At its regular meeting on January 15, the Calexico City Council approved an ordinance to eliminate the Planning Commission, designate the council as the City’s Planning Agency, and implement changes to other commissions. The ordinance, which amends Chapter 2.19 of the municipal code, aims to streamline decision-making and reduce administrative burdens. The measure passed 4-1, with Councilmember Lorenzo Calderon voting against it.
Under California Government Code Section 65100, all cities are required to establish a Planning Agency to oversee compliance with state planning laws. By adopting this ordinance, the City Council assumes the duties previously assigned to the Planning Commission, making it the sole body for reviewing and approving planning-related items. The change eliminates the Planning Commission’s advisory role, allowing for quicker project approvals and fewer public hearings.
Calexico Planning Director Michael Coyne advocated for the change, citing its potential to improve efficiency and address staffing challenges. Coyne explained that maintaining a Planning Commission requires additional resources for preparing agendas, minutes, and public notices—resources that the city currently lacks.
“This is just a change to Title 2 of the municipal code,” Coyne explained. “Every jurisdiction in the state is required to have a Planning Agency, but some governing bodies take on that role. While this approach is unusual in the Imperial Valley, it is not without precedent.”
Coyne highlighted his experience with the City of Santee, where the City Council acts as the Planning Commission, enabling faster processing of projects and legislative items. He added that irregular Planning Commission meetings in Calexico, often canceled due to lack of quorum, had stalled progress on important projects.
“This change would expedite projects currently in the pipeline,” Coyne said. “And once the city is fully operational with adequate staffing, the Planning Commission could be reinstated.”
Some residents opposed the decision, emphasizing the importance of public involvement. Jesús Solano, a Calexico resident, expressed frustration, arguing that eliminating the Planning Commission undermines transparency and community participation.
“What happened to the checks and balances and transparency?” Solano asked. “Excluding the community from participating just to fast-track some businesses—I don’t agree with that, and a lot of community members don’t agree with that.”
Solano supported other amendments, including stricter attendance requirements for commissioners and eliminating stipends for meetings, but he urged the council to collaborate with residents rather than sideline them.
Mayor Pro Tem Victor Legaspi defended the council’s decision, pointing to delays caused by canceled Planning Commission meetings and their impact on local businesses.
“It took Jumping Beans Taqueria 15 months to open up—15 months, that’s ridiculous,” Legaspi said. “If this doesn’t work, give it a year. Give it time. Have faith in us. Our town is dead. We need businesses to come in.”
The ordinance also introduced changes to city commissions, including the creation of a Community Facilities District (CFD) Commission to advise on public improvements and services funded by CFDs, a requirement for the Community Services Commission to hold monthly meetings, and the expansion of the Community-Police Advisory, Traffic, and Code Enforcement Commission to address traffic and code enforcement issues while fostering community-police relations.