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The San Ramon Planning Commission has a new member on the five-person body, following the resignation of a commissioner in the midst of her term.
Dave Curtis was appointed by the San Ramon City Council to fill the seat vacated by Corie Edwards, who resigned effective last month.
“I am very excited to take on the role of planning commissioner for the City of San Ramon,” Curtis told DanvilleSanRamon. “I grew up in the Tri-Valley area and have seen changes, both good and bad, in this area. I want to be a part of the solutions for growing a community that focuses on balancing the community members’ voices, the caring of our environment and the prosperity of the businesses and residents of this area.”
Curtis was selected from a pool of applicants who were interviewed for an earlier opening on the commission, when former commissioner Rick Marks resigned from his seat shortly before his term had been set to end this month. S. Ashar Ahmed was ultimately selected to fill that seat, and is now serving a term through 2027.
Edwards had been in the midst of her four-year term on the commission, which was set to expire in June 2025. Her resignation notice was received by the city on April 17, and was effective as of May 17.
The City Council met on May 9 to discuss next steps for filling Edwards’ seat, after which they voted unanimously to appoint Curtis for the remainder of her term through 2025.
“I think there’s an opportunity to get someone in there that met everyone’s expectations,” Mayor Dave Hudson said following the May 9 vote. “If he wants to apply for a four-year term later, he can do that too.”
“I think he’s going to have a heck of a learning curve,” Hudson added.
Councilmember Scott Perkins emphasized the challenges of having two new members on the commission following Marks’ and Edwards’ resignations in a short span of time.
The Planning Commission recognized Edwards the following week at her final meeting on May 16.
“It has been truly a pleasure,” Commissioner Gary Alpert said at the May 16 meeting. “I personally enjoyed hearing each time you spoke, you always had great insights and thoughts, and I appreciated them. And you brought a perspective that was really valuable to the commission.”
“If you weren’t leaving for a really good reason, like moving, I would be mad at you for leaving us, but I can’t be,” he added.
Commissioner Jean Kuznik seconded Alpert’s sentiment.
“We would be upset if we didn’t think that you were going off to a great new adventure with you and your family, and I know how important that is to you, that despite our charming company, you always made a beeline to the door to get home to your family” Kuznik said. “And I think that is really touching and admirable and they’re lucky to have you.”
Edwards was appointed to the commission starting in 2021, during which she juggled the duties of the position alongside her full-time job as a real estate attorney at a San Francisco-based firm. She served as the commission’s vice chair starting last May until her final meeting. Prior to that, she served on the city’s Housing Advisory Committee from 2015 to 2021.
Commissioners also voted to appoint Eric Wallis as the body’s vice chair following Edwards’ departure at the May 16 meeting.
Curtis’ first meeting in his new role was on May 30 — a special joint meeting with the City Council and the Planning Commission — centered on the ongoing General Plan update process.
While Kuznik’s term is set to expire this month, she is seeking to remain on the commission and has applied for a second term.
