2.36.030 Presiding officer – Designated – Authority.
A. The mayor shall be the presiding officer at all hearings held before the council and the president of the planning commission shall preside over hearings before that body. In the absence of the mayor or planning commission president, or with their consent, the council or planning commission may designate one of its members, or any other officer,: employee or person to act as presiding officer at a hearing. A presiding officer, if not a councilman or planning commission member, shall have no vote on the question in determination of the matter. The presiding officer of the hearing, provided he is a member of the concerned body, shall have a vote on the matters being heard.
B. The presiding officer shall have authority to:
1. Regulate the course and decorum of the hearing;
2. Dispose of procedural requests or similar matters;
3. Rule on offers of proof and relevancy of evidence and testimony;
4. Impose reasonable limitations on the number of witnesses heard and set reasonable time limits for oral presentations, cross-examination of witnesses and rebuttal testimony; and
5. Take such other action authorized by the council or planning commission member appropriate for conduct commensurate with the nature of the hearing. (Ord. 3682 §4, 1973).