But i built a tight timeline for a mixed-use infill, then the conditional use permit hearing slid from June 12 to “after summer festivals,” and my critical path now includes three parades and a farmers market. What’s your go-to contingency when the 45-day notice window behaves like optional fine print?
I book a placeholder hearing and pre-arrange a “continue to a date certain” with the clerk so the notice stays live, then bake a 60–90 day festival float between staff report and NTP — saved my last infill when @planner_kim punted it for a parade; have you tried getting a date-certain continuance?
When June 12 slid to ‘after summer festivals,’ my save was a re-notice kit: pre-approved legal ad text with the paper, clerk okay on format, and a card on file so we can republish the next business day and keep the hearing target. It runs a few hundred bucks, but it beats watching the 45‑day notice window blow up the critical path. It’s saved me more time than any float I’ve tried.
I trim the CUP to fit staff-level thresholds so it jumps to consent and isn’t hostage to “after summer festivals” — drop the rooftop hours, swap the parking variance for a TDM plan, and let it ride. Meanwhile I pull a separate demo/soils permit so shop drawings and utilities keep the critical path warm while the 45‑day notice plays games. @henmill ever tried that pivot to turn a hearing into admin sign-off?
I front-load a ‘special meeting’ request with the fee, a draft agenda item, and two alternates so if the regular docket drifts, the chair can grab a 7:30 a.m. quorum and we keep the GC hold intact; it’s not cheap, but it’s cheaper than losing subs — @rodriguez72, do your boards bite on that?
I keep a ready-to-go radius mail merge with the GIS export and a print shop on retainer, so when June 12 turns into “three parades and a farmers market,” we re-mail in 24–48 hours with a fresh affidavit and keep the record tidy. Some clerks make you rerun the list each time — does yours let the same case number carry through the new notice?
I ask the clerk to slot it on the last agenda before festival season just to open and continue it ‘to a date certain,’ so the original notice stays valid and we don’t eat a re-mail when it bumps into the ‘farmers market.’ Works for my mixed-use infill stuff, but only if your code treats date-certain continuances as no new notice — does your commission allow that, @plan_jamie?