Chapter 25.22 HEARINGS AND NOTICES


Section 25.22.030 Conduct of hearings.

    1. Rights of All Persons. Any person may appear and testify at a public hearing, either in person or by a duly authorized agent or attorney, and may submit documentary evidence; provided, however, that the chairman of the hearing body may exclude irrelevant, immaterial and unduly repetitious evidence.
    2. Participation of parties and proximate owners. Subject to the sound discretion of the hearing body, the applicant and any officer, department, board or commission of the city, and any property owner entitled to written notice under subsection 2a of Section 25.22.020, may, in addition to the rights granted by subsection 1 of this Section 25.22.030, to be allowed to participate in any one or all of the following ways:
        a. To present witnesses on their own behalf;
        b. To rebut testimony in opposition to their position;
        c. To examine and reproduce any documents produced at the hearing;
        d. To request continuances for the purpose of presenting evidence to rebut evidence introduced by any other person.
    In withholding permission to participate in one or more of the above ways, the discretion of the hearing body shall be governed by the goal of securing all information and opinion relevant and material to its deliberation. Permission shall not be granted, however, where undue and unwarranted delay would result, or where to do so would tend to produce no new evidence to aid the hearing body in reaching its decision.
    3. Adjournment of Hearing. The body conducting the hearing may at any time adjourn the hearing for a reasonable time, and to a fixed date, time and place, for the purpose of giving further notice, taking further evidence, gathering further information, or for such other reason as the body may find to be sufficient. The secretary to the hearing body, shall notify all members of the hearing body, and any other person designated on the vote of adjournment, of the date, time and place of the adjourned hearing.
    4. Board and Commission Rules to Govern. All other matters pertaining to the conduct of hearings shall be governed by the provisions of this title pertaining to, and the rules promulgated by, the body conducting the hearing.  (Ord. S-30424, 1976)