Kerr Resigns from Planning Commision

Former City Council candidate Ginny Kerr has resigned her post from the Planning Commission because of possible conflicts in the future, Patch has learned.

Kerr attended a Planning Commission Tuesday. Her letter to Mayor Larry Kramer announcing her resignation from the seven-member panel was also dated Tuesday.

Kerr told Patch that there are several "issues of personal interest" that will be coming before the Planning Commission. Had she still been on the commission, she would have had to recuse herself.

By resigning, she’ll be able to talk to staff and other commissioners “more freely” about the projects.

Kerr would not indicate which future projects represent a conflict, but did say they had nothing to do with her role as treasurer on the San Juan Capistrano Open Space Foundation.

From her bio there:

Ginny spent 13 years in the homebuilding industry, most recently as Director of Forward Planning for Laing Luxury Homes. During this time, she worked on numerous projects in Newport Coast, Rancho Santa Fe, Talega and several other high-end communities.

Kerr sought a seat on the City Council this November, running as something of a slate with Councilman Sam Allevato. Allevato was re-elected. Kerr came in fourth in the race for two seats, garnering 18.7 percent of the votes.

Had she been elected, Kerr said she would have had to recuse herself as well when the projects she declined to identify came before her.

“My [Planning Commission] term would’ve been up in December anyway,” she said, except the City Council recently pushed back commission appointments to June. She decided she couldn’t wait that long. (The council also decided to the size of the Planning Commission to seven members.)

When pushed to reveal which projects could represent a conflict for her, Kerr answered: We’re just going to wait and see before they come up.”

She added: "I have enjoyed serving on the commission for the past five years and hold all of the people I have worked with during that time – city staff, fellow commissioners, council members and city residents – in the highest esteem."