Council vacancy, 2040 General Plan top the list for Pleasant Hill mayor

PLEASANT HILL, CA (Jan. 25, 2023) — At its reorganization meeting in December, the Pleasant Hill City Council acknowledged the retirement of longtime Councilmember Michael Harris, welcomed newly elected Councilmember Zac Shess and gave me the honor of being mayor for 2023.

The mayor is a one-year term. This is my third time as mayor, having served previously in 2014 and 2018. I am grateful to have the confidence of my fellow councilmembers as we look forward to guiding the city through another interesting year.

First up, the council is working to fill a vacancy resulting from the election of Ken Carlson as District 4 county supervisor. We will fill this seat via an application process. Applications can be found at www.pleasanthillca.org and must be completed and returned by noon on Jan. 27. The council will then conduct public interviews of qualified applicants and make an appointment by March 1. That individual will fill the remaining two years of Carlson’s term.

Once we have a full council, our focus will shift to finalizing our General Plan. The Pleasant Hill 2040 General Plan is a long-range plan that guides decision-making and establishes rules and standards for new development and city improvements. It reflects the city’s vision for the future and is intended to provide direction through the year 2040.

The 2040 Pleasant Hill General Plan seeks to provide future opportunities for innovative development types, expanded economic development, the creation of unique growth areas, and upgraded public facilities and services, making the city the best place to live in the Bay Area.

The process, which began in March 2019, has included the creation of a General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) and several community engagement events where input was solicited from residents to help guide the future of the city.

Based on the input provided and with guidance from the GPAC, the draft General Plan was created. It can be reviewed at the city’s website pleasanthillca.org, search 2040 General Plan.

This draft will be up for public review and additional public comment until the City Council takes final action. I expect the final review and approval of the General Plan will occur this spring.

I encourage all Pleasant Hill residents and others interested to take the time to look at this document and provide comments so that your input and vision for the future of Pleasant Hill is included.

Until next month, unless we cross paths at a crab feed before.

Contact Tim Flaherty at ­tflaherty@pleasanthillca.org

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