Week in Review

Opponents of an ordinance that will prevent third parties from handling completed absentee ballot applications for municipal elections lost their battle Tuesday night when the City Council approved the change.

Councilmen John Drayman, Frank Quintero and Dave Weaver voted to pass the ordinance despite staunch opposition from the Armenian National Committee and other immigrant service organizations that argued that it will keep limited-English speakers and seniors from getting the assistance they need to participate.But the opposition arguments — which have remained virtually unchanged over nearly two months of debate on the issue — failed to sway the three-member voting bloc, and in 2009, all candidates for municipal office will have to abide by the new rule.

Previously, municipal candidates were allowed to distribute absentee ballot applications with a return address to their own campaign offices.

Candidates could hold on to the forms for up to 72 hours before turning them over to the city clerk, who then issued the actual voting ballot directly to the applicant.

Candidates had used that holding time to record the names, addresses and phone numbers of the applicants in order to follow up and make sure they submit the actual voting ballot.

The law change will affect only elections for City Council and for jurisdictions that agree to consolidate, such as the school district and college board — a vote that takes place before each election cycle.

 A proposed overhaul of the design review process for single-family homes is poised for adoption after the Planning Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to send it back to the City Council with few recommendations for change.

The vote came after the Planning Commission on Jan. 16 postponed consideration of the changes to allow more time for stakeholders to review the proposal — at the time disappointing some City Council members who were anxious to implement the new process in tandem with the reconstitution of the city’s two Design Review Boards earlier this month.

The proposed process would clip the authority of the Design Review Boards and give city planners the opportunity to work more intimately with architects during the early stages of development to help facilitate compliance with design guidelines. Appeals would also go directly to the City Council instead of the Alternative Assessment Panel — a body made up of members from both review boards.