Brentwood Neighborhood Plan Contact Team Bylaws
Adopted August 15, 2006 by the Brentwood NPCT; Revised 4-30-2008, 6- -2012
Definition: Neighborhood Plan Contact Team is a group of neighborhood stakeholders charged with being stewards of the plan and upholding the implementation of the plan’s vision, goals and recommendations. Another responsibility of the Contact Team is to discuss and provide a recommendation to City Staff, Planning Commission and City Council on any proposed neighborhood plan amendments that are either text or map changes. The Contact Team may also submit an application to the Director of Neighborhood Planning & Zoning Department to amend a neighborhood plan.
Section 1—Name
A. This organization shall be known as the Brentwood Neighborhood Plan Contact Team (NPCT).
Section 2—Statement of Purpose
A. The purpose of the Brentwood NPCT shall be to review and make recommendations on all proposed amendments to the Brentwood Neighborhood Plan.
Section 3—Boundaries
A. Brentwood Neighborhood:
North: Justin Lane
South: 45th Street
East: Lamar Boulevard
West: Burnet Road
Section 4- Mandatory Requirements
A. The NPCT should make a reasonable, good faith effort to include representatives of the following groups: 1) property owners; 2) non-property owner residents (i.e. renters); 3) business owners; and, 4) neighborhood organization members owning or renting property within the neighborhood plan areaassociations.
B. The NPCT membership list shall be updated annually and a copy shall reach the City of Austin Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department by August of each year.
C. No member shall purport to represent the NPCT unless authorized to do so by the NPCT.
D. Upon request, each member shall receive a copy of the adopted Brentwood NPCT bylaws.
E. The City will notify property owners within 300’ of the subject tract and the interest list when a plan amendment application is submitted to the City. This notification will occur prior to the NPCT submitting their formal recommendation to City staff. The City will organize a meeting between the applicant and the NPCT to discuss and to consider whether to support the proposed plan amendment.
Section 5- Structure of the Contact Team
A. Self-selecting membership structure:
1. NPCT membership shall be open to anyone who lives, owns property or operates a business within the boundaries of the neighborhood planning area.
2. Voting membership shall be granted to any individual who meets the above criteria and has attended a total of 2 NPCT meetings. Membership shall become effective at the 3rd meeting and the new members name shall be noted in the minutes.
B. Upon the date of adoption of the bylaws, all currently listed participants shall automatically be members. After the date of adoption, the membership criteria listed above shall apply.
Section 6—Removal of Members from the Brentwood NPCT.
A. An individual’s voting membership on the Brentwood NPCT shall lapse on the 2nd successive unexcused absence unless there are extenuating circumstances that shall be approved by a majority of the officers.
B. Any NPCT member who no longer meets the membership criteria of Section 4 must be removed from the list of voting members.
C. The secretary will make a notation in the minutes of each meeting of the names of the individuals whose voting membership will lapse at the next scheduled meeting.
Section 7—Meetings
A. Unless otherwise specifically defined in these bylaws, all affairs of the NPCT shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, current edition.
B. The Brentwood NPCT shall meet at least once per year to elect officers.
C. Meetings shall be held no less than annually and on an as-needed basis when an application to amend the Brentwood Neighborhood Plan has been submitted to the City of Austin.
D. Special meetings of the NPCT may be called by a member of the executive committee.
E. NPCT meetings shall be open to the public. Visitors shall be invited to participate in the discussion of the matters at hand, but only qualified voting members of the NPCT are eligible to vote.
F. For a recommendation to be valid, at least five (5) voting members must be present (revised 4-30-2008). A valid recommendation will be by simple majority.
G. Approved minutes of meetings and sign-in sheets, as a record of attendance, must be kept for all meetings of the NPCT and shall be forwarded to the Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department upon request.
Section 8—Meeting Notification
A. All meetings will be publicized in the neighborhood using whatever reasonable means available. Notices shall be distributed not less than seven days before the meeting date.
B. Failure to receive a meeting notice does not invalidate the meeting. However, the provisions of this section must be complied with in good faith.
