The Feb. 7 deadline is fast approaching for West Marin residents to apply for a seat on the seven-member Marin County Planning Commission, which reviews county zoning and development proposals and makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. The District 4 representative resigned last month, citing a lack of support from Supervisor Dennis Rodoni; meanwhile, three other district seats and one of two at-large seats are also opening. Commissioners are appointed by the board, which typically endorses the local supervisor’s preferred candidate. Over the last two years, supervisors and commissioners have diverged on several significant issues, including the gas station project in Point Reyes Station and the housing element of the countywide plan. In recent years, the commissioners have fought to maintain local control in cases where county and village rules are in tension with state law. Supervisors have been more willing to adapt local rules to accommodate new housing, given the acute shortage of long-term rentals on the coast. Point Reyes Station resident Chris Desser, who held the District 4 seat from 2017 until she resigned in December, was an outspoken advocate for community plans and sometimes clashed with county planners over prioritizing them. She was a staunch opponent of the gas station renovation, arguing that the convenience store supervisors approved last year was out of keeping with the village character. This year, the county launched an effort to increase diversity on its boards and commissions and align their membership more closely with Marin’s demographics. For more information, call (415) 473.7331 or find the application on the Marin County Planning Commission webpage.