There is hereby created a Park Commission for
the Village of Pleasant Prairie.
[Amended 2-4-2008 by Ord. No. 08-06]
The Park Commission shall consist of seven members,
appointed by the Village President. The members shall be citizens
of recognized experience and qualifications. All appointments to the
Park Commission shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Village
Clerk. The Village President shall also appoint two alternate members
of the Park Commission, who shall attend all meetings, hearings and
other proceedings of the Park Commission. The first alternate member
shall vote whenever any regular member is absent or has a conflict
of interest. The second alternate member shall vote whenever two or
more regular members are absent or have a conflict of interest or
whenever one regular member and the first alternate member are absent
or have a conflict of interest. The Village Board may authorize members
of said Commission to be compensated for their expenses not to exceed
$20 per meeting.
[Amended 2-4-2008 by Ord. No. 08-06]
A. The members of the initial Park Commission appointed
by the Village President pursuant to this article shall be appointed,
respectively, for terms of either one or two years. Annually thereafter
(beginning in 2005) and prior to May 1, the Village President shall
appoint four members one year and three members the following year
for a two-year term. Any vacancy on the Park Commission may be filled
by a Village Trustee for the balance of the term of the former member,
or the Village President may appoint a new Park Commission member
to serve the balance of the term of the former member.
B. The alternate members of the Park Commission shall
serve a one-year term which shall commence upon their appointment
and shall end on the following April 30. Annually thereafter and prior
to May 1, the Village President shall appoint each alternate member
for a one-year term.
Any Park Commissioner who does not attend three
successive meetings shall automatically become eligible to forfeit
their seat, which will be vacated for appointment of another Park
Commissioner by the Village President.
The Park Commission shall elect officers, which
will include a Chair, whose duty is to facilitate the meetings; a
Vice Chair, who will facilitate meetings in the absence of the Chair;
and a Secretary, who will keep all correspondence. Elections for Park
Commission officers shall be held annually at the first meeting in
May.
[Amended 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 09-57; 5-16-2011 by Ord. No. 11-15; 11-4-2019 by Ord. No. 19-35]
Meetings shall be held once a month or at the
call of the Village President, the Park Commission Chair or a majority
of the full Commission and shall be open to the public. A vote by
the full majority of Park Commission members shall establish meeting
days and time.
Four members shall constitute a quorum, but
all actions shall require approval of a majority of the full Commission,
except a motion to adjourn.
A written record shall be kept showing all actions
taken, resolutions, findings, determinations, transactions, and recommendations
made, and a copy of such record shall be filed with the Village Clerk
as a public record.
The Park Commission shall have such powers as
may be necessary to enable it to perform its functions and duties
and promote park and open space planning. Such powers shall include
the following and all others granted by the Village Board:
A. To make recommendations to the Village Plan Commission
in areas of land use and park and open space development.
The Park Commission shall have the following
functions and duties:
A. To ensure the quality of life for all members of the
community by facilitating the acquisition, development and preservation
of parklands, open space areas and recreational facilities in an orderly
and uniform process.
B. To create and maintain a Village Park and Open Space
Plan and recommend the plan's adoption to the Village Plan Commission
and Village Board. The Park and Open Space Plan shall be in conformance
with the Village Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Development.
C. Upon the request of the Village Board, to review and update Chapter
242, Parks and Recreation, of this Code concerning standards for parks and open space development.
D. To recommend to the Village Plan Commission and Village
Board any changes or amendments to subdivision conceptual plans which
pertain to parks and open space development.
E. To consider and report or recommend on all matters
referred to the Park Commission.
F. Until such time as the Village Board adopts a Village
Park and Open Space Plan, the Park Commission shall use the Kenosha
County Park and Open Space Plan prepared by the Southeastern Regional
Planning Commission and existing Village land use plans as guidelines
for recommendations.
The Village Board, having final authority thereon,
may refer to the Park Commission for its consideration and report,
before final action is taken, the following matters:
A. Location, design and naming of any public parklands
and open space areas.
B. Acquisition, acceptance, extension, lease, sale, or
abandonment of any Village park, parkway or open space area.
C. All proposed or requested changes and amendments to the Village Park and Open Space Plan or Chapter
242, Parks and Recreation, of this Code.