SYV attorney nominated to county planning commission
Staff report
County Supervisor Joan Hartmann has announced her nomination of Santa Ynez Valley resident Cerene St. John as the next planning commissioner for the 3rd District.
The vacancy was created by the resignation last month of Marell Brooks. St. John’s appointment is pending approval from the County Board of Supervisors.
“I’m very appreciative of all the hard work Marell has done representing the interests of Third District residents on so many diverse land use issues over the past years. She has performed an invaluable service to the Third District,” Hartmann said.
St. John is a practicing attorney and a former city attorney for the city and county of San Francisco. She also served as the city Solid Waste Program Manager for the Sunnyvale.
Most recently, she has run her own firms providing solid waste and recycling consulting and legal services for cities and counties throughout California. In this capacity, she has drafted and negotiated franchise agreements, procurement documents and ordinances for jurisdictions including the county of Santa Clara and the cities of Tustin, Napa, Laguna Niguel, Rancho Mirage, Mission Viejo and Sunnyvale.
“Cerene is a superbly qualified candidate in all ways, and I am so pleased that she has agreed to step into this position,” Hartmann said. “I have the utmost confidence that Cerene St. John’s experience working with local governments and stakeholders will help make her an exceptional commissioner.”
St. John has lived in the Santa Ynez Valley since 2000. She enjoys hiking with her German shepherd, Luna, and gardening.
