon written request of at least three (3) members. The purpose of the meeting, the date, and location shall be stated in the call. Except in cases of emergency, at least three days notice shall be given for a special meeting. Special meetings shall be open to the public.

D. The quorum shall consist of a minimum of five members of the Commission. A majority of Commission members present and voting shall be required to approve a motion, except as otherwise provided.

E. In all zoning, variance, graphics and other special permit applications, wherever initiated, and in all matters in which Commission approval is requested by sources other than Commission members, the issue shall be placed initially before the Commission by a statement by the Chair, of the form, "the question before the Commission is: Shall the application (request, proposal) for _________ be approved?" Once stated, this question shall immediately have the status of a main motion to approve, subject to amendment, refer to committee, and all other actions and dispositions that apply to such a main motion under Robert's Rules. In particular, a motion to disapprove such an application shall no be in order. Except as provided under referral to the Planning Committee, an affirmative majority of the quorum of the Commission shall be required for approval of all such applications, requests or proposals. The Secretalry shall include the vote in any report of the Commission's action to City government bodies.

F. The Chairperson may recognize members of the public who wish to address the CAC concerning issues under discussion. Time limits for such presentations may be set by the Chairperson in consultation with other Commission members.

G. Dissenting or non-concurring reports may be filed with the Secretary by a CAC member and shall be attached to the majority report.

IV. Public Hearings

A. Upon an affirmative majority vote of the CAC at a regular or special meeting, the CAC may hold hearings for specific purposes.

V. Committees

A. The CAC Chairperson shall appoint a Chairperson for each of the standing committees established in these By-Laws. Except as otherwise provided for the Election Committee, the Chairperson of a standing committee shall appoint the members of that standing committee who may be Commissioners or non-Commissioners. Appointments shall be for the period of time until the next annual meeting and shall be subject to the approval of a majority of the CAC.

B. The CAC shall apoint the members of Election Committee who shall all be non-Commissioners. Apointments shall be for the period of time until the next annual meeting.

C. The Chairperson of the CAC shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, standing or special, except the Election Committee, with the same rights and priviledges as other members of those committees. A Commissioner who is not a regular member of the Planning Committee shall be an ex-officio member of the Planning Committee during that committee's review of an application for rezoning, a special permit, a variance, or other zoning adustment appeal for property located in the Commissioner's District.

D. All CAC committee meetings shall be open to the public.

Planning & Development

(1) The Planning & Development Committee will review all community focused development and planning issues, including proposed business development, civic and social development arising from the community and/or its various civic organizations, City plans impacting Clintonville, and shall, upon the Commission's request, preparing comprehensive social, physical, commercial and economic planning recommendations for the Commission. The committee will explore what Federal, State, and local funds may be available to implement plans in the Clintonville area. The committee will provide arenas for interested parties and the general population to participate and discuss all such issues affecting Clintonville. The committee will work pro-actively with other community based organizations to forward the development and promotion of Clintonville in a manner consistent with the Commission's mission statement.

Zoning & Variance Committee

(2) The Zoning & Variance Committee may review all current area plans, including functional plans such as thoroughfare plans, and prepare comprehensive social, physical, commercial, and economic planning recommendations for the area to be presented to various government bodies and to the City and to Council for review, comment and adoption. The committee may determine what Federal, State and local funds may be available to implement plans in the Clintonville area and may arenas for citizen participation in the planning process.

(a) The committee shall regularly receive, review and make recommendations on all applications for rezoning, variances, graphics and other zoning adjustment appeals and special permits located wholly or partially in the Clintonville area.

(b) In the event that a recommendation on the zoning matter must be reported to a City government body before the full Commission can properly meet and take action upon it, the Zoning & Variance Committee may proceed to make the recommendation on the Commission's behalf, if prior to making such recommendation, the Planning Committee obtains approval of the CAC Chairperson. The Commission may refer a zoning matter back to the Planning Committee for the adjustment of final details, and this final adjustment shall be considered to be an action of the Commission.

(c) In the event the CAC receives from the City's Department of Regulation a demolition request for an accessory use building in a residential district from a private home owner; the Chairperson of the Zoning & Variance Committee, the CAC Chairperson and the affected District Commissioner for which the demolition request is received, may review the demolition request without a full meeting of the CAC. The three shall review the prooplsed demolition; if all agree, the demolition is deemed to be aproved. If one disagrees, the matter shall be held over until the next regular CAC meeting. The CAC Vice-Chairperson shall be called upon if the Planning & Development Chairperson is also the District Commissioner for the area in question. In the even that a non-accessory building demolition permit, including but not limited to a house, office building or school, is received it will be heard by the Planning & Development Committee at their next regular meeting and then recommendations given to the CAC for action at their next meeting.

Community Infrastructure & Public Safety

(3) The Community Infrastructure & Public Safety Committee shall study and make recommendations to the Commission on issues related to all public and private infrastructure and public safety matters in Clintonville. Infrastructure issues shall include all matters related to public agency design and construction of streets, sewers, drainage, water and utility services. The committee shall also study and make recommendations to the Commission on mamers related to police services and fire safety within the community.

Parks, Recreation & Environment Committee

(4) The Parks Recreation & Environment Committee shall study and make recommendations to the Clintonville Area Commission on issues relating to parks and recreation facilities and programs, and environmental issues involving natural resources such as waterways, trees and ravines.

Election Committee

(5) The Election Committee shall consist of five Clintonville area residents appointed by the CAC at its January meeting of each year. No committee member may be any of the following:

(a) a member of the CAC;

(b) a candidate for electionto the CAC; or

(c) a member of the immediate family of a candidate for the CAC

The Election Committee shall conduct the CAC elections pursuant to the CAC election rules and shall meet as often as necessary to fulfill its duties as specified in the CAC election rules.

E. In the event a matter overlaps the area of two or more Committees the Chairperson of the Commission shall have the authority to assign such issues to a specific standing committee, or charge two or more of the committees to work as a special committee for the issue. The Chairperson may establish a select committee to address an issue, with approval of the Commission.

F. At any meeting, a majority of the CAC may establish one or more special committees for specific purposes. The CAC Chairperson shall appoint a Chairperson for each special committee that is created. The Chairperson of a special committee may appoint CAC and non-CAC members to a special committee, subject to the approval of a majority of the CAC. Special committees may be terminated by conditions set forth in the initiating action or by a subsequent majority vote of the CAC.

G. All findings of CAC standing or special committees which result in proposed actions or resolutions shall be submitted at a regular or special meeting of the CAC for consideration.

VI. Parlimentary Authority

Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern in all cases to which they are pplicable and not inconsistent with these by-laws and any special rules of order that the Commission may adopt.

VII. By-Law Amendments

These by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the CAC by an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the Commission member provided that the amendments were submitted in wirting at the previous regular meeting. The secretary shall file any approved amendments immediately after its adoption witht he city clerk for publication in the city bulletin. Such amendments shall take effect then (10) days after such publication per C.C. 121.05.

Adopted:
July 10, 1975

Amendments:
July 2, 1981; February 4, 1982; June 2, 1983; February 4, 1993; February 23, 1993; October 7, 1993; July 6, 1995; January 8, 1998.