Planning Commissioner Resigns After Throwing Cat, Drinking Beer During Zoom Hearing

A strange story from a suburban city in Northern California gives a black eye to the public planning process, and the idea of conducting essential civic duties remotely during an international public health crisis.

1 minute read

May 3, 2020, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


California

SevenMaps / Shutterstock

Chris Platz, a planning commissioner in the city of Vallejo, CA, recently resigned from the commission after drinking beer and throwing a cat during a Zoom meeting, reports John Glidden. 

"Chris Platzer said in an email to the Vallejo Times-Herald [in April] that he has resigned from the Vallejo Planning Commission, effectively immediately — days before the Vallejo City Council was set to consider a resolution removing him from the seven-person commission."

"Platzer was seen drinking a beer and throwing his cat through the air during a commission meeting held via teleconference on April 20," adds Glidden. 

From a follow up article, also by Glidden, comes news that the Solano County Sheriff’s Office opened an animal welfare investigation after Platzer's conduct during the meeting.

The details of the strange episode in planning history made national news, with articles on the subject appearing in Time, The New York Times, CNN, the Los Angeles Times, The Seattle Times, and more.

Saturday, April 25, 2020 in Vallejo Times-Herald

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