Have you ever wanted to serve on a government board or commission? Well, if you live in Jefferson County, now is your opportunity! The county’s planning commission will need to fill six volunteer spots for this upcoming fall term. There will be four spots for regular members and 2 spots for associate members. These associate members vote only if one or more of the regular members is not in attendance, and often associates can apply the following year to be a regular member. Click Here for all Jeffco boards & commissions
You don’t need to have any specialized knowledge in fields such as engineering, construction services, or real estate law to serve on this commission. The staff in the planning division offer various “work sessions” which are actually educational in nature. If you have critical thinking skills, a sense of curiosity, and an ability to sift through various pieces of information in order to make a well-reasoned recommendation 
to the elected county commissioners, you might be an ideal candidate. These appointed commissioners will also occasionally hear regulation changes and have the opportunity to not only ask questions and get further information but to vote on these regulatory issues.
Meetings are usually scheduled for the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month beginning with the pre-hearing meeting at 5:15 PM. The actual hearings begin at 6:15 and usually run until 8:30, or so, depending on the type of cases being heard, although rarely, the hearing may run no later than 11:00. A light meal is served during the pre-hearing meeting.
In preparation for hearings, a case manager summary is available for commissioners to review online the week prior. Additionally, as a commissioner, you will want to go on-site visits to view the location for the associated case. Over time, you will find you will see a large segment of the county, from the far southwest to the northeast, often in very unusual areas you did not know were a part of Jeffco.
If you are interested in finding out more about serving on the commission, watch for the posting of these positions sometime around late July to early August. Additionally, better understand the hearing process, you may want to attend one or two planning and zoning hearings, held in the conference room in the Jefferson County Administration building.
As a Jefferson County Planning Commissioner, you have the opportunity to learn about more than land use, you will learn about fire mitigation, the economics of the region, the planning process, and more, in addition to making a contribution to your community.
Wendy Spencer has volunteered as a commissioner with the Jefferson county Planning Commission for over 5 years.
