Each city board and commission has a web page (linked below) that lists meeting times, agendas and meeting minutes, and other information. All city board and commission meetings are livestreamed on the city’s website and cable channel. Past meetings can be viewed on the city’s website.

• Agricultural Conversion Mitigation Fee Committee
• Arts Commission
• Beach Preservation
• Community-Police Engagement Commission
• Golf Lodging Business Improvement District
• Historic Preservation
• Housing Commission
• Library Board of Trustees
• Parks & Recreation
• Planning Commission
• Public Art Advisory Subcommittee
• Senior Commission
• Tourism BID
• Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission

Scheduled vacancies occur when a member’s term is up. The California Government Code sections 54970 to 54974 require cities to create a list of terms that will be expiring for the upcoming calendar year, names of the incumbents and date of appointments This list is also available to the public at city libraries. 

Unscheduled vacancies occur when members cannot complete their terms. These are listed on this website as they come up.

Current vacancies

   Community-Police Engagement Commission - Deadline Noon on 12/16/2024

   Parks & Recreation Commission - Deadline Noon on 12/16/2024

   Planning Commission - Deadline Noon on 12/16/2024

   Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission - Deadline Noon on 12/16/2024

Application Portal*

*If you need a paper application, please contact the City Clerk's Office at 442-339-2808

Appointments to the boards, commissions and committees are made by the Carlsbad City Council as vacancies occur. The length of term for appointments varies depending upon the vacancy and position. The application, interview and appointment process is outlined in City Council Policy No. 88.

To serve on a city board, commission or committee, interested residents must submit an application to the Office of the City Clerk. For all commissions except the Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District and the Carlsbad Golf Lodging Improvement District applicants must be registered to vote in the City of Carlsbad and a Carlsbad resident. Some positions have additional requirements or preferred areas of expertise.

Boards & Commissions Application Portal**

**(If you do not receive a confirmation email from the City Clerk's Office the same day you submitted your application, please print and email your application to clerk@carlsbadca.gov).
**If you are using Chrome as your browser, please download the application and email it to clerk@carlsbadca.gov.

City Council Policy No. 88 specifies the appointment process for boards, commissions and committees.

To be considered, please visit the Boards and Commissions application portal to submit an application.

Application process

Notification

• In addition to the required annual announcement of planned vacancies, the Office of the City Clerk announces each vacancy, planned and unplanned, as it occurs throughout the year. Announcements are typically made 30 to 45 days prior to the vacancy.
• Announcements of all vacancies are made on the city website.

Deadlines for applications

• Applications are accepted year-round and remain valid through December 31 of each year.
• Applicants may submit an application each year if they would like to remain under consideration.
• To be considered for a specific planned or unplanned vacancy, and to allow sufficient time for interviews by Council Members, it is recommended that applications be received by the deadline specified by the Office of the City Clerk. This deadline is typically 30 days following the announcement of the vacancy.

City Council consideration

• When a vacancy occurs, whether planned or unplanned, the Office of the City Clerk notifies all City Council members and provides copies of all applications currently on file.
• Council members may choose to interview applicants, however that is done at their discretion and is not part of the process administered by the Office of the City Clerk.
• The Office of the City Clerk will place an appointment on the City Council agenda for consideration. This is typically not scheduled less than 30 days following the vacancy announcement. The staff report prepared by the Office of the City Clerk includes copies of all applications under consideration.

Swearing in

Once an applicant has been selected to serve, the Office of the City Clerk will schedule a meeting to administer the oath of office, schedule required ethics training and provide a statement of economic interest to be filled out and filed. The term begins once the member is sworn in.

Questions?

If you would like more information or have questions about how to serve on a city board, commission or committee, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at clerk@carlsbadca.gov or 442-339-2808.