2023 Park & Recreation Commission signed bylawsBYLAWS
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
CITY OF CHANHASSEN
The following bylaws are adopted by the Chanhassen Park and Recreation Commission to facilitate the
performance of its duties and the exercising of its functions as a commission established by the City
Council.
Section 1: Duties And Responsibilities:
1.1 To hold meetings of its members, to consider such matters pertaining to parks and public
recreation programs in the city as shall be referred to the Commission by the Council, or as the
members of the Commission themselves deem proper.
1.2 To prepare a comprehensive plan for the future development of the city park and recreation
system, to be submitted to the City Council for implementation, and to maintain said plan, and
recofitmend amendments to the plan to the City Council, as may become necessary or desirable.
1.3 To act in an advisory capacity to the Council in all matters relating to a park and recreation
program in the city.
1.4 Establishment of Subcommittees: The Park and Recreation Commission may, as they deem
appropriate, establish special subcommittees comprised solely of their own members.
Section 2: Meetings:
2.1 Time: Regular meetings of the Commission shall be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month
at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 7700 Market Blvd. unless otherwise directed by the
Chair, in which case at least 24-hour notice will be given to all members. Regular meetings shall
have a curfew of 10:00 p.m., which may be waived at the discretion of the Chair. All unfinished
business will be carried over to the next regular Park and Recreation Commission meeting.
2.2 Special meetings: Special meetings shall be held upon call by the Chair or in his/her absence,
by the Vice Chair, or any other member with the concurrence of four other members of the
commission, and with at least 48-hour notice to all members. Notice of all special meetings shall
also be posted on the official city bulletin board.
2.3 Attendance: Park and Recreation Commission members shall attend not less than seventy-five
(75%) percent of all regular and special meetings held during a given (calendar) year, and shall
not be absent from three (3) consecutive meetings. Failure to meet this minimum attendance
requirement shall result in removal from the commission.
Section 3 Commission Composition. Terms and Vacancies:
3. i Composition: The commission shall consist of seven (7) voting members. Additionally, the
commission may also have one or two youth representatives who shall also be voting members.
Commissioners shall be appointed by the Council and may be removed by the Council.
3.2 Terms and Vacancies: The council shall appoint members to the commission for staggered
terms of three (3) years; however, youth commissioners shall serve one-year terms. Vacancies
during the term shall be filled by the council for the unexpired portion of the term.
All members shall serve without compensation.
3.3 Quorum: Half plus one (5) Park and Recreation Commission members shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business. Whenever a quorum is not present, no final or official action shall
be taken at such meeting.
Section 4 Organization:
4.1 Election of Officers: At the first meeting in April of each year, the Park and Recreation
Commission shall hold an orgarizational meeting. At this meeting, the commission shall elect
from its membership a Chair and Vice Chair. Each member shall cast its vote for the member
he/she wishes to be chosen for Chair. If no one receives a majority, voting shall continue until one
member receives the majority support. Vice Chair shall be elected from the remaining numbers of
the same proceeding.
4.2 Duties of the Chair and Vice Chair: The Chair, or in hislher absence the Vice Chair, shall
preside at meetings, appoint committees from its own membership, and perform other such duties
as ordered by the commission.
The Chair shall conduct the meeting so as to keep it moving as rapidly and efficiently as possible
and shall remind members, witnesses, and petitioners to preserve order and decorum and to keep
comments to the subject at hand.
The Chair shall not move for action but may second motions.
Section 5 Procedure:
5.1 Parliamentary Procedure: Generally, or as appropriate, Parliamentary Procedure, governed
by Roberts Rules of Order Revised, shall be followed at all regular meetings. At special work
session meetings, and when appropriate, the commission may hold group discussions not
following any set parliamentary procedures except when motions are before the commission.
Section 6 - Public Hearinss:
6.1 Purpose of Hearings: The purpose of a hearing is to collect information and facts in order for
the commission to develop a rational recofirmendation for the City Council.
6.2 Hearing Procedure: At hearings, the following procedure shall be followed in each case:
a. The Chair shall state the case to be heard.
b. The Chair shall call upon staff to present the staff report. Required reports from each city
department shall be submitted to the Park and Recreation Commission before each case is
heard.
c. The Chair shall ask the applicant to present their case.
d. Interested persons may address the commission, giving information regarding the particular
proposal.
e. Petitioners and the public are to address the Chair only, not staff or other commissioners.
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f. After all new facts and information have been brought forth, the hearing shall be closed and
interested persons shall not be heard again. Upon completion of the hearing on each case,
the Park and Recreation Commission shall discuss the item at hand and render a decision.
The Park and Recreation Commission, if it so desires, may leave the public record open for
written comments for a specified period of time.
g. The Chair shall have the responsibility to inform all of the parties of their rights of appeal on
any decision or recofirmendation of the Park and Recreation Commission.
6.3 Schedule: At meetings where more than one hearing is scheduled, every effort shall be made to
begin each case at the time set on the agenda, but in no case may an item be called for hearing
prior to the advertised time listed on the agenda.
Section 7 Miscellaneous:
7.1 Park and Recreation Commission Discussion:
a. Matters for discussion which do not appear on the agenda shall be discussed during
Commissioner Member Presentations. After discussion, if the Commission would like to
add an item, a motion, a second, and a vote to add to a future meeting would occur. A
majority vote applies.
b. Matters which are added shall be discussed at the appropriate time on the future agenda.
Suspension of Rules: The commission may suspend any of these rules by a unanimous vote of
the members present.
Amendments: Amendments of these bylaws may be made at arry regular or special meeting of
the Park and Recreation Commission but only if scheduled on the meeting agenda in advance of
the meeting.
Review: Annually, at the first meeting in April or as deemed appropriate, these bylaws shall be
read and adopted by the Park and Recreation Commission.
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Updated4/2023
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