Section 9—Officers and Duties
A. The officers of the Brentwood NPCT shall be, at a minimum: Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary.
B. Duties of the officers are as follows:
1. The chair shall be responsible for the operation of the NPCT and its officers pursuant to these bylaws. This shall include conducting meetings, representing the team at official functions, appointing subcommittees, and generally overseeing the business of the NPCT. The Chair shall have the primary responsibility for leading the long-term and short-term planning efforts of the neighborhood and shall also have specific duties as spelled out elsewhere in these bylaws and as delegated by the NPCT.
2. The vice-chair shall assist the Chair in preparing meeting agendas and conducting meetings and shall assume all duties of the Chair when required.
3. The secretary shall maintain all written records as required by the bylaws, and produce all written communications as directed by the chair, the executive committee, or the NPCT membership.
Section 10—Nomination, Election, and Term of Officers
A. The membership of the NPCT shall nominate one or more eligible voting candidates from the NPCT for each office for the coming year. All candidates must be qualified voting members of the NPCT.
B. Officers will be elected by the NPCT voting members; by a majority vote if there are two or fewer candidates; or a plurality vote if there are three or more candidates.
C. The terms shall be for one year.
D. The secretary will notify the Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department in writing of the names of the newly elected officers, their contact information, and the date they are due to take office.
Section 11—Removal and Vacancies of Officers
A. Any elected officer may be removed from office for good cause. Removal shall be debated by the NPCT and require a two-thirds vote of members present at a meeting of the NPCT, provided that a resolution proposing the consideration of the removal had been adopted at a preceding meeting and that notice of the vote for removal was included in the call to the meeting at which the vote shall take place.
B. Should vacancies occur outside the normal election process, candidates for the unfilled term shall be nominated from the floor and elected at the next scheduled meeting following the vacancy. The person elected to the vacated office will serve for the remainder of the term.
Section 12—Executive Committee
A. The executive committee shall be composed of the officers and the chair of any standing committee of the NPCT.
B. The executive committee shall be responsible for the management of the affairs of the NPCT. The duties shall include updating the annual membership list, holding NPCT meetings, conducting elections as called for in the bylaws, and
representing the NPCT in communications with the City of Austin. It shall also act for the NPCT in matters specifically delegated to it. It may act for the NPCT between regular meetings on any matter determined urgent. Any such action shall be reported at the next regular meeting of the NPCT and none of its actions shall conflict with actions taken or polices formulated by the NPCT.
Section 13—Committees
A. The NPCT Chair, with the approval of the executive committee, may appoint standing committees to help conduct the business of the NPCT. The chair of a standing committee will serve as a voting member of the executive committee.
B. The Chair and/or Executive Committee may appoint special committees or subcommittees to help conduct specialized business of the NPCT.
C. Committees shall report to the NPCT and these reports shall be entered into the minutes.
Section 14—Amendments
A. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of those present at a regular NPCT meeting provided that a resolution proposing the amendment was adopted at a preceding regular meeting and that notice of the proposed amendment was given in the call for the meeting at which the amendment shall be voted upon.
Section 15—Effective Date
A. These bylaws of the Brentwood Neighborhood Plan Contact Team shall become effective on August 15, 2006.
Section 16—Conflict of Interest
A. If a member of the NPCT has an interest in a development that requires
a plan amendment, the member must follow these rules:
1. If a member has a substantial interest (see below) in a project,
the member cannot participate in any decision or voting
concerning the project, including the decision of the BNCT to
recommend an application for a plan amendment or the
decision to support or not support the project.
2. If a member has a substantial interest in a proposed project, the
member must disclose this interest at the time a plan
amendment application is discussed and at the time the
recommendation letter for the project is submitted.
3. Note that a member with a substantial interest in a project may
participate in the discussion regarding the proposed change.
However, participating in the voting or decision regarding that
change is disallowed.
B. Substantial interest means:
1. A person owns at least a part of or is invested in the property,
or business developing the property.
2. If a person has worked for someone involved in the project
over the past year.
3. If the person has a business that would directly benefit from the
project.
4. If the person serves on the board of directors, corporate officer,
or any other board overseeing the project.
5. If the person owes money to anyone involved in the project.
C. Conflict of Interest as it relates to the Plan Amendment Process is also
specifically addressed in Ordinance 030320-23 of the City Code.